Before self-publishing my own books, I was an audiobook narrator for several other authors. I absolutely love storytelling and have a knack for creating a range of voices. I didn’t think I would have the time to write my own books, so narration seemed like the perfect fit. However, when inspiration struck, I discovered the world of self-publishing and found Reedsy. After that, everything fell into place.
Sometimes, inspiration lands right on your doorstep
When the world shut down in 2020, my family and I moved to the rolling plains of Waco, Texas, to help with my parents' farm. Between COVID anxieties, moving houses, and the stress of my nursing job, life felt pretty chaotic.
However, one day a stray Great Pyrenees wandered onto our property and quickly became a source of protection and unfailing love for our family. We named him Bo. Around the same time, I began raising northern bobwhite quails (feel free to laugh), one of which we named Mr. Quillery. These two unlikely friends brought us much laughter and peace in such uncertain times.
Fast forward to 2023: I started creating bedtime stories for my four kids about our beloved Bo and Mr. Quillery. My children couldn't get enough of these tales of humor, courage, and heartwarming adventures. One day, my daughter told me, “Daddy, you must tell other children about Bo and Mr. Quillery!” Upon reflection, I realized that this was my chance to positively impact future generations of children.
Fueled by my love of writing, my experience narrating audiobooks, and countless hours spent world-building, I decided to self-publish The Adventures of Bo and Mr. Quillery.
The Lost Chick is the first book in a wholesome anthropomorphic series that focuses on the adventures of Bo and Mr. Quillery, two sheriffs of the Riverdill Lands, on an adventure to find Mrs. Hen’s missing chick. The book inspires, encourages, and exemplifies the classic battle between good and evil for children, where good triumphs every time.
Navigating the children’s chapter book market
Chapter books are an important part of a child's reading journey, as they introduce more complex motivations for characters, as well as more significant stakes and conflicts, bridging the gap between children’s and middle-grade fiction.
Still, releasing a children’s chapter book is hard work. Through extensive research and the help of my editor, I discovered a few important things about my target audience:
- They’re usually aged 5-10
- The story needs a word count of around 9,000-13,000 words
- I’d also need illustrations throughout the book to support a child transitioning from picture books.
Further, the story had to be concise, driven by dialogue and action, and the illustrations had to enhance the narrative rather than take centre stage.
Once I had my story, I knew I needed to find an illustrator. My primary goal was to find someone who could skillfully bring the world to life in black and white artwork. But I also wanted someone who’d stay with me through all the books. There would be a premium price to pay, but when it came down to it, I knew that my illustrations would truly make or break my chapter books.
Collaborating with the perfect illustrator
Though I'd never heard of Reedsy before, I was soon struck by the quality of freelance children’s book illustrators in their marketplace. I had a distinct style in mind for my illustrations: black and white, but also with a nod to the classical anthropomorphic chapter books of the past (think Beatrix Potter, Hank the Cowdog, Redwall). Reedsy seemed like the best place to find high-quality professionals, and discovering Leo Hartas felt like a stroke of destiny.
As a first-time author, my plan for a twelve-book series was undoubtedly ambitious. Despite (or maybe because of) this, Leo showed immediate interest.
Our early discussions centered on reviewing the brief and developing a style for the books. Before agreeing to collaborate, he offered to sketch a sample illustration — no small feat! This sample illustration, which he created with little to no guidance, won me over. After I saw it, I was confident I’d found the right illustrator for the role.
I had a strong vision for the book — Leo not only embraced it, but he elevated it beyond my wildest dreams. I was worried that black-and-white images might risk looking flat, but Leo’s work possesses a depth and richness that transcends the limitations of monochrome. His mastery of line, shading, and texture brought The Lost Chick to life in stunning detail, creating a captivating visual experience that I’m not sure I would have found elsewhere. It was amazing how he paid attention to the nuances of my story, translating them into beautiful and emotionally resonant illustrations.
Leo's professionalism and collaborative spirit made the entire process a true pleasure. He was responsive, insightful, and consistently delivered exceptional artwork — and he has truly played a crucial part in bringing Bo and Mr. Quillery's adventures to life.
Learning valuable publishing lessons
Going through this initial illustration process with Leo, I learned one valuable lesson that all self-publishing hopefuls should pay attention to: always make sure your manuscript is absolutely finalized before sending it to a professional. Trust me: I learned this the hard way.
In addition to being my illustrator, Leo was also responsible for formatting my book. We encountered a problem when I realized that my text required a few small edits. Although these were small changes, each affected the placement of his illustrations and extended the production timeline by two weeks. Despite this hiccup, our shared understanding and willingness to learn from it set a strong foundation for our future collaborations.
When the time came for book two, I ensured Leo had a finished and edited manuscript. This made it easier for him to approach the illustrations with a thorough understanding of the narrative and reach those "aha" moments in the illustration process.
Connecting with young readers
Some of the greatest rewards that this book has brought are not the numbers, but messages from parents who reach out to me directly with kind words like the following:
“The 4-year-old in our life loves your book. Whenever he comes over he ‘reads’ the story to us through the pictures. I’ve never seen him do this before. You’ve sparked his imagination!”
— J. Beasely ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This is my new favorite book! Can we listen to it again!?”
— Caleb, 5 years old ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Immediately after looking at the first book, my son was already asking when we could get the second one. It can be hard to find a series that he latches onto because autism causes him to seek out well-known, familiar characters. We will be excited to add book two to our collection as soon as it’s available!”
— C. Mauer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Post-publication success and future adventures
As a brand-new author tasked with promoting my book with no previous email list, marketing endeavors, or any other titles on the market, I’m thrilled to say that The Lost Chick is hitting all my targets so far!
In the first month and a half, with little ad spend, we sold over 330 copies with over 1,800 KENP reads. I believe “word of mouth" is the best way to get your book recognized, so I’ve gifted over 167 copies to get the ball rolling — and it seems to have worked. The Lost Chick is consistently in and out of the #1 Best Seller spot for Kindle’s Christian Children's Early Reader category.
The Lost Chick is available for purchase in print, audio, Kindle Unlimited, and e-book format. I’m so grateful to have found Leo during this journey and look forward to sharing the rest of Bo and Mr. Quillery's adventures. There’s plenty more to come!
