August has fairly flown by in Foggie Toddle Books. Dumfries and Galloway has been seeing record numbers of visitors visiting the region, many for the first time. Some people have Wigtown at the top of their list of places to go and others still just happen across the town, even those who have read my neighbour Shaun Bythell’s books, Diary and Confessions of a Bookseller. Sadly there will be no festival this year in the town – but events will be available digitally and the programme will be announced shortly. The Festival Company is working hard to try and capture the flavour of the usual atmosphere in the town for readers around the world.
Our bestsellers bookwise continue to be the Wonky Donkey and the new spin off, The Dinky Donkey, along with the growing list of Oi titles from Kes Gray. Teachers have told me that Oi Frog, Dog, Cat, Platypus and Puppies (Aardvark coming soon) are excellent for teaching children about rhyme – they are also hilarious.
The Galloway Toons series that I’m producing in partnership with artist Pauline Paterson has been really well received. We now have china and ceramic mugs for Wigtown, the Isle of Whithorn, Garlieston, Port William along with beautiful mounted prints, postcards and greetings cards. Pauline is currently working on Newton Stewart which will complete the series. We’ve had requests for bags and tea towels so we’re currently looking at suppliers to get those produced.
In addition to these Foggie Toddle products, I’ve commissioned Helen Morley of Wigtown Press, to produce cloth and paper bags featuring the black and white bee logo created for me by Caroline Smith of Galloway Arts. Helen prints everything on the most amazing old printers that she has restored and look like something from a Heath Robinson illustration. Have a look at her social media on Instagram, facebook and twitter.
Foggie Toddle Publishing is also preparing a range of titles including local history and picture books over the next year. More will be revealed over the next few months. The first of the children’s books should be available by the beginning of November but I’ll provide some sneak previews of the art work soon. I can reveal that the illustrations for the book are being done by Caroline Smith of Galloway Arts. Caroline’s work has been featured in the shop during the summer and I’m hoping the book will be as popular as her cards, mugs, and paintings have been with customers. I’ve had to restock the cards three times!
The first book to be published under the Second Sands imprint, The Wrecking of the Orion, has now sold out of the first print run and I’m currently organising a new edition. We’re changing the layout slightly after feedback from readers, and there’s a little further research been added. I hope to have the book back in stock by the end of September but there are two left for emergencies.
Happy Reading,
Jayne