Wow… someone doesn’t update their blog much! 

It’s been a long and winding road but I’m thrilled to announce that “Michael and the Purple Cows” is now being published through Book Surge and is available to purchase on Amazon.ca at a very reasonable price of CDN$ 12.70 (the special sale price today).

Had a fun week working with Mitch on the Press Release and Media Kit:

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PURPLE COWS SPOTTED BY YOUNG CHILDREN EVERYWHERE!

An ordinary day turns into an extraordinary one for Michael when a herd of Purple Cows show up at his door. Michael and the Purple Cows is a delightful tale about childhood and the magical experience of imaginary friends. Written for two to five year olds, it is a new addition to the traditional bed time story and is simple enough to allow a child to read it as they grow older.

Author Mitchel Foy has written this story from his own childhood about the mischievous, magical Purple Cows. He explains in his forward, that Purple Cows are the reason why children can be very
quick or take forever to do a simple task.

The book is beautifully illustrated by Kimberly McKay-Fleming. Raised as a farm girl, Kimberly brings this first hand experience to her imaginative illustrations of these magical cows hiding in the oddest of places.

Michael and the Purple Cows is destined to become another classic bedtime story for children everywhere.

Michael and the Purple Cows
Written by Mitchel A. Foy
Illustrated by Kimberly McKay-Fleming
ISBN: 978-1439251836
$12.99 (Paper)

Look for Michael and the Purple Cows at Amazon, BookSurge and your favorite bookstore. For further information, review copies or to arrange interviews with the author, please contact Mitchel Foy, author, (650) 996-0361 or mitchfoy1(at)comcast.net

I would like to thank the staff & students at St. Alexander School in North Bay for the lovely display they created recognizing my work as an illustrator.  They were recently doing a study on Illustrators.

If you can’t read what it says on the photo:

“A book without an illustrator is… Like a dull cloudy day.  An illustrator adds the sun and life to a book!”

“Kimberly McKay-Fleming has illustrated “Granny’s Giant Bannock” and “A Journey Through the Circle of Life”.  She is aunt of Caitlin and Connor Howard”.

I’ve never felt so honoured. 

CM (a University of Manitoba-based online review of children’s material) has just posted a bright review for Granny’s Giant Bannock.

“Granny’s Giant Bannock” is finally available on the publishers website for anyone wishing to order it this way.

Granny’s Giant Bannock

A little miscommunication between English-speaking Larf and his Cree-speaking grandmother leads to hilarious results when a giant, sprawling bannock threatens to take over the town. Beyond its antic humour, this is a tender story about the need to listen .

These are photos taken of me & my books at the first annual “Artists and their Apprentices” exhibition at the Cambridge Centre for the Arts on the weekend.  The show was a big success, with approximately 155 people visiting the gallery at the opening from 1-3 pm.  If you’re in the area, you should check it out… there is a lot of lovely artwork being created in Cambridge.  We should be proud! 

Cool… I’m right in there with Robert Munsch & Michael Martchenko.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/entertainment/books/terrific_times_for_tots_to_teens_4-6.html

I just noticed that Brenda is going to be reading “Granny’s Giant Bannock” at Aqua Books this weekend (December 6, 2008 @ 2:00 pm).  The address is 274 Garry Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3C 1H3.  Boy… I wish I lived closer, I’d love to be there for it… but since I can’t I’ll just send my best thoughts.

How exciting a nice big package was left sitting on my doorstep…

Gee.. I wonder what could possibly be inside?

Oh my gosh… IT’S MY SHINY NEW BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh wow! Would you take a look at this! Like, could you hurry it up a little and take this picture already? I’d really, really like to take a look inside!

It’s so nice to finally see it in “book” form! I’m very happy with it!

My latest picture book “Granny’s Giant Bannock” has finally been given press approval and will start being printed on Monday. I saw the printer proof on Wednesday, and I was happy with it. I painted this one on the computer, so it was kinda neat to see it on paper.

I was kinda surprised to see that someone’s already talking about it… since it hasn’t officially even hit the printing press!

I really enjoyed getting to know these characters… Larf, Granny and Sam. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of them… it’s a fun book…

It’s been quite a busy summer for me… been designing designing a ton of greeting cards, with a bit of gift & stationery product sprinkled in there… and topped off with another book for Pemmican Publications.  Makes me tired just thinking about it… has been a lot of late nights & early mornings.

My book illustrations were due today… and I got them in to the publisher this morning to make the deadline.  It’s kind of a weird feeling to be finished, granted it feels nice to not have the looming deadline hanging over my head like it has been all summer.  Anyway, I think the book turned  out nice.  I’m looking forward to seeing it in print.  I’ll keep you posted when it comes out.  It is titled “Granny’s Giant Bannock”.  Will make an enjoyable & fun read… I guarantee…