Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚

Author & Illustrator • 💜s tea, travel & mischief • Makes books with @SimonKIDS @VikingChildrens @HachetteKidsANZ • Super Agent: @joanpaq • she/they

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

Ready for more Cranky?? CANDY QUEEN (Cranky Chicken #5) is in bookstores on Sept 29th - but it’s available for preorder now! Head to the link in thread to find out more👇 I’ll be sharing little cranky tid-bits about the book soon…
@SimonKIDS

[Simon Kids @SimonKIDS]

We had some fantastic chapter books come out over the past few months! Chapter books are lightly illustrated books perfect for emerging readers ages 5-9. Click through to see some of our newest ones from August and September! See any your kids have read?

Authors/illustrators: @santygutierrez @VictorRivasV @ariellandyart @DoctorYasmin @KathBatt @PriscillaDesign @marshariti @mag_takac @MaishaWrites @_courtney_luv7

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

“Mummy, while you were away I didn’t have a very good time. I was crying for you and you weren’t here so I held Cranky Chicken because it reminded me of you.”
PS. I was in the bathroom…

#crankychicken @SimonKIDS

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

There’s only one thing to do when you hit a story snag - pull out the whiteboard! I’m back on deadline, writing the 1st draft of a shiny new thing I can’t share yet, but the threads are pulling together & I can’t wait to tell you more ✨ How do you sort through creative problems?

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

I’m working outside again, in this glorious wintery weather. I’m tinkering away on the 1st draft of something I can’t wait to share with you. Little fluff is with me and her joy in the world is helping the words flow 💚(also. there’s a puppy in my story - life imitating art!)

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

Ready for more cranky shenanigans with these three? CANDY QUEEN (Cranky Chicken 5) is out in September and I’ll be sharing some sneaky peeks into the book over the coming weeks. There are three mini-stories per book - any guesses what they get up to this time? 📚

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

A sneak peek from Cranky Chicken 5, CANDY QUEEN! Speedy loves making comics. Sound like anyone you know? 😉 I started making comics as a kid and now my kid loves making them, too. Who else loves making / reading / sharing comic books?

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

My office today 💙 It’s been helping to work out of the house lately - the words are flowing better. What do you do when your routine needs a shake up?

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

I’m replying to fan mail today (which makes me uncharacteristically un-cranky). These are heading off to Boston, Indianapolis, Alberta, New Zealand & beyond. If you’ve written to me in the last couple of months, expect a reply soon!
@SimonKIDS #crankychicken

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

https://t.co/UEdaNtc4ZZ

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

Ready for more Cranky?? CANDY QUEEN (Cranky Chicken #5) is in bookstores on Sept 29th - but it’s available for preorder now! Head to the link in thread to find out more👇 I’ll be sharing little cranky tid-bits about the book soon…
@SimonKIDS

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

My colleague today. She stayed with us for well over an hour, just surveying the surrounds. It’s my first day back at work on a new series proposal, and she’s giving me courage 💙 (my official holiday only lasted 3ish days, but I’ll be taking more time off over Christmas!)

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

And yet, already, my next book is pulling at the edges of my mind … seems I can never be away for long!

Note: If any of you are familiar with this book, you’ll know I need more than a few days off - I just passed page 600 & am not even halfway 😅

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

Does anyone else struggle to take time off? Reading helps. So too do hammocks & blue skies. I’ve managed a few days off after finishing my deadline, but it’s hard going at first (my brain keeps calling). Once I warm up to it though, I feel I could get used to this life of luxury.

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

Book number 16! It’s an incredible thing, and something I am grateful to get to spend each day doing. But do excuse me while I take a little time off after this… (I have a pile of books to read!)

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

This is the face of an author who’s made her deadline! Just a few finishing touches to go, and my latest project will be winging its way to my brilliant team at @SimonKIDS 💜 #crankychicken

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

In the final hectic month of crunch time, I always somehow lose sight of the fact that I’m not just finishing a deadline - I’m finishing my latest book. A book that will end up on bookshelves and in the hands and hearts of little readers.

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

It came out 2yrs later, and now, 14yrs after it hit bookshelves, I’m still making kids’ book. It’s hard but wonderful work, & it really is my happy place.

It’s fun looking back - I had no idea where that 1st strange little story would take me, but I’m so grateful for it all 💕

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

20yrs ago today, I wrote my very first children’s story. I had no idea what it was at the time. I was working as a children’s counsellor, and while I loved my job, I was also very burnt out, and was trying to get back in touch with joy. So on my days off, I started playing with…

[Katherine Battersby is in THE CRANKY-VERSE 🐔📚 @KathBatt]

rabbit holes of research. Over the next few years I joined SCBWI and began attending workshops and applying for mentorships. Four years in I was signed by my first agent, and a few months later, she called me on my birthday to say I’d sold my first book (Squish Rabbit).