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I have gotten in early to submit my book illustrations for the 2024 iJungle Illustration Awards! I am entering my Bowerbirds! book with 5 images. I own a merit award last time for my Birds in the Backyard book illustration so who knows this year!!

I have a happy dance! My book Bowerbirds! has been accepted for a nomination at the Whitley Zoological Book Awards - now the long wait until October to see if I have won an award!

I had awesome news that my Bowerbirds! book is in the running for being long listed for the 2023 Chanticleer Book awards! After a really awful start to the day (flooded garage due to rain inundation) this was very welcome news! I won't find out until April 2024 for the awards finalists, but this was very encouraging!

WOW! I have some good news! My book The Birds in the Backyard has won a Merit Award at the iJungle illustration awards! I got the email today! I was scrolling on down on the list of winners and I thought, oh well at least I entered! And then I looked at my in box and got a nice surprise! My works are going tot be in the annual they publish online!

Hooray! My book zine (trade book size of 5 x 8 inches) is now live on my Blurb site! Of course you can buy some of the illustrations from the book right here on FAA, but if you would like the book it is now on Blurb!
https://au.blurb.com/b/11861744-drift

I do also have the only pre-publication proof which differs in images and some text and has adjustments but the final book is corrected and ready to go! Proof is for sale on my Etsy/Kofi site.

Thanks so very much for the support!

Donna Huntriss

I have a new project in the works! I am going to try a graphic novel with my images! I don't have a title for the book as yet, but it will be a foray deeper into The Garden with Alabaster the Cat! to be published by Blurb online.

I am in the process of proof editing my book project for the year - The Cockatoo in the Street! I have two proofs for sale on my Etsy and Ko-fi sites of the 1st edition proofs so far. I have created a dummy proof of a 2nd edition to see how the larger format compares with each page having an image as opposed to the First edition where I have used a slightly different layout. So if you can help me out (Ko-fi is PayPal only) to help with publishing costs and get a signed book, that would help me in publishing upfront costs.
For Ko-fi shop is now available and no memberships necessary. I do have a limited edition PDF portrait format of the book with extra images etc).
Many thanks!
Donna

*FIRST EDITION SOLD SECOND EDITION STILL AVAILABLE.

As the alphabets don't get much love in the way of views I will be deleting some of the Australiana letters and the Dragon letters. I tend to buy my own cards for resale or part of my book bundles and the odd print. Thanks for looking at my works. It is very much appreciated. I will be keeping the Dark Angel letters for now.

Many thanks to the buyers of my South Coast Architecture II book at the Shoalhaven City Regional Art Gallery recently, whom liked the cover image of St.Mary's Star of the Sea Church, wanted to purchase a print to donate to the Parish! Many thanks so much! I often wonder who buys my books where my art is featured and how they relate to the images, and stories I create. So thanks very much!

I have been busy sourcing out the best Indie publishing book awards for my art. So far I have entered:
Rubery Book Awards (UK)
The Whitley Book Award (Sydney/Mosman)
The IPPYs (Book cover award)
Moonbeam Children's Book awards (Gold Medal winner!)

I just missed out on the deadline for the NSW Premiere book awards but hope to have a book out next year featuring "Dancing Spiders!" (Australian Peacock spiders!)

I also have had my book approved to the NED, State Library of NSW etc.

I am very happy that the Shoalhaven Libraries said yes that they would like my book, The Cockatoo in the Street, to be included in their collection and where to buy more copies!! I have had a very happy week so far! Many thanks for the support!

Happy dance this morning ! I got the email of the list of winners for the Moonbeam ChildrenBook awards! My book "Bowerbirds!" won a GOLD MEDAL!! Category 26 Animals/Pets Non Fiction. I was scrolling thinking "maybe not this year" so I kept scrolling and WOW! So it was a great start to the day! The Moonbeam awards celebrate children's literature and illustration. I am very chuffed as former winners such as The Fan Brothers have won too!

I am in the process of uploading entire alphabets of my designs so please bear with me! Some files are old ones so I will also updating some letters. If you would like a particular letter that is not uploaded yet, message me and I will upload and even adjust the background colour (RGB only thanks).

I logged into BIBA to enter my Bowerbirds! book cover for 2024 and I got the most awesome two surprises! My Book cover for the Birds in the Backyard has made the TOP 20 rankings! And my book Lady Lyrebird has made it to ROUND 4 (final stages of judging)! So even though I earn peanuts from my books, knowing my work is appreciated is priceless! I have to wait until November for final results so fingers crossed!
I have also entered the iJungle illustration awards, The IPPYs for 2024 (book cover art category for Non Fiction). So it has been a exhausting and expensive getting my books out there!

I have submitted my Bowerbirds! Book (published by Blurb books) to the American Bookfest International awards! It won't be until Late 2024 until I hear if I did any good so fingers crossed!

Happy dance! My book, The Birds in the Backyard won a Bronze medal for the best Australia/New Zealand Regional NON fiction category! My book is published by Blurb books and I do have some goodie bags on my Ko-fi and Etsy sites.

I am in the process of submitting my Bowerbirds! book to the Moonbeam Children's Book awards! I have just packed and paid for the shipping and customs and my book will be headed to the USA! I do have two more physical books at my Ko-fi and Etsy sites of the Fifth Edition large books so I updated my sites of the quantities of the books for sale. I do have goodie backs with extra freebies for those who buy my books!

I have new prints with hand painted gold metallic details in my Kofi shop! if you see a print you would like to have the same detail message me here on FAA!

I am very excited that my book, "Bowerbirds!" will be featured at this year's Bookfest at the Shoalhaven City Library! This is a multi author 'speed talk" and the potential to sell my books and signing etc. I will have limited stock of books and some are already for sale at the Shoalhaven City Art Gallery next door to the library in Berry Street. See my "events" part of my FAA profile page for more details. It is a free event to attend but bookings are essential.

I have been chosen as part of the Blurb books Holidays gifting guide in October 2022! But you can buy prints of my book art right here on FAA!

I am in the process of closing my Saatchi online site as I have not had any sales and plus I get better traffic here on FAA! Not all prints will be on here but I can upload on request. This takes effect Tuesday 20 September 2022.

I have just been interviewed by Wayne Tunks from MY88FM (Sydney Australia) this morning for a pre-record! tune in to hear my nervous chat to Wayne about the books I have donated to the Books for Cancer fundraiser for the Cancer Council. On Monday, after an INXS song, after 8:00am (AEST) on my88Fm! They also have on their website the link to bid on the charity book bundle of Australian Authors who also donated books!

I am having only my Druid decks (print on order only unless I have in stock to ship from Australia) and digital pattern downloads of my embroidery art that are Bayeux inspired. My decks can be ordered direct from my MPC (makeplayingcards.com) - they would probably reach you more quickly if you are in North America etc! Many thanks!

I have some art books of my art that is featured here on FAA for secure sale at my Ko-fi.com site. I also have embroidery art that are ready to hang or to use. I have just had my computer fixed after a major catastrophic meltdown after a OS update and have only just got it working again (thank heavens for warranty!). I am really in need of a new machine in a year or so as the software will no longer be supported by the manufacturer so any sales really helps me out! I have some great merchandise including signed prints from here on FAA so it would be great if you could check it out! Many thanks! Donna :)

I have submitted my Birds in the Backyard and Lady Lyrebird books to the international BIBA and Foreword Review book awards! My illustration and book cover work are entries and will be notified next March. So fingers crossed!

Dr John Martin, a Taronga Zoo researcher has urged me to submit my book, Cockatoo! published by Blurb books to the Urban Fields Naturalist website to be published in a few weeks (fingers crossed!). My book can be bought at my Blurb books site, or my ko-fi site as a download. My book can now be lent out at the Shoalhaven City Art Library (more books are coming to the Shoalhaven City Regional Art Gallery in Berry Street, Nowra, NSW Australia.

My new book Cockatoo! is now live at Blurb Books online! Available as a softcover or PDF format, 40 pages and beautifully printed by Blurb. I have had interest from Dr John Martin who is a researcher at Taronga Zoo in Sydney as his area of expertise is in Cockatoo and bird behaviour in urban settings.

So support a fledgling author and spread the word about my book!

Donna

My new book, “When the Fires Came” has been published by Blurb books and is now available as a softcover or PDF download.
I was lucky enough to be interviewed by ABC Illawarra Breakfast Radio, and the South Coast Register newspaper about my book, as it is based on the Black Summer bushfires in Australia.