Kindle Edition of In the Midst: A COVID-19 Anthology Is Now Available!

 

It’s here! I’m so excited to announce the release of the Kindle edition of In the Midst: A COVID-19 Anthology.

It’s been almost two years since a global pandemic shattered our world. Perhaps for the first time in history, people from every continent are experiencing the same emotions—fear, anger, sadness, anxiety. How are they coping? What are they learning? How have they changed? Writers and artists of every age (10-90) from six continents (including the countries of Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Zimbabwe) have contributed original art, photography, poems, essays, fiction, and scripts to create In the Midst, a COVID-19 Anthology. The works reflect a common humanity beyond age, ethnicity, or location and are captured here to share with the world.

People are suffering in so many ways from this unprecedented situation. But the pages of this anthology carry much more than tears. They also show the resilience of the human spirit. Some offer encouragement. Some ways of coping—especially creative ways, such as taking up new hobbies. Others find humor in the quest for toilet paper, the mandate to “wash your hands,” and hair—from new hairdos and natural hair colors of those who can no longer see their hairdressers to COVID cuts for those who took the problem into their own hands. Some describe new skills or practices that have improved their lives—things they will retain long after the pandemic is over. And many show appreciation to the ones who’ve sacrificed to keep the world moving.

What ties them all together? The universal experience of living in isolation and anxiety during a global pandemic with no end in sight. People are in crisis and need to share their experiences and imaginative solutions.

Difficult decisions were made to cut down the deluge of entries to this final selection of 100 pieces representing 84 authors and artists. I’ve always said that when you share your art or your writing, you share your soul. And we now celebrate the courageous people who have bared their souls to give you a glimpse into their lives.

I hope you are as touched as I have been by these honest, from-the-gut reactions while still IN THE MIDST of this historic pandemic. Hopefully, we’ll see our way out of this soon, and this anthology will become a collection to help future generations understand exactly what it was like to endure separation from friends and family, shutdowns of schools, churches, and “non-essential” businesses, and, of course, the fear and suffering caused by illness and death.  

In the Midst: A COVID-19 Anthology is available in two formats on Amazon. The standard format has a black and white interior and, for a limited time, sells for $16.95. The full-color edition printed on high-quality paper sells for $52.00. The New Kindle edition is available for $6.99 USD and is available worldwide. It is, of course, in full color. 

If you don't live in the USA, sign into Amazon in your domain area. Then you can type B08NX43Y4L in the search bar for the low-cost, black-and-white interior edition for a limited-time price of $16.95 USD (converted to local currency). Type B08NX6Q2Q1 for the full-color version (or click on the links if you are in the US) for $52.00 USD.  For the Kindle Edition, type B09L9K2ZQ1 as your search element. You can also search for "In the Midst COVID-19 Anthology" to see all versions on the selection screen.

The unique cover was designed and created by Lana Hunneyball. The artwork featured on the card faces are among the more than 30 original creations or photos included within the anthology. Lana used the layout of the card game “Patience” as a fitting representation of the patience required to get through this pandemic—and it’s a form of solitaire, which is especially fitting since many of us are alone at this time. Isolated.

But now you don’t need to be! Order a copy of this anthology for yourself and for everyone you know. You’ll be glad to have the company.

And be sure to share this announcement. Thank you! 

Be safe out there. 

 

Children's Books: The Art of Writing with Illustrations

by Charlotte Firbank-King

Storytelling is a passion, even obsession. It is deeply satisfying to captivate an audience with drama, pathos, violence, tranquility or fantasy—to be the master of imaginary characters. Above all, writers aim to please their readers (after listening to editors’ suggestions and working with them to succeed).

Unfortunately, this is not always true concerning book illustrations. Many authors seem to think that once the story is written, that’s it. They adopt a careless attitude, choosing an art style that only suits them. Art is subjective, so beware of falling into this mold.

Kids love color, yet we see illustrations in children’s books executed in quick pencil sketches. Why is that? The usual reason is simple. It’s cheaper to commission an artist to do pencil sketches rather than a complex work in acrylic, oils, pastel or gouache. Watercolors are also beautiful, especially when combined with ink. But with children, I want to stress that illustrations must have impact and instant appeal. Kids form a huge section of the reading audience. Even toddlers will roam bookshelves and choose what they want. It’s critically important to make sure the illustrations in your book stand out among millions of others.

Simplicity has its place, but as with brevity of words, the drawing must be brilliant in its economy. One does not get brilliant when the artist is paid little and required to dash off a dozen pictures. I urge writers of this genre to spend the extra money—or have fewer illustrations. Don’t sacrifice quality for quantity. A children’s book may be well written, but if the illustrations are mediocre or slapdash, the book will NOT sell well. In fact, illustrations are the “hook,” and then the story captivates, but the two must marry

Adults or young adults generally don’t want illustrations of what heroes or villains look like. They want to form their own picture. Small children, however, want to know what characters look like. Their imagination skills are still developing. But be very aware when deciding how the characters will be portrayed. Violence or overt evil should not be illustrated. Kids may have nightmares if that is the last thing they see before going to sleep. In short, be sensitive to young minds.

Here’s something else to think about. When a parent reads to a child, the child typically sits next to him or her, on the left or right. If the illustrations are sometimes on the left and sometimes on the right, the child is jumping up and down, running or crawling from one side to the other. But if the illustrations are always on the left or always on the right, the child gets to enjoy the illustrations without running back and forth.

When it’s impossible to pay the price for quality color illustrations, consider having the artist illustrate the story in pen (not a pencil sketch). The child can then color the pictures so he can choose how he wants his imaginary world to look. Coloring in is an abiding pleasure for kids and gives free-rein to their imaginations.

And finally, always test illustrations by showing them to kids before publishing—they will be your best and most honest critics.

(c) 2013 Charlotte Firbank-King. All Rights Reserved. 

Charlotte Firbank-King is a writer, editor, and artist. Her paintings have been sold and exhibited throughout the world and have been commissioned by the Johannesburg Zoo, the Witwatersrand National Botancial Gardens and the Zulu Schools Trust, among others.