A former Boston Borough Councillor has launched his own publishing company with a raft of books he has written for children.
Mark Baker gave up his position on the council in 2015 to travel the world, but his previous work as a nursery nurse and graphics designer has him well placed for his new career in children’s literature.
The highlight of Mark’s graphic design career was designing and building the websites to promote movies for Universal Pictures. The films included Elizabeth: Golden Age, Mr Bean’s Holiday, Atonement, United 93, Hot Fuzz and Nannie McPhee. He was lucky enough to attend early screenings in posh London hotels and walk the red carpet at premieres in Leicester Square.
Mark sold everything he owned to travel the world, visiting Russia, Mongolia, China, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Canada, India, U.A.E, USA, Thailand and Vietnam. He has just returned from an eye-opening trip to Israel, Palestine and Jordan.
His travels and experiences have helped inspire his books, such as his stay with a Taoist master in the hills of South Korea which involved 4am rises for two hours of meditation.
One of Mark’s favourite creations is a character called Sam who has a doorknob for a nose which enables the superpower of unlocking any door and travelling anywhere as a door on a car, plane or even a rocket.
Learn more at www.r-and-q.com/doorknobnose/
Mark has photographed faces founded in everyday objects such as plugs and switches, which, in turn, he has adapted into a set of characters called The Mettas. Along with local primary school teacher, Adam Galvin, Mark has been creating children’s storybooks about each of these characters who you can meet at www.r-and-q.com/the-mettas/
Adam and Mark collaborated once again on a series of children’s factual books which they branded as R Amazing. They have currently created and published three books: People R Amazing, Men Who R Amazing and Women Who R Amazing. With six other working titles in progress: Mythical Creatures R Amazing, Dogs R Amazing, Cats R Amazing, Mums R Amazing, Dads R Amazing and Horses R Amazing. Learn more at www.r-and-q.com/r-amazing/
The books they publish fall into categories of children’s picture story books, all written and illustrated in a gender-neutral way, information books and imaginative arty books
Mark said: “ We aim to share ingenious and unique ideas that we hope readers will love, or even hate. We would much rather 50 per cent adored or detested what we do than have 100 per cent think our ideas are just alright.”
Each book has a supporting website with fun games and an ever-growing range of merchandise which can be found at www.R-and-Q.com/brands/
R and Q gives you lots of free content to support each book, all you need to do is sign up for our eNewsletter (https://r-and-q.com/about-us/) or follow them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/quirky.creative.odd.randq/) or Instagram. (https://www.instagram.com/quirky_creative_odd_randq/).
Adam and Mark with some of their recent books they have had published