Blog Archives
Heartwarming Journeys
The Adventure of Alex and Er follows a brave knight and his unicorn mare who embark on a quest to recover a snowman’s missing broom. What was the inspiration for your story?
My son’s name is Alexander. A few years ago, he went away to his pre-med school.
Because he was 3,000 kilometers away, my parental obligations were reduced to zero; I had the time to think and create. One day, while thinking about him, I realized that his moniker consists of two names: Alex and Er. I also thought of developing a children’s story about two characters named Alex and Er. Why a children’s book, you may ask. Picture books allow me to employ my talents to write, illustrate, and design, and THE ADVENTURE OF ALEX AND ER became my first publication.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
The most rewarding moment was when I connected an innocent snowman and an evil old witch through an item they both used—a broom.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
My goal was to create a whimsical yet straightforward and enjoyable story. I planned to create a good book for young readers who love magical tales and heartwarming journeys. First, I wanted to make it as authentic as possible, with typos and imperfections. Then I realized that children’s books have a significant educational component and should never give their readers bad grammar lessons. The story has been updated, but an older version may still be available on the web.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
Number seventeen will be an adventurous in spirit roller coaster of action that will be lavishly illustrated and handwritten to please children and book lovers of all ages. Cinderella, Aladdin, Rumpelstiltskin, Thumbelina, and other fairy tale characters work together to make a sad and abandoned wooden horse happy again. The title of the new publication? LITTLE RED RIDING HORSE.
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The Adventure of Alex and Er
The Adventure of Alex and Er is a magical and imaginative children’s picture book that blends adventure, fantasy, and whimsy in a way that will captivate readers who love knights, unicorns, and enchanted quests. The story follows a brave knight, Alex, and his unicorn mare, Er, as they embark on a quest to recover a snowman’s missing broom. Along the way, they cross enchanted lands, discover kingdoms turned into lakes, encounter unusual creatures, and help others in need.
One of the standout elements of this children’s book is its visual design. The illustrations are rich and detailed, bringing the medieval fantasy world to life. The parchment-style backdrop for the text is especially clever. I felt it gives the story an old-world charm as though it were written with a quill centuries ago. This creativity extends to the whimsical layout and rhyming text, which provide a sing-song rhythm that makes the story engaging when read aloud.
The book succeeds in what it sets out to do: create an enchanting, imaginative adventure filled with knights, dragons, and magical lore. It’s a book that invites children to get lost in a fantastical world, and parents or teachers who enjoy reading longer tales aloud will find plenty here to share with curious young listeners.
The Adventure of Alex and Er is a beautifully illustrated and cleverly designed fantasy picture book that’s best suited for older kids who love adventure and rhyme. Strong readers and fantasy enthusiasts will be delighted by Alex and Er’s quest.
Pages: 31 | ASIN : B08NWNBYTZ
A Messenger Of New Ideas
Art is a wordless picture book that tells the story of a circus performer through a series of vivid and evocative line drawings. Why was this an important book for you to publish?
As you know, sometimes questions are more complicated than the answers. One of the reasons, and perhaps the main one, is very personal and it will remain personal. The second reason is that I wanted to create a publication where the artist is elevated to the stars as a messenger of new ideas and the audience of royalty is turned into mere spectators.
Each art piece is seemingly simple but culminates into pieces that are very expressive. Which part piece was your favorite?
My favourite piece is the impossible act of tightrope walking where gravity is dismissed. I also like the spread with the Royal audience – it contains 100-150 individuals and believe it or not I spent many hours crafting the facial features of each of these characters, their clothes, jewelry, crowns, and even personalized chairs.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from this story?
Impossible things exist because no one has ever tried to make them possible. You can find the answer on the cover of Art’s folder that he left on the stage: Do what you dream.
When and where will this book be available?
I plan to launch the e-book version in August and the book trailer is currently on YouTube and Goodreads. The title will be available on all major online book retailers – Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Google Plus, Payhip, Magicblox, and others. Unfortunately, given the essentially wordless nature of the title, an audio version won’t be produced. I am currently working on the hardcover edition. My goal is to make the publication as unique as possible – it will require special paper and ink as it must be a real piece of art to deserve its title: ART.
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Art is autistic and artistic. Art has just one friend – his teddy bear. Art does not speak but he makes art. Art that dismisses gravity.
The publication crowns the artist and turns royalty into a mere audience. The sophisticated illustrations inspire readers to express their emotions, verbalize their feelings and create their own story.
A Document Of Our World
The Epic of Gabriel and Jibreel tells the story of two boys who form a powerful friendship amidst devastating loss. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
My goal was to create a document of our world – a piece of realistic and painful evidence. According to SAVE THE CHILDREN REPORT for 2019, 160 million children lived in high-intensity conflict zones. We, the adults, created these conflict zones and we know well that such environments alter the direction of children’s lives and cause many casualties. My main protagonists’ fate is just proof — sad proof, unfortunately — that the world doesn’t care.
The art in the book is vivid and impactful. What was the artistic process like to bring this story to life?
As you already know, I create the illustrations for my publications — my stories give me suggestions for the style of visuals they need. In the case of THE EPIC OF GABRIEL AND JIBREEL, the request was for as-close-as-possible-to real-life illustrations in order to connect the reader with reality. This way the “holy trinity” — narrative, illustrations, and layout, perfectly match and create a cohesive piece of art.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Many themes form the building blocks of the book’s DNA, but two words from the Publishers Weekly review define the main theme well — “cosmic unfairness”.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently working on ART — a wordless book about an autistic and artistic circus virtuoso named Art. It is also a book about art…that defies gravity. The title, as you see, is so demanding that the illustrations must be one-of-a-kind. The publication will be available at the beginning of 2022.
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‘Twas the Night: Christmas dream-like story
!['Twas the Night: Christmas dream-like story (2GETHER picture book collection 5) by [Marin Darmonkow]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51X9uwws3YL.jpg)
‘Twas the Night follows a young boy through city streets where he finds an injured bird and decides to nurse it back to health. When the bird is healthy enough to fly and takes off out the window, something absolutely magical happens.
This charming children’s story is told completely through images. No words. The first scene we come across is a little boy in a wheelchair on an empty city street finding an injured bird on the sidewalk. My heart ached when I saw this image. The emotions were palpable and I could easily sense what was going on in the scene. No words needed.
This is a picture book that truly lives up to the saying, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. I loved the images in this book. Each is a real image with a rotoscope type art style that gives this story great depth and builds on the surreal nature of the dark and lonely city streets which feel enchanting because of the inclusion of Christmas trees and various lights that bespeckle the pages.
‘Twas the Night tells a beautiful holiday story that inspires the imagination. With other children’s books I find that I’m focused on reading the story to my child. But this book felt much more interactive because me and my child sat together and discussed our thoughts and emotions on each scene. Readers looking for a unique reading experience will find a treat with Marin Darmonkow’s picture book.
Pages: 32 | ASIN: B08NWQP9CV
The Epic of Gabriel and Jibreel
![The Epic of Gabriel and Jibreel: A Cautionary Tale of Ultimate Friendship (2GETHER picture book collection 4) by [Marin Darmonkow]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41bRjvC7ACL.jpg)
The Epic of Gabriel and Jibreel, by Marin Darmonkow, is a children illustrated book filled with deep themes, hidden by the genre of the book. It narrates the story of two children Gabriel and Jibreel, who can’t be friends as one is a refugee, whereas the other one is a normal child living there, whose father is xenophobic.
Darmonkow uses vivid colors in the illustrations and makes them as realistic as possible, making it appealing to children while giving a hint that it refers to situations that happen in our world, giving readers a connection with reality. Furthermore, I appreciated the choice of the boys’ names as both Gabriel and Jibreel are two angels but belonging to two different religions and cultures. This contrast and the friendship between them represent the clash of culture that we find whenever a refugee meets a native and vice versa.
The Epic of Gabriel and Jibreel, by Marin Darmonkow is a quick read, but takes on important and actual themes, so I would recommend it to both children and adults. Furthermore, the plot reminded me of the book The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyle, which deals with similarly deep themes.
This is a thought-provoking children’s book exploring friendship, with provocative commentary on society and detailed imagery that readers will spend plenty of time looking at and appreciating.
Pages: 32 | ASIN: B08NWTHGJR
LITERARY TITAN 