Baby Elf to appear at Annual Christmas Parade & The Little Hat Company

Look for Baby Elf in South Berwick's Holiday Parade

As seen in www.seacoastonline.com

Children's book author/illustrator Jane Cowen-Fletcher is still working the fairy doors idea in South Berwick, Maine, (mentioned in an earlier column), with growing success. Cowen-Fletcher invited artists to create doorways for little people, to be placed in downtown businesses. The idea is to create enough fantastical entranceways that it would draw people to the community.

The town has had a few attempts at industrial parks shot down, but few are arguing the need for some sort of industry, she says. Cowen-Fletcher believes it's possible to come up with creative ways to make the town a destination spot, given its high percent of artist residents. Fairy doors have done it elsewhere. Why not Maine? "I know we're off the beaten path. But we have three museums. ... and we're right across from the Rollinsford (artists) mills," says Cowen-Fletcher. "It just seems we can make it an art destination. I can't see anything that would come here that would solve our development problem. ... But it has to happen or people won't be able to afford to live here." To date she has eight South Berwick and Rollinsford mill artists sign on. The plan is to install the doors in November '09. Cowen-Fletcher is hoping to land a grant to help with brochures/maps and perhaps other public relations, or material costs.

As for her personal work: Cowen-Fletcher's latest "Baby Elf's Christmas" (Candlewick Press) was released in September. Given its theme, it's only now hitting shelves. She's planned a signing Saturday, Nov. 29, at South Berwick's The Little Hat Company, which has a product tie-in with the book. Yup, it's not just big biz that makes these deals.

Cowen-Fletcher was taken by Jen Houghton's "Toppy Lid" chapeau (a hat with a top loop). While working on her book two years ago she mentioned adding a loop to her elf's hat, "so if it seems worthwhile (later) Jen could make elf hats with loop lids." Cowen-Fletcher did and now Houghton has. "So after the Christmas Parade I'll be doing a signing at the store."

The artist is already on to the next book. "It's about a puppy because we got a puppy," she says laughing. "It's very cute, sweet. ... I do love drawing those things. But I'm feeling like I'd like to write for older kids too." "What's That Puppy Doing?" is due out in 2010.