This October, we’re excited to feature Sen Li, one of our contract illustrators at Tellwell. Sen has an incredible talent for turning stories into vivid, captivating visuals that draw readers in.
Read on to get to know Sen and learn more about their creative journey.
Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and your background as an illustrator?
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, it’s always been the most natural way for me to express myself. I grew up in Canada, but my roots are in Taiwan, and I think that mix of cultures shows up in my work, both in the stories I tell visually and in the aesthetics I gravitate towards. I trained myself through a lot of practice, observation, and experimentation rather than a rigid academic path, which gave me freedom to shape my own style.
As an illustrator, I’m drawn to mood, atmosphere, and subtle storytelling. I want my art to feel like a single frame from a larger narrative, a glimpse into a moment that already has a history behind it. A big part of that comes from my love of manhwa, where storytelling through images is so immediate and emotionally charged. That influence shapes how I use composition, pacing, and expression to pull viewers into a scene. My background in graphic design also plays a role in how I balance composition and detail, and I’m constantly looking for ways to bridge fine art with more modern, digital expressions.
This September Shelfie Giveaway is packed with variety, from inspiring guidebooks and thought-provoking nonfiction to heartwarming children’s stories and moving autobiographies. It’s the perfect mix to keep every reader curious, inspired, and entertained.
An inspiring tale of trust and grace
A journey into the heart of faith, where hope and trust become the only way forward.
Blind Faith. We all have it, particularly when we realize we are not in control of circumstances, conditions, people, or, for that matter, threats to our very existence.
The thief crucified with Jesus is known as the Penitent Thief or Saint Dismas. He asked Jesus to remember him when He came into his Kingdom. In response, Jesus promised him that he would be with Him in Paradise that very day.
So, even a thief facing certain death had the blind faith to ask and trust that his spirit, his very soul unknown to him at the time, would be welcomed into paradise.
This book is about blind faith. It is about a man, Peter, who, finds his own faith while facing the challenges of evil to all he has been taught, and to his own life.
A raw and inspiring journey from hardship to hope, proving that survival is just the beginning.
This book is an autobiography about a woman raised on a large farm who learned to drive a large tractor at the age of seven, then spent many years plowing, planting and harvesting crops and taking care of the farm animals. After three years in the Marine Corps, she married her college sweetheart who became a drunk and abused her for seven horrible years before he almost killed her then disappeared. After she recovered she and her three kids fled to Florida to hide so he wouldn’t find them and finish the job.
August was filled with exciting moments for our authors! From positive book reviews to award recognitions, this month highlighted the dedication and creativity behind their work. It’s always inspiring to see stories reach new readers, gain appreciation, and earn acknowledgment for the impact they create. As we close out the month, we’re taking a moment to look back and celebrate the authors and books that made August stand out.
Awards
Tellwell author Prescilla Goraya has been recognized with an Honorable Mention at the 2025 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards for her debut picture book, Liz, in the New Author: Fiction Category.
In Liz, the story is told through the eyes of Queen Elizabeth II’s beloved dogs, gently exploring themes of grief, healing, and cherished memories while honoring Her Late Majesty’s legacy. An Australian-born author, teacher, and mother of two, Prescilla draws on her own experiences of loss and resilience to create stories that inspire compassion and hope.
Stash! Little Horse, Big City received an Honorable Mention in the 2025 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards in the Charity and Making a Difference category.
This heartwarming story follows Stash, a miniature therapy horse who brings comfort and joy to hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and more. With his gentle nature, Stash shows the power of kindness, compassion, and the big difference one small horse can make.
Written by sisters Rhiya and Aarya, passionate equestrians and community advocates, the book is inspired by the real Stash—the only certified therapy mini equine in Toronto. Along with illustrator Roksolana, they’ve created a touching reminder that sometimes the smallest among us carry the biggest hearts.
Zlata Pryudyus has been recognized on the 2025 American Book Honor Awardee list by Writers Global.
Her book, Amy and the Magic Forest, follows Amy, a young girl who stumbles into a magical realm after a fight with her best friend. Guided by Freya the fairy, she faces challenges, learns the value of teamwork, and discovers the true meaning of friendship.
Zlata, a sixth grader from Vancouver, first wrote the story as a school assignment at HongDe Elementary. With encouragement from her teachers and her mom, Roxi, she turned it into a published book. Passionate about storytelling, she hopes to inspire other children to embrace creativity and imagination.
Publicity
Local author Joe Lyons-Rising has released a heartfelt self-help book on coping with grief and loss, drawing from his own experiences to guide others through healing.
The book was recently featured in BarrieToday, where Lyons-Rising shared his hope of inspiring readers to face their struggles and find peace.
With honesty and compassion, his work stands as both a personal story and an encouraging resource for anyone navigating life after loss.
Dr. Mark Tyndall is taking a stand for tobacco harm reduction, sharing his insights in his new book Vaping: Behind the Smoke and Fear. With decades of experience in HIV care and harm reduction, he frames safer nicotine products as a “safe supply” for people who smoke.
In a feature by FilterMag, Tyndall reflects on how strict smoking bans often force patients into unsafe situations, showing the need for compassion and practical solutions instead of prohibition.
Reviews
Author Mala Khiroya received a glowing 5-star review from Reader Views for her book Pundalik & Lord Vitthala: The Man Whom God Visited Because He Served His Parents Selflessly with Love. This beautifully crafted children’s story shares the tale of Pundalik and Lord Vitthala, teaching young readers about love, kindness, and selfless devotion.
Pundalik & Lord Vitthala: The Man Whom God Visited Because He Served His Parents Selflessly with Love,” by Mala Khiroya, is more than an inspiring children’s book on the subject of respecting parents. It’s also a guide and fun workbook for children to explore, write in, and engage with to find deeper meaning in service to parents.
-Reader Views Book Review
Author Philippe Le Blanc received a glowing 5-star review from Reader Views for his book Advantage Equities: Invest Between the Lines and Win. Blending lessons from the tennis court with the world of stock market investing, Le Blanc offers readers a fresh and practical approach to building financial success.
Advantage Equities: Invest Between the Lines and Win, by Philippe Le Blanc, teaches you the ins and outs of investing and the stock market by merging two things: tennis and the stock market. This is a fascinating look at the stock market through the lens of tennis, and the world of tennis through the lens of investing. They have more to do with each other than you might think, and this big, bold book shows you how and why.
Amber White is a multi-talented illustrator based in North Hollywood, California. With a background in sculpture, special effects, and wearable art, she brings a whimsical, earthy flair to every project. At Tellwell, Amber works closely with authors to bring their stories to life through expressive and detailed illustrations.
Read on to get to know her better!
1. Hi Amber! Tell us a bit about yourself. Well hello, hello! I’m based out of North Hollywood, California. Outside of illustrating I work in sculpture and attempt to bring out creatures from natural elements to be worn as wearable art. I sell them online. I’m busy at home raising my three little boys, all under the age of eight. Through the year I am randomly brought back on board to my creature-creation film work as a special FX artist. I also do scenic work as well as various freelance art projects and body painting. It’s a constant eclectic, artsy, happy lifestyle. Plus I garden, a lot.
From Everest to the Farm: Mitch Lewis on Storytelling, Perseverance, and Finding Your Own Summit
If there’s one thing I want to impart to the readers of my books, it’s that anyone can do (most) anything they dream of.And this means that everyone has their own Everest, whatever that might be.
Mitch Lewis
Mitch Lewis is a man of many adventures—a mountaineer who has summited Everest, a storyteller who inspires readers young and old, and, most recently, a first-generation farmer. His experiences have shaped his writing in unexpected ways, from his first first uplifting book, Climbing Your Personal Everest to his latest Billy the Baaad Goat series.
In this interview, Mitch shares how life on Summit Farms has influenced his storytelling, how overcoming personal challenges inspired him to write about perseverance and teamwork, and why he believes everyone has their own “Everest” to climb.
How has life at Summit Farms influenced your writing, particularly the characters and settings in your books?
In an extreme case of life imitating art, one of the reasons we ended up becoming first-generation, late-in-life farmers was because of Billy the Baaad Goat! A few years ago, when my granddaughter Clara was just a couple years old, I would read her made-up bedtime stories and some of those had Billy on his various adventures. One day I sat down and wrote the rhyming tale, filled with Beatles references that included a couple moving away from the city during the pandemic and buying a farm with a big red barn (and talking animals with a big yellow rocketship, of course!). My wife Michelle and I ended up becoming that couple four years ago, even before the book was published by Tellwell. Clara the Calico Cat and Lucy the Lioness are based on two of our grandchildren, while Vera, Chuck and Dave come straight out of “When I’m 64.” Rocky Racoon, Paul-is-the-Walrus came from, well . . .
What do you hope readers, both young and old, take away from your books and the adventures of Billy the Baaad Goat series?
I’m so excited the third and last chapter of the Billy series will be coming out very soon! I’ve always wanted the parents and grandparents to actually enjoy reading a book to the kiddos, and laugh alongside them. I like to feature characters who overcome obstacles and achieve great goals with collaboration and a sense of accomplishment. Billy is also subject to bullying (and isn’t really bad, just kind of naughty). I love to see all of the animals working together and learning about science.
Your books explore themes of teamwork, diversity, and courage. Why are these values important to teach through children’s stories?
I tend to highlight strong, smart female leaders, along with representing diversity through the different creature species and how their bravery and perseverance in the face of adversity can help them overcome many things in their own lives. They also metaphorically represent diverse teams I’ve worked with around the world that could come together and achieve great goals and celebrate as a team.
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Your Everest trilogy blends adventure with deep emotional lessons. How do those themes connect with your children’s books, like The Mother Mountain?
Summiting Mount Everest without oxygen and in the middle of a deadly storm taught me a lot about life, friendship, mutual goals, and doing something one doesn’t think is possible. After completing the Seven Summits, and before that finishing a marathon on the Seven Continents, I was interested in what compelled others to transform their own lives and help make the world a better place at the same time. My first book, Climbing Your Personal Everest: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Leadership,was my own decade-long expedition from being “stuck in the rut with a gut,” a couch potato watching The Simpsons in Swedish while living in Stockholm, to running my first marathon in Sweden to my seventh summit of Vinson Massif in Antarctica.
In my second book, Climb Higher: Pursue Your Passion With Purpose,we explore eight individuals who took on new and daring life or career challenges, while also contributing to society through a number of unique projects or programs, and intertwined with how one can learn from them to also tweak their own life.
For a long time I wanted to write a children’s book about what it was like to really climb Mount Everest from someone lucky enough to have done so and survived to write about the experience. I ended up telling the (mostly) true story of my own Everest climb, together with my climbing buddy Molly, with Max as well, myself. What makes the book so special is the fantastic true-to-life illustrations from Tellwell’s Stefanie St. Denis. She was able to take original photographs and situations, plus imagine several with no pics to choose from, and turn them into beautiful images that really do show what it was like on Everest and incorporating a lot of education from the British naming and height knowledge, to the reverence of the mountain and the sherpas. Many of the real-life themes from the first two adult books show up in the The Mother Mountain: You Can Climb Mt. Everest.
What lessons from climbing Mount Everest have you woven into your storytelling, especially in terms of perseverance and facing fears?
If there’s one thing I wanted to impart to the readers of all of my books is that anyone can do (most) anything they dream of. And this means that Everyone has their own Everest, whatever that might be. We all finish many races and climb many mountains during our lives and these are different for everybody, but still incorporate the essential elements of being a good and kind human being, working well as a team towards common goals, overcoming obstacles and celebrating together. Facing my own fears at the Hillary Step gave me perspective around perseverance and how collaboration can be so supportive, whether you’re a high-altitude climber or a naughty billy goat!
With such a diverse background—author, speaker, mountaineer, and farmer—how do you balance these passions with writing?
In our own new “Everest” as farmers, I have lots of times to reflect on life’s lessons from my business life such as partnerships, strategy and focus, giving back to the community, and learning from others but also mentoring the next generation of family farmers that are critical for our healthy local food supply in the years to come. Writing gives me an outlet, whether in a book or in a post, or on one of my websites: www.yourpersonaleverest.com or www.summitfarms.co. It certainly gives me an outlet to share and connect and my passions for writing.
Note: Mitch wanted to mention his gratitude for John Abella, Jennifer, the excellence and synchronicity with editing, his main contact Rhea Mae, and the rest of the great team at Tellwell!
This August we’re excited to introduce Alfred, one of our in-house book illustrators who brings stories to life through his creative illustrations.
Get to know more about Alfred and the important role he plays in making each book unique.
What led you to become an illustrator, and how did your journey begin in the world of book illustration?
My journey as an illustrator began with a deep love for drawing and storytelling. Fascinated by how images bring stories to life, I was also inspired by watching anime, movies, and cartoons, and reading comics and manga, which led me to create my own art.
Adding an extra sprinkle of sweetness to your February with Tellwell’s book giveaways!
Packed with great stories and exciting adventures, let our literary fest be your go-to adventure this month.
Your next favourite transformational read!
Jose and Lourdes Amoloria’s book, One of the Most Expensive, Iconic and Kinetic Maps of Australia in the World, will make you rethink how adversity, grief, and loss can cause so much pain, and yet these life challenges can facilitate creativity, and be transformed into gifts and blessings for a meaningful and productive existence.
Dream without fear. When dreams are nourished with faith and actions, dreams bloom into realities.
Jose, a self-taught artist, had no formal training in art, no scholastic qualifications and had very challenging life experiences as an international sailor, chef, watchmaker and stone mason. How can one be multi-skilled and pass international standards without proper educational training?
Get inspired by faith and determination that changed the course of life, and be entertained by the unconventional ways Jose educated and equipped himself with skills to achieve dreams and goals. The one-of-a-kind masterpieces in this book and Jose’s life are testimonials that creativity can really transform lives. Miracles do happen, and anyone can manifest miracles if they sincerely believe in themselves and in the intervention of the unseen power of the Supreme Creator.
Carleen Dehaney takes us to a fun adventure with her book, Toothbrush Animal Hunt!
Embark on a delightful adventure with Toothbrush Animal Hunt, the perfect children’s book to encourage daily toothbrushing habits in a playful and enjoyable way.
From a clapping sea lion at the beach to a cheeky squirrel in the forest, children will be fascinated as they learn about toothbrushing through the actions and antics of these charming creatures. And don’t forget to spot the toothbrushes hidden throughout the pages, making this hunt, a delightful game of discovery.
Say goodbye to toothbrushing struggles and let the adventure begin!
Welcome to our Meet the Team series, where we showcase talented team members that make Tellwell exceptional. This January, let’s learn about Abby, our in-house illustrator.
Learn more about her and her artistic journey, exploring the details of the drawings and stories in her amazing illustrations that make our projects come alive.
Let’s kick off 2024 with some incredible literary success stories!
We’re shining the spotlight on our remarkable Tellwell authors who are rocking the literary scene. Whether it’s top-notch book reviews, exciting book events, public recognition, or book awards, our authors are out there creating more inspiring stories with every win!
Publicity
We are absolutely thrilled to share that Joseph Camel has graced the grand billboards of the iconic NYC Times Square, featuring his book Little Joe in The Big City.
Joseph’s book takes kids to an adventure to New York City, learning about the history of different landmarks. It gives kids an idea of what NYC is about, and how you can meet some really great people and new friends along the way.
As the holiday season fills the air with joy, we’re excited to share these journeys of inspiring authors and their success stories. Come along on an enchanting ride through our December highlights, where each story sparkles brightly with the magic of success and perseverance.
With a festive spirit, we raise a toast to the incredible accomplishments of our authors this December!
Awards
Tellwell author Keith Hamilton has recently received the Silver Literary Titan Award for his book, Desperation Island.
An incredible review from IndieReader was given to Monique Britten for her book, The Day Before Tomorrow.
A challenging and emotional read in terms of subject matter, Monique Britten’s THE DAY BEFORE TOMORROW is not for the faint of heart—a beautiful narrative that addresses real-world hopes and fears unflinchingly, albeit with a potentially divisive ending.
IndieReader Book Review
A page-turner you don’t want to miss. Get your copy of The Day Before Tomorrow by Monique Britten here!
