​I’m very excited to write this, my first, blog post for Pickled ink and to let you all know that I’m open to text submissions.
 
Yup, you heard that right I AM OPEN TO SUBMISSIONS! 
*Sits back and watches inbox explode*
 
My wish list?
I’d like to be able to say I’ll have one of those and two of those, but it doesn’t work like that. I won’t know until a story and voice leaps off the page that it’s the one I will walk over coals for. That it’s one that the market and reader has been waiting for, or that it’s the one that publishers didn’t know they wanted, until they read it. That’s the alchemy of reading; it’s unpredictable and always surprising.
 
So my submission list is wide open, without any restrictions on age, subject or genre. But I warn you; I’m very, very picky.
 
I’d love to find some clever, inventive middle grade. It’ll need to have original characters with quirk, a setting that’s as real and rich as our world, whether that’s with or without magic. It can be present, past or future as long as it’s believable.
 
As a child I devoured animal themed books like Where the Red Fern Grows and The Incredible Journey and would love to find a manuscript with an unbreakable child and animal friendship.
 
Marvel me with your YA fantasy world-building. Take me to worlds I never knew existed but once discovered won’t be able to live without.
 
Make me become Team Darcy/Edward/Neville with your characters. Make my heart quicken with an aspirational romance.
 
Shock and surprise me with a terrifying ghost story that keeps me up at night and scared to turn off the light.

​Remind me what it feels like to be six and clever as clever.

Make me hear your voice in my head, even when the story is finished.
 
Make me chuckle and snort on public transport.
 
In short, make me miss my stop.
 
Yours in anticipation…
 
Helen
 
Send your first three chapters, a synopsis, and little bit about yourself to
textsubmissions@pickledink.com

 
A little about me and Pickled ink
I’ve worked in children’s publishing for over sixteen years. I’ve worked as an editor, publisher, reviewer, consultant, publicist and foreign literary scout. So you could say I’ve seen our wonderful industry from most sides of the fence. Perhaps though, all roads have been leading to agenting, and now I’m delighted and excited to find myself at Pickled ink.
 
Pickled ink is a relative new kid on the agency block. But in a short period they have grown a stunning list of illustrators. And now it’s time to look to the literary side, and that’s where I come in.
 
My aim is to curate a small stable of authors; a list that reflects the values and quality inherent in the illustration side of the agency. We are agents who edit, agents who advise, agents who manage and negotiate, but also agents who can act as creative sparks to ignite a new idea, or beacons to light a way ahead if the road gets dark.
 
I have an inkling there are some undiscovered Pickled inksters out there, so get in touch.

Daron Parton recently completed this rather lovely illustrated cover for Chicken House books. Unfortunately, we have a while to wait before seeing it in print - 'Bigfoot, Tobin and Me' by Melissa Savage hits the bookshelves May next year. 

We have a visually stunning treat for you on the blog today. The Liszts, a rather gorgeous and unique picture book written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Júlia Sardà, is published by Andersen Press today (originally published in the US by Tundra Books). Quirky and off-beat, The Liszts introduces us to a family of obsessive list-makers. Mama makes lists of 'ghastly illnesses and the greatest football players of all time', while Papa lists 'dreaded chores', along with 'small winged insects'. Edward's days are full of lists (except on Sundays - which are listless), even the cat makes lists (of his enemies, naturally), until one day a stranger comes calling....

Júlia's illustrations work beautifully alongside the text, bringing another layer to the story. The artwork has truly been allowed to shine here with an embossed cover, bronze foiling and the decision not to disrupt the design with any sort of  blurb on the back of the cover. 

We thought we'd share some of Júlia's rough work with you, showing the progression from sketches through to final colour... 

For an interesting post by author Kyo Maclear on a prevalent theme within the book and her own writing influences, do head over to her website. Júlia Sardà has also talked a bit about her creative process for The Liszts in an interview on the blog  Let's Talk Picture Books.

Recently Lucy was asked to illustrate a special Waitrose tote bag, designed in collaboration with fashion designer Savannah Miller, for Breast Cancer Haven. Not only does have they create a lovely bag, but Lucy's beautiful artwork will also help the cause, with 10% of every sale going towards the charity. 

November 3rd sees the release of Big Bob, Little Bob, a lovely little picture book published by Candlewick Press that's all about being true to yourself and forging friendships despite your differences. This is one project that has been a long time in the making, so to celebrate its publication we thought we'd share some early designs by illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson.

Way back in 2013, Laura created this sample piece for Candlewick for an upcoming text by James Howe. Interestingly, the characters changed very little from their original design, as you can see from one of these early spreads below: 

One spread that sadly didn't make the cut. Little Bob's mother was eventually taken out completely, with the decision to focus purely on the children characters. Both dads were also lost fairly early on as well! 

We finish with a spread that nicely shows the progression from initial sketches to final colour artwork...

As a former Falmouth student it's always nice to get a visit from the latest crop of third years. It's a pleasure to put the kettle on, take a look through the portfolios of emerging talent, and (hopefully!) impart some advice about working in the industry.

It was on one such visit that we were introduced to Katie's work and immediately felt she would fit right in at Pickled ink. We fell in love with her gorgeous colour palette, atmospheric images and exciting narrative ideas. Her work  ranges from beautifully sparse, bleak landscapes to intricately detailed interior scenes. To view more of her portfolio please click here and watch this space! 

Ya-Ling Huang has been experimenting with different media lately and these vibrant scenes are some of her most recent results. We love how bold and colourful these are and are excited about sharing Ya-Ling's progress with you as she continues to explore with this way of working. Keep an eye on the blog for more! 

It's been a bit of a whirlwind since we signed Melissa earlier this year. Her work has gone down a storm and we have some very exciting projects coming up over the next few months. Right now however, we are so pleased to be able to reveal a project that has been in progress some time - her first illustrated picture book 'If I Had a Little Dream' will be publishing with Simon & Schuster early next year. Deemed a 'warm and lyrical' story by author  Nina Laden, we can't wait to see this in print. 

These posts have become some of our favourites on the blog, we love sharing the
process behind a cover design. Today's post features the work of  Jez Tuya.
Land of the Gods, published by Bloomsbury, went through a few cover versions
before the final visual and colour theme was decided upon. Scroll down to see more...