David Seow's Blog, page 19

A Royal Adventure Featured in Epigram's Latest Catalog

Peruse the Catalog Here

My brilliant publisher Edmund of Epigram Books will be at the Bologna Children's Book Fair and the London Book Fair so if you're there, please look them up.

Teaser Illustrations from A Royal Adventure

Prayers for Brussels

Pray for Brussels

Download Paper Dolls of the Duke and Duchess

Click on this link to download the paper dolls of the Duke and Duchess designed by Illustrator Soefara Jafney.



Download Duke of Cambridge paper doll


Download the Duchess of Cambridge paper doll

First Look at A Royal Adventure and Book Giveaway

A  Royal Adventure image ©Soefara Janney
Here's a first sneak peek at A Royal Adventure. Can you recognise the dress the Duchess is wearing in this picture? And at which official event she wore it?  



It's the Erdem floral dress that she wore to the Eden Hall reception in Singapore in 2012.

First Look at A Royal Adventure

A  Royal Adventure image ©Soefara Janney
Here's a first sneak peek at A Royal Adventure.

What will the Duchess Wear?

In our book A Day with the Duchess, illustrator Soefara Janney faithfully recreated the outfits that the Duchess wore on the actual tour. Accuracy was of the utmost importance as the book was based on the actual tour.

So on the cover of the book she featured the Duchess in her Jenny Packham dress with the Orchid motif that HRH wore upon arrival in Singapore, the visit to the Orchid Garden and the arrival at Raffles Hotel.




For the tour of Gardens by the Bay, Soefara faithfully illustrated the Duchess in her broderie anglaise Alexander McQueen dress.



At Queenstown, the Duchess is accurately depicted in her Raoul dress.




And for the Duke and Duchess's last day in Singapore, she dressed Kate in same duck-egg blue Jenny Packham ensemble with 
matching jewelry.




It's needless to say that Soefara has an eye for detail. And the Duke and Duchess appeared on the steps of St Mary's with the little Princess Charlotte, Soefara sketched a quick commemorative illustration in which the Duchess is wearing her Jenny Packham shift dress.



So what outfits will be featured in A Royal Adventure? Stay tuned to find out.

A Royal Adventure featured on Hello Online!

I'd just like to take the opportunity to thank Ms, Chloe Best and Hello online for featuring A Royal Adventure. I am thrilled to bits! Actually that would be an understatement. 


The book is due to hit the printing press in April and will be out in time for Charlotte's first birthday. The book, of course, is dedicated to the Princess in honour of the occasion. I am pledging my advance royalty payment to charity. Again thank you to Ms Best and Hello for everything!

Hello Online 

Getting Inspired with Take That

How does one start writing a story? Everyone has a different method. For me an idea could pop up from anywhere. It could be a  a word, a phrase, or  an image that starts cranking the gears of my imagination. Once the idea is percolating, I select a piece of music, plug in my headphones, and the characters, theme and plot choreograph themselves into the first draft of a story.


It's strange to explain but for me it's easier to write when I listen to music, the melody seems to guide me with how the story should flow. Sometimes I'll listen to just instrumental pieces; at other times, I'll pick a song from a favourite singer or band.




One of the bands that I listen to while writing is Take That. I love their song 'Rule the World'  And when I was writing my book A Day with the Duchess, I listened to Gary Barlow's song 'Sing' which he wrote for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert. Currently I'm listening to Gary Barlow's version of the song "When your feet don't touch the ground" from his musical 'Finding Neverland!'



So when I found out that Barlow, Howard Donald, and Mark Owen for the first Take That concert here in 20 years, I knew I had to meet the people who have helped inspire me. 




My friend Anthony, his friends Alex and Liza met at the airport, hoping to meet them upon their arrival. Yes, I'm a fan boy.  We weren't sure what time they would arrive, but thankfully we met some fans from UK who knew their flight details, so we just sat back and waited for the plane to arrive.



Soon enough the band walked into view at the baggage claim and the fans went wild. About 30 or so fans clamoured at the gate, hoping  to get the best spot possible. Anthony and I managed to secure a spot up front. I held out a copy of 'A Day with the Duchess' to Gary, telling him that I wrote it while I was listening to his song Sing and that it was a big inspiration. I kind of babbled it all out and  Liza managed to get it all on video. Thanks, Liza.He was as nice as an autograph for me and I gave him the book. He thanked me and then I took a photo of him and Anthony.




I then rushed over to Mark and gave him a copy of the book too before giving a copy of 'At the SEA Aquarium' to Howard for his young daughter.



The guys were all fantastic with the fans and they made sure everyone had an autograph before they were whisked away by their minders. It's not every day that you get to meet the people who have helped inspire your work, so it's needless to say it was a thrill. Thanks to  Anthony, Liza, Alex, Jeff and Aisyah for all their help.