I recently had a chance to catch up with our Featured Artist for last October, Nicole Beauchaine aka Woodsybug, about her new work. In March, she published her first book: an adult coloring book titled Goddesses. It seems that unlike Trix, coloring is not just for kids. Read on to hear more about it.
The Fictional Café: Congratulations on your new book! First off, what exactly is an “adult coloring book?” I’ve never heard of that before.
Nicole Beauchaine: So, an adult coloring book is just like a coloring book for kids, only slightly more complex designs and subject matter. For instance, my book includes nudity, not specifically sexual, but not exactly for children either.
FC: Good to know! Thanks for making that important distinction. What inspired you to make a coloring book? Why one about Goddesses?
NB: I wanted to make a coloring book because coloring actually helps to decrease anxiety in adults. There are many people who stopped needing to take anxiety medication once they started coloring for a half hour each night. Art helps to calm my nerves, and I want to help people feel the same way! I wanted to make a book about Goddesses because I appreciate women and all that they are capable of!
FC: I can definitely see the calming effects of coloring. Some of our members are interested in putting a book out there, but don’t know much about the process. It can be daunting and downright scary to try to publish something! What was it like creating a book through Createspace? Was there a steep learning curve? Anything that you got stuck on? Got any tips?
NB: Self Publishing seems so daunting, I was nervous that it wouldn’t work out! But CreateSpace was the most wonderful and simple experience possible. I must have emailed them with a thousand questions a day, and each time the response was prompt and utterly helpful. I will absolutely continue to use CreateSpace and you should too!
FC: That’s some great customer service. What would you tell someone who wanted to publish a book but is hesitant to get started?
NB: I can tell you I was working with a publishing company for a year and a month before my release date they drastically lowered the price of my book, breaking contract and leaving me to make maybe $2 per sale. I was devastated! It took me a month to even get started on CreateSpace because I had no idea where to begin, but I am SO glad I did. There’s nothing wrong with hesitation, but don’t let it take over! You can make a book, you can do it!
FC: That’s great to hear. Do you have plans for another book – coloring or other?
NB: I absolutely have plans to publish again! I actually created this book so that I had one out there before I published something I’ve been working on for years; a children’s book to help kids learn French, titled ‘Some Call It Fleur.’ I’m so excited about going through this process again, it was really fun, and so worth it!
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Nicole Beauchaine is a Boston-based guitar designer. She says, “Art is the tool I use to discover myself, and the confidence I gain from knowing who I am. Thanks for checking out my work, commissions are welcome anytime! www.woodsybug.com”
