There are ways to write updates for crowdfunding projects and ways to write blogposts, according to some folk. This posting will work against all the 'rules'. Which is the real way to write....

 

Feather, Leaf, Bark & Stone is fully funded and growing. The manuscript has moved from my hands to John Mitchinson's and back again.

I asked John to send me a picture of him editing, but he sent me one of him smiling..... which I hope is a good sign.

We've shuffled the order and I need to find a way to end the book, then it moves in to Alison's hands. Alison is the designer. And she is amazing. She's currently working on two of my backlist titles, coming soon from Unbound. She's giving these two a ownderful makeover and they should be out in the shops by autumn, and up for pre-order by the end of this month. Unbound are really honouring these books, both of which were nominated for the Greenaway and the Carnegie awards when they were first published.

Meanwhile a couple of weeks ago I was contacted by Deep Deep Light. They make the most beautiful paints, for 'wild free people'. They asked if I might like a set of their paints, and if I liked them might I use a hastag in a post about them? I took a look at their instagram site which is beautiful, and suggested that we do something more than just a hastag. 

The paints are beautiful. They have a wonderful quality, especially when woken slowly from slumber by a couple of drops of water. The Two Rivers textured paper loves them and they love its surface. And also the pages of the Silent Unwinding welcome the pigments. So, I spoke to Unbound, to Deep Deep Light and together we have hatched another giveaway.

I'm painting foxes into a copy of the Silent Unwinding, on the pages with the teapots, using the Deep Deep Light paints. (This is practice for the Spellsongs event at the Natural History Museum in April. Our stage will be magnificent, and the concert is being streamed. Live music, art, painting, in the astonishing setting, beneath the skeleton of the great blue whale called Hope. I think it's going to be quite an emmotional event that wraps song around the world.) There will probably be about 15-17 original paintings in the book.

Deep Deep Light are offering their set of fifteen beautiful pans in a tin. To be in with a chance of winning this giveaway please follow Deep Deep Light and Unbound on instagram. It's worth it to learn about their colours, and also Unbound's other books. And if you don't 'do' instagram don't worry. If you could share this post on social media, facebook, instagram, twitter that would be good also- or just talk to a friend about Feather, Leaf, Bark & Stone. Word of mouth is the best way to sell books. You may know someone who loves to paint. Believe me they will love how these pans of watercolour move.

Then leave a comment on this posting. I think perhaps tell me what is your favourite colour? I will choose a winner some time in the next few weeks and am happy to post anywhere in the world.

So, recap:

1) Share Deep Deep Light, and this blog posting.... or the Feather, Leaf, Bark & Stone page. And don't forget to take a look at Unbound's other books. This can be on instagram, twitter, facebook, your website or just by having a chat with a friend.

2) Leave a comment on this post, saying what your favourite colour is. (Mine was blue, lapis or indigo, but it moves now. But always I am drawn back to blues.)

I will probably do the draw by random number generation on Feb 14th, which is International Book Giving Day, if there have been enough entries. Did I say, the paints smell absolutely gorgeous too? Now I am away to write, paint, walk, dream. Take care of yourselves and each other.