If you are interested in seeing more of  Jo's work please contact us at info@bytethebook.com

We're very pleased to welcome Jo Sandelson to the Byte the Book family.

Jo published the first ever current affairs daily strip cartoon in The Times,  called 'On the Record' and co-founded an Animation Company with a cartoon strip in the arts pages of the The Observer in the 1990s called  'Cutting Lines'.  She has drawn for many other publications as well as advertising and PR companies worldwide wide. She has also   illustrated two children’s books to date, 'The Alphabet Man' and 'The Weather Cooks', and has held numerous successful exhibitions of paintings.

The image featured on this page is Sebastian Splash from her children's book 'Weather Cooks'. The image featured in our Illustrators's section, 'Gummy Mummy' is from her Funny Mummy series.

If you are interested in seeing more of Jo's work please get in touch at info@bytethebook.com.

I've made a commitment that every other book I read for the next year will be either self-published or unpublished. Here’s why.

I often read to connect with authors (it’s also why I like art: to get under the skin of artists) and I generally like self-published authors, who tend to be feisty. At the same time, I'm immensely impressed with any writer who can finish a novel and make it a coherent, enjoyable whole. If a book is good, whether it’s not yet published or self-published, it deserves readers.

Byte the Book champions writers irrespective of how they publish. We celebrate good writing, and that is what I’m after.

So, why every other book? I want to keep up to date with what's hot and mainstream, from the traditionally curated (i.e. published) routes. Also, I want to be able to compare published books to those that are self-published and unpublished. All authors are writing into and from the same literary canon. I’m curious to know what, if anything, sets apart the “discovered” authors from those who are still seeking an advocate to believe in and publish them.

The result is that I'm currently reading more broadly and across more genres than ever before. Reading in this way has led me to actively engage with all parts of the publishing industry. What a privilege to be able to do this. I have to thank the digital age (and my e-reader) for making it so easy.

If you're a self-published author or have an unpublished (polished) manuscript, please send it to me at justine@bytethebook.com.  I'd love to read it.

Buy this book

How to Build a Man is a great book and perfect for a light summer read, think Sex In The City, set in London, with a healthy measure of wry commentary on the plastic-monied classes and tabloid journalism.

Maine born Serenity has followed her friend Kirsty to London and now finds herself in a relationship with, and working on reception for, slightly dull cosmetic surgeon Peter. She's understandably not too fond of the Botox ladies who visit the off-Harley Street practice and is keen to follow her dream of becoming a tabloid journalist. When property millionaire and recently jilted Jeremy visits the clinic she hits on the idea of writing a column for the Daily Planet, entitled 'Build a Man' following his adventures in plastic surgery.  The column gets accepted, albeit undercover and unpaid, and she then gets inducted into the if-it-bleeds-it-leads tabloid philosophy, eventually learning more than she bargained for about the less glamorous aspects of plastic surgery and tabloid journalism.

I really enjoyed this book, Talli is a hugely talented writer, yes it is romantic genre fiction rather than highbrow literary fiction, but it makes no apologies for that fact.  I loved Serenity's quick wit, and although as a reader you know that the undercover column is probably going to get her into trouble and that Peter isn't the ideal man for her, it doesn't detract from making it a thoroughly enjoyable read. I also loved Serenity's can do attitude running off copy in the blink of an eye, just like Talli who used to be a real life journalist.   If you like romantic fiction, want a light summer holiday read, or enjoy well-crafted London novels, you'll love this book. As well as being hugely enjoyable, it is also self-published and only 99p on Amazon at the moment, if you haven't done so already I suggest you buy it.

Review written by Tracey Sinclair

Philippa Gregory remains best known for The Other Boleyn Girl, the best-selling novel which spawned both a TV series and Hollywood film. Lately she has stepped back even further in time to focus on the women of the War of the Roses, and in her latest, The Lady of The Rivers, she looks at Jacquetta of Luxembourg, mother of Elizabeth Woodville, who eventually became Queen and was the mother of the Princes in the Tower.

As a long-time fan I must admit I’ve found her series on the ‘Cousins’ War’ (as the war was known at the time) a little frustrating, hampered by unlikeable narrators (The Red Queen) and what feels like an over-investment in the mysticism of Elizabeth Woodville’s ancestors – in The White Queen, Gregory seems to be asking us to accept outright that Elizabeth’s family has magical powers and are descended from the goddess Melusina. While she tempers this in her notes with the caveat that witchcraft was seen as very real at the time, I felt the focus on Elizabeth as possible witch undermined the historical aspect of the novel.

I feared much the same with this latest book, especially as it takes on faith that Jacquetta is ‘gifted’ with the Sight, and that she hears the singing of Melusina when someone is to die. The early chapters, focusing on her brief friendship (of sorts) with the captive Joan of Arc, and then her marriage to a man who wants to utilise her mystic talents, I found wearing: but once Jacquetta embarks on her second marriage – a forbidden love match with a man far below her station – and is catapulted into the intrigue of Henry VI’s court, the book found its feet, and developed into both a fascinating insight into the perils of power in an uncertain time, but also, in the relationship of Jacquetta and her husband Richard, a compelling romance between two people who, bound by the duties of the day, had little control over their own fates.

If you are interested in joining our team of reviewers or reading more of Tracey’s fiction please get in touch at info@bytethebook.com

If you are interested in seeing more of Linda's work please contact us at info@bytethebook.com

Please welcome another skilled artist and illustrator, Linda Toigo, to the Byte the Book family.  This image is called 'Moby' and is from her 'Troubled Waters' series.

Linda is a graphic designer, illustrator and book artist; during her studies at Politecnico in Milan, where she got her degree in Architecture, she developed her interest in the performative and visual art.

She moved to London to continue her studies at LCC, University of Arts of London, with a Diploma in Design for Visual Communication, where she focused her researches on book design and book structures. Her final project has been selected amongst over 10.000 graduate works to be displayed at Futuremap 10, hosted by Zabludowicz Collection, London.

Linda is now working as a graphic designer and illustrator for international companies and publishing houses; she is developing personal book art projects and her works are featured in several exhibitions in UK and Italy.

If you are interested in seeing more of Linda’s work or if you are an artist wanting to offer your services in book illustration or design then please get in touch at info@bytethebook.com.

If you are interested in seeing more of Sam's work please contact us at info@bytethebook.com

We're completely loving all the talented artists joining our ranks as our Illustrators' Showcase slowly grows. Today we bring you the very creative Sam Walshaw.

Sam first submitted her picture book ideas to Rockpool Children's Books in 2007, and since then her books, Little Fairies (series of six), Maisey and the Pirates (series of four), Lulubell Ladybird, have been sold to the US, Australia, South Africa, France, Thailand and China. The image featured here is from the Little Fairies series, which can be be purchased from Amazon here.  Maisey and the Pirates and Maisey and the Pirates - Ghost Ship, will be published in the UK in the Autumn. Her wonderful picture book 'Neandersmall' can be found as an App in iTunes, called 'BedtimeBook11'.

If you are interested in seeing more of Sam’s work or if you are an artist wanting to offer your services in book illustration or design then please get in touch at info@bytethebook.com.

If you are interested in seeing more of Stuart’s work please contact us at info@bytethebook.com