Author Cathy Farr shares her thoughts on the process of working with FMI illustrator Alan Marks on the interior illustrations of her book 'Moon Chase'. 'Moon Chase' Book cover by Sam Wall.
I’ve always been creative. When I was really little, apparently, I used to lie in bed and tell stories to my imaginary friend ‘Stingray’ until I fell asleep.
Later Stingray was replaced by notebooks that I filled with poems, tall tales, secrets and sketches; I would agonise over a word, or a bit of shading for hours even though no-one else ever got to see them – ever.
In the world of work I was very lucky. I had an indulgent boss and a very patient graphic designer and my creative side was allowed to run free... but so was my controlling side. As Marketing Manager of a relatively small company I handled everything printed, drawn, photographed and published; creativity and control – I was in heaven.
Then, due to a whole load of happenings I won’t trouble you with here; I gave in to my creative side and wrote a book. Moon Chase was an absolute labour of love but after not a small amount of self doubt I decided to publish it – thus reawakening that sleeping monster, my controlling side.
He’d started to stir as the manuscript was transformed into a book: the font was wrong, the chapter titles had to be in a different font, no, not that one, this one; include this map, no not like that, like this; cover design – oh no, I really don’t like anything there, I’ll find a cover artist, I know exactly what I want….
And that’s when it all changed….
I found an artist, sent over the brief with photographs and a mock up of my own idea (I even searched the internet to find the ‘right’ full moon!) and then I waited.
My email finally pinged. I hit Open…. I burst into tears. It was nothing, nothing, like my idea! I took the dog for a walk.
‘God, that’s fantastic,’ said my husband later, on first view. ‘She’s got it all, just in that picture. I love it!’
So with a deep breath I looked again. Yes, it was all there – everything but from her mind, not mine, and it was good. In fact, it’s out there now, in the market place alongside the follow on, Moon Crossing – cover by the same artist, and when Book Three is finished she will do the cover for that too.
And this week a very special edition of Moon Chase is released. It’s been re-written for struggling readers. There are ten vignettes through the text drawn by Alan Marks. All I did was send the text. And the result?
Every time I opened a new sketch I saw my words through someone else’s eyes – and it was great.
Then came my biggest test – Matthew Gravelle recording the audio version. Now, I’ve always fancied myself as a director….but I went in to the studio, said Hi, confirmed pronunciation of one name and then left them to it. And you know what – it’s wonderful. As I listen I’m meeting my characters again, just as I did when the cover was done and the vignettes were finished, and I love them all the more for the dimensions that the creativity of others has added and I know now that letting go of that control was the best thing I could have done.
Cathy Farr is author of fantasy adventures Moon Chase and Moon Crossing. Moon Chase was originally published in 2010 by Grosvenor House Publishing and the new Bridge Reader edition for struggling readers is out this month, published by BITE Publishing, with illustrations by Alan Marks, Marks on Paper.
