What's 10 years between friends! 

IRIS & ECHIDNA Curious Books and Illustration began in 2006. It began as a funny- aside to attract attention of Australia's largest independant publisher and to publish my first book which was reviewed, launched and sold by Readings Bookstores. It worked! My second book was published by the biguns and the first Children's Book ( by my insistence) to be printed on 100% recycled paper. 

Unfortunately I also learnt the hard way to be more protective of my work lest it be knicked and manipulated by editors who have no qualms about stealing ideas, storylines and adapting submitted illustrations (whilst flatly denying it.) Whcih was my third book. A legal battle was impossibly costly.

So instead I changed my name to Wattleitbe and began painting ferociously...  For ten years!

HOWEVER- IN A SUBLIME TWIST OF FATE - my skills rocketed, having created literally hundreds of paintings in miniature. They became intentionally and unintentionally like pages in an ongoing story. AND those paintings helped secure a decommissioned CFA shed for a studio in 2023 in Kawarren. And Kawarren means  Echidna in Gadabanud language! 

So IRIS & ECHIDNA is brilliantly reborn at the perfect time with two NEW STORIES! Isn't fate fantastically fantastical!

Let me introduce to you,

'HUEY IS...' 

a Children's BOARD BOOK featuring Australian Surfing Deity, Huey. (0-3years)

It's fun, funny, tongue in cheek and comically esoteric but also joyfully inclusive and a happy addition in any family library.

And

 'SEA LEGS' a Children's Picture Book based on the true story of Toby and The Gallop, a kid's running race held annually in Apollo Bay Australia. It's about "having a crack". (0-7 years.)

(Which became bizarrely motivating for me to have a crack at printing a book about having a crack.)

To be clear this campaign is TO FUND RAISE PRINT COSTS for  TWO BOOKS at THE SAME TIME! 

By contributing TWO books will get to print! 

AND be an official patron of a micro Independant Publishing House in the Otways, Victoria. 

IRIS & ECHIDNA's purpose is to make create and publish works that are unique design language and style. 

This is just the beginnig.

From my experience as a part time bookseller (20 years) and since I've been working in libararies (4 years) it's very obvious that Australia is lagging behind in unusual books for children.

Europe, Japan and New Zealand on the other hand LOVE wildly Original stories unique in perspective but honed by place. 

AUSTRALIA NEEDS MICRO INDEPENDANT PUBLISHING HOUSES. 

So voila- here is a fundraiser for that very thing- with two books ready in the wings.

Besides major heart explosion, this campaign is Super EXCITING artistically as I've ditched my usual blasts of polymer and ink for paper-cut. Yep I drew with scissors! This fresh approach, initially sparked by a request to create a window display for Apollo Bay Library- sparked these two books. I loved the new method so much both books virtually made themselves. 

They are simple, experimental and rich in quirk. I've learnt many lessons alomg the way.

After receiving quotes from a Geelong based printer and China, I ordered colour test prints (CMYK). They are back and look unreal. Just need to add barcodes and tweak a couple of things and we are set.

As there's a time lag in shipment of 30 days with overseas printing and this campaign is 5 weeks and running close to Santa Day the books are likely to land end of January 2026. In lieu of the gap and potential gifts I will send out a special folded poster to contributors, aside from the no reward and postacrd only patrons.   

Also in the throes of setting up a new website and insta for IRIS & ECHIDNA but will update along the way.

You can reach me here, via POZIBLE or Instagram: @wattleitbe and email; [email protected] with any questions or simply to say G'day.

CAN'T WAIT TO GET THESE BOOKS TO YOU! 

Thank you SO much for reading this campaign ramble spat straight fro the heart.

Heeeereeeeewegoooooooooooooo!

The budget is simple;

First Print Run  and transport costs of 'Huey Is...'   = $3000 

First Print Run and transport costs of 'Sea Legs'    = $2900

I have budgeted for hidden, unseen curly factors at $500 

and the remaining $590 goes to postage costs, promtional print poster, business card/bookmarks.

Any extra funds generated over budget in this campaign will go directly to the IRIS & ECHIDNA studio- it needs a new roof (!!!)  :)