The Highland Cowgirl

How not winning a competition led to a published book.....

I have recently finished the illustrations for a new picture book

‘The Highland Cowgirl’ by Louisa MacDougall.

This has been such a fun project, as drawing pictures always is. But when I entered the Searchlight Writing for Children Awards at the beginning of last year, I didn’t think it’d lead to a book being published in this way.

I had entered the Searchlight awards before, and was considering entering again, when I saw a Twitter (X) thread they started back in 2022 asking if authors would comment if they were looking to team up with illustrators. I had a scroll through and Louisa’s reply caught my eye, as she commented that she loved writing stories about wildife and animals, which is just what I like to draw.

We connected from there and she sent over a selection of her picture book stories. I read them, and read them again with my children. We loved them all, but The Highland Cowgirl stood out to me. I really liked the character of Hanna, and the journey she goes on to realise her dream of becoming a cowgirl. It also meant I got to draw Highland cows and a few horses too - perfect !

I put together a storyboard, some full colour spreads, and Louisa’s story of course, and we entered with fingers and toes crossed…..

Unfortunately, we didn’t win the competition. It’s a very popular one with entrants from all over the world, and it was of course disappointing. But it did mean we had a picture book, and could explore other avenues.

So we explored, and submitted.

Louisa sent the book to a Scottish publisher called Foggie Toddle Books, (such a wonderful name.) based in Wigtown, and they liked it! We set up a zoom call from Scotland to Canada, and talked through the book, and illustrations. Project Highland Cowgirl was all systems go!

It was amazing to get to put into full colour the illustrations I had made for the storyboard. And over a year after ‘meeting’ Louisa via X, The Highland Cowgirl will be published at the end of May this year. I can’t wait to see it as a real book and will be sure to share pictures with you all here too!

Even when things don’t take the path you expect them to, they have a way of working out, and I think the universe had our backs on this one.