www.athertoncustoms.com

I finished up yesterday giving my website an update. I changed the welcome page by adding all of my published titles with links to their respective previews and links to their online residencies B&N or amazon.
I added a pre-order link for Sammy as well as a FULL-PREVIEW including text. You won't see all of that at B&N nor Amazon (once it becomes available)!
I noticed that B&N has a "LIKE" facebook style link on the Sammy page, I'd love to see that number go through the roof, so if/when you visit the page on B&N.com, please hit the like button.
I updated the sketches and illustrations collections.
I added a coloring page section full of a few pages from each publication.
It's worth a quick look and of course, feel free to print off some coloring pages and give to your kids, or kids you know. Once of these days I will want to do some sort of coloring contest where the winner will get a free, autographed book of their choice! What do you think of that?
If you have a few minutes, go check it out! I guarantee it'll be worth your while.
AthertonCustoms publishing

Illustrations DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, you read that right! I just finished the last illustration! Page 32 is officially done. All I have left to do is some finishing touches with the book design, and then to design the title and dedication pages. Once that is done, I work with my collaborative partner (aka Wendy Briggs) to fine tune the message to the desired demographic and then off to print! Book should be available by end of November. So exciting!! I'll keep you updated all along the way. Love this last one:

The end!

So exciting!!!

I just finished pages 30-31 which means, I've only got one more illustration to go! Things just got really busy in general, and these illustrations really take a lot of time and commitment. For instance, I haven't sketched in my sketchbook for at least a month. Perhaps tomorrow, Sunday, I will be able to take a few hours to just draw and sketch.
In the meantime, here is the latest finished creation!

Until next time...

Sammy pages 28-29 DONE!

Only 2 more illustrations until I'm done! I am really getting anxious about finishing it. I absolutely love how this illustration turned out with the glow and light rays emanating from the treasure chest! I kind of got the feeling that the illustrations seem to be getting better as the book progresses, but the "waiting room of doom" illustrations are pretty fun to look at too. I'd love to hear what you think about this latest one!

Insert choir singing here...

36 book sales in one day!

Saturday the 16th of October, our local elementary school hosted their annual "yard sale". The community was invited to participate and of course to attend. The premise of the event is for a community of families would donate a small fee to the school and receive in return a space in the parking lot to sell whatever they wanted. Old junk, new junk, homemade goodies, freshly cooked goodies, if you want to sell it, you can. My wife Alisa has quite a following in our community for her gourmet caramel apples and some other goodies that she makes. This seemed like a good opportunity to also sell the AthertonCustoms catalog of publications to the people at the event. Since this was the first time attempting book sales in this environment, I had no expectations as to sales.
The community definitely attended. There were definitely less than in years past, but it was still well attended. In preparation for the event I brainstormed and left some comments in other forums about what some good ideas might be to help get noticed at an event like this. It turned out, that I did bring an airbrushed background of an underwater/sea life scene that helped to draw attention and set the mood for inside the booth. I brought a little ipod and speaker set to play some of my favorite Hawaiian music, because that is what I anticipated selling the most were my 2 hawaiian titles, and I did!
36 total sales for the day!
There were less than a handful of people who I spoke with that didn't end up buying one or both of the books. I know that if I had stock of "Lucky the Rubber Ducky" that I would have sold plenty of those too. It was very fun to hear and see the feedback from the community for Alisa's book "Sammy's Dentist Dilemma". I was able to build a nice little e-mail list for people interested in future titles, including Sammy.
On one table I had laid out my bookmarks and 6 different coloring sheets, 2 from each book title. I guess I should make some for "Lucky". The coloring sheets were a BIG hit, bookmarks not so much.
The photos were taken in between the busy spells, I had 2 and 3 people listening and interested almost the whole morning. It was really a lot of fun.
This is how it's done. In the "trenches" selling one book at a time, this is the only way to get a book out there. There is no magic marketing plan, the author/publisher must have a passionate drive for sharing his book with the buying public. Barnes and Noble, and Amazon are happy to trade money for a book, but the real selling of the book is the author's responsibility. Enough of my soap box, here are a few photos of the booth and event! I can't wait to try it again!

The booth set up

Jim at the table

9 out of 10 Doctors approve...

It's true. 9 out of 10 surveyed approved of this illustration. (The 10th couldn't be reached for comment)

Zero cavities!

Not a slacker!

In spite of my regular publishing-tech art workload, I have opted to bury myself if Sammy's illustration efforts. My self imposed deadline of October 1st wasn't very realistic. Sorry to all who may be looking forward to the November 1st release date. I'm just not sure we can have the printed book in hand by then. I am sure that they will be printed, it's just that the shipping to get them here is the great unknown. We are at the mercy of the high seas! (The Pacific specifically). Ok, my self-imposed break is over, I really have to get back to work! Enjoy these latest illustrations! I'd love to hear from you, drop me a note!

 

Take my hand

Miss Sue

Not the alien machine...