How Salty (our Picture Book mascot) became a 2-book deal

This week we're pulling up a chair at Helen's kitchen table to finally spill the beans on Salty. Salty Dog and Pals is the book that started as The Picture Book Course branding and somehow ended up as a 2-book deal with Walker Books.

The big question: How do you write a zillion short stories with your pal in 10 sessions flat?

We chat about the origins of Salty (and which printmaker Bernard the duck is named after), the brilliant questions from the editors at Walker Books, why Kitty is basically Tania 😆, and the Nissen Hut story that didn't make it into the final draft no matter how hard we trieeed!

p.s. Salty Dog & Pals (Helen & Katie's new picture book) is now available to pre-order and will be in shops from May. To say thank you, all pre-orders get access to a picture book MASTERCLASS. 

You can sign up for your free picture book masterclass here: 

https://www.thegoodshipillustration.com/salty-dog-and-pals-the-storm-other-stories

It's instant access, so no need to wait.

(And if you've already pre-ordered, thank you!)

Rough timestamps for our timestamp-fans:

00:00 – Where did Salty Dog come from? 

01:00 – From course mascot to Walker Books character 

03:00 – Bernard the duck, and colour palette chat 

05:00 – The thumbnail template that started it all 

07:00 – The Jarvis format: not a picture book, not a chapter book 

09:00 – Writing at the kitchen table: how it worked 

11:00 – The Walker Books character questionnaire (we read it out) 

13:00 – Who is Bernard, really? (William Hanson + Cameron) 

15:00 – Kitty is Tania (reckless, chaotic, beloved) 

17:00 – Lindisfarne, upturned boats + Helen's grandparents' Nissan Hut 

20:00 – The story that was too violent to make it in 

22:00 – Titles first, stories second 

24:00 – What the editors actually did (magic, basically) 

26:00 – Procreate vs paper + the cover saga 

28:00 – Pre-order Salty Dog and Pals + free masterclass! (You can sign up for your free picture book masterclass here.)

Come and say hello!

✏️ @thegoodshipillustration
🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.com

p.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙