Books and Learning Materials Archives

NEW BOOK: Kids Journal for Writing and Drawing

1 May 2018 by Dr Lewis

MONSTER JOURNAL

Summer vacation is fast approaching. Children everywhere are having visions of endless days in the sun with no school books or homework. While many kids will be fortunate to participate in camps that keep their minds active, other children may be facing months with little reading and perhaps no writing at all. There is a way to encourage your children to keep exercising their minds, even if summer camps are not an option. The “MONSTER JOURNAL” is a small personal journal that children can fill with their thoughts, observations, poems, doodles, or whatever else flows out of the end of a pencil. Heavily illustrated with monster characters, this journal opens the door to free style writing and drawing.

CREATIVE COUPLE

I once again had the help of my creative husband, Eddie, on this project. Together, we borrowed from the theme and illustrations that we created for the 8.5″x11″ “MONSTER MUSIC JOURNAL” (created for young music students), and produced a conveniently-sized, carry-anywhere journal that all kids can squeeze into their backpacks and carry around with them all summer.

UNIQUE JOURNAL PAGES

Each page in the journal is different. Variety is the spice of life, and we like to spice it up. Layouts change from page to page, so boredom buttons are unlikely to be pushed. Pages balance opportunity to draw with space to write. Block blanks and lined areas provide ample space for jotting down ideas or observations. The line spacing was chosen to be comfortable for younger writers. We added new illustrations of monsters (cute and ugly) that you won’t see in the book’s big brother, the “MONSTER MUSIC JOURNAL“. The monster characters take the form of line images so if your child likes to color pictures, there is opportunity to do that page after page. The wide variety of characters won’t just stimulate the child’s imagination, but may also serve as a writing prompt for more reluctant writers.

HOW THE MONSTER JOURNAL GETS KIDS WRITING

The MONSTER JOURNAL itself does not provide explicit writing or drawing prompts. We prefer to let the child’s imagination be prompted by what they see and imagine themselves. However, we understand that many children are reluctant writers or artists, and may feel somewhat intimidated by open spaces that need to be filled. If this is the case, we suggest that the children be encouraged to describe what the monsters look like, to write about what the monsters are thinking or doing, or to guess what the homes of the monsters might be like.

STOCK UP FOR SUMMER

Right now, the “MONSTER JOURNAL” is available directly from Lulu Publishers, and can soon be ordered from your favorite online bookstore. Don’t let the summer slip away without giving your child the chance to exercise creative expression. Whether it is coloring, drawing, creative writing, or just practicing handwriting, the MONSTER JOURNAL is eager to become your child’s tool for exercising creativity.

MONSTER MUSIC JOURNAL Release

6 March 20186 March 2018 by Dr Lewis

MONSTER-INFESTED SPACES

The MONSTER MUSIC JOURNAL is a wildly imaginative, monster-infested space. And that space was created for YOU so you can fill it with music compositions, transcriptions of your favorite songs, music theory exercises, and other monstrous things. There are monsters everywhere – literally! Just when you were convinced that monsters lived only in closets, the game changed. The monsters relocated – to the MONSTER MUSIC JOURNAL.

BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST MONSTERS

The MONSTER MUSIC JOURNAL is a musical playground for your pencil. The generously spaced staff lines make writing musical notes easy for beginners. But you don’t have to be a beginner to appreciate the spaciousness. If you like to live life BIG, then this book will fit right into your way of doing things. Let’s be honest: who doesn’t like to live life big? And if you are one of those people who has a lot to say, you are in luck. There is plenty of boxed-off writing space for non-musical notes, so you can include song lyrics, love letters, homework assignments, thoughts, poems, or questions to ask your teacher. Hey, there is even space for you to doodle your own family of monsters.

COLORFUL MONSTERS

The MONSTER MUSIC JOURNAL is heavily illustrated with line art monster characters that will tickle the imagination of kids and adults. Every turn of the page presents you with new monsters. Naturally, they are all trying to look grim, but rest assured – they are all very docile. And because the illustrations in the book are simple line art, you are free to add color to the manuscript or note pages. This is a music journal and not a coloring book, but there is no shortage of things (well, creatures actually) that you can color, if you so wish.

CREATIVE TEAMWORK

A product of the creative husband-and-wife team, Eddie Lewis and Pearl Lewis, this music journal has many uses. You are pretty much only restricted by your imagination. Let this journal turn dull, repetitive music theory exercises into an adventure at every turn of the page. Embrace the illustrations as prompts for improvised music. Gift the journal to your teacher or your student. Even your completely grown-up musician buddy could use a fun gift like this one. Or, take the ceiling off your expectation and use the journal to introduce young musicians to composition and transcription. (If you can read music, you can take a step towards writing it.) Tedious music homework and dull assignments just got a MAJOR upgrade with the MONSTER MUSIC JOURNAL.

FIND YOUR MONSTROUS FIT

The MONSTER MUSIC JOURNAL is currently available in three formats to suit your individual needs:

Perfect-bound

(https://goo.gl/YZw9Mp) – this is the traditional form of binding that you will find in most paperback books. This binding holds up well to being carried around in a book bag, and will sit nicely on a book shelf with your other books. Perfect-bound books need to be trained to lie fully open on a desk – some people don’t like to put that much strain on a book’s spine. If you want a book that will lie fully open on a flat surface, without introducing any creasing in the spine, consider the coil- or staple-bound versions of the book.
Coil- or Ring-bound

(https://goo.gl/XCDKuk) – this version of binding is popular with musicians as it allows the book to lie flat on the music stand without needing to be pinned in place. If you plan to lug your book in a full bag, you might want to consider the perfect- or staple-bound versions of the book. Coil-binding (it’s a plastic coil) is a little more fragile than the other forms of binding, and works best for people who store the book on a desk or shelf instead of in an over-filled, school book bag.
Staple-bound

(https://goo.gl/o7RXcn) – staple-bound books give the user the maximum access to the interior margins, so if you want a little extra white space on the pages, this one is for you. The book opens fully, and will lie flat with very little training and no damage to a spine.

MUSIC CREDITS: EDDIE LEWIS

The video in this post includes background music by Eddie Lewis (one of the MONSTER MUSIC JOURNAL’s creators). You can purchase the sheet music for this piece here: “Tackle Suite No. 3: SINKER” by Eddie Lewis ( https://goo.gl/f5qk54)

BLESSED: New Videos

27 October 201726 June 2017 by Dr Lewis

Blessed Coloring for the Soul Coloring Book for Adults and Teens by Pearl R. Lewis — Blessed: Coloring for the Soul by Pearl R. Lewis

BLESSED Coloring for the Soul Goes to Video

BLESSED videos evolved naturally from the color-filled pages of the scripture-rich coloring book. Pages from BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul have been featured in TWO new YouTube videos. (If you have posted your own videos that feature or include any of my coloring pages, I would love to hear from you.) In case you have not yet acquired a copy of this book, you may be unaware that “BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul” is an adult-friendly, abstract-styled Christian coloring book that uses scripture as its foundation. All the scriptures in this book revolve around blessing and the word “blessed”. This book can be used exclusively as a teen or adult coloring book, but is also especially useful as a Bible study aid for those who prefer a more creative approach to their meditation or study time.

Believe without Seeing Graphics

Believe Without Seeing is the first BLESSED video posted by Epsiwel. It focuses on one of the scriptures used in the book: John 20:29 – “Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; BLESSED are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (NIV) This video uses two of the images from section three of the book – there are ten sections. The background image is presented in different colors throughout the video, while the framed scripture image remains uncolored for contrast.

Believe Without Seeing Soundtrack

The music for this video (Duet 91 from the Celebrations CD) was written and recorded by Eddie Lewis. The track is available as a single from CD Baby.

FRUIT of the SPIRIT Kindness Video

6 March 201810 June 2017 by Dr Lewis

The FRUIT of the SPIRIT Colouring Book is featured in a new video. The video showcases a single page – the page entitled KINDNESS. In the video, you will see multiple variations of the coloring of this KINDNESS page. All of the colored pages used for this video are the result of digitally coloring the KINDNESS e-page (available from this website’s store). The physical paperback (with its easy to color 11″ x 8.5″ sized pages) is available from Lulu.

BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS

The illustrations for FRUIT of the SPIRIT COLOURING BOOK are largely hand-drawn. If you look closely at the magnified images in the video, you may notice small variations in the line density and width of the black outlines in the illustration. These inconsistencies are consistent with the use of a real ink pen on physical paper for the original drawings.

Computer-generated coloring book pages tend to show perfectly formed lines. You will not see thickness variations. There will be no wiggles and squiggles that typically come from moving a real pen across real paper. Even high quality paper that appears smooth to the naked eye offers the rough terrain of tiny furrows and hillocks for a pen tip to traverse. No paper (unless it is virtual) is perfectly smooth.

The human hand does not exert perfectly uniform pressure as it moves a pen across a surface. As the pressure we apply to the pen and the paper changes, so the line quality. The result is a flow of ink that narrows and widens ever so slightly in response to the pressure changes. While computers can be set to mimic hand-drawing (with all its inherent quirkiness), many coloring book illustrators who design digitally opt for the computer’s default: PERFECT lines with no apparent human flaws.

COLLECT ALL THE FRUIT of the SPIRIT

If you are interested in any of the other individual FRUIT of the SPIRIT page packages, you can find them in this website’s store or use the links on the spiritual fruit below:

PEACE

SELF-CONTROL

LOVE

LONGSUFFERING

KINDNESS

JOY

GOODNESS

GENTLENESS

FAITHFULNESS

GALATIONS 5:22-23

The FRUIT of the SPIRT Colouring Book is a creative interpretation of the FRUIT of the SPIRIT mentioned in Galations 5:22-23. Each characteristic (e.g. goodness, joy, etc.) is associated with a unique, imaginative piece of fruit shown in cross-section (i.e. imagine a strange fruit sliced open just as you might cut an orange in half). What might this new fruit look like inside? This INSIDE VIEW of each fruit is what is captured in the almost abstract line illustrations that invite a relaxing, meditative colouring experience. There is detail galore for those who like it. While this book was created for adults, it is suitable for colouring enthusiasts of all ages. With it’s almost “retro-abstract” feel, the book is a great way for teens and older children to explore this scripture passage in a creative and colorful way.

Add your own splash of colour to full page, abstract illustrations focused on LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF-CONTROL. Each of the nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit also has a dedicated Bible study page (which comes free with the individual e-page package) where you can add colour while you explore scriptures that will deepen your understanding of the fruit of the Spirit. Turn your personal, family, or church group Bible study into a colourful, creative adventure with this FRUIT of the SPIRIT Colouring Book.

CAPE TOWN Video

6 March 20188 June 2017 by Dr Lewis

The “Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation” coloring book has a new promo video. This is a short video focusing on only two themes from the book: the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden and the Kaapse Klopse Street Parade.

CAPE TOWN: the Mother City

Cape Town, the Mother City of South Africa, has roots that extend back to the seventeenth century. While its history is preserved in centuries-old architecture, the city continues to grow, evolve, and make new history with each passing year. As a culturally diverse city, Cape Town has much to offer its visitors and locals. Consider the majestic mountains, pristine beaches, vibrant music scene, art galleries, theaters, shopping, and opportunities to indulge in exotic foods, and it quickly becomes obvious why Cape Town is the most popular tourist destination in Africa.

CAPE TOWN: the Coloring Book

“Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation” is a colouring adventure for those who love to explore. Whether you are a proud Capetonian or have yet to visit the city, “Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation” is your opportunity to explore and make memories in the most colourful of ways. In addition to a few factual titbits and the odd urban legend, you will find a variety of themed colouring pages. Cape Town has so much to offer that this book only captures a few of the city’s many highlights:

Table Mountain

Lion’s Head

Devil’s Peak

Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden (see VIDEO)

Cape Town City Hall

Castle of Good Hope

Cape Town’s Suburbs

Table Mountain’s Aerial Cableway

Ethnic Art

Mountain Baboons

Cape Peninsula

Cape Town on the Map

The Kaapse Klopse Street Parade (see VIDEO)

COLOUR the RAINBOW NATION

“Colour the Rainbow Nation” (#ColorTheRainbowNation) is a celebration of all things South African: the people, the places, and the experiences that help us remember the past while we continue to plant seeds of hope for the future. Nelson Mandela once described South Africans as being as intimately attached to the soil of this beautiful country as the famous jacaranda trees of Pretoria and the mimosa trees of the bushveld. Whether you are rooted in this beautiful country or just wish you were, “Colour the Rainbow Nation” invites you to celebrate South Africa with your own splash of colour.

The paperback and the e-book (PDF) versions of CAPE TOWN: Colour the Rainbow Nation are available from Lulu and a variety of other online book sellers.

Math Can Take You Places – #Fractonia Included

27 October 2016 by Dr Lewis

$Merc, a character from FRACTONIA by Pearl R. Lewis #fractonia$ FRACTONIA is a short novel for young readers that was intentionally created as an informal learning experience. This story takes a topic from mathematics (fractions, in this case) out of the classroom and into an imaginary world of exploration and discovery. The reader is encouraged to leave behind his or her mental image of what a fraction is, in order to consider a completely different image of what a fraction could be. Changing the way a student imagines a concept or topic can open the door to a “clean slate” relearning experience. When preconceived ideas are no longer posing as formidable obstacles to learning, the educator is given a second chance to lay a solid foundation in the fundamentals.

I wrote FRACTONIA in response to how some young students I know were experiencing fractions. In battling the fraction monster, some students had sadly come to believe that they were simply incapable of understanding fractions or how to work with them. Once a student is convinced they cannot have victory over the monster, there is little teachers and parents can do to change the student’s mind. Young learners with this view grow into older students that fear and hate mathematics. I set out to write a story that would help the readers repaint their mental image of the fraction monster. Fractions should not make anyone feel stupid. Most people have the capacity to understand and work with basic fractions. I wanted to share a story that would get the reader to be able to look past the intimidating numbers and mathematical operators, and allow them to see that mathematics is a language communicating ideas and describing images of the world we live in.

A short except from FRACTONIA (Chapter 4):

“Where is Miss Brady and the rest of my class?” Matthew decided it was time to outsmart Miss Brady’s hypnotist. Matthew was determined to show the crafty man that he was not entirely under his spell. Yes, he couldn’t explain why the man looked more like a giant mosquito than a man, but that didn’t mean he had to pretend that he had lost the ability to think.

“Miss Brady?” A small, silver plate about the size of a credit card suddenly appeared in the hand (or would it be the paw or the claw?) of Merc. The plate vibrated, buzzed a little, and then vanished. Merc looked up and confidently announced, “No “Brady” in the Royal Service Extraordinaire, and no “Miss” amongst the Numo Regulars, either.”

Matthew’s look of bewilderment elicited another hearty laugh from Merc. “This must be your first time in Fractonia. You don’t know what I am talking about, do you?” Merc asked.

Matthew sighed deeply, suddenly feeling overwhelmed and unsure of himself. He shook his head vigorously as he sensed the threat of tears. “No. No, I don’t have any idea what is happening to me. Are you a hypnotist? Am I dreaming or hallucinating?” Matthew felt torn between his mind’s interpretation of his experience and what his physical senses were telling him was real. What was Merc? Could someone make him imagine something as sophisticated and extraordinary as Merc?

“No, Math, you are not dreaming. You did not imagine me. I am not a hypnotist, although I did once give a speech that put a bunch of entities to sleep. You are not hallucinating. You have simply been translated.” Merc stopped for a moment to let his words sink in.

“Right now, you are in Fractonia. Judging by your appearance, I can guess that you are a human male from the Earth world. Juvenile. Perhaps somewhere between ten and fifteen Earth years in age. Am I right? I am quite the expert, you know. I can identify over fourteen trillion species from over eight million realms. By the way, I am the Communications Officer with the Inter-Realm Royal Service Extraordinaire. I have been working at the Fractonia Outpost for the past seven million three hundred and forty-nine thousand two hundred and fifteen yonkinots.” Merc smiled reassuringly. “Do you still feel as if you are dreaming?”

Color the Realm of Fractonia by Pearl R. Lewis — Color the Realm of Fractonia

Fractonia by Pearl R. Lewis - a calculated adventure for inquisite minds — Fractonia

FRACTONIA is available in print and digital format. (Use the links on “print” or “digital” to buy the book directly from Lulu, or google the title to find it at your favorite online booksellers.) To create a special Fractonia gift set for a young reader, I recommend combining FRACTONIA with the accompanying paperback coloring book: COLOR the REALM of FRACTONIA. The coloring book includes many of the illustrations that you will see in the novel, plus some extra characters that are mentioned, but not illustrated, in FRACTONIA. Additional FRACTONIA goodies, such as t-shirts, hoodies, water bottles, stickers, stationery, and pillows (which are ideal as gifts or classroom prizes) are available from Café Press.

COLOR the CAROLS: music and art to celebrate Christmas

1 October 2016 by Dr Lewis

Color the Carols COMBO by Eddie and Pearl Lewis It’s the first of October and an exciting day in the Lewis household. It’s RELEASE DAY for the COLOR the CAROLS COMBO. This COMBO includes the adult-friendly coloring book COLOR the TRUMPET CAROLS and the instrumental Christmas CD UNADORNED TRUMPET CAROLS. The COMBO is the result of a joint effort by my super talented husband, Eddie Lewis, and myself.

Over recent years, our family has been noticing how ragged and worn-out people look as the countdown to Christmas progresses. The festive season has become an exhausting time which many people have grown to dread: the endless shopping for gifts, the over-consumption of unhealthy food, office parties, stressful family get-togethers, church productions, crazy traffic, malls crammed with people, more shopping, and so it continues. By the time Christmas Day arrives, many people just want to crawl into a dark corner behind the Christmas tree and sleep off a month of fatigue and irritation. Where has all the PEACE and JOY that is supposed to be associated with Christmas gone? The Christmas carols advertise this blissful state, yet for many a joyful, peaceful Christmas is just a distant memory from a childhood when things moved slower and life was simpler.

Can we recapture that Christmas joy and peace described in the Bible and the many carols? Can we experience it again this Christmas? Eddie and I set out to discover if this was possible. We wanted to create something that would give people the opportunity to shut out the noise and stress of the festive season for at least a little while each day. Our music and illustration skills came together in what we can best describe as a “Christmas experience”. That may sound a little strange, but that is what makes this product what it is: a soothing balm for weary souls. The combo is designed to immerse you in the Christmas story, by soaking your senses in the story. For a little time each day, as you use this COMBO, you can become part of the Christmas story, rejoicing with the angels and shepherds, and at peace with Joseph and Mary. For a little time each day, as you journey through the COMBO using music and the creative application of color, you can leave behind the craziness of the Christmas season, and soak yourself in the true meaning of Christmas.

The coloring book (COLOR the TRUMPET CAROLS) takes you through the Christmas story, from the prophecy of the coming of Jesus Christ to the fulfillment of the prophecy. Each full-page, hand-drawn illustration is accompanied by a page with the scripture which forms the basis for the drawing. This page also includes an extract from a well-known carol that relates to the scripture and the illustration. To deepen the experience of exploring this scene, this text page also includes reference to one or more (sometimes as many as six) carols from the UNADORNED TRUMPET CAROLS album. It is recommended that you play the CD as you color, and pay particular attention to the referenced carols for that page. (This text page is also framed and includes design elements from the accompanying main illustration, so there is plenty of opportunity to add color.)

There is no shortage of documentation available online to support coloring as a relaxing, stress-reducing activity. (If you want to read more about the impact of art therapy methods such as coloring on health, you can read this blog post.) Music has similar powerful health benefits. By combining music and art (to take advantage of the health and well-being benefits of both streams of creativity) with the uplifting effects of scripture, the COLOR the CAROLS COMBO offers a unique Christmas-focused experience. When you open the book, turn on the music, and settle down to meditate on one moment in the Christmas story, you choose something better, something more joyful and more peaceful, than the rush and the stress of today’s Christmas season where it is easy to forget WHY we are celebrating. Treat yourself to a worthwhile Christmas experience this year – and then share the joy and peace with others.

Final Stretch for 2016 Christmas Project

15 September 2016 by Dr Lewis

Christmas Coloring Book by E and P Lewis — Final checks to the illustrations for the Christmas carol coloring book.

Who doesn’t love a cheerfully bright and colorful Christmas? This year, my husband (the embodiment of multi-facetted creativity) and I set out to develop a cheerful, creative product that would embrace the best of Christmas. We wanted this to be a joint creative project that would pool our individual talents, and yield something that would give people a real-time break from all the craziness that Christmas has devolved into. We chose to embark on a project that would blend the visual and hearing senses in an experience that revisits the joy and peace of Christmas. The end of this project is in sight, and the product (which is perfect for gifting) is due for early release in October 2016.

My husband’s half of the project is the listening experience. And it is an experience you will want to have – the music is hauntingly beautiful, and will put you in the mood for the best kind of Christmas. When you have brain-fry and mall-fog from the Christmas shopping that makes you wish you could skip Christmas this year, this is the music you need to be listening to. The CD (which will also be available as a digital download) features a blend of old (read that as VERY well known) and not-so-common Christmas carols. What sets this collection of Christmas carols apart is that the entire album is played exclusively on trumpet. (Technically, it’s not just trumpet, as some of the recordings do feature flugelhorn, but I think of the flugelhorn as falling under the instrumental umbrella of the trumpet.) The CD is perfect for listening to on its own, but it comes into its own when you couple it with my half of the project.

My responsibility was to develop an adult-friendly coloring book that would amplify the experience of listening to the Christmas carols on the CD. Coloring is a great way to unwind at the end of a stressful day, and the festive season has become notorious for taking our stress levels up more than just a few notches. We wanted to develop a coloring experience that would keep the user’s attention on the Christmas story (after all, that is central to why we celebrate at Christmas), and provide plenty of opportunity to indulge in the use of uplifting, vibrant colors. And we wanted to double the relaxation and joy-infusing effect of the coloring by coupling it with mood-uplifting music.

Each page in the coloring book represents a stage in the development of the Christmas story. Those familiar with my drawing style will know that this book won’t look like most of the coloring books you find stacked up on the shelves at the grocery checkout. I like freestyle drawing, and the blending of reality with the abstract. This book is an expression of how I see the Christmas story: a little humor, a little abstract patterning, many fun spaces to color, and a lot of Jesus. And each page is directly related to one or more of the carols on the accompanying CD. Each full-page illustration comes with a list of the carols that are referenced by the illustration, an extract from a carol, and the scripture that forms the foundation for the illustration (and the carols).

With the release date set for October 2016, we are definitely in the final stretch. The music has been recorded, the illustrations are finished, and the final product is coming together. The combo product will initially be sold through Tiger Music, an online music store that ships internationally, but you will be able to buy the CD and the coloring book separately at a later stage. Stay updated by subscribing to my blog (there’s a button on the side of this page), or to my husband’s blog.

If you are looking for a Christmas gift that is cheerful, uplifting, colorful, joy-inducing, stress-relieving, and plain FUN to use, this CD and coloring book combo fits the bill.

NEW RELEASE: Blessed

30 January 2016 by Dr Lewis

“BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul“, my latest book of abstract illustrations, is now in print. This adult coloring book is available in coil-bound and perfect-bound paperback format. There is also a digital version for those who prefer to print their own book at home.

Curious about what it means to be BLESSED, but don’t see yourself as a serious Bible student? Now is your chance to explore what the Bible has to say about this topic in a colorful, creative way. “BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul” includes fifty ready-to-color, full-page designs which gracefully weave together scripture and organic, abstract illustrations. This is a coloring book, so obviously the focus is on providing a space for you to express yourself with color. However, for coloring to be as relaxing and therapeutic as it should be, it makes sense that you be thinking encouraging, uplifting thoughts while you color. As you fill the pages of “BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul” with your choice of vibrant colors, you have the opportunity to reflect on scripture. The fifty full-page illustrations are built around ten core scriptures. Each scripture reveals a little of what it means to be blessed.

The scientist in me is always asking questions, so an “Ask the Illustrator” chapter was inevitable. “How” and “why” questions are a natural part of how I think, and I expect that a few of you are like that, too. You will flip through a book and immediately have questions about the designs or the other content of the book. When I wrote this chapter, I tried to answer a few of the questions I might ask. Given that book space is limited, I didn’t address a lot of questions, and left some to be answered on this blog. If the book doesn’t satisfy your curiosity, and I haven’t covered your question in a blog post, please do send me your question via this website’s contact form.

For the coloring enthusiasts that love a little extra, you will find a BONUS eighteen-page, illustrated Bible reading guide at the back of “BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul“. This reading (or study) guide blends coloring spaces with Bible references. If you are not interested in following up on the topic of blessing in the Bible, you can simply color the reference pages (which are decorated to match the theme of the book). However, if you want to know more about what God has to say about blessing, the reference list gives you a starting place for looking up the topic in the Bible. You can look up as many of the scriptures as you like, and meditate on what you have read as you color. The study guide is a simple way to start your own adventure of discovering the truths buried in the Bible.

“BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul” is all about the joy of coloring abstract illustrations, but it also offers soul nutrition. This adult coloring book encourages you to relax and consciously meditate on God’s Word, while you play with color and tap into the many health benefits of art therapy.

NEW RELEASE: Color the Realm of Fractonia

6 March 201817 November 2015 by Dr Lewis

The ORIGINS of COLOR the REALM of FRACTONIA

“FRACTONIA” is a sci-fi adventure story for pre-teen and teen readers. To tickle the imagination a little more, some chapters also include line illustrations. The style of the illustrations and the story they are able to tell on their own, without text, encouraged the release of a book of ready-to-color illustrations, “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA“.

FRACTONIA’S COLORING BOOK

“COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” (by Pearl R. Lewis) is a small-format, modern-style coloring book for “big” kids (and those who are young at heart). This coloring book matches the design and size of the paperback, “FRACTONIA“, and is also perfect-bound. The coloring book references the novel, and is the logical accompaniment to “FRACTONIA“, particularly if you prefer to give physical books as gifts or prizes. The size of the coloring book makes is convenient and light-weight to slip into a backpack or take along on a car trip.

What is inside “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA”?

The book starts with a brief reference to “FRACTONIA” as a way of introducing the characters that are waiting for your color input. You will encounter all of your favorites: King Spudski, Matthew Roberts, Merc, QM, the memory beasts, and the Parts. Each character has a part to play, but you are the one in charge of how they look when they play that part. While the book does hint about the appearance of the characters, you are free to paint these strange beings in colors that you believe belong with them. No restrictions. You color them as you think they should look.

Of course, King Spudski, Merc, QM, Matthew, and the fraction folk are not new to you. You met them in “FRACTONIA” and ended the book with an idea of how they looked. What “FRACTONIA” failed to reveal was that there were other Fractonians lurking in the shadows that did not get featured in the novel. As a special bonus, “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” introduces you to a few new characters that you may not have noticed before: Diffractoids, Angularicans, the Master of Relativity, and the curious young Nietsnie.

How do I use “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA”?

If you have never heard about the Realm of Fractonia, but enjoy coloring strange creatures you know little to nothing about, this book is for you. Man those colored pencils and colorize the world and the creatures of Fractonia without another moment’s hesitation. There is, however, an advantage to first reading “FRACTONIA” before you attempt to color the pages. Submerging yourself in the story allows you to approach the coloring from a position of familiarity. The illustrations won’t just be lines and forms on the page, but personalities you have come to like or dislike. Having an emotional connection with the characters can help to make your coloring more expressive – you will probably feel more engaged, and might find it easier to daydream about the story as you color. Parents and teachers may prefer to read “FRACTONIA” out aloud to a younger audience. The children can use the telling of the story as a way to stimulate their creativity while they color pictures from “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA“.

Is this a coloring book for little children?

Anyone capable of coloring a line illustration can add color to this book. It was, however, created as a supplement to the book, “FRACTONIA“, so the ideal user of the coloring book will be pre-teen or older. Yes, adults are welcome to indulge in a little coloring.

Should a teen be seen with a coloring book?

Yes, but only if they are smart. Adult coloring is rapidly gaining ground as a healthy activity: it reduces stress, stimulates creativity, and encouraging physical and psychological healing. If adults are recognizing the health benefits of splashing color on the page, smart (i.e. cool) teens will do the same. “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” will appeal most to youth that are interested in science fiction or fantasy. Coupling the coloring book with the novel produces an interesting gift set for the young and curious in your life. It’s a great way to get readers to explore art, and artists to indulge in a little reading.

Where can I buy a copy of “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTION”?

The conveniently sized 6″ x 9″ paperback version of “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” is currently available from Lulu. You can also find it at other online book stores such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Ingram, and The Book Depository.