I recently read somewhere that most of the people want to spend their old days enjoying the quietness of life, away from the city but Katy Towell the creator of the Childrin R Skary wants to be a scary old lady living in a house which would be famous among the neighbourhood kids for its spookiness. Strange! isn't it?
Katy Towell is a writer, illustrator and a graphic designer. Her first novel Skary Childrin and the Carousel of Sorrow was a huge hit and has left the readers wanting for more. The best thing about Katy Towell is that her art of telling a tale, be it through her novel or the movies on her website is so amazing that one feels that he/she is a part of it, and mind you her work especially the movies are damn addictive and would make you believe in dark fairy tales. To find out more about Katy and her creative journey read the interview with Katy below:
1. Hi Katy, tell our readers something about yourself.
I’m a graphic designer, animator, published writer and illustrator. I grew up in Oklahoma and Kansas and now live in Los Angeles, CA. Bonus fact: my first ever crush was on Darth Vader.
2. What is Childrin R Skary all about? Just curious to know why this name and why this theme for your stories?
Once upon a time, I used to be a preschool teacher. My kids were all 2-3 years old. They were adorable, but they sometimes said the most disturbing things! I think they were just repeating whatever they had heard elsewhere - like from TV or something - but that always stuck with me. The idea that cute little kids could potentially be dangerous forces. And that’s really how Childrin R Skary started.
3. What prompted you to get into writing and illustrating? Share with us your experience of creating “Skary Childrin and the Carousel of Sorrow”.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing or illustrating something. It’s just what I always wanted to do. So, when my eventual agent, Paul Rodeen, contacted me after seeing my cartoons and suggested I consider writing children’s books, I went for it! There were certainly stressful times, but on the whole, it was a really fun experience. I was pleasantly surprised by what I was able to get away with in the story. My first concept was significantly toned down from my usual work, but one of the editors I worked with said to me, “It’s called Skary Childrin. People will know it’s going to be scary.” So, after that, I just wrote exactly what I wanted.
4. Your artwork is rather gruesome and graphic, not intended for little ones but it still revolves around children, why so? What's your target audience?
Almost everyone likes a bedtime story, and a lot of us are still kids inside. It’s just that not everyone wants their bedtime stories to be full of sweetness and light! My original target audience was adults around my age (20s to 30s), but my audience has grown in really surprising ways. I hear from kids of all ages all the way up to grandparents. One grandmother even made dolls for her granddaughter based on my characters! The book, of course, is actually intended for middle grade kids, but I have a lot of teen and adult readers, too, which is great!
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing or illustrating something. It’s just what I always wanted to do. So, when my eventual agent, Paul Rodeen, contacted me after seeing my cartoons and suggested I consider writing children’s books, I went for it! There were certainly stressful times, but on the whole, it was a really fun experience. I was pleasantly surprised by what I was able to get away with in the story. My first concept was significantly toned down from my usual work, but one of the editors I worked with said to me, “It’s called Skary Childrin. People will know it’s going to be scary.” So, after that, I just wrote exactly what I wanted.
4. Your artwork is rather gruesome and graphic, not intended for little ones but it still revolves around children, why so? What's your target audience?
Almost everyone likes a bedtime story, and a lot of us are still kids inside. It’s just that not everyone wants their bedtime stories to be full of sweetness and light! My original target audience was adults around my age (20s to 30s), but my audience has grown in really surprising ways. I hear from kids of all ages all the way up to grandparents. One grandmother even made dolls for her granddaughter based on my characters! The book, of course, is actually intended for middle grade kids, but I have a lot of teen and adult readers, too, which is great!
5. You have such a huge fan base. How did you promote Childrin R Skary and your eBook initially?
I’ve always taken advantage of various social networks and art communities. First, I gained an audience on LiveJournal and then DeviantArt. Newgrounds was instrumental, too, though they’re a tough audience sometimes! Most of my audience has grown from word-of-mouth, though, for which I’m truly grateful! These days, I keep in touch with followers as much as possible through Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest. Promotion for the book has been a combination of efforts from Random House, my agent, myself, friends, existing fans, and a whole host of book bloggers who, fortunately, liked Skary Childrin and the Carousel of Sorrow.
6. You are selling your book as a Kindle edition and as a physical book. Why not sell it as as a pdf or ePub eBook on your own website?
The ebook is actually available for most e-reading devices, not just Kindle! This was the publisher’s choice, of course.
I’ve always taken advantage of various social networks and art communities. First, I gained an audience on LiveJournal and then DeviantArt. Newgrounds was instrumental, too, though they’re a tough audience sometimes! Most of my audience has grown from word-of-mouth, though, for which I’m truly grateful! These days, I keep in touch with followers as much as possible through Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest. Promotion for the book has been a combination of efforts from Random House, my agent, myself, friends, existing fans, and a whole host of book bloggers who, fortunately, liked Skary Childrin and the Carousel of Sorrow.
6. You are selling your book as a Kindle edition and as a physical book. Why not sell it as as a pdf or ePub eBook on your own website?
The ebook is actually available for most e-reading devices, not just Kindle! This was the publisher’s choice, of course.
7. When not working for Childrin R Skary, what activities you enjoy doing the most? How do you like to spend your spare time?
Watching old movies, especially silents. Reading. Exploring abandoned buildings when I can. And, well, anything to distract myself while I wait for the next seasons of Doctor Who and Sherlock.
8. What are your future plans for Childrin R Skary? Are you working on any new books?
I’m actually working on another book right now. It’s a challenging one! But I’m really excited about where it’s going, and if I’m doing it right, there will be chills and thrills aplenty. I’m also wrapping up a new animation called Death & Elsie that should be out in the coming weeks. My old friend Tim Jones (from The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten and Ida’s Luck) is narrating it.
Watching old movies, especially silents. Reading. Exploring abandoned buildings when I can. And, well, anything to distract myself while I wait for the next seasons of Doctor Who and Sherlock.
8. What are your future plans for Childrin R Skary? Are you working on any new books?
I’m actually working on another book right now. It’s a challenging one! But I’m really excited about where it’s going, and if I’m doing it right, there will be chills and thrills aplenty. I’m also wrapping up a new animation called Death & Elsie that should be out in the coming weeks. My old friend Tim Jones (from The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten and Ida’s Luck) is narrating it.
9. What are on the top shelves of your inspiration library right now? This can be anything from blogs, books and magazines to vintage catalogues/manuals, etc.
My favorite thing ever, right now, is an edition of Poe stories illustrated by Harry Clarke. Clarke’s illustrations are just so beautifully eerie. In fact, my upcoming animation is largely an homage to that style. I’m always studying vintage ephemera, too. The concept of marketing may not have been as developed back in the early 1900s, but their advertising was nonetheless beautiful.
10. What is the one most important piece of advice that you would like to give to aspiring and budding artists?
Keep working and don’t hide your work. Even if you think it’s terrible, let people see it. Feedback is one of the most important tools for development. You just have to be able to take it when it’s not what you wanted to hear. That said, however, don’t let anyone tell you to stop doing what you love, never take harsh criticism personally, and don’t forget your own vision.
You can see an example of Katy's latest work in the video below:
My favorite thing ever, right now, is an edition of Poe stories illustrated by Harry Clarke. Clarke’s illustrations are just so beautifully eerie. In fact, my upcoming animation is largely an homage to that style. I’m always studying vintage ephemera, too. The concept of marketing may not have been as developed back in the early 1900s, but their advertising was nonetheless beautiful.
10. What is the one most important piece of advice that you would like to give to aspiring and budding artists?
Keep working and don’t hide your work. Even if you think it’s terrible, let people see it. Feedback is one of the most important tools for development. You just have to be able to take it when it’s not what you wanted to hear. That said, however, don’t let anyone tell you to stop doing what you love, never take harsh criticism personally, and don’t forget your own vision.
You can see an example of Katy's latest work in the video below:
You can read more about Katy's work at:
Website
Google+
Youtube
Thank you Katy for taking out time and doing this interview with us. We wish you the very best for the future.
I love Katy's work !