The Precious Plum is a sweet, whimsical and fairytale-like love story. Imagine taking a journey back to your childhood (speaking of the older generation), where you are lost in fantasy of story and lyrical rhymes. As it’s name suggests, this is a precious story.

The book reminds us to pay attention and be open to what we know and see every day, for what we seek may be right before our eyes.

Author and Illustrator Jennifer Horn used her architectural skills, combined with her love for art and storytelling into a finely crafted story.

Jennifer Horn and I met by accident when my niece Lani Kami, her friend, brought her to my studio for an art workshop.

I learnt that Jen was an illustrator and later found out she was publishing a storybook. Below you can read what others have written about The Precious Plum and links to where you can buy this book.

“A perfectly glorious little gem of a book” – Angela Slatter, Author of the World Fantasy Award-winning The Bitterwood Bible

“Jennifer Horn illustrates her gentle fable The Precious Plum with a narrative, lyrical, calligraphic line, both winsome and whimsical, as if illustrating a song you can almost hear… A kindly and dawn-hued fairy-tale debut” – Kathleen Jennings, World Fantasy Award-winning Artist

What better time than a global pandemic to self-publish a fairytale book? Brisbane-based illustrator and author Jennifer Horn had this story cooking inside her imagination for the better part of a decade, and despite it receiving years of rejections from traditional publishers, knew it was meant to be created. 

Then the pandemic hit and along with many other industries, the publishing world slowed up completely, with major decelerations to everything in its pipelines. Jen had been given some great advice from a few writing mentors – fellow picture book writers – that amidst the disruption, if she was up to the challenge, now was the perfect time to self-publish. 

“At first, the idea of self-promotion and doing it all myself was overwhelming. But then I just kept surrounding myself with people who had been down similar paths and bit by bit, it was all do-able.” 

Jen’s fairytale about a baker of magical goods who tries to help her friend, has resonated with children and young-at-heart adults alike. With a team of local musicians from Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra providing a magical Playschool-esque soundtrack to the readings, Jen launched the picture book in independent bookshops and art spaces around the Brisbane area to keen audiences.

 A tale for all who have unwittingly left a piece of themselves behind, “The Precious Plum” is a whimsical fairytale about finding that sometimes the things we are looking for are right where we left them.

And sometimes the dreams we are wishing for are right where we can create them.

About the Author Illustrator

Jennifer Horn is a Brisbane-based freelance illustrator and budding children’s writer. She illustrated the cover of Anthology Angels’ children’s fundraising anthology, Once Upon a Whoops!: Fractured Fairytales and Ridiculous Rhymes (2021) and her short stories have appeared in each of these annual publications since 2018. Her first Young Adult short story, Faulty Connection, was published in Rhiza Edge’s dystopian and sci-fi anthology, Crossed Spaces earlier this year.

With a background in Architecture, Jen draws on her love of stories and adventure to create whimsical illustrations. She enjoys reading books over local community station Reading Radio, and playing keys, including the piano accordion.

More Press Kit info at: http://www.jenniferhorn.com.au/press-kit/

Get The Book

“The Precious Plum” 
Jennifer Horn

Imprint: Crooked House Press
On sale: 23^rd October, 2021
Price: AUD$26.95 RRP
Pages: 36

ISBN: 978-0645258301

Age range: 6-12yrs (and anyone who enjoys fairytales and stories about magic)List of stockists at: https://www.jenniferhorn.com.au/the-precious-plum/

CONTACT:
Jennifer Horn
www.jenniferhorn.com.au

Instagram: @eskyjen

Facebook: Jennifer Horn – Illustrator/Author