by Jenn
Promoting peace and wellness for our planet and people
Freelance Writing, Editing and
Creative Book Development
A good story entertains. A great story transforms.
Whether you already have an idea that needs polishing or are searching for brand new, outside-the-box projects, I can help.
I create eye-catching and interactive books, introduce readers to fascinating but forgotten people from the past and present engaging stories by merging science and art.
Working with book packagers, small presses and as an independent publisher gave me the necessary skills to see projects through from conception to completion. I craft text to match in-house jobs, refine rhymes and consult on picture book illustrations. Several of my concepts are medal winners. One of my proposals, which I also wrote, is a publishing house's best-selling title of all time.
I helped push the boundaries of storytelling to exciting places while working for a popular novelty and gift book producer. Books became 3-D playgrounds with interactive components and accessories. It was fascinating to explore how a tale's presentation transforms experience.
I love story-design innovations that spark wonder and delight, stopping people in their tracks. My approach to writing for reluctant, time-strapped readers is a little like sneaking veggies onto a plate. "You'll have so much fun, you won't realize that you're reading!"
Take a look some of the proposals below and let's see what we can do together!
Art History/ Biography, Picture Book
FLOWER FORGERY: Mary Delany and Her Marvelous Paper Collage
Concept: At 72, Mary Delany (1700-1788) invented a form of paper-cutting she called "paper mosaiks." Her collages quickly became a sensation in England, Ireland and beyond. People began sending her their prized specimens to immortilize. Even botanist Joseph Banks sent plants from Kew Gardens for her to recreate in paper. Her flower collages were so life-like, they were initially mistaken for real. Mary used her skills as a painter to add subtle details in watercolor and pencil. Within the next ten years, she made over 985 of these intricate botanical illustrations and created the book, Flora Delanica – a "florilegium" of flowers made of tiny pieces of dyed cut paper. Most of her work is currently stored in the British Museum, donated by her great-niece, Augusta Hall, Baroness Llanover.
MARY AND HER MARVELOUS FLOWERS
The Queen of Collage - Alternate cover and title
Art/ Entertainment
INTERFACE: AI AND THE HUMAN BRAIN An Artistic Collaboration
Concept: What happens when a nature poet collaborates with robots. AI generators are tasked with illustrating poems using original stanzas as input. The results will surprise you!
Interior
Interactive Craft Book
BOOGIE MONSTER MAN
Concept: Innovative book design that integrates a story and craft, featuring The Boogie Monster Man, an ooey, gooey green monster shaped like a tissue box. Ages 3-10. Text 75 words. 7 spreads. A silly rhyme encourages children to feed the Monster boogers using its tissue tongue, rather than pick and flick. This concept relies on two parts. First, the rhyme is printed within the book as a read along. Secondly, readers transform the book into a tissue box cover by cutting pages along guides, folding and gluing/taping tabs together to create their own Boogie Monster Man, which is made to slip over a tissue box. The BMM character is easy to transform into a 3-D shape using a pair of scissors and glue/tape. "I'm the Boogie Monster Man. I'm here to give your nose a hand. Stop the sniffing, sneezy dripping. Stop poking, prodding, finger-picking. I'll starve if you return to flicking! Where will it go? What can you do when you cry or leak - ACHOO!! Have no fear, I'm guarding you. I've got a tissue for a tongue. Now blow your beak and feed me some! I'm the Boogie Monster Man. Your nose's friend and biggest fan." Kids love gross stuff and parents struggle to inculcate good hygiene and healthy habits. The Boogie Monster Man is a fun way to get kids to use tissues and suitable as a classroom activity.
MARY AND HER MARVELOUS FLOWERS
The Queen of Collage - Alternate cover and title
Nonfiction/ Popup
BE MINE, VALENTINE
Concept: Lavishly illustrated popup gift book with Valentine's Day poem and fun facts. A keepsake suitable for friends, family and romantic partners. Story text: 80 words. Non-fiction text: 340 words. Besides the doilies, lace and hearts, the chubby cherubs, classic art, before bouquets, past candy mountains, below the lucky water fountain (Trevi). Beyond the giant chocolate boxes, bunnies, birds and sweetheart foxes, there hides an offer, pure and rare, no jewels or treasure will compare. Can you guess my deepest wishes, far beyond mere hugs and kisses? You hold a gift sincere and true. The tender message, "I love you.” (two-page popup spread) ~ From your Valentine THE HISTORY OF VALENTINE'S DAY • The roots of Valentine’s Day are tied to the Roman pagan festival, Lupercalia, which celebrated fertility on February 15th. The festival was dedicated to Faunus, the God of Agriculture, and the Roman founders, Romulus and Remus. • There was more than one Saint Valentine. • During the 3rd century, a Roman priest named, Valentine, performed secret marriage ceremonies after Emperor Claudius II banned them, believing single men made better soldiers. Once Claudius discovered this, he threw the priest in jail and sentenced him to death. Valentine fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and on the day of his execution, February 14th, he sent her a letter signed, “from your Valentine.” • Pope Gelasius declared February 14th “St. Valentine’s Day” after the martyred priest. • Valentine greetings were popular in the Middle Ages. • The oldest, recorded Valentine is a poem by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415. • Due to printing improvements, the 1840’s marked the beginning of mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards. It was already becoming a tradition for friends and lovers to exchange small gifts or messages. • Esther A. Howland is known as the Mother of the Valentine. She created homemade cards with lace, ribbons and cutout pictures. • Cherubs are descended from Cupid, the winged matchmaker. • Valentines Day is celebrated in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Mexico and Canada.
Interior Example
Interactive Craft Book
TEAR-ABLE BOOK SERIES™
Books Born to be Torn
Concept: The Tearable Book series feature papercraft activities with beautiful, vintage and contemporary illustrations. Using scissors and glue, pages transform into holiday home decor, articulated animals, people and more. Art pages are designed for cutting out and placing in 8"x10" frames. Themes include Halloween, fantastical lands and woodland creatures. Introductory text and instructions included.
Examples: Vintage Halloween Treat Cups, Squirrel Place Cards and Mermaid Waterfall Landscape
Non Fiction/ Biography/ Pop Up
TINY TREASURES
Concept: Snowflake theme pop-up book featuring wintry landscapes paired with facts about snow crystals and bio about William Bentley (1865-1931) who coined the phrase "No two snowflakes are alike" and was the first person to photograph them. Suitable for children and adults. Text: 75 words, 7 spreads. "The stillness of the winter sky surrenders fairy flowers for making forts and snowmen, snowballs and icy towers. From specks of dust and water's breath these crystals form and float, unique like snowy fingerprints- catch them on your coat! See the tiny winter stars with six ferny, feather arms. Their joyful little faces shine cut like gems and lacy charms. Winter clouds are factories of soft and quiet gears that drift that drift that drift across our atmosphere. They're puffing prose and poetry in semaphores and codes, which tumble down to yards and lakes, as weather's ancient odes. We're in each dainty flake, our breath its crystal bones. So as it glides to earth, it's really coming home. ❄️ Snowflakes are born out of a speck of dust and water vapor- not a rain droplet. ❄️ They take shape as they move through the cloud and down to us. Since no two will ever travel the exact same path, no two snowflakes will ever be identical. ❄️ No two are alike, similar to fingerprints. ❄️ "Facet" is a word used to describe snow crystals and means "little face." ❄️ About 1,000 of our molecules are in each flake that falls, according to Kenneth Libbrecht in The Snowflake: Winter's Secret Beauty.
Interior Examples
Self Help / Wellness Activity Book
PLAY WITH YOUR PARTNER
Building Intimacy Through Activity
Concept: Fun, easy and inexpensive activities for couples to rekindle and reignite intimacy.
Sample spreads