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Wouldn't you think that it would be easy - EASY - to sell Peter
Rabbit to publishers? Well, before he became a household name to any
little tikes between the ages of two and twelve he was not an easy
sell.
Not until Beatrix Potter, the author and artist that created Peter
and all his cohorts, was into her thirties did she even think of
publishing a book. All her drawings were collected and stored away,
only hopping out to pretty up a note to a nephew or a young friend
who she thought needed cheering up. With a little encouragement she
finally gathered enough of her artwork to approach publishers with
an idea of writing a 'tale' for little children. And can you believe
it? She could not find anyone, not one publisher to print her work.
She had studied biology, anatomy and art all her life. She created
little characters that charmed her young friends and family but she
could not charm publishers enough to take a chance on her and Peter
Rabbit. So she did what so many other frustrated writers did. She
published the book herself. On a cold December day in 1901 Beatrix
Potter had two hundred and fifty copies printed. She promptly gave
most of the books away. Now that the little rabbit was in book form
it wasn't long before a company in London, Frederick Warne and
Company did take notice.
Norman Warne, the youngest of the three Warne brothers in the
company dealt most frequently with Miss Potter. She trusted him and
to him she took all her ideas and drawings. He was treated to her
proofs before anyone else viewed them. He made sure that her ideas
and creations were carried out to her exact directions. He was the
person with whom she discussed her contracts. And he was the one
that finally persuaded the Warne firm publish an edition that was
colorized. That edition was "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" and at
publishing time, October 2, 1902, there were eight thousand copies
that sold out.
Not completely trusting the Warne publishing firm's leader, Fredrick
Warne, Beatrix decided to publish her second book herself. She
wanted her pictures to be accompanied by many of the rhymes she
loved so much. She thought he might cut these and put words to the
pictures himself. With the money she had earned with "The Tale of
Peter Rabbit," she published five hundred copies of "The Tailor of
Gloucester." She distributed these herself and sent one copy to
Norman Warne. Finally, the Warne company saw her vision and
published "The Tailor of Gloucester" in time for Christmas, 1903.
Two months later a third title was published, "The Tale of Squirrel
Nutkin."
In their resource guide on Beatrix Potter, Sayre G. Turney, Michelle
Frisque, Beth Kean and Elizabeth T. Mahoney explore the life and
publishing career of Miss Potter. Their site can be found at
http://www.pitt.edu/~enroom/illustrators/potter.htm. It is a
thorough site with color pictures, bibliography, biography, works by
Miss Potter and examples of her journal.
As their relationship developed, Beatrix and Norman found themselves
admiring each other and seeking out each other's company. The couple
soon fell in love and became engaged in 1905. But love was not to
stay in Beatrix's life. Several months after they became engaged,
Norman died suddenly. Beatrix used her earnings from the 'little
books' to leave her over-powering parents and purchase a small farm
called Hill Top in the northwest area of England. Her love of sheep
and breeding filled her life with farming. Over the years she became
well known as a breeder of Herdwick sheep. She purchased several
more farms and at the time of her death on December 22, 1943 she was
a substantial landowner.
When Beatrix Potter moved to the country and began farming she
painted exquisite watercolors for her books. Most of these books
depict the surrounding north-country farming life. But by the age of
fifty-six Potter's creative period was nearly over and she devoted
her time to sheep farming. "Sister Anne" was the last of Potter's
books to be printed during her lifetime. Two more titles,
"Wag-by-Wall" and "The Tale of the Faithful Dove" were printed
posthumously.
Find available items by: Beatrix Potter
Content provided by Ann McAllister Clark, Old Growth Books.
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