Tag Archives: cover for Joan’s Elder Care Guide

Valuable Tips for Artists/Illustrators from Aidana WillowRaven

Aidana WillowRaven

Aidana WillowRaven, Cover Artist/Illustrator/Graphic Designer

“Valuable Tips for Artists/Illustrators from Aidana WillowRaven” by Joan Y. Edwards
Thank you, Aidana for doing the cover for Joan’s Elder Care Guide published by 4RV Publishing on April 15, 2016, for sharing it on your website, blog, and social media. I am honored that you agreed to let me interview you for my blog.


You’re welcome, Joan. I’m looking forward to it.
Let’s get started.

  1. Where were you born? Harlingen, Texas, USA
  2. Where was your favorite place to live as a child? Why? That one is really hard to say because everywhere I lived had it’s own influence on me as a person and eventual artist.
  3. Did you have a favorite place to draw as a child? Where and why? I rarely drew as a child. I wasn’t good at it so usually quit in frustration. 
  4. Where is your favorite place to draw now? My favorite places change depending on my mood, but it’s also a convenience issue.
  5. How do you keep yourself physically fit? Me? Fit? I love your sense of humor.
  6. What do you do when you think about giving up? I don’t. I have a big stubborn streak, lol.
  7. If you go to an amusement park, which ride do you go to first? Which ride do you ignore at all costs? Rollercoaster!!! I like water rides, too. Anything fast is fun, but I even enjoy monorails and slower activities.
  8. Would you share 3 covers that you designed? It’s hard to pick a favorite, especially since I work with so many genres, but here are three more recent favorites for three different genres: Weaver of Dreams, A Family for Leona, and Honourable Lies. Your covers are amazing.
    Weaver of Dreams Cover
    by Aidana WillowRaven

     

    A Family for Leona, cover by Aidana Willow-Raven.
Honourable Lies Cover by Aidana WillowRaven

9.What is your favorite novel? Why? Again, with the impossible questions, lol. I’m going to have to go with a favorite series rather than a single book. I think I’ve reread the entire Wheel of Time series, by Robert Jordan, more than any of my other books in my library.

10.What is your favorite picture book? That’s easy … Alice in Wonderland

11. Do you set goals for yourself as an artist/illustrator? Do you reward yourself when you reach them?  Goal? Yes. Rewards? Who has time? I just keep going. lol

12. What are three craft books about drawing and illustrating that you recommend for study by other artists/illustrators? That really depends on what genre and style one’s goal is as an artist. For me, I study anything Michael Whelan does. I also study the works of Todd Lockwood and Frank Frazetta and too many others to list. I don’t want to limit anyone to any three books, though. I study all I can from many genres and styles. I even take pictures of book covers I like at the grocery store to study later, lol.

13. Where is your favorite place to visit? Why? Downtown Memphis. There is such a vibe that I’ve never felt anywhere else I’ve lived or visited. That same vibe is probably why there are so many songs written about it, too. But even the swamps in Memphis have a wonderful mystique.

14. Did they have art courses when you were in High School? We had one art class a week, which I all but failed. The art teacher told me, in front of the entire class, that I had no talent and apparently art was not my ‘thing’, lol. In my art teacher’s defense, my Mom said pretty much the same thing, and even my best friends in high school, reuniting with me decades later via Facebook, were all like, “Sooo… Where did this art thing come from?” As a result, I don’t believe in abstract terms like ‘talent’. I believe in drive, determination, training, and skill, which anyone can acquire when the first three are part of the recipe. I like that you believe in drive, determination, training, and skill rather than being born with the talent. I admire you and your determination to be an artist.

15. When did you decide to become an illustrator? Why? After my second failed marriage, I was really into epic fantasy books and found myself fascinated with the cover art. I started recreating book covers with visuals I felt better portrayed the stories. Next thing you know, I was standing at a college registrar’s office wondering what major to study, and the only thing I could think of was wanting to create book cover art. Floored EVERYONE who knew me that I chose to study fine art.

16., Who or what has been the most help and inspiration to you as an illustrator? Michael Whelan

17. Where do you get your ideas for your illustrations? The books, music, movies, everything … lol.

18.What are you illustrating now? I keep several projects going at once, so that’s hard to answer.

19. What has been your most exhilarating moment as an artist/illustrator? When Michael Whelan, my idol, actually responded to one of my tweets, lol. I know that made your day.

20. Does research help your illustrations? How? Absolutely. I like to be as accurate as possible. One time, I even found a discrepancy within the text that contradicted the period and culture. The author and publisher made the necessary correction to the text. 😀 They were lucky to have you working on this project for them.

21. What are your top ten tips for illustrators? Study, Study, Study, Draw, Draw, Draw, Paint, Paint, Paint … repeat 😀 

22. What are three marketing tips for illustrators? Get used to talking about your work on social media. Also, never give up. Keep looking until you find your place.

Connect with Aidana through links on her website:  http://willowraven.weebly.com  

Bio:
Aidana WillowRaven, tradigital artist (hybrid artist who combines traditional training and techniques with digital tools and applications) and mother of three, trained in Fine Art, Studio Design, and Animation at NSU and ODU. WillowRaven works with traditional publishers, as well as, independent authors. In addition to her freelance business, she’s Art Director and VP of Operations at 4RV Publishing.
Working in most genres, from picture books to novels, she has illustrated and/or designed over 500 books and ebooks since 2007 through her company, WillowRaven Illustration & Design Plus, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Thank you again, Aidana, for letting me interview you for my blog. You are amazing!

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Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards, Author
Copyright © 2016 Joan Y. Edwards
Flip Flap Floodle Will this little duck’s song save him from Mr. Fox?
Joan’s Elder Care Guide A guide to help caregivers and elders find solutions.


 

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Joan’s Elder Care Guide: Empowering You and Your Elder to Survive by Joan Y. Edwards

Joan’s Elder Care Guide: Empowering You and Your Elder to Survive by Joan Y. Edwards

Copyright 2016 Aidana Willow-Raven and 4RV Publishing

SYNOPSIS

Joan’s Elder Care Guide: Empowering You and Your Elder to Survive gives you, the caregiver, ways to meet your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social needs and those of your elder to promote healing, well-being, and survival. Based on the author’s research and fourteen years of experience caring for her mother, this book provides many resources to find the right place for your elder to live, explains ways to improve communication to help find solutions to problems, and gives organization ideas for medical, financial, insurance, and legal documents. It offers ways for a caregiver to get time away from caregiving responsibilities and contains information substitute caregivers must have to keep their elders safe. Along with all this, the book explains the signs of the end of life, ways to celebrate an elder’s life, and gives duties of an executor of an estate. It also includes ten useful charts to assist in assessing and recording an elder’s needs and capabilities.

“It provides links to online applications and phone numbers, ideas and resources as a starting place to brainstorm easy, meaningful ways to assist you in maintaining your elder’s health and your own…I wish that I had known of it when I was a caregiver. I know that I would have been prepared for everything and possibly paid for it too! If you have a family member who needs your help, don’t hesitate to buy this book. It is a valuable tool for every family, organization, or caregiver. 

“This book is a no-frills, very well-researched self-help guide on how to help. The language is simple, saying what Joan wants to say and no more…What is particularly impressive is the logical, step by step way Joan analyzes each problem, so that without talking down to the reader, she presents a guide even a kid could understand and follow…I have worked both as a psychotherapist and as a nurse in nursing homes. My wife cared for her mother for many years, with me on the sidelines. From this personal experience, I can recommend Joan’s Elder Care Guide as accurate, helpful and even inspiring.”

Official Video Trailer for Joan’s Elder Care Guide

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvMauKAqqQ4&w=560&h=315]


 Joan’s Elder Care Guide Available in Paperback and Hardback

PURCHASE ONLINE NOW (Thanks)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Joan Y. Edwards is an author, illustrator, and retired teacher in North Carolina. Joan’s Elder Care Guide: Empowering You and Your Elder to Survive is published by 4RV Publishing. She wrote and illustrated picture book, Flip Flap Floodle, and self-published it with BookSurge in 2004. She is currently working on illustrations for her chapter book, Larry, the Terrifying Turkey.
Her Never Give Up blog, http://www.joanyedwards.com has over 340,000 views and over 100 subscribers. She encourages writers, illustrators, and others to never to give up. 
Joan is a member of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Her article, “Find Your Creative Edge,” appeared in the July-August 2011 SCBWI Bulletin.

Edwards thrives on spending time with her family and friends. She presents interactive writing and motivational talks and workshops for adults and children. She reads humorous and self-help books. For inspiration and self-acceptance, she heeds the wise teachings of Robert Schuller, Joel Osteen, Maxwell Maltz, and Tony Robbins.

Facebook Page Joan Y. Edwards, Author https://www.facebook.com/Joan-Y-Edwards-Author-111310278911077/
Twitter @joanyedwards
Other places to find out more about Joan Y. Edwards and Joan’s Elder Care Guide.
Thank you to 4RV Publishing for announcing Joan’s Elder Care Guidehttp://4rvreading-writingnewsletter.blogspot.com/2016/04/two-new-books-added-to-4rv-library.html
Thank you to the following people for their Book Blitz Posts introducing Joan’s Elder Care Guide to the world

  1. Catherine H. Armstrong http://charmstrongbooks.com/2016/05/13/book-blitz-joans-elder-care-guide/
  2. J.Q. Rose http://www.jqrose.com/2016/05/spotlight-on-joans-elder-care-guide.html
  3. Kristina Stanley https://kristinastanley.com/2016/05/13/farleys-friday-a-special-announcement/
  4. Linda Andersen https://lindamartinandersen.wordpress.com/2016/05/11/blog-blitz/
  5. Melanie Robertson-King http://www.melanierobertson-king.com/wp02/?p=12265/

Thank you to the following people for interviewing me:

  1. Carol Baldwin Joan’s Elder Care Guide: Empowering You and Your Elder and Giveaway
  2. J.Q. Rose Spotlight on Joan’s Elder Care Guide
  3. Sandra Warren Social Media Extraordinaire-Joan Y. Edwards
  4. Sarah Maury Swan An Interview with the Amazing Joan Y. Edwards

I’d love to be a guest on your blog, please leave a comment or send an email at joanyedwards1@gmail.com/.

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Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards, Author
Copyright © 2016 Joan Y. Edwards
Flip Flap Floodle Will this little duck’s song save him from Mr. Fox?
Joan’s Elder Care Guide A guide to help caregivers and elders find solutions.