Tag: Scottish Author

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Scottish Children’s Author & Illustrator 2024!

Scottish Children’s Author & Illustrator 2024! Who is Denise McKeever?

What inspires her to write & draw?

One of the most crucial decisions I ever made in my career was the decision to go to Art College. As a young person I had ambitions to be a Fashion designer and received an unconditional offer to attend both Heriot-Watt University Scottish Borders Campus-Galashiels and Edinburgh College of Art. My years at Edinburgh as a young student were fabulous and opened my eyes to a world of various forms of art & design I had never considered before.

The privilege of attending Art College was the opportunity to have a taster of everything from sculpture, ceramics, product design , graphics, animation, stain glass, tapestry, fine art, jewellery silver smithing, interior design to fashion design. That first love of drawing cartoon characters convinced me of my choice to choose to study for four years at an Art college over a Technical University for Textiles. Still to this day 37 years on this was one of the best decisions I ever made in life.

During this same time I became a late adopter to reading starting with self help and personal development books and also business books introduced to me through my father a self made entrepreneur and business owner. As the years progressed reading has become a key interest and love only second to Art leading me to roles as a Business Mentor to CEO’s & young business start-ups.

Today after over 20 years as a business owner in the Textile & Retail industry I have returned to one of my early passions drawing and illustrating combined with my second love writing.

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My first attempt at children’s illustration began with ‘My First Friend’ depicting my family Golden Retriever dog Polly and my sisters dog Penny. ‘My First Friend’ has received great results in America selling in over 42 U.S.A States. But my favourite book of all is ‘My Scottish Alphabet’ with my own unique characters and personalities of Nessie, Midge & Highland Cow.

Discover Granny Burns Story Time!

Learn more about my books…………..

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Digit: Encourage your child’s interest and love of numbers and counting

Discover The Scribblers and Digit: Encourage your child’s interest and love of numbers and counting! Available to download FREE in eBook format from 29th February to 2nd March 2024 only.

Welcome to the wonderful world of ‘The Scribblers’ and the joyful world of Digit! Discover and encourage your Child’s individual skills and talents through numbers and understanding their love of counting and numeracy with our wonderful character Digit! If your child love’s numbers, counting and arithmetic this humorous characterisations of your Child’s talents and joy of numbers can develop into something wonderful and creative. 

Why not discover if you may have your own little Scribe,Doodle,Splat or Digit?

  • The Scribblers book series is an Exciting and Creative Book Series!
  • Each Book Highlights the Individual Skills and Talents of Children at an Early Age!
  • Does your Little One Love numbers & counting? 
  • Introduce your child to our Fantastical Creative Creatures that they will Love and Identify with as they discover their Own Individual Talents, Interests and Loves.
  • Read this book along and aloud with Granny Burns Story Time on YouTube!
  • REMEBER ALL of our Paperbacks/Hardbacks are printed especially for your individual order by Amazon!

Enjoy also some humorous characterisations of young children depicted by Digit who loves numbers, Doodles fascination of drawing or Splats exuberant joy of self expression. Just a few of the many books created by Scottish Children’s Author & Illustrator Denise McKeever.

If you would like to learn more about our quarterly FREE give aways and promotions visit sign-up now!

If you enjoy our book we would love your feedback so please feel free to leave a REVIEW with any recommendations on how we can improve our books for your Little One’s!

Many Thanks

X Denise

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SPRING NEWS

Welcome to our quarterly newsletter with the latest Spring News & updates about our new books, ebooks, story times & promotions. Our followers will have enjoyed our FREE giveaway of our Ebook ‘Puppy Love’ in January on Amazon books- ensure you sign-up & follow me & stay in the loop with my FREE Gifts.

Likewise if you aren’t already familiar with Goodreads and Smashwords sign-up and join us and take advantage of all our annual New Year & Summer promotions on Ebooks.

In our next Summer edition we will be announcing our successful ‘Granny Burns Story Time- Series 2’ following the success of Series 1 of 11 Episodes with Granny Burns. Our episode ‘My Scottish Alphabet’ has been a roaring success with 52k + views.

This Spring we have added lots of new articles which we share on all our social media accounts from Pinterest, X to Instagram & Facebook. We now have some excellent articles with book recommendations for Parents on Self Help & Personal Development-some of my all time favourites. Plus a whole section for teenagers too.

This March we will be running a FREE Ebook Give away on Amazon for ‘Digit: The Scribblers encourage your child’s interest and love of numbers and counting’. So make share your following me and watch out on X, Facebook or Instagram for a reminder of the final dates! See you soon xx!

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Web: www.denisemckeever.com Email: info@denisemckeever.com Youtube: Granny BurnsStory Time

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Tips for Helping Creative Children!

What are the Top Tips for Helping Creative Children? As a Creative; Art student, Design Graduate, Maker, Fashion Designer, Product Designer, Illustrator, Writer what helped me growing up as a Creative Child?

For me my greatest pride as a 10 year old was the old diary I carried everywhere, which I filled with my copies of Disney characters. This was the beginning of my love for drawing & illustrating children’s characters. I got the bug from a competition in my village library where I can remember myself as a 5 year old devastated that I never won! A disappointment that never disheartened me but was the beginning of my journey as a creative child and then adult.

For me the five key elements that helped that creative child were;

  1. Support, encouragement and interest from others- my parents, my aunts, uncles, teachers. Every talent has an opportunity to flourish and grow if encouraged.
  2. Basic tools– as the second eldest with eight siblings my parents helped us all where they could to give us the basic tools for our interests and passions. In my case in the 70’s cheap affordable sketch books and drawing pads weren’t common place and affordable. But I relished using paper off cuts from my dads business old unused and unfilled diaries- they were my sketch books. The lined paper didn’t stop me from drawing.

3. Competition– my talents grew when I always had someone to compare myself against. Whether this was one of my best friends in 6th year at High School who later went on to study Sculpture at Art College who I constantly compared myself against and shared a common passion for art and drawing. To the primary school library books where I glimpsed a collection of four Disney catalogues that imprinted my earliest memory of my favourite Artist- Walt Disney. That was what I wanted to aspire to become!

4. Variety– an opportunity to try different genres, styles and areas of art. At Art College my foundation year was fabulous! Jam packed into one year I tried sculpture, ceramics, stain glass, graphics, illustration, fine art, fashion, jewellery and silversmithing! A reflection of my childhood surrounded by a Mother who taught us all to sew, knit, crochet, a Dad that loved drawing horses, and aunts and friends that would appear with bags full of paints and crafts and spend endless hours doing crafts with me and my siblings.

5. Knowing– that instinct for knowing what I loved, what I enjoyed what made my heart sing. That early recognition of what I would spend hours doing without effort. What reflected my introvert persona, my pleasure of working alone and the satisfaction and love for just creating.

If you think you have a creative child why not check out my books series ‘The Scribblers’. Do you have a child that is an budding artist, builder, creator what I call a ‘Doodle’. A child that loves making a mess, splashing, the outdoors, gardening a ‘Splat’. Or maybe a little one that loves numbers or words a ‘Digit’ or ‘Scribe’. What ever your child’s talents are support them with, encouragement, resources(tools), variety, competition and space to discover who they are ‘their love & talent’.

If you want yo learn more visit my Youtube page to see me live at work!

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Teaching Kid’s about TRUE Love!

As a parent navigating the various stages in your child’s life can be challenging. As we all know you overcome one challenge and a new one appears. That is the responsibility that comes with the blessing and priviledge of being called Mum or Dad! Sometimes it can be difficult to navigate different subjects and find new ways to introduce and explain emotions, feelings and experiences.

As a Children’s author and illustrator I believe that books in particular picture books are a fabulous way to relate to your children and introduce them to different subjects that we as parents may be at a loss to explain or convey. Two of my favourite books are ‘My First Friend’ but on this subject in particular ‘Puppy Love’ these books teach the principles of both friendship and love through the relationship a child has with their puppy and pet dog. In the case of ‘My First Friend’ my own Polly our family Golden Retriever or who I refer to as the fourth wean (child) in the family.

TRUE LOVE!

In my case everything I would never have allowed parenting my three children I forgot with the fourth wean- a lesson in life I will relate in a future post.

If you are looking for a gentle and fun way to teach your little one about ‘True Love’ and what it really means both these books are a great starting point for little ones. A particularly nice gift for Valentines Day or for sharing in a slightly more detached way about the behaviours, expectation, respect and feelings of experiencing true love!

Puppy Love: Your First Love the Perfect Valentines book for dog owners

My First Friend: Your First Dog a heartwarming picture book for dog lovers.

SOLD in 42 U.S.A States!

My Favourite Dog books Collection:

LEARN MORE! FREE GIVEAWAYS!

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Top 5 Self Help Books for Teens?

If you are looking for the Top 5 books on Self Help for Teenagers look no further!

The following books are the key classics for both encouraging your young adult to consider personal development & self improvement while discovering a new genre of book!

The following books are some of my all time favourites and often those I recommended to both adults, parents and teens.

Timeless well written books often appeal to a variety of age groups, and self help is a subject that you are never too young or too old to discover!

1. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

If you want to develop a positive attitude of mind, become less fearful and pessimistic this is the starting point of Self help. This book defines my personal mantra in Life!

2. Think and grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

This remains my ultimate book in self help, a book I believe every young person should read in their teens. Pay particular interest to the ‘Self Analysis’ chapter an invaluable tool for every chapter of your life!

3. The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield

This book is exceptionally good at deal with simplifying the issues of power between parent and child, and for any relationship where individuals are trying to discover their own path and direction in life.

4. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The ultimate classic novel in discovering valuable lessons about yourself!

5. The Gamekeepers: the Highland Games

This is my own publication for Young Adults based on Scottish Mythology set in the year 2030. This book combines a variety of self help lessons as the hero in the book is set a series of unenviable challenges that sends her on an adventure with the help and support of several unique and unusual friends.

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Scottish Story Teller & Author 2024

Discover Scottish Story Teller & Author ‘Granny Burns’

As a Scottish Children’s Author & Illustrator I decided to create my own Story telling podcast on Youtube. ‘Granny Burns Story Time’ has been a roaring success! Allowing us to share our books with a wider audience of children & parents.

Perfect Bedtime Stories!

Over a 9 week period every Saturday at 5pm UK time we scheduled our weekly podcast with ‘Granny Burns’ narrated by Denise. Since its launch we have seen a great uptake in new subscribers and great viewing figures. This has given us a wonderful opportunity to showcase our wide range of children’s picture books! This gives children and parents a taster of our books before they buy one of our paperbacks, hardbacks or ebooks.

Also Granny Burns lives in the fictional town of’ Brigadoon’ in the Scottish Highlands in ‘Burns Cottage’. A little dedication to the great Scottish Poet & Lyricist Robert Burns better known as Rabbie Burns. Auld Lang Syne, perhaps Burns’ most famous work, is one of the most widely sung songs of the English language. The song has crossed borders and oceans and can be heard across the globe on Hogmanay. Incidently ‘Burns’ is also Denise McKeever’s maiden name!

Over the nine consecutive episodes every Saturday evening we have had particular interest in our children’s book’ Scottish Alphabet: for Children’. Currently with over 10 thousand views and climbing!

Sign-up Now and watch all nine episodes with Granny Burns!

Additionally if your little one’s love dogs you will love our three episodes on our three dog books Puppy Love, My First Friend & I Love My Dog. ‘My First Friend; your first dog’ has been a great success in the U.S. successfully selling in 42 U.S.A. States with Five Star reviews!

Alternatively if you have creative wee one’s and Toty kids you will love ‘The Scribblers’ choose from Doodle, Digit, Scribe or Splat.

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Scottish Children’s Author & Illustrator 2021

What are the challenges of trying to break through as a Scottish Children’s Author & Illustrator in 2021?

With the ever growing opportunities and tools available to create and publish your own books in the year 2021 the book and publishing industry is becoming an ever crowded space. Everyone with the will, time and energy has the tools at their fingertips to self-publish. The big challenge is standing out from the crowd and breaking through to make an honest and financially rewarding career for yourself whether you are a writer or illustrator. Today with great platforms such as Amazon books, Apple Books, Smashwords and Kobo to name just a few you can upload an ebook, paperback in a matter of minutes. For me being a successful Scottish Children’s Author & Illustrator in 2021 is about being unique and different and yourself.

My experience as a Scottish Children’s Author & Illustrator in 2021 has shown me that success like anything in life takes persistence, hard work and attention to detail and approaching book selling like any other business. Creating a great product that people want yo buy and finding effective ways to market and sell your books to the correct customer in the most effective and intelligent way possible.

My tips for new authors & illustrators!

Crunch down who you are as an author? What genre, style, reader do you relate to? What do you understand and know better than anyone? What unique perspective or story do you want to share with others? What drives and motivates you to write or illustrate? Who is your tribe, clan or group of readers and book buyers that share your thinking and ideas?

Understand the industry of self publishing and publishing!

Do you want to be totally autonomous and independent? Do you have the skills and talents to market your books yourself?

OR

Do you want the prestige of a publishing deal and allow others to market and sell your books for you?

Shortcuts in self publishing!

Some simple basic advice I would give to anyone pursuing a future in self publishing whether your a children’s orauthor or adult is ;

  • Read & Research
  • Plan & Prepare
  • Get Tech savy
  • Go big on social media

Read & Research

Next have a direct strategy starting with Amazon & Smashwords profiles and accounts sort the rest later. Master amazon self publishing first especially if you are an illustrator Kindle Create & Kindle Kids’ Book Creator are so straight forward to master. You will find all the data, software and technical advice through your KDP account sign-up. Set up your full author profile on Author Central (sign-up on every continent available). Remember to set up your accounts in both the USA & UK very important.

Your second target is Smashwords your middle man upload to Smashwords and get straight into to lots of retailers incl. APPLE, BARNESANDNOBLE, GARDNERS, KOBO, ODILO & SCRIBD to just name a few. Download your FREE guides on formatting for Smashwords from founder Mark Coker Book Marketing Guide, Ebook Publishing Success & Smashwords Style Guide.

Plan & Prepare

Also have a planned strategy for your goals and objectives as an author or illustrator. Is this a hobby or future career? Set goals from sales revenues, no. of book sales, free give aways and launches.

Get Tech Savy

Read all the technical small print from accurate planning of your book templates for picture books to formatting for heavy text writing and creating your own templates for future use when coming to publish your 2nd, 3rd and 4th book.

Read, research, read technical blogs of other self published authors and great advisors i.e. The Creative Penn

Go Big on social media

Lastly ensure you understand all the big social media platforms and their different uses, benefits and down falls as a Scottish children’s Author & Illustrator I have realised how important the continuity of using the same profile URL is in not loosing followers .

Ensure you can secure a memorable name & identity the same across all platforms from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest to Linkedin. More importantly get visible on book reader hubs i.e. Goodreads and Wattpad.

Discover how to use FREE software like Hootsuite to push out multiple social media adverts in on go.

Most importantly as a new author or illustrator just take that first step and get creating and writing, the first step is always the most difficult!