Hello Dee, thank you for joining me. You have created several books, available on Amazon. What inspired you to create them?
Before the Knock, we were very creative. We had a Facebook page and would make things and sell them.
Then, in the course of the fallout of the Knock, my identity got lost. I didn't have time to create anything. My head was too full, and of course, my husband wasn’t at home any more.
As things calmed down. I wanted to do something. I found the headspace to be able to create again. I didn't want to be just sat thinking about issues.
So, focusing on the books gave me something to spend time doing, and I enjoy designing them.
Would you consider setting up a business again?
Well, our home is still full of materials and equipment from when we were crafting, running our old business.
I even have a press, for printing, t-shirts, vinyl cutters - it's all been sat dormant downstairs.
My husband used to design the t-shirts, water bottles, prints. We have even made chocolate bar wrappers for parties and hen dos.
I used to do card-making, nappy cakes, paper crafts. We did it all together. We even created all of our own wedding things.
We've always done the craft stuff really, but this time, it's more about design.
Can you tell us about your design process?
There are quite a few designs available on Amazon KDP. So, you go and download the sizing, and how many pages and it gives you a template. I also use Canva to create different designs or use the templates there. Creative Fabrica has some templates for the insides of books.
What is the idea behind some of the books?
My son and I are supported by a charity who help children with a parent in prison.
One of the books I designed is for a child with a parent in prison. The child can write about the best part of their week, worst, part of their week, their feelings, and their emotions.
This came about, because I realised that a child won’t necessarily want to write a letter to a parent in prison or maybe they won't be able to.
When my son didn't have contact with his dad, he wanted to write things down, but didn't want to write a letter. It would have been nice to have a document where he could express his feelings. So, I really considered another way that a child could document their thoughts and feelings. That's how the book came about.
Yes, my own children didn’t have contact with their dad for several weeks. I think writing in a journal can be so helpful for a child and can also help them to process their thoughts and feelings. Can you tell me more about the design of the book, what has been included?
All of the pages and sections have been designed with the child in mind and also informed by our experience, and from hearing the experiences of others in this community, and at a support group I attend. Some children have a parent in prison for many years.
It gives the child a way to document their journey, and if they want to in future, they can share it with their parent, but they don’t have to.
They have something to look back on, especially if their parent is in prison for a long time. It's something that they can keep for themselves to help them to process their thoughts and feelings. It doesn't have to be a daily or weekly thing to record their thoughts, it's just for whenever they feel the need to write. It's there for them.
The proceeds from this journal go to the charity who support us.
(Photos courtesy of Dee Sirable)
What other books are available from your collection?
There is a self-care book, which has gratitude thoughts -what you are stressed about, your priorities. It's a wellbeing journal, really, and it's to record ideas and thoughts. I have produced a masculine and feminine version, but they are for anyone.
There are also some notebooks, I’ve just done a school notebook, a work notebook, and there's a weekly planner. There's a trading cards collection logbook. There's also a blog notes book.
(Photos courtesy of Dee Sirable)
Yes. I ordered the blog notes book, it's beautifully designed, and a pleasure to write in, and a handy size too. I’m using it to make the notes from this Q&A. I have included a photo below. My youngest drew on the cover a little bit so I clearly need to order her a book of her own!
What plans do you have for the future?
I'm going to keep creating. I'm going to keep trying different designs and working on them. It's helping me as time goes on and I have more time to myself. I'm not a big television person. I don't do a lot of reading. I'm a designer more than a writer.
I'm trying to find different designs and I’m working on them. This is my outlet, designing covers and designing books.
How can people purchase your books?
If you go to Amazon, My author name is Dee Sirable but just searching Sirable brings all my designs up and you can see all of the different kinds of books that are available. I can order author copies, order a few and do craft fairs with them -there's so many options
Thank you so much for joining me Dee, it's been a pleasure to hear about your designs, and the inspiration behind them, and I really would encourage our readers to go and check out your work.
You can follow Dee on X @butterf79342227
My name is Annie Hope. I am a writer with lived experience as a family member of someone who had the Knock. I am a professional writer, and I am able to work with your organisation, charity or with you as an individual in a variety of different ways. Please have a look at my website to find out more.
I also run a free writing group for family members of those who are convicted of sexual offences. You can find out more about the group here. You can find blog posts with free advice about writing and helpful tips in my main blog index here.
You can contact me by email anniehopewriter@gmail.com
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