Today, it is my absolute joy to bring you another INDIE AUTHOR OF EXCELLENCE - in the form of Sylva Fae.
One of the reasons I'm so excited about presenting Sylva to you is because she is an author of children's books. Regular readers of my blogs will know what a passion I have for children's authors and the importance of reading and literacy for children. I owe so much to my late father for the care and concern he instilled in my siblings and I for the power of the written word. His weekly trips to the Dunedin Public Library on a Saturday morning were and always will be remembered as a highlight of my childhood. Surrounded, as children are these days by the visual stimuli of video and gadgets, we sometimes forget how important reading really is to our youngsters' brain development.
It takes a special author to write for children, to make it real and believable to them and to write at a level they can both understand and still stretch for, in their literary journey. Sylva Fae writes for children and does it beautifully, so it is with real pride I give you this week's Indie Author of Excellence - Sylva Fae.
One of the reasons I'm so excited about presenting Sylva to you is because she is an author of children's books. Regular readers of my blogs will know what a passion I have for children's authors and the importance of reading and literacy for children. I owe so much to my late father for the care and concern he instilled in my siblings and I for the power of the written word. His weekly trips to the Dunedin Public Library on a Saturday morning were and always will be remembered as a highlight of my childhood. Surrounded, as children are these days by the visual stimuli of video and gadgets, we sometimes forget how important reading really is to our youngsters' brain development.
It takes a special author to write for children, to make it real and believable to them and to write at a level they can both understand and still stretch for, in their literary journey. Sylva Fae writes for children and does it beautifully, so it is with real pride I give you this week's Indie Author of Excellence - Sylva Fae.
who is sylva fae!
Sylva Fae is a married mum of three from Lancashire, England. She grew up in a rambling old farmhouse with a slightly dysfunctional family and an adopted bunch of equally dysfunctional animals. She spent twenty plus years teaching literacy to adults with learning difficulties and disabilities but now lives in Cheshire, juggling being a mum, writing children’s stories and keeping up with the crazy antics of three naughty rabbits.
Her earliest memories are of bedtime stories snuggled up close to mum to see the pictures. It was a magical time, those last special moments before dozing off to sleep would feed dreams of faraway lands and mystical beings. She now wants to share that love of stories and inspire children to create their own magical adventures.
Sylva and her family own a wood and escape there at every opportunity. Adventures in their own enchanted woodland, hunting for fairies and stomping in puddles, have inspired Sylva to write stories for her girls.
Sylva published her first children's book Rainbow Monsters, in 2017. She has since published four other children’s picture books, an anthology of Christmas stories, and has a short story published in the IASD charity anthology, You’re Not Alone. Two of her books have won Best in Category for children’s books at the Chanticleer International Book Awards. She also writes a blog, Sylvanian Ramblings, and enjoys doing developmental editing as part of One Stop Author Services. Recently, Sylva joined the editors’ team at Mom’s Favorite Reads and regularly contributes articles to the magazine.
Her earliest memories are of bedtime stories snuggled up close to mum to see the pictures. It was a magical time, those last special moments before dozing off to sleep would feed dreams of faraway lands and mystical beings. She now wants to share that love of stories and inspire children to create their own magical adventures.
Sylva and her family own a wood and escape there at every opportunity. Adventures in their own enchanted woodland, hunting for fairies and stomping in puddles, have inspired Sylva to write stories for her girls.
Sylva published her first children's book Rainbow Monsters, in 2017. She has since published four other children’s picture books, an anthology of Christmas stories, and has a short story published in the IASD charity anthology, You’re Not Alone. Two of her books have won Best in Category for children’s books at the Chanticleer International Book Awards. She also writes a blog, Sylvanian Ramblings, and enjoys doing developmental editing as part of One Stop Author Services. Recently, Sylva joined the editors’ team at Mom’s Favorite Reads and regularly contributes articles to the magazine.
sylva interrogated!
Why did you choose to write for children?
I started telling my girls stories when they were very little. Every time we went out, instead of just having a walk, we would follow the trail of the woodland dragon or go hunting for fairies. Later on, I decided to write some of our stories down, really just as memories for my girls, of the adventure we had together. I always write with them in mind. It just seemed natural to create picture books for children when I started but as they’ve grown, so have my stories.
I have a medley of monsters who help with the stories, recently a fox joined the gang, and I also tell stories for the local unicorns and fairies we meet on our travels. As yet I haven’t had any hamsters demanding I tell their stories, but I’m always open to inspiration from interesting characters.
I have a medley of monsters who help with the stories, recently a fox joined the gang, and I also tell stories for the local unicorns and fairies we meet on our travels. As yet I haven’t had any hamsters demanding I tell their stories, but I’m always open to inspiration from interesting characters.
Your books have wonderful illustrations. Who does them for you?
I do all my own illustrations using a digital scrapbooking technique from royalty free image sites. I layer many individual images to create the illustrations. One of the problems facing children’s writers is finding and affording an illustrator. They are justifiably very expensive and I only seem to like the most expensive ones! I couldn’t afford the ones I liked and I wasn’t prepared to compromise so I found a way to create my own. It is immensely satisfying to write, illustrate and create the whole book myself, but it’s a lengthy process.
Any advice for aspiring children’s writers?
Advice for aspiring authors? Hmmmm… find yourself some children to write for and read your draft stories to them. Children are the most honest, but also the most brutal critics and if they don’t like it, it needs rewriting. I spent ages creating a cover for a Christmas anthology and was really happy with it until one of my daughters said it looked like a Christmas card from a granny! She chose the next cover image and I have to admit, she was right.
Find a group of other children’s authors and get involved. The more you put in, the more you will get out of it, and believe me you need all the support you can get. Publishing children’s books is really expensive unless you have the skills to do everything yourself, or barter skills with others.
Find a group of other children’s authors and get involved. The more you put in, the more you will get out of it, and believe me you need all the support you can get. Publishing children’s books is really expensive unless you have the skills to do everything yourself, or barter skills with others.
sylva fae's bibliography
Rainbow Monsters – Winner of 2017 Chanticleer Little Peeps Award: MyBook.to/RainbowMonsters
Mindful Monsters – Shortlisted for 2018 Chanticleer Little Peeps Award: MyBook.to/MindfulMonsters
No Place Like Home: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JJW5G42/
Yoga Fox – Winner of 2018 Chanticleer Little Peeps Award: MyBook.to/YogaFox
Bea & Bee: MyBook.to/BeaAndBee
Elfabet – Illustrated by Katie Weaver: MyBook.to/Elfabet
Children’s Christmas Collection – With authors Kate Robinson, Paul Ian Cross and Suzanne Downes: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0781692NF/
That Pesky Pixie – a series of stories for a story app: www.getbedtimestories.com/library/that-pesky-pixie
Mindful Monsters – Shortlisted for 2018 Chanticleer Little Peeps Award: MyBook.to/MindfulMonsters
No Place Like Home: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JJW5G42/
Yoga Fox – Winner of 2018 Chanticleer Little Peeps Award: MyBook.to/YogaFox
Bea & Bee: MyBook.to/BeaAndBee
Elfabet – Illustrated by Katie Weaver: MyBook.to/Elfabet
Children’s Christmas Collection – With authors Kate Robinson, Paul Ian Cross and Suzanne Downes: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0781692NF/
That Pesky Pixie – a series of stories for a story app: www.getbedtimestories.com/library/that-pesky-pixie
- An Itchy Situation
- A Stinky Start!
- A Dastardly Plan
- A Feast for a Fairy Queen
- Three Pesky Pixies and a Monstrous Mouse
stalk sylva fae:
So there we have it - another INDIE AUTHOR OF EXCELLENCE in SYLVA FAE. Please do support her - as a children's author, she really is doing God's work - bringing fun and literacy to the next generation, a job that is so very important.
Till next time - have a wonderful, peace-filled day!
CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!
EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITIES LIFE PRESENTS TO YOU AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!
HAVE A GREAT LIFE AND SPREAD THE LOVE!
CHANGING THE WORLD – ONE READER AT A TIME
EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITIES LIFE PRESENTS TO YOU AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!
HAVE A GREAT LIFE AND SPREAD THE LOVE!
CHANGING THE WORLD – ONE READER AT A TIME
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