Happy Thursday Critters! Today we have an interview with a fabulous illustrator who released a new book with Sleeping Bear Press in March, THE LADY OF THE LIBRARY, written by Angie Karcher. I’m thrilled to have another illustrator stopping by Critter Lit today to share her experiences in Kidlit, process, and advice for other creatives out there!
So without further ado, please welcome Rachel Sanson!
Where do you live?
I live in Bristol in the UK. At the moment I’m in a shared house with 3 lovely housemates and a very chaotic Bengal cat.
How many years have you been in publishing?
I’ve been in publishing for about 5 years now.
How did you first get published?
I first got published after signing with my first agency, I illustrated a small educational book for a Canadian publisher. It was my first experience illustrating professionally, I think you’d struggle to find it now and I’m ok with that!
Do you write/illustrate full-time?
At the moment I do, I work in a shared studio space with other creatives which is great.
What inspires you to create picture books?
I’ve always loved telling stories not had much experience with writing, so instead I told the stories through drawing. It's a lot of fun to flesh out an imaginary world and the characters in it.
What surprised you the most working as an illustrator?
You learn very quickly about things you do on autopilot, for example shortcuts you take in drawing and objects that look nothing like they should! Because working professionally with publishers is a much more collaborative process these things are pointed out to you, and you discover a lot about yourself.
What is your favorite thing about being an illustrator?
I most enjoy being able to draw silly things for a living! It’s great to be given the freedom to explore a subject as you want to, and being trusted to come up with the right results.
What do you find difficult working as an illustrator?
Of course it’s always stressful to be in a career where your income isn’t stable or guaranteed. The most difficult part is probably convincing other people (and yourself) of your worth. Unfortunately, it is still really common to be offered work with unacceptably low fees, and having the confidence to question and say no to that is something I only learned over time.
What do you do to shake the rust off or get new ideas?
I’ve learned that I personally go through phases of having ideas and feeling inspired and at other points being much more in the mood for organization and problem solving. It’s not always convenient but I think it’s good to try to go with the flow and not fight against whatever mood you’re in. Some days you can sit with the sketchbook in front of you and feel completely stuck and other days you’re filling pages up as fast as you can.
Anything you are habitual about when it comes to creativity?
I’m trying to get better at planning out work and putting in a good amount of research before diving straight into line art, which is sensible but difficult for me as I like to work things out as I go. I also try to draw every day even if it’s just a few sketches that don’t go anywhere.
Can you share a positive experience you’ve had in the Kid Lit community?
The Kid Lit community on social media was really helpful while building my portfolio after graduating from university. I’ve met a really positive group of people who encouraged and inspired me as I was developing my portfolio. It’s been amazing to see so many of these artists go on to be published and bring out gorgeous books. I think it would have been very hard to stay motivated without positive feedback from other people in the illustration world.
Recommended reading?
I’ve been reading a lot of end-of-the-world novels which I don't think anyone needs lately! So I’ll suggest some recommended listening instead. If you’re a creative you can’t go wrong with The Creative Pep Talk and Make it then Tell podcasts.
What has been the highlight of your career thus far?
Probably the first time I received a copy of one of the books I illustrated, it was amazing to have it as a real object!
What is something you wish someone had told you when you first started illustrating?
Generally, Know your worth! And on the technical side it’s really important to learn the fundamentals of drawing before you try to develop a style. Styles are something that appear over time whether you notice it happening or not and it’s much harder to work backwards and figure out why your stylized characters look strange. So get out there and sketch from life!
Tell us about your newest book.
My newest picture book is The Lady of the Library, written by Angie Karcher and published by Sleeping Bear Press. It's the story of a ghostly lady haunting a library that is about to be closed. All seems lost until a little girl appears and the two team up, putting together some wild ideas to attract visitors and bring the place back to its prime!
Interior art from THE LADY OF THE LIBRARY by Angie Karcher, illustrated by Rachel Sanson published by Sleeping Bear Press
The story focuses on the importance of libraries and community space, and its main character is based on The Grey Lady of Willard Library. The employees of the real library were so happy to be haunted that they set up online webcams for anyone to try and catch a glimpse of their ghost!
Interior art from THE LADY OF THE LIBRARY by Angie Karcher, illustrated by Rachel Sanson published by Sleeping Bear Press
Working on this book was a lot of fun, it was a great opportunity to draw some dark spooky scenes and, of course, lots and lots of books.
Interior art from THE LADY OF THE LIBRARY by Angie Karcher, illustrated by Rachel Sanson published by Sleeping Bear Press
What’s up next for you?
Right now I’m taking a bit of time to experiment with my work and try new things, as well as trying my hand at writing a few story ideas. I’d love to keep working on picture books in the future.
Anything else you’d like to share with aspiring authors and illustrators?
Be nice to people and don't be worried to approach your peers! Most illustrators I’ve met are really lovely friendly people, and it’s great to have people in the know who can support and advise you. Also a lot of us work from home, and are away from office small talk, so we’re pretty up for a chat!
And last, but not least, favorite 80s movie?
My favourite 80s movie has to be Labyrinth. It’s probably also my favourite movie generally!
Huge thank you to Rachel for stopping by Critter Lit today! Congrats on your new book!
RACHEL SANSON is an illustrator of children’s books and is currently based in Bristol, UK.
Originally from a tiny town in the North of England, she graduated from the University of Lincoln with a degree in illustration after 3 years in a little studio perched on the top of a very steep hill.
Rachel loves to work on children’s fiction and enjoys illustrating weird and wonderful characters and the worlds they live in.
Rachel’s past work includes the Topsea middle grade novel series and the Tails from History educational book series. Rachel’s first picture book, The Lady of the Library was published in 2021 by Sleeping Bear Press.
FOR MORE INFORMATION about Rachel, visit her online: https://www.rachelsanson.co.uk/
or follow her on social media:
Instagram @Rachelsansonillustration
Twitter @rachel_sanson
ORDER THIS BOOK To order a copy of THE LADY OF THE LIBRARY, click here.
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