Tusk Books
Something’s not quite right. Ella the elephant has a chain tied to her feet while Billie the Dolphin has a fishnet on her tail. Their stories are brought to life by Australian Author Nicole Godwin and Illustrator Demelsa Houghton. Both children’s books Ella and Billie are published independently by Tusk Books.
Seeing firsthand the lives of elephants in Thailand inspired Nicole to write Ella. “Being able to see the life and perspective of those elephants struck me,” says Nicole. “I thought it was something that I could play a little part in helping communicate.”
Writing the children’s books was a process that took a lot of attention to de tail while managing many moving parts. Ella took two years from its inception to publication. This involved writing, incorporating the artist’s vision, and gaining online support for funding.
“Together, we had the same vision and we could work through many drafts so that the illustrations were the same as the text”
Nicole met Delmelsa through a Facebook Group called the “52-week Illustration Challenge.” “Every time Demelsa posted something, I was just intrigued,” says Nicole. “It was just a bit quirky and a bit different so I approached her to illustrate the book. Together, we had the same vision and we could work through many drafts so that the illustrations were the same as the text.” Among many things, Demelsa added the unforgettable touch of Ella’s tail floating high when she’s happy and sagging low when she’s sad.
Nicole set up a crowdfunding campaign via Indiegogo to generate support for Ella. They had a crowdfunding goal of $8,000 for an initial print run of 2,000 copies for Ella. It quickly sold out and led to demand for more copies. Coverage from several media outlets such as The Canberra Times and The Goulburn Post helped spread the word.
Particularly for Ella, Nicole partnered with elephant organisations around the world to donate a dollar for each book sold. This involved Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand, The Mondo Kiri Project in Cambodia and the World Elephant Day international campaign. This opened the door for international recognition and overseas orders. “We had the same goal to educate people and help elephants,” says Nicole.
“It moved her so much that she started making and selling bracelets to raise money to help elephants”
Nicole remembers one particular story of a little girl whose mother contacted her after they read Ella. “It moved her so much that she started making and selling bracelets to raise money to help elephants,” says Nicole. “She wanted a recommendation for who to send the money to in order for it to go to the elephants. So I directed her to a couple of elephant sanctuaries.” Both Ella and Billie include research notes that readers can reference to learn more about environmental issues.
Nicole joined the Old Bus Depot Markets in late 2016 after the launch of Ella. “What’s been good about the Markets is that I can talk directly to people who are buying my books,” says Nicole. “What I found lovely was the reception from people who came back to buy Billie because they already had Ella.”
Both Ella and Billie are children’s books with a message while maintaining an engaging character and plot. “I’ve tried to create a character that kids engage with and love,” says Nicole. “They follow the character on the journey and root for them as they go. That’s what I think parents love, but what captures them first are Demelsa’s beautiful illustrations on the cover.”
Discover the stories of Ella and Billie, and speak to the author herself when Tusk Books will be at the Markets for Kids in the Shed on 9 June. Learn more about the books by visiting their website.
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