BAA-Hoy, mateys! I want to thank you for taking the time to visit my website and celebrate
SHEEPWRECKED!!!
To say I'm excited about this book is an understatement! Here is a bit about my sheep crew and my adventure in making this book.
Set sail on a hilarious romp on the high seas with a group of pirate sheep and their big emotions! Join them as they bumble their way to a lost island and find the best treasure of all — friendsheep!
Baa-hoy! Captain Hoof and his crew of sheep pirates are headed home with their treasure. Then — SMASH! CRASH! BAM! — the flock has been SHEEPWRECKED. They’re cursed! They’re lost forever! They’ll never make it home! Until. . . a long-lost pirate helps the ragtag flock calm their nerves and see that things aren’t all that bad.
All’s wool that ends wool in this hilariously absurd, adventurous picture book.
Drumroll, please!!!
TA-DA!!!!
Available for pre-order!
Setting Sail With My Sheep!
First thing first, inspiration!
This story combines elements from several parts of my life. I grew up on a sheep farm in Terra Alta, WV, so I'm very familiar with the sights and sounds of sheep. While none of the sheep on our farm were pirates, I would like to think that, if given the choice, they would have chosen that career path.
(Terra Alta, WV)
Next...Characters!
SHEEP!!! I like to become familiar with my inspirations--up close and personal, haha. Animals exhibit a wide range of personalities, so they are always great sources of inspiration. So I spent time observing sheep on a farm, not in the sea, as you can see. I developed my characters over time and ended up with the crew pictured below.
And finally...atmosphere!
One of the aspects I was most excited about with this story was the scenery! I used a lot of beach reference photos, watched pirate movies, and of course went snorkling at a real shipwreck in Baa-bados! Also known as Barbados :D
(Shipwreck image from TheAmandatoryAdventue)
I really wanted to push my compositions and challenge myself, so I played with perspectives quite a bit. Basically, I had a ton of fun!
In closing, I want to thank you for spending some time with me and my crew. This book is a dream come true, and I feel blessed to be able to do what I love. The Random House team taught me a lot during this process, so I can't wait to celebrate the book this year. Cheers, sheepmates! I am SO excited for them to set sail on 7/9/24!
Ashley :D
