From Sketches to Spanish: Crafting Pooja’s Story, One Page at a Time

Hello, friends of art and adventure!

Yesterday, I dove into formatting and typesetting the Spanish version of our children’s book, Pooja: El Destino Aguarda—the bilingual cousin to Pooja: Destiny Awaits. Let me tell you, it was quite the challenge! With my limited knowledge of Spanish, I leaned heavily on our wonderful translator to nail the grammar. But even with that lifeline, creating a children’s book—like most things worth doing—is no small task.

When people hear I illustrated Pooja: Destiny Awaits, they often picture quiet, lovely moments sketching whimsical scenes of a South Indian puppy on her global quest to help animals. And yes, that part is magical—the art flows, the colors dance, and bringing Pooja to life feels like pure joy. But that’s just the beginning. The real heavy lifting comes after those first illustrations are done, when I shift gears to merge words with images. It’s a different beast entirely, tapping into an analytical side of the brain that folks don’t always associate with artists.

I used to think the initial pass of illustrations was the finish line—oh, how wrong I was! That’s when the work truly begins. Filling in storytelling gaps between images, laying out pages, and carefully carving text into the artwork—it’s like designing a space where every detail matters. For Pooja: El Destino Aguarda, yesterday was all about wrestling with fonts and spacing in a language I’m still learning, making sure the Spanish text sits just right alongside Pooja’s vibrant world. It’s a puzzle, and while it stretches me, it’s also incredibly rewarding to see it come together.

This journey with author Jamison Shults and The Omnibus Publishing has been a wild ride—from sketches to Spanish. The English version is out now (print $25.00, eBook $7.99), and the Spanish edition hits mid-March 2025. Want a peek at Pooja’s adventure? Head to www.jamisonshults.com to grab the English copy, download a free activity kit, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X at @poojaadventures. Stay tuned—Pooja’s story is growing, one page at a time!

Warmly,
Marla Emory
Illustrator of Pooja: Destiny Awaits
Professor, School of Design, Louisiana Tech University