If you are wondering who Creative Florence is! I'm the lady with a print proof of her NEW book "Messages from the Sea", stuck in her dungarees! 6 Months to complete a children's picture book in extreme Covid 19 times, but in truth though, the whole idea for this book took a lot, lot longer!
3 Years ago, I had an idea for this book, initially it was going to be about a Flying fish called Flo, who had an issue with going to Sea School. The concept became complicated and my sketches, very time consuming. I was trying to tell children it was ok to be dyslexic, but if I'm honest I was trying to tell myself it was ok! Still not quite believing it was! This and the message were getting very confusing. As well as refining my illustration style. All this after having already published my 1st Children's picture book called A-Z Animals. I procrastinated, got frustrated, then left it in a folder.
Sadly in August 2019 I lost a very dear friend. A true believer in me and my skills.
On the day of Fizz's funeral I was gifted a beautiful Turtle brooch which belonged to her. I sat in the church, sun beaming through the stained glass windows, the brooch sparkling in the sun! I now knew, how to change my book, to get it back on track - It was like Fizz, was telling me to, "Just get on with it Flo, stop Faffing." The turtle pinned to my jacket became the main character, removing myself completely, It felt so right! "Thank you Fizz."
Pollution in the sea, the sea, and my own joy, of feeling free in the water when I swim merged together, giving me a clear message to give on behalf of the creatures in the seas. We humans are not the most important creatures on this earth, we are just visitors to the oceans and seas of this planet. We have no right to dump our rubbish in their environment?
Imagine a fish visiting you, flip, flopping, flop and flipping to your pond or water butt, plopping in. Having had a good old lark and splash about, then, off it would flop then, saying cheerio with a wave of it's fin and float back to the sea. Only after it had gone, you'd notice the plastic rubbish left behind, you would be angry, fuming and incensed. This is how I imagine the sea life feel.
The story is aimed at children because their imagination allows them to believe fish can talk and say how they feel. I created characters who do that, using the A to Z to find my way there. Are you Interested in buying a copy of the book for a small person or adult?
See here Messages from the Sea for more details