Angela Cater: How I got started in children's book illustration
Angela Cater UKCPS
When Canadian writer, Giovanna Lagana, contacted me through my art website in 2004 and asked me if I would like to illustrate a couple of educational children's books, it was like a dream come true. It was something I had always wanted to do and once we were given the go ahead by her ebook publisher, it was great to actually be able to say "I am a children's book illustrator" and for it to be true. I set to with gusto and finished the illustrations for "Rickie the Raccoon Learns about Recycling" in just 10 weeks. It seemed to take forever for publication to go through, but eventually there it was, and in 2007 it was a finalist in the EPPIES .
This gave me a taste for book illustration and in 2005, I wrote and illustrated my first children's picture book, "The Adventures of Sailor Sam" using my handsome tabby cat, Samson as a model, and drafting in friends and family as the human characters. This was published by a 'self-publishing' company - what I now know as the vanity presses.
Both publishers were a big disappointment, so in 2007, I took the step of self-publishing in the true sense of the word. I bought a batch of ISBN numbers and Samson became Co-Director of Tabby Cat Press.
"The Adventures of Sailor Sam" was republished in July 2007. This was followed in October 2007 by "Sailor Sam and the Two Sicknesses". At the moment, you can still get a copy on Amazon, but it will be going out of print later this year. "A Perfect Nest for Mrs Mallard" came out in March 2009 and tells the true story of the duck that nests each year in the school where I work. A few months later, Giovanna and I finally released "Rickie the Raccoon Learns about Recycling" in print format.
As well as illustrating children's books, I also paint pet portraits and wildlife art. I am a signature member of the UK Coloured Pencil Society.
This gave me a taste for book illustration and in 2005, I wrote and illustrated my first children's picture book, "The Adventures of Sailor Sam" using my handsome tabby cat, Samson as a model, and drafting in friends and family as the human characters. This was published by a 'self-publishing' company - what I now know as the vanity presses.
Both publishers were a big disappointment, so in 2007, I took the step of self-publishing in the true sense of the word. I bought a batch of ISBN numbers and Samson became Co-Director of Tabby Cat Press.
"The Adventures of Sailor Sam" was republished in July 2007. This was followed in October 2007 by "Sailor Sam and the Two Sicknesses". At the moment, you can still get a copy on Amazon, but it will be going out of print later this year. "A Perfect Nest for Mrs Mallard" came out in March 2009 and tells the true story of the duck that nests each year in the school where I work. A few months later, Giovanna and I finally released "Rickie the Raccoon Learns about Recycling" in print format.
As well as illustrating children's books, I also paint pet portraits and wildlife art. I am a signature member of the UK Coloured Pencil Society.
Samson: The inspiration behind Tabby Cat Press
Originally a farm cat, Samson was 5 years old when he decided that he was going to live with me whether I liked it or not. We spent the next 13 years together and became the best of friends. Samson, more than any other cat I have ever known, demonstrated a remarkable eagerness to communicate with me verbally and as time went on, I could understand almost every word he said - and he said a lot! He could even respond correctly to many directions in Japanese.
Handsome and active, he was described by one vet as 'a perfect specimen". At the age of 15, he hit local stardom when he won third place in an international World's Cutest Pet Competition. The same year, he featured in my first children's book,"The Adventures of Sailor Sam." He made a number of appearances at Manchester High School for Girls and received almost 100 Christmas cards one year - I'm still hoovering up the glitter!
Samson was an active member of the Catster community and when news broke of his cancer in June 2008, he received so many emails, cards and presents from all over the world that it took me two hours a day just to read them all! His death was front page news in the South Manchester Reporter. There will certainly never be another cat like Samson and it always gives me great pleasure to hear of a child who loves the Sailor Sam stories. I know of at least two tabby kittens who have been named after him, so it is a great comfort to me that in this way, his memory and influence live on.
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Handsome and active, he was described by one vet as 'a perfect specimen". At the age of 15, he hit local stardom when he won third place in an international World's Cutest Pet Competition. The same year, he featured in my first children's book,"The Adventures of Sailor Sam." He made a number of appearances at Manchester High School for Girls and received almost 100 Christmas cards one year - I'm still hoovering up the glitter!
Samson was an active member of the Catster community and when news broke of his cancer in June 2008, he received so many emails, cards and presents from all over the world that it took me two hours a day just to read them all! His death was front page news in the South Manchester Reporter. There will certainly never be another cat like Samson and it always gives me great pleasure to hear of a child who loves the Sailor Sam stories. I know of at least two tabby kittens who have been named after him, so it is a great comfort to me that in this way, his memory and influence live on.
Join my mailing list to be notified of new books and events: