I was recently asked by Bob James of Valley FM to go on his Sunday morning programme and talk about my latest children’s books. As these included illustrating Fiona Jennison’s new book ‘Tiny Teeth and Magical Creatures’ we were both interviewed. Bob kindly gave me a recording of the interview and I’ve posted it on YouTube in three bite-sized chunks. Here’s a link to part one – the other two parts can be found on my YouTube channel.
The cover of Phil Mansell’s latest children’s book.
For my latest children’s book I have once again raided the archives for a story I wrote over 30 years ago.
When I first became a freelance writer/illustrator I was a stay-at-home Dad caring for my 4-year-old son, Dan. Back then, books about writing for children were few and far between, but I managed to find a couple of good ones which really inspired me. I set about jotting down ideas and sketching artwork. One of these stories I resurrected and published last year as ‘Lucky Dips and Christmas Wishes’ and the blog I wrote about it can be found here.
In my archives I also found a story entitled ‘What’s In The Sack?’ about two robbers called Smash and Grab, who are wrestling with a giant sack they have stolen. It was a pretty sketchy idea and only one early illustration that I made survives. The two robbers pictured here, counting their ill-gotten gains in a tavern, are very different from those in my updated story. I liked the idea of two useless robbers who fail in all their nefarious endeavours. I was keen, too, to include a large mysterious sack that keeps changing shape and size.
My original artwork for the two robbers had them looking more like city gents!
My preliminary sketches had the two robbers as male but I changed this to make one a feisty woman who is clearly the brains of the outfit.
Preliminary sketches for the Smash and Grab characters
I sketched out the story, both words and pictures, in a few hours and then revised it until I was happy with the way it panned out. Then came the big job – creating the artwork. I fancied a change of style so instead of using my usual watercolour wash over ink drawings I used some marker pens I had recently bought. I remember using these in my days working in advertising agencies and being quite pleased with the results. I found that colouring in using marker pens a smoother look to the illustrations, which I liked.
In illustrations with lots of detail I kept very close to my original sketches
After scanning the images onto my laptop I was able to clean them up in Photoshop before making up the pages using InDesign. In the main, I was happy with my original sketches and the finished artwork reflects this.
My initial sketches of Smash and Grab with the mysterious sack next to the finished artwork.
Author and illustrator Phil Mansell is celebrating the publication of his tenth children’s book on Amazon – and has included among the illustrations the bookshop in Jávea where it is sold.
The book, entitled Smash and Grab is a lively and amusing tale of two hapless robbers who get more than they bargained for when they rob a haunted house. Phil, who also illustrates his books, has included a nod to Polly’s Bookshop in Jávea Port where his books are on sale.
The cover of Phil Mansell’s latest children’s book.
Explaining his creative process, Phil said, “I was drawing the robbers walking down a street full of shops and I thought it would be nice to include Polly’s, as they have always supported me by stocking my books and helping me to promote them.’
The owner of Polly’s Bookshop, Sam Moustafa, commented, “It was wonderful to see the shop feature on several pages, especially as we’re celebrating 40 years of bringing quality used books to the Costa Blanca through our shops in Jávea and Moreira. Phil’s books have proved to be very popular with our younger customers – and I’m going to enjoy reading this latest one myself.”
Phil Mansell with Polly’s owner Sam Moustafa showing off the newly published children’s book.
Phil’s other children books include popular titles such as Where Do Pirates Go For A Picnic?, Mrs McBee’s Multicoloured Knees, and Arabella Saturday and the Circus Next Door.
Phil, who is also a published playwright, is now working on more writing projects. As well as more children’s books there is a memoir of his childhood in the backstreets of 1950s Birmingham and a play which he hopes will be staged by Jávea Players.
“Since I retired, I’ve never been busier!” he added.
It’s taken approximately 35 years for me to bring my new children’s to fruition. And now, at last, Lucky Dips and Christmas Wishes is available on Amazon and selected bookshops.
I originally wrote and drew the illustrations for this festive children’s story for my son, Dan, when he was about five years old and we were living in Nottingham. I must have been among the first stay-at-home Dads (known at the time as “house-husbands”) who juggled childcare responsibilities with working as a freelance writer and illustrator, I can still picture the dining table where I sketched the first illustrations showing a boy called Tom who is out shopping, keen to spend the pocket money he’s saved to buy a Christmas present for his Mum.
An early sketch of the Banjo Man
He is attracted by the sounds of a banjo playing across the busy market square which is packed with bustling crowds of shoppers. Following the ker-plunking sounds he finds the Banjo Man, a strange-looking figure who has a large sack full of Christmas dips.
Here’s one of my original sketches for the Banjo Man and his lucky dip sack next to the finished artwork in the book.
The mysterious man’s engaging style and happy grin tempts the boy to spend his pocket money on a lucky dip. He pulls out a brightly coloured parcel and runs home with it. Up in his room he unwraps the package to find a box of Christmas Wishes. This became the working title for the story.
My initial sketch of Tom opening his mysterious lucky dip gift next to the finished artwork for the book.
After Tom tests the Wishes and finds they are real he rushes back to see the Banjo Man to seek his help in the best way to use them. But, one of his test wishes was for snow and this causes him to slip and drop the box. The four remaining Christmas Wishes float out and disappear above the heads of the grumpy shoppers. Tom chases after them and to his dismay hears various people in the crowd make wishes – which come true, with strange and amusing effects. Giant Christmas puddings roll down the street and Father Christmas makes an unexpected appearance,
Thirty-five years ago it was not easy getting a book published – and it was even harder with a children’s book. Aspiring authors needed a literary agent and landing one was difficult. I know, I tried. So it was that my Christmas Wishes book ended up languishing in a drawer, along with several other of my efforts. But it was a story that I always believed in. When Kindle enabled authors the opportunity to self-publish on Amazon it was a real boon. To date, having published seven books for children which I have also illustrated, I thought it was time to dust off my Christmas Wishes story and give it a new lease of life.
Will it sell? Who knows? To be successful, self-published authors must spend many hours promoting and marketing their work. Although I used to work in advertising and PR, this is not something that interests me. I’d much rather be writing and illustrating one of the new stories I find going around my head in the wee small hours.
All I can do is hope that people will somehow discover my books and enjoy them.
Some of my other books that are available on Amazon.
Tickets On Sale For Evening of Innovative Mini-Plays
Tickets are now on sale for Jávea Players’ March presentation, An Evening of Pocket-Sized Plays, which promises the audience a revue-style show featuring bite-sized chunks of comedy, drama – and a few surprises.
The innovative event will feature six short plays written by resident playwright, Phil Mansell, who has previously directed his own plays Poor Yorick, Bats, and Look Out – He’s Got A Gun! for Jávea Players.
“It’s all very exciting,” said Phil. “We’ve got six plays lasting about ten minutes each, four new directors and a total cast of 18. The audience will be sitting at tables and enjoying a drink while watching the plays unfold. We’re hoping it will provide a scintillating evening of theatre.”
Phil, who has had 12 plays published, with more in the pipeline, also writes and illustrates children’s books and has an adventure novel for youngsters coming out soon. An Evening of Pocket-Sized Plays will be performed from 7th – 9th March at the Jávea Players Studio Theatre. Please note: some plays feature strong language. For more information and to book tickets, which cost just 5€ visit www.javeaplayers.com
Joel Rice (standing), who is directing one of Phil Mansell’s mini-plays, with his cast, Gwendoline Holliday, Glenn Ward and Martina Luotto.
Rehearsals are well underway for Jávea Players’ latest production, Bats, which is the third play they have staged written by their resident playwright Phil Mansell. It will be presented at Jávea’s Casa de Cultura following a delicious tapas meal at the nearby Bar Imperial.
Phil is also directing the play, a dark comedy set in a house where an ever-growing colony of bats has set up home in the loft. The council’s bat expert is expected any minute, but the man of the house mistakenly welcomes in a succession of unlikely people who come to the door.
The cast of Phil Mansell’s play Bats are all smiles at rehearsals of Jávea Players’ latest production. They are (back) Chris Bell and James Ward; (front) Felicity Ashcroft, Graciela Kaplan and Caroline Drewett-Mansell.
“I wrote this play a few years ago and have extensively rewritten it for its Spanish premiere,” said Phil who has introduced a new character in the form of a nosy neighbour. “I’ve been lucky to find a very talented cast and we’re having a lot of fun at rehearsals.”
Phil has previously directed two other of his plays for Jávea Players – Poor Yorick, an alternative telling of Hamlet, and the 1950s amateur detective spoof Look Out – He’s Got A Gun! They both proved very popular and played to sell-out audiences.
Bats is one of 12 plays Phil has had published and it has been performed far and near, from Powys in Wales to Sointula in Canada.
Bats will be performed from 28th June – 5th July (excluding Sunday) at the Casa de Cultura in Jávea following a tapas supper at the Bar Imperial. For more information and to book tickets visit www.javeaplayers.com.
I’m pleased to say that a drama group in Cornwall will be presenting my spoof thriller ‘Look Out – He’s Got A Gun!’ later this month.
I found out when a member of the cast very kindly wrote to me asking for tips on how to play her character. I wish St Erth Players all the best and hope they have as much fun with the play as my cast did when I directed the preniere performance back in December 2019.
I’m pleased to announce that I will be directing my play ‘Bats’ for the Jávea Players’ summer show at the Casa de Cultura in the heart of the old town. Further information on the poster below.
Phil Mansell: Words & Pictures 