Publisher's Weekly Star Watch 2016 Honoree Jeannine Dillon

I just found this out, but I have to brag on my editor, Jeannine Dillon, who I found out made the Publisher's Weekly Star Watch 2016 Honorees! She has been great to work with and always has a sixth sense about what the publishing world needs next before they know it! :) Congrats! 

Jeannine Dillon (pictured far left) Editorial Director, 

Race Point Publishing Quarto Publishing Group, New York 

“In 30 years of bookselling, I’ve only worked with a few people who have had the instincts, imagination, and creativity of Jeannine Dillon.” —colleague 

Few can pinpoint their best day on the job, but Dillon can. It was the day she received her first thank-you letter from a cancer treatment center in Louisiana. The staff told her that patients and their families were more relaxed during chemo sessions when they were coloring in Color Me Calm, the first book in the press’s Color Me series. “That was by far my best day in publishing,” she says. 

For Color Me Calm, published at the early stage of the adult coloring book craze, Dillon insisted on authenticity. She consulted art therapists to determine if there were shapes and colors that could actually make a person feel calm. Each image in the book was crafted both by the artist, Angela Porter, and art therapist Lacy Mucklow. The tens of thousands of copies sold in the series support Dillon’s belief that “the selling point for many is about finding tranquility.”

Real Simple Magazine highlights that making art reduces stress

Real Simple Magazine featured an article that highlights research from Drexel University showing that there was a significant reduction in stress levels after making art. They also list their Top 6 favorite coloring books, and "Color Me Happy" made the list!

New Research Says We Should All Color More 

The stress-relieving benefits are real. 

By Samantha Zabell 

You may think you’re “not creative” or “bad at art,” but a new study from Drexel University says you should head to the craft store anyway. According to new research, making art can significantly reduce stress levels, whether you’re gluing macaroni noodles or painting museum-worthy landscapes. 

The results of the study, published in the journal Art Therapy, were not entirely surprising to lead researcher Girija Kaimal, EdD, who said in a statement: “That’s the core idea in art therapy: Everyone is creative and can be expressive in the visual arts when working in a supportive setting.” Even people who rarely picked up a crayon experienced the same stress-relieving benefits as those who were practiced in making art. 

 The researchers studied 39 adults between the ages of 18 and 59, and measured their cortisol (stress hormone) levels before and after a 45-minute art session. Participants were free to experiment with everything from markers to clay, without instruction or direction. Following the session, 75 percent of participants experienced a drop in cortisol levels. The other 25 percent experienced heightened cortisol levels, but Kaimal explained that those individuals were not necessarily more stressed—heightened cortisol levels can also suggest engagement or enjoyment. 

 There was no significant correlation between skill or materials used and cortisol levels, meaning modeling clay was just as soothing as coloring. But because younger participants consistently exhibited lower cortisol levels after making art, Kaimal believes creative arts would especially benefit stressed students. 

 If you don't have a robust craft closet at your disposal, there is a simple way to reap the same benefits without much mess—adult coloring books. You’ve likely read about the craze, which proves these intricately designed books are no longer just for kids. In 2015, 12 million copies of coloring books were sold in the U.S., compared to just 1 million in 2014. Here, our favorite books to help you unwind:

Color Me Calm Featured in Durham and Chapel Hill Magazines for Holiday Gift Guide

What a pleasure to see that both the Chapel Hill Magazine and Durham Magazine featured "Color Me Calm" in their Holiday Gift Guide section in the December 2015/January 2016 editions of their magazine.  I can't believe all the places I still find references to my coloring books even years later.  Thank you!

https://issuu.com/shannonmedia/docs/chmdec2015issuu (Chapel Hill Magazine) chapelhillmagazine.com

https://issuu.com/shannonmedia/docs/dm_dec_jan16  (Durham Magazine) 

durhammag.com

Color Me Calm and Color Me Happy Are Here!

After over a year of working and waiting, I am proud to announce my first published books that came out simultaneously on October 27th.  They are coloring books for adults entitled "Color Me Calm" and "Color Me Happy," published by Race Point Publishing.  I authored the text and the content, with each book broken down into themed chapters of things that are commonly associated with calming people or boosting their mood.  Angela Porter did a fantastic job illustrating my artistic suggestions for each chapter to give everyone dozens of pictures to color.  They are great to use for yourself, for friends or family, or with your clients.  Even in pre-order, "Color Me Calm" has already made it as a #1 Bestseller on Amazon, and "Color Me Happy" is not far behind at #2.