Manuscript; The Seal Children
In 2004 The Seal Children was published. It was my first longer piece of writing, written in the 1990’s and it took a short while to find a publisher. The thing is, I kept it hidden, didn’t show it to anyone, but when I did, to Janetta and Jude at Frances Lincoln, it found a home straight away. It was the first story I wrote on a computer. Tidying up, some time ago I found the printed out manuscript and the edited manuscript.
So interesting for me to look and see how this is changed. Even the ending.
The book was published, in the UK, in Denmark, Korea and USA. It won the Tir Na N’Og, my first book award. It continued to sell steadily, it went into paperback……and then I realised that people were contacting me because it was impossible to get hold of. Hardback copies online were being offered at ridiculous prices. It was out of print. A couple of times I asked my publisher if they would reprint, but answers drifted off into the ether. Eventually, after more people getting in touch I asked for the rights to the book back. I knew there was a demand for it. The Hamilton Trust had built a program of lessons around it.
The book will be available again in hardback from April, with a new cover and a few changes, beautiful paper that isn’t shiny, and there will be a launch for the book in Solva Woollen Mill on 16th April. The book is on Solva Woollen Mill’s site now and as ever I am happy to sign and dedicate books. Anna and the team will post them anywhere in this world.
For teachers here are some ideas of how to work with The Seal Children.
I cannot wait to come to the launch and purchase a new copy of this 🙂
I’m hoping it will sell like a new book because it has been unavailable in hardback for 12 years now I think. Paperbacks just aren’t the same.
“I am a man, upon the land
I am a Selkie on the sea
And when I’m far, so far fae land
My home it is
in Sule Skerry”
Have a look at ‘The People of the Sea – Celtic Tales of the Seal-Folk” ‘ by David Thomson.
Your’e part of the weave, Jackie.
And, good on you for not sitting by while prices go crazy – for wanting your work to still be accessible, and then for making it so. Good on you.
I found People of the Sea years ago when in my teens. And have a Duncan and Linda Williamson Selkie book. George MacKay Brown and Kevin Crossley Holland ( he was the first place I heard of the creatures) and best and most beautiful of all, MArgo Lanagan’s The bride’s of Rollrock Island. Watch for the post. There’s a card coming your way.
You’re aware of George MacKay Brown? Hurrah! Mostly, folk outside Orkney have never heard of him. Pure magic. A great writer. OK, I won’t go off into a GMB appreciation.
Remember Nalini Paul? I sent you her poem about finding a ‘ghost’ moth in a book as it echoed with me, when I saw your golden moths. I first met Nalini when she was here, as the GMB Fellow, some years ago. She also has a thing about Ravens and other members of the crow family.
Birds of a feather.
It pleases me, greatly, to find someone outside Orkney who is aware of George MacKay Brown. And even better, someone who appreciates him. Excellent.
I’ll watch the post!
And………………………….
http://www.louise-scott.co.uk/
This is good news! I recently went looking for this and was so disappointed to find it was no longer available. Thank you 🙂
As a huge fan of the Selkie stories, I simply cannot wait to get a copy of this! do twitter to the world when we across the vast pond can place our orders here. Looking forward!!
Now: http://www.solvawoollenmill.co.uk/the-seal-children-2
[…] On 16th April we will be celebrating the relaunch of The Seal Children, written and illustrated by me. For more about the book have a look here. […]
[…] First, artist, writer and maker-of-beautiful-books, Jackie Morris has announced that her book The Seal Child, difficult to find for many years now, will be back in print come this April, and I for one will be one of the first in line to acquire it. Not only do I admire her work tremendously, but the Selkie legend is one very close to my own heart for a variety of reasons. You can read about the journey this book has taken and see some images from the book in Jackie’s post here. […]
[…] and then, for a short time it went out of print. But once again it has a publisher, and now is back in beautiful hardback with a cover that shimmers silver like moonlight on water. And to celebrate I commissioned a silver […]
[…] weekend saw the relaunch of The Seal Children, republished in a beautiful hardback edition by Otter-Barry Books. This is the first book to be […]
Hello, my name is Joanna Robertson. My mom and dad bought your book for my son Damon 15 years ago. He has now graduated collage, and I just wanted to you know that I have used it in my classroom in Virginia, USA for the past 10 years. It is a very loved book, especially by my second grade class this year.
Lovely to hear a book having such a long life. Which one is it?