Bubbles and Puddles a labour of love

Celebrate the simple joys of life through Bubbles and Puddles, a picture book of rhyming stories by author Michelle Wanasundera.

Michelle first created the tales as bedtime stories for her daughter, Amali. When Amali asked for the stories in a ‘proper book’, Michelle decided to make her a very special gift.

Friends and family also wanted copies, so Michelle decided to share her heart-project with the world, working with artist Thana-one Yazawa and designer Lilly Pilly Publishing.

‘I could have tried the traditional publishing route, but with Amali growing so fast (and traditional publishing being a longer route), I decided to self-publish as soon as I could, before she outgrew the fun of bubbles and puddles,’ Michelle said.

‘The best thing about indie publishing would be of course having full control over the illustrations and design of the book, which was a such a fun and fulfilling experience.

‘I was able to include friends and family in the illustrations as well as have a huge input in the illustration's content, and Thana was just wonderful to work with. Involving Amali and asking her feedback on the illustrations was very special too.’

Of course, indie publishing also presents many challenges.

‘Whilst fun, getting the illustrations and design work just right was challenging at times, the details really need to be perfect, checked, rechecked and rechecked,’ Michelle said.

‘Researching printing options, distribution and marketing is also challenging and time consuming, and it has been frustrating at times as buyers understandably I think tend to choose the more mass-marketed titles.’

Author trivia
Michelle has lived in many places in Australia, as well as Japan. Originally from Melbourne, she met her husband (who is from Sri Lanka) while living on the Gold Coast. They later lived in Sydney city, then made the tree change to the beautiful Blue Mountains.

Michelle continues to lovingly share Bubbles and Puddles far and wide, recently showcasing her work at an Etsy Made Local market, and she shows no signs of slowing down.

‘I have a passion for gorgeous books that touch the heart, and hope that my own stories will also bring smiles, comfort or fun to little ones and their families,’ Michelle said.

Find out more on the Bubbles and Puddles website.