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Publishing My Children’s Book in Six Months: Illustrations

April 6, 2023 by Jim Potter 8 Comments

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(To  listen to the audio of this blog post, use the purple play button.)

Illustrations

Copyright 2023 © by Jim Potter

To see a larger image of K-9 Kudzu, open the pdf link by clicking Kudzu Final Ball

As with any major project, the original plan and the finished work can vastly differ. Things evolve. I planned a primer picture book titled B is for Badge: The ABCs of Law Enforcement. Instead, I’m eagerly awaiting the publishing of an illustrated, upper grade-school book, K-9 Kudzu: Observations of a Working Dog Who Loves to Play.

The 6” by 9” perfect-bound book will consist of twenty-six chapters and be over 100 pages. Teachers can use it as a “Read Aloud” book.

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To see a larger image of K-9 Kudzu’s trade marked branding, open the pdf link by clicking Kudzu-Final-Logo-1

Gina Laiso, Integrita Productions

Today, I’m sharing a creative, eye-catching, trade-marked illustration by Gina Laiso, Integrita Productions. We’ll use it in product branding and marketing. Notice, it’s not the book cover.

Before this image could be created, we had to decide on what K-9 Kudzu, a German shepherd, would look like. Kudzu began as a stationary, stoic image, but became a playful, fun-loving canine, who loves his blue ball. Gina took Kudzu’s figure, his toy, and the motto, and then combined them by placing “K-9” inside a sheriff’s star, while using the blue color scheme to help brand the entire production with a unique identity.

Who knows? The large letters spelling “K-9 KUDZU” may foretell a coloring book superhero who shows up on coffee mugs, coffee-tables, T-shirts, posters, and more.

After sending Gina my “final” draft of K-9 Kudzu, she created a storyboard and blocked out the book. This helped her make decisions about what illustrations to create, their sizes, and placement in the story. If an illustration is printed 2” by 2”, then there’s no need to have a great deal of detail in its original format. When it’s used on the book cover or a poster, that’s another story.

Click to open the link to Integrita Productions on Facebook http://facebook.com/IntegritaProductions

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Like I’ve said before, book publishing is not for the weak-hearted. I still marvel how patient I can be in my writing, yet, how impatient I can become in areas outside my control. It’s good practice for me to wait and to understand the difference.

It’s also easy for me to get ahead of myself. I can see the finished book in my hands, the delightful color illustrations brightening every page, posters displayed at bookstores and on social media platforms, all with K-9 Kudzu’s playful picture advertising his book about law enforcement.

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I have a friend, a former grade school librarian, who read a draft of K-9 Kudzu. She said she really enjoyed it and appreciated the right amount of humor from Kudzu, the book’s narrator. This educator has agreed to write a “blurb” (endorsement) for the back cover.

I have all kinds of plans, but I’m still searching for some organizations to help me publish K-9 Kudzu. Printing won’t be cheap. In printing, the two major factors that increase the cost are the number of pages and printing in color. When you add the illustrator’s fee, I expect the cost to easily triple the expense of my prior books.

It would be cheaper for me to draw my own illustrations, but my stick people all look alike, and the canines resemble insects.

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Until next time, happy writing,

 

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Comments

  1. Rosemary Miller says

    Testing

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      Received.

      Reply
  2. alex potter says

    Great!

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      Thanks!

      Reply
  3. alex potter says

    Yay, Kudzu!

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      Yay! Closer to a published book!

      Reply
  4. Pat Bussen says

    Best of luck to you with this literary endeavor, Jim. I’m sure it will all be a great success for you!

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      Thanks, Pat! Lots of work, lots of plans. We’ll see.

      Reply

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Recent Posts

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Karleen Wilson-Moon

Terrific story relevant to today’s social issues . . . well written . . . likable characters . . . insightful perspective from an insider in law enforcement.

Larry Kruckman, anthropologist

Jim Potter displays ethnographic skills in Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, creating vivid scenes and fascinating characters. The Greeks had a word for subcultures and people’s behavior: ‘ethos,’ or ‘ways of being.’ In colorful, sometimes marvelous detail, this novel captures various people and settings . . . the ethos of rural Kansas: a… Read more “Larry Kruckman, anthropologist”

Steve Becker

I’m impressed. It was an excellent read. . . . I hope you continue with more projects in the future.

Morgan Penner

Taking Back the Bullet is a novel that provides the reader with a window into the world of law enforcement. As the novel unfolds, the reader is able to see how split-second decisions alter the lives of the main characters in the story. Taking Back the Bullet also explores how humanity is impacted by mental… Read more “Morgan Penner”

Sean McArdle, Winchester, England

Retired police officer Potter’s novel centers on very disparate characters and through the tried and tested means of gradually introducing each one, builds a sense of anticipation about what is going to happen to them. This often used methodology is not easy to do well but is superbly handled by Potter who knows how to… Read more “Sean McArdle, Winchester, England”

Jane Holzrichter

I finished it last night around midnight. What a great piece of work. It kept me intrigued all the way to the end.

Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist

Jim Potter has done it again! After his book, Cop in the Classroom: Lessons I’ve Learned, Tales I’ve Told, Jim has written another great work. In Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, Jim Potter takes us on an insightful journey into the lives and relationships of numerous characters. Jim is such a talented storyteller… Read more “Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist”

Diana Dester

Good story line, building the characters along the way. Great job!

Wynona Winn, PhD, retired school superintendent

Three main characters walk different paths but with the same destination – each coping with his or her self-discovery, self-identity, and self-realization. Much like their earlier counterparts – Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield – their journeys are often joyous, often tedious and often tragic.

Judy Hawk

. . . I was impressed with the Native American information as well as the depth of character development . . . .

John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement

I enjoyed your book. When I am looking for a new read, I always read the first page, last page and choose a random page somewhere in the middle before I decide to buy it. You had me on all three pages. I also like reading a book where you can relate to the characters… Read more “John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement”

Sheryl Remar

I enjoyed the different stories of this book because Tom, James, and Suanna, the three main characters, represent in their own way the different struggles with themselves and society’s idea of what is normal.

Rebecca Schillaci

As a former law enforcement officer, I found the story very relatable as it details the life of a law enforcement officer and the struggles some face throughout their careers. . . Taking Back the Bullet is a journey of understanding, respect, and forgiveness . . .

Dennis Perrin, educator

Masterful storytelling, exquisite character development, so real as to HURT and HOPE, a real page turner. Begs for stage, screenwriters, and visual episodic development a.k.a. TV series . . . Thanks Jim Potter for telling it like it is AND providing us visions of how it could be. Well done!

Rebecca from Proud Police Wife

Taking Back the Bullet is an emotional, yet captivating novel. Jim Potter does a superb job of intertwining each character and putting their individual identities on display. All law enforcement storylines are a true reflection of Potter’s years as a police officer because they are realistic and relatable. This is a book I highly recommend.

Denise Low, author of Jackalope (Red Mountain Press)

Jim Potter is a cop, retired, but he brings deep understanding of this job to his novel Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery. This layered novel has literary dimensions as characters explore crisis situations. Congratulations to this fine writer for his debut novel.

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Video interview with James Lowe outside Bookends Bookstore July 21, 2022

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