Hi, my name is Wilson and that’s me when I was a puppy.

I stayed with my mum and brother and sister until I was two months old, then I went to live with my dad, or ‘The Doggett’ as he is known. He is really big and has lots of muscles. I love him a lot. We have fun together; especially when we go for drives in the car. We both hang out the window and as we jet along I can feel my ears beating on top of my head in the wind.

One day we were in the car in our favorite spot; hanging out the window, when I noticed The Doggett’s usual relaxed mood changing. That daft look he gets on his face when his tongue and jowls flap in the slipstream, quietly dissolved. His neck muscles tightened, his mouth closed and he moved his head forward in an icy stare. I followed his line of vision to the car in front of us. Quite frankly, I couldn’t believe what I saw. In the car in front, sitting on that little deck under the back window was a cat.

While we drove along, the cat had no idea we were watching because it had its eyes closed and continued to lick its paws in a blissful, unconcerned, dream state. It wasn’t until we pulled up at the lights that the cat opened its eyes and saw us. Its eyes were big and round as it stared at us and likewise, but now drooling; we stared back at the cat. It’s ears flattened onto the back of its head and it opened its mouth mid-lick to expose the scariest set of teeth I have ever seen. It drew its mouth back in a wicked snarl and hissed and spat at us like a wounded cobra. I don’t mind admitting, I was scared! But The Doggett never flinched. He drew himself up to his full height, well as far as he could, given that he was leaning out of a half raised car window beside me, and gave all his attention to the cat. The Doggett had the meanest look I have ever seen. Although I did start to wonder what harm the cat could do us, after all, it was in a different car with all the windows up. Nevertheless, my dad The Doggett was wonderful. He eyeballed that cat and never blinked.

The cat raised its level of hissing and included a menacing growl. It almost choked in an attempt to sustain the growling and the now frenzied hissing. Then it stood, drew itself up onto its toes, arched its back, and went berserk. It was a blur as it flew around inside the car, growling and screeching and choking until it landed on the head of its driving person and from what I gather must have dug those claw things in pretty hard. The car in front swerved slightly and I could see the commotion as the driving person tried to unhook the claw things from her head. But the cat was relentless; it stuck to the driver like super glue.

Eventually the car in front pulled over and we drove on past. The Doggett was wonderful, he held his position and continued to glare unblinkingly in the direction of the cat until we finally turned into our street.

Later that night alone in my bed, I pondered my relationship with our own cat, Edward. He doesn’t have anything to do with us, The Doggett and me. When I really think about it, I’m happy to let him lick himself in that catty, dream state as much as he wants. I really don’t need to bother him at all. Come to think of it, The Doggett doesn’t bother him either.

Love Wilson.

Do you like the map of Jackowhisp on this page and in the front of the book?

When I wrote these books I wanted a map because I loved them in children’s story books when I was a child. So, I hope you like it as much as I do.

Omar drew the map and when I first received it, it wasn’t in colour, just a pencil sketch. I spent a long time looking at it. I followed the river with my finger through Jackowhisp because not being in colour, it was a bit hard to pick it out from the rest of the landscape. We made two small changes and then Omar sent the final version in colour.

“What a delightful map,” I thought. I loved all of the little houses in the village. You can pick out the Mayor’s house really easily. It has the beautiful wrought iron gates. Also, that is where the golden clucket lives. Melody Whisper lives in the house next door.

Map: Land of Jackowhisp

One of the changes we made to the map was to put snow on the top of Bangerring Mountain. In the book, Jasper Whipjack and the Mudsloppers, Jasper takes the Mudsloppers to the top of the mountain and there had to be snow on the top for the story to work.

The other change was to move the beach. Peppermint Point actually started out at the bottom of the map. You can see all details of these in your own copy of the book Jimba Jackobean And The Bouncer Bangerrings.

To Your Wonderful Adventures In the Land Of JackoWhisp,
Alexis Tapp

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Omar Aranda, Illustrator Of The JackoWhisp Series Of Picture Books for Children

In my last post I wrote about the different stages of publishing a book. I would like to tell you a little more about Omar, the illustrator. Omar lives in Argentina and runs his own illustrator’s agency. He is very successful and also very busy. I am lucky that he likes my books and is happy to illustrate the pictures. Omar draws pictures or illustrations as they are called, for people all over the world. He does book covers as well as books and he also draws for some of the big comic studios like Looney Tunes. You can read more about Omar on The Illustrator’s Agency website.

Who decides what the characters will look like?

When I first wrote these books I didn’t know what the characters would look like. In fact, I thought they would be a bit like long, sausage people. I really had no idea. After Omar agreed to take on the job of illustrating Jimba Jackobean and the Bouncer-Bangerrings, I asked him to draw some of the characters for me. Three days later he sent through the pictures you see on the website of Mayor Whitterkins and his wife Hilda, Bobber Bangerring and Jimba. I was so thrilled. It was wonderful to see my stories with the added dimension of illustrations.

How long does it take to illustrate a picture book for children?

All illustrators, including Omar need a time frame to work with and I asked him if he could have the illustrations ready in six months. That isn’t a long time but he did it. I have included some of his drawings below because he would send them over to see if I liked them. Naturally, I liked everything he sent. Can you see which picture they are by looking in your book of Jimba Jackobean and the Bouncer-Bangerrings?

Some of Omar’s Illustrations For You To Colour

The Meeting. (Click the image to download, print and colour.)

Bobber Bangerring. (Click the image to download, print and colour.)

To Your Wonderful Adventures In the Land Of JackoWhisp,
Alexis Tapp

PS

Did you get your own copy of Jimba Jackobean and The Bouncer Bangerrings yet?
When you do, remember to tell me what you enjoyed most by writing a comment in the comments box below.

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Come And Meet The Cluckets

All classic children’s books have great characters and in the land of Jackowhisp you will meet some cluckets. Cluckets lay eggs and have beautiful red and purple tail feathers. But one clucket has golden tail feathers. He is a prize-winning clucket and he belongs to Hilda Whitterkins.

Melody Whisper and the Golden Clucket is the third book in the Jackowhisp series and tells a story  about a naughty clucket, yes, you guessed it, the golden clucket. One day when Melody is minding the cluckets for Hilda Whitterkins, the golden clucket escapes. Melody and Jimba chase the silly clucket all around Jackowhisp and into Bangerring Mountain. I won’t tell you what happens because you can read it for yourself when the book is published next year. Don’t miss Melody Whisper and the Golden Clucket, it should be available after Christmas.

Jimba Jackobean and The Bouncer Bangerrings

Some of the characters you will meet in ‘Jimba Jackobean And The Bouncer Bangerrings’
by Alexis Tapp

Have you read Jimba Jackobean and The Bouncer Bangerrings yet? It’s a wonderful storybook for children 3 to 8 years old, with delightful illustrations by Omar Aranda. You can even listen to the story on CD as you read along if you get the book and CD together. What a wonderful Christmas or birthday gift for the children you cherish. You can get your copies of this new classic story book for children book here.

Here’s To Your Wonderful Adventures In The Land Of JackoWhisp,
Alexis Tapp

PS.

Remember to let me know how much you enjoyed reading or listening to my stories by leaving a comment in the comments box below.

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Welcome To Jindleberry Woodland – Home of The Quillarills | Alexis Tapp

The Quillarills are another of my favourite characters in the JackoWhisp series of story and picture books for children. The Quillarills live in Jindleberry Woodland inside the Billy-Bubble trees.

If you look closely, you will see Jindleberry Woodland at the top of the map, just above Bangerring Mountain.

If you look at the close up map below you will see the Billy-Bubble trees with the little windows and stairs. One even has a little canopy to keep you dry when it rains. It is always good to be able to put your key in the front door of your house and not get wet in the rain, don’t you think?

This book isn’t published yet, but it is about Jimba Jackobean’s sister, Jessica. She plays a musical instrument, and do you know I haven’t thought of a name for it yet. I think it looks something like a violin though.

If you think of a good name for the instrument you could tell me by leaving me a message in the comments box below this story.

Jessica makes friends with the Quillarills and they invite her into their homes in the Billy-Bubble trees.

This is a lovely story in which Jessica solves a huge problem for the Quillarills and makes lots of new friends.  It’s always nice to make new friends, don’t you think?

Look out for this book  when it’s published, won’t you? Like all of my story books for children, it’s just for fun.

Here’s To Your Wonderful Adventures In The Land Of JackoWhisp,
Alexis Tapp

PS

Have you downloaded your FREE colourful Jimba Jackobean poster yet?
Order Jackowhisp Books & CDs online.

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