Indie authors are the lifeblood of what I do, creating illustrated character art, author portraits for their marketing and even full book covers. I work with authors who match my values and it’s time to shine a light on these wonderful people!
Please welcome Lowri Charles!
Author of ‘Call it Fete’ and ‘This Is Going to ruin the Tour’ coming in 2026.
Hello Lowri! Please introduce us to yourself and your books.
Hello! I’m Lowri Charles — Civil Servant by day, indie author by night. I’m a roller skating, crocheting writer of queer, fat-positive books.
What will make people fall in love with your main characters?
My characters are as real as they can get. Even if they’re working in high-profile jobs, they still have the same worries and concerns as me and you. From Alex, the single gay dad who’s desperately trying to prove he can be a member of the Perfect Parent Club in Call it Fete, to Rhys, who thinks his new co-worker Lucy is trying to steal his best friend from him in This Is Going To Ruin the Tour. It just so happens his best friend is one of the world’s most famous pop stars (at least in this universe), but that doesn’t stop those feelings from being real and relatable.
What tropes can people find in your books?
Forcing idiots together and making them fall in love is my speciality, so you’ll always find some elements of forced proximity. Otherwise, I love writing about grumpy / sunshine and enemies to lovers vibes, difficult families, small towns/cities, very British places.
“Forcing idiots together and making them fall in love is my speciality” – Lowri Charles Author
What will surprise people most about your book/s?
They’re still a bit spicy. I write comfort food in a book form – cosy stories you can stretch out on a sun lounger, or curl up in front of a fire with – but that doesn’t mean they’re not just the little bit spicy.
What is your favourite thing about being an indie, self-published author?
That I control it all. Like some evil overlord… No, only kidding. I could never be evil. But I do control what’s in my books, what my books look like, who gets to read them (or at least I can steer the right crowd towards my books), when they get put out in the world. I wouldn’t trust my babies with anyone else.
What has been your biggest challenge or barrier to publishing your books?
Money! God, I hate that it comes down to that but being self-published is expensive, especially if you have no skills other than writing. Some authors are great at putting covers together, or can draw the most beautiful character art, but not me. And time. I’m a senior manager in my profession, belong to a roller derby team, care for my nan. Doesn’t leave a lot of time left for writing.
What has been your biggest challenge commissioning artwork in the past?
Finding trustworthy artists. Call it Fete is marred by bad experiences – an artist who I learned traced a lot of the art she sold, and I can no longer get hold of my cover artist. AI is rife in our industry (yuk) so it’s important to me to find artists who believe in the same things I do, including not using AI in our works.
How did you discover my work?
Either someone recommended you, or you reached out. Either way, it was in response to a plea I put on Threads for a good artist who doesn’t use AI and was reasonably priced. I checked you out, adored your style and we are currently enjoying our HEA after you ticked all two boxes!
Lottie: (I love that we got our happily ever after Lowri!)
Artwork by Lottie Thomson, commissioned by Lowri Charles for the upcoming romance novel ‘This Is Going To Ruin The Tour’.
What appealed to you most about working with me and how was your overall experience?
Your style is gorgeous and it fits in with the aesthetic I’m trying to create with my books. On top of that, you came across as good people on social media, and that’s something I value a lot. Working with you was a dream. No change was too big and I felt it was a collaborative effort to create my beautiful art.
“I felt it was a collaborative effort to create my beautiful art.” – Lowri Charles Author
What does having appealing character art mean to your marketing and to your readers?
Everything! Indie authors still have a reputation of looking unprofessional, and it’s something I’m desperate to dispel. Having art available for my books means I can provide something extra to my readers, something to frame or admire.
Are there any other professionals that you’ve worked with that you’d like to recommend to other authors?
The only other artist I recommend nowadays aside from you is @a.loveunlaced
Lottie : (What beautiful work! Go check them out folks!)
Where can people buy your books and follow you on social media?
Call it Fete is available now. This is Going to Ruin the Tour is out in 2026.
Lottie Thomson (Charlotte Thomson-Morley – she/her) brings character art, portraits and book covers to life for indie authors. Based in the UK and with over 20 years experience as a freelance illustrator, she specialises in consciously inclusive and playful art, supplied ready for use for print marketing and on social media alike.
Indie authors are the lifeblood of what I do, creating illustrated character art, author portraits for their marketing and even full book covers. I work with authors who match my values and it’s time to shine a light on these wonderful people!
Confidence creator, trainer, speaker and author of inclusive childrens book ‘Find your Fabulous’ illustrated by me, Lottie Thomson.
Hello Vie! Please introduce us to yourself and your books!
Hello! I’m Vie Portland and I help people Find Their Fabulous! One of the ways I do this is through my inclusive children’s picture books. In my first two books the main character goes on different imaginary adventures with her mum; Emily, the main character, has a limb difference but it’s not part of the story, as I wanted readers to see we all have far more in common than what makes us different.
My third children’s book doesn’t have a main character, as there’s lots of gorgeous children on every page; this book, called ‘Find Your Fabulous!’ is a confidence boosting, mindfulness encouraging, book, where many children will see them and their friends represented.
What will make people fall in love with your main characters?
They fall in love because they see children like them and their friends in the book; representation matters! We all deserve to feel seen.
What will surprise people most about your books?
Probably the inclusion. My third book is the most inclusive of the three, but the first two are still more inclusive than most. All of my books are written in a large print, suitable for the majority of visually impaired readers; my third book also has a BSL signed version, and a Braille edition available. As well as the representation across the books.
What is your favourite thing about being an indie, self-published author?
I love that I have final say in things, that I don’t have to follow trends, or limit anything, because every choice is mine.
What has been your biggest challenge or barrier to publishing your books?
Costs. I want to work with illustrators whose work I love, and not have to go for ‘cheap’ or AI, and those illustrators deserve to be paid well. I also choose to publish outside of Amazon, so people have more choice from where they buy the book, and that costs more. But I am very proud of all of my books, and they are all beautiful, so I wouldn’t want to do it any other way.
What has been your biggest challenge commissioning artwork in the past?
Thankfully, the illustrator of my first two books, I have known for years, and she is a friend, and I have followed the illustrator for the third book for a very long time and really wanted to work with her, so I haven’t had a problem commissioning artwork at all, as I know some fabulous artists.
How did you discover my work?
Through the burlesque community! I bought one of your prints a very long time ago, that still makes me smile, and I knew your style would really suit what I wanted for Find Your Fabulous! I also knew that you are as passionate about inclusion and representation as I am, and that really matters to me.
What appealed to you most about working with me and how was your overall experience?
I loved working with Lottie, and would love to work with her again. She understood what I wanted and created such beautiful images. After following her and her art for many years, and loving what I saw, I am so pleased that she exceeded the high expectations I had for her.
What does having appealing character art/book cover/author portrait mean to your marketing and to your readers?
It’s wonderful to be able to share beautiful images that so many children can feel represented by.
Are there any other professionals that you’ve worked with that you’d like to recommend to other authors?
I worked with the brilliant Dr Jennifer Jones, who is the reason why I started writing again, and she got me believing I could write a book (I’ve now written several!), and she also did the editing and formatting for my children’s books and my book for adults. And Donna Mcghie, who illustrated my first two children’s books, has a beautiful style reminiscent of Shirley Hughes, and is a joy to work with, too.
Thank you for your time Vie! Where can people buy your books and follow you on social media?
My books are available on most online book stores, including Waterstones, Hive, and Amazon.
Find Your Fabulous By Vie Portland, illustrated by Lottie Thomson is now available to buy in the UK and USA!
I’m thrilled to announce that Find Your Fabulous – a consciously inclusive book that teaches children about self-confidence, daily coping techniques and kindness to ourselves and others, is finally available to buy online!
Firstly, a thank you!
Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who pre-ordered and supported the crowd-funding campaign, supporting a book before it is even a book is a big commitment and I’m so grateful for your faith and support for this project! Thank you to Vie Portland for writing such a fabulous book, Jennifer Jones for designing the layout & Isobel Kent for editing.
A few pages from the book Find Your Fabulous!
What will you find in this book?
Songs, practical things to do and discuss! Vie’s years of experience working in schools as a confidence speaker for children are brought together into fun things to act out, songs and questions to discuss together.
Real children! Some of the children in this book are real and very fabulous people! At the end of the book they share a little bit about what makes them fabulous.
Disability representation. As an illustrator who lives with chronic illness and neurodiversity and an author with multiple disabilities, we wanted to make a real effort to make children with disabilities, visible differences and hidden disabilities feel seen and represented.
Accessibility! The book has been designed with dyslexia and visual impairment in mind. There is an audio version and British Sign Language version of the book, and a braille version in the works.
Where can I buy it?
Buy Find your Fabulous by Vie Portland, illustrated by Lottie Thomson
So you have a kid who loves painting and drawing but you’re not creative yourself. You know you want to support them but you don’t know where to start! (This is not an ad, all equipment recommendations are my own and I’ve received no incentives to recommend brands)
Here’s my top tips for parents of creative kids!
Tip 1 – if you can, give them somewhere to create.
We all struggle for space in our busy homes, but if you can give them a little desk in their room where they can keep all their arty things and sit comfortably to create, you’ll be really supporting their creative journey.
If you’re really pushed for space you can buy lap-desks and fold away drawing boards which have storage space inside for all their art equipment.
Tip 2 – buy the best art equipment you can afford.
This may sound obvious but it’s often where parents can slip up. Kids over 8 don’t need ‘kids art equipment’…(maybe an apron though!)
Spend money smartly on quality not quantity. That way they can start building a collection of semi-professional art materials which will take them through their teen years, to college and into professional creative work if they choose.
Paints and brushes
Shop the sales for well respected paint brands like Windsor & Newton and Daler Rowney. For under £20 you can get paint sets that will last for years and years and can be replaced individually when they run out.
I still use the Daler Rowney watercolour palette my parents bought me when I was 13.
For brushes look at multipacks of synthetic hair brushes designed for watercolour (it will usually say in the packaging!) Even cheap & cheerful ones are super useful and last for years is they’re looked after well!
Pens
If they love drawing with alcohol marker pens or paint pens, big brands like Copic and Posca are top dollar but they’re also refillable. Look out for refillable brands of pen in the sales as if they’re serious about art then it’ll save you money in the long run and mean less throwing away of old pens!
Pencils & erasers
Ditch the HB school pencils and get a cheap set of graded pencils. Soft ‘B’ pencils for shading, hard ‘H’ pencils for light sketching and fine details. Simple! Staedtler erasers are my go to, cheap, very effective, no graininess, smudging or ripped pages.
Coloured pencils aren’t my area of expertise as a professional artist but Prismacolour and Caran D’Ache have long been considered the ‘go to’ for artists. If that’s out of your price range you’d be surprised how much a budding artist can do with an ol’ faithful pack of Crayola. They’re by far my top pick of pencil crayons aimed at kids.
Tip 3 – Get the right paper for the job!
Even if you can’t afford the best, getting paper that is designed for the materials your child is using will make a difference to the artwork they are making.
For example; buy watercolour paper if they’re using watercolours, marker paper if they’re using marker pens. The quality of paper makes a huge difference to the outcome of the art they make and when they see their art improving it will give them the boost to make more!
The Works has its own range of super cheap and cheerful beginners art paper pads. Also look out for Seawhite of Brighton watercolour pads sold online, they’re designed for students and they’re excellent for aspiring artists, I still use them a lot.
One of the best gifts I was even given was a pack of 100 sheets of good quality watercolour paper by the grandparents when I was a teenager. It seems like the most dreadful gift to a non-arty person, but to an arty kid it’s the freedom to create, experiment and get the ideas out of your head and onto the page without the fear of running out of paper, plus the paper made my watercolours look so much better!
I’m thrilled to announce that I’m the illustrator attached to the book ‘Find Your Fabulous’ by author, confidence educator and motivational speaker Vie Portland of Vieness CIC.
Vie has published several inclusive children’s books, but this will be her first non-fiction book, based on the inclusive confidence building workshops she runs in schools around the UK. It will be our first time working together and our shared values make this a really exciting project to be a part of.
It’s currently in the crowdfunding stage, with an early sketch shown above!
The book illustrations will consciously depict children with visible disabilities and neuro-diversity. You can also choose a funding option whereby your child’s likeness will be included in the book!
After creating a few pieces of Andy and the Odd Socks art for my son (who is a huge fan of their TV series Andy & the Band, and their live music), I was approached by their management to create a poster to be sold as merchandise during their 2023 ‘Dial it up to 11’ live tour.
The poster features cartoon versions of all of the band members, headed by children’s TV royalty Andy Day! It was designed to be sold as merchandise online and at their live gigs, as a fun and colourful poster for children to display on their bedroom walls. It was designed with the fact that the band would hand-sign/autograph the poster in mind, so features a clear section for each band member in their individual brand/costume colours.
From loose layout sketch, to neat sketch (shown to client) to final poster!
Andy and the Odd Socks are aimed at ages 3 – 9 (although lets face it, the parents love them as much as the kids!), so I had children’s literacy and early readers in mind when adding the text to the poster. I wanted to include introductory text for each of the band members, so their stage introductions were used and when hand-lettering the wording I used upper and lowercase writing in a style designed to be read by children just starting to read their first words.
The original sketch comic based on my sons first gig that caught the eye of the band and their management.
It was an absolute pleasure to create this poster for the Odd Socks, their message of celebrating uniqueness and individuality, plus them being ambassadors for the Anti-Bullying Alliance (and my son being a superfan) has made this a project that is very close to my heart.
Feedback on the poster has been great, with it being sold and given away as a signed VIP meet & greet gift at every date of the 2023 Dial it up to 11 UK tour, which was extensive as you can see!
Bunny’s Burrow is an app being produced by developer Jed Merrington with the aim to close the gender learning gap at Key Stage 2. I designed the lead Bunny character and produced 22 illustrations showing his full range of moods and emotions, and the character partaking in several activities. These will be shown as static images or lightly animated within the app.
The designs are specifically aimed to encourage boys, with dyslexia and other learning disabilities to engage with short narrative story creation using the app with a phone or tablet. The illustrations being full vector based and editable by the app developers was an important aspect of the brief, as was consistency of the character design.
Literacy, dyslexia support and encouraging children to engage with creative writing and creating stories is something really close to my heart, I was thrilled to work on this project.
‘Radical Self Love’ a book by Gala Darling, interior black & white illustrations created by Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Thomson.
I was fortunate to meet Gala Darling at a blogging event prior to the release of her book, I was ‘live scribing’ at the event so Gala saw me create art in person and loved what she saw!
It wasn’t long before she approached me via email to create the interior illustrations for her book Radical Self Love. Initially self published it was scooped up by Hay House, and the rest is history!
The illustrations feature throughout the book as chapter headers & full pages between sections. They represent the themes of the different sections of the book which centres around self care, self respect, cultivating magical friendships and building a positive relationship with yourself. My favourite illustrations are the portraits of Gala and her friend and the ‘Magic and Manifesting’ illustrations which appeal to my love of all things mystical.
