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Book Review - The Last Gift-Knight by Dylan Madeley

 Today, I'm very excited to share my thoughts on Dylan Madeley 's book, The Last Gift-Knight . Dylan sent me a copy of his book after reaching out to ask for a review and I'm really glad he did. Keep reading to find out what I thought to The Last Gift-Knight , and decide whether this will be your next great read... But first, let's meet the book! Two lives, the legacies of grand stories, are at the forefront of this tale. Frustrated with living in the shadow of a long-dead hero, Derek flees to infamous ruins and begs his ancestors for a sign. The next day, he is summoned to serve as the personal guard of his family's greatest enemy. The ensuing journey leads him through storied places, the depths of loneliness, and a growing dread over what awaits at his destination. A reserved and bookish princess unexpectedly finds herself on the throne yet under suspicion. Chandra hardly has time to prepare or to grieve before facing her duties. Aided by a trustworthy few, she mu...
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NaNoWriMo Day 22 - Illustrations


Friday 22nd November – Illustrations

I respond best to visual learning styles. I’m always looking for pictures. Whether it’s a pre-existing landscape just begging to be photographed, or the words of a writer on the page calling out to be transformed into art.



I’m not the best artist in the world, but I can make a decent attempt at drawing. But the hardest thing about illustrating a book is pleasing the author, while the hardest thing about having your own work illustrated is relinquishing your hold on it.



So, what I tend to do now is wait to be asked to illustrate things, or else I illustrate my own stories. Over the last few years, I’ve offered to illustrate people’s favourite poems for National Poetry Day, and this year I had my first published illustrations in “Rosie Jane and the Swadgrump”. When we launched the book in the school, the thing which most impressed the children was how I’d managed to do the characters' hair(!) and how I’d reproduced the same character, from scratch, in every picture. Their awe really gave a newbie like me a massive confidence boost! This was the first time I’d shared any of my digital graphics with the world, creating most of the pictures in strong, bold colours using the computer’s shades rather than my own.

One thing I’ve learnt (although, not always done!), is not to fill a picture. Look at the needs of your audience, and the needs of the illustration itself. Sometimes, empty spaces aren’t blanks, they’re vacuums which draw the reader in.



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