welcome to my portfolio
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picture books – books for teens – novels – poetry – videos – background to picture books – contact
picture books
My books are not designated by reading age. They are for parents to read to children in quality time, or for children of early school reading age. The language is clear and simple.
Videos of the stories are free on YouTube.
Most popular: Granny Goes Gallivanting and The Queen of the Birds: An African Calendar.
Some of my books. All on Amazon.uk
Sir Orfeo and Herodis
Once upon a time, a musician called Sir Orfeo lived in the land of Lothian. His wife Herodis was spirited away to Avalon - a magical adventure follows. A lovely video is on YouTube, with a child reader and music.
The Little Book of Pollinators
was published by the Bee Friendly Trust. They provide beehives in stations, and on roofs, and do workshops for schools and other groups.
Jean Zuziwe’s Long Journey
Children often ask ‘Where did I come from?’ This is the story of the adventures of one little baby as she travels all the way from the Garden in the Sky to her cot in her new home in Gauteng.
Miss Galloway’s Goats
A nearly true story set in Scotland in the 1950s. Two naughty goats run away, to go home to Switzerland. Two little sisters chase them all through town.
The Pawpaw King and the Samoosa Queen
The story of some poor Cape street children, who are cared for by the owner of the Birdie Numnum Cafe. After some adventures in a pirate ship they find their way to a new life on the island where the pawpaws grow.
Books for teens and adults
Midwinter’s Night is a fantasy African poem based on The Eve of St Agnes and the tale of Young Lochinvar. A mysterious rider rescues the chief’s daughter on the eve of her winter wedding
I illustrated Haroun and the Sea of Stories, by Salman Rushdie . This is one of my favourite books.
The Dark Cloud: the story of St Drostan, a girl and Krakatoa, was inspired by the loan to Scotland of The Book of Deir, a very early illuminated manuscript. St Drostan brought Christianity to Pictland in the 6th century. His story is part of a wider network of legend, history and romance. This version is based on careful research (it includes a bibliography) and on recent archeology in the north-east. It is illustrated. Suitable for students of medieval myth and history, it’s also an exciting read.
More from The Dark Cloud
The building of the first church at Old Deir
There are many images. Prints available on demand.
Orfeo and Herodis
Sir Orfeo is the piper for King Loth of Lothian. Orfeo’s wife, Herodis, is spirited away to Avalon. He vows to find her, even if it takes him one hundred years. Here, he is teaching his great Grand-daughter to play the pipes. The video is free!
Novels
Harmonie
Harmonie is a fictional wine farm in the Cape; it’s the former home of John Harman, the hero of Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend. I wanted to bring John’s former life, hinted at by Dickens, in to focus, and to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his mother in Africa. In this novel he is helped – and hindered – by a variety of well-known Dickens characters, a few from Conan Doyle as well, and particularly by some now famous KhoiSan individuals who feature in the Bleek-Lloyd archive of the University of Cape Town. Murder is on the cards.
The Merger
A murder mystery set in South Africa during the time – after 2006 – when formerly black institutions merged with their white counterparts. Job security went by the board. But the tone is light-hearted – mostly. Poaching, money laundering, academic rivalries combine to bring tragedy to some and happiness to others.
Stormy Weather
Is this too a murder mystery? You will have to wait to the end to find out. It explores the story of a reticent middle-class family in a small Scottish town (with no incomprehensible Scottish accents or deep-fried Mars Bars).
Poetry
K G Goddard Notes from the Dream Kingdom. A meditative poem set in Saudi Arabia and South Africa Botsotso, 2025. Available from bookstores, Amazon, Barnes and Noble.
A set of 12 prints is available separately.
An African Calendar. As the months pass, this little parrot learns to fly. Each month contains a story or a poem, to fit the seasons of the Xhosa year.
The poem Midwinter’s Night tells the story of an African princess whose dream of the man she is to marry comes true at midnight.
‘Blessing’ is one of the illustrations in the poem Notes from the Dream Kingdom
Granny Goes Gallivanting is a fun poem by Martheanne Finnemore, where some naughty animal friends pursue Granny on her flight to London and back.
where to find videos and books
Videos of my children’s books are free on YouTube, @BethJefferyKidsBooks
All Books are available at http://www.amazon.co.uk/ Beth Jeffery
See also our free tertiary language support program, hyperEnglish at www.gamalial.com
background to making children's picture books
Traditional publishing or self-publishing?
- As a writer, you can approach publishers with your concept, or draft. You may be successful. As an illustrator, you will find work through illustration agencies, through specific publishers – show your portfolio – and through the internet (groups such as Children’s books writers and illustrators).
- AI illustration is not looked on favourably, unless you are specially talented and original; in expert hands it can be amazing.
- Self publishing is possible. (But marketing is difficult.)
- Steps to self-publishing. Plan the narrative shape of your text. Allocate the text to fit 28 or 29 pages. The total page count is usually 32. Add one page for title page, one for publishing details, and one for dedication / thanks/ credits if needed. Title page, and page 1 of the content should be right-hand pages (RHP).
- Paint or draw the images yourself, or make a contract with an illustrator. That is expensive.
- Scan your pictures.
- Format the images. I use CorelDraw and Corel Photopaint to edit them, add effects, resize them, add bleed. There are many programs to choose from – Adobe Illustrator, Canva …
- Add text. Choose clear fonts to suit printers and child readers. The program you use is your own choice.
- Edit the text. Share it among lines of narrative, speech bubbles, expressive text. Text and images should complement each other, rather than duplicate each other. Proofread every line of text, including title page and headings.
- Add page numbering. Odd numbers are RHPs, even numbers LHPs.
- Print a draft. It often shows up elements you need to change.
- If you are self publishing, Amazon KDP will guide you step by step to upload your book. (Page size, bleed size). A draft print will show problems. For example page numbers may lie outside the required height…)
- Finding a publisher or agent is difficult. They prefer to use their own illustrators.
contact and prints
Prints from books are available on request from
admin@bethjefferybooks.com
About: I’m a graduate of Edinburgh University (MA Hons. Medieval Studies) and University of Cape Town (PhD computer language support). Fulbright scholar. Senior lecturer Vista University Gqeberha, SA. (1989 -2006) Freelance illustrator.
Golden Baobab Illustrators prize 2018, 2021. An African Calendar was chosen by Jay Heale as Children’s Book of the Month and of the year (2012).