'Wizard Mortons' Lensography

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Wizardmorton

Scott finds it's Tickety Boo chasing his lifelong dream

Published Date: 24 December 2008

Despite a full-time job, Scott Morton has rigorously pursued his ambition to be a children's book writer and illustrator. He spoke to James Whitworth

SCOTT Morton is sitting in his living room surrounded by Tickety Boo, Babs the Hedgehog and a rat named Yabba.

His wife Angela is unfazed by the odd assortment of characters with which they share their home as they all feature in Scott's children's book, The Great Old Wizard Tickety Boo.

"When I was pregnant with my first child I used to wake up in the middle of the night to find Scott on the edge of the bed writing or drawing something that had come to into his head during the night," she says.

"When our elder child Kyle was younger, Scott used to read his stories to him. Then when Daniel, our second son, came along Scott wrote a new batch of stories."

It was these stories that form the basis of 39-year-old Scott's current book. "It's always been the same characters," Scott says.

Demands of a full-time job as a supervisor at Pennine Foods, along with a mounting list of rejections from big-name publishers, led Scott to put his pens away for a few years. The death of his father, Ernest, in 2005 was the catalyst that finally brought Scott's cast of characters to the printed page.

"When my father died I felt that I just had to finish my stories, so I wrote off to all the top publishing houses but it was knock back after knock back."

Scott and Angela, who live in Westfield, then took their two sons on a Disney cruise where they met artists and illustrators from the studio.
Scott got as far as Disney HQ before he was told that the company did not see authors - only agents.

The frustration only spurred Scott on and soon his luck began to change.
"My eldest son told his English teacher, Mr Khan, that I write stories and illustrate them and I was invited into Westfield School to discuss them. He's been brilliant in motivating me, although it's funny that I'm still being told what to do by a teacher".

Encouraged by the positive response, Scott set about putting his stories into the format that was to become the published book.
It was only when Scott had finally completed his collection of stories that he realised he did not to know how to take the next step - turning them into a book.

"I was really excited about finally finishing my stories but I knew that I might struggle to get it into print."

Scott contacted Yorkshire firm Pen2Print who were happy to take on Scott's book. Then came the problem of getting the book on to the shelves. Large chain bookstores are notoriously reluctant to take on self-published books but Scott was lucky that one of the city's best-loved bookshops was happy to sell it.

"Rhyme and Reason were brilliant," Scott says. "They agreed to take some copies, which is fantastic, but now I need a publisher to take on the book."

"Nobody at work knew I did this but Angela persuaded me to take a copy in and they all thought it was amazing. I had them queuing at the door to buy a copy."

His job has proved useful in other ways, as many of the characters in the book are based on people he has worked with over the years.
"It's a great way to get character profiles," Scott says of his colleagues, although he is understandably reluctant to say on whom Grumpy Stumpy is based.

Scott has been inspired by his late father, who was a miner, and loved to carve walking sticks as well as draw; and his mother who is an accomplished artist and taught Scott how to draw and paint.
Further afield he drew inspiration from a book by Spike Millegan in which the text was accompanied by a picture on every page.

"Having a picture helps hold the kids' attention. Even books aimed at primary school aged children don't have so many pictures and a lot of kids still like to look at pictures, as do many adults."

Scott in turn has passed on his talents to his two sons who, along with all the usual interests of modern day teenagers, love to draw. "I think it's great to bring kids' minds on, and I don't think enough books are read now.

"Trying to find something that will stimulate their minds instead of computer games isn't easy; it's all about finding the books that will interest them. If you can find a book they'll sit down and read, you've achieved something."

Scott has entered his book in the Red House Children's Book Awards. "The competition is judged solely by children but the winners aren't announced until next summer." By which time he hopes to have finished his second book. "Every day after I've been to work I come in, have a bath and put my author's head on."

He then either picks up his sketch pad or works on the text for one of his new stories.

"I have so many ideas that I just have to write them down straight away. In fact I wrote the outline for my third book on a sun lounger on holiday.

"If we're sitting around the pool, all the kids find out I can draw and they all want me to draw their favourite cartoon characters. They'll be kids all around the country who have my drawings of Spiderman".

Angela, aged 36, says: "Scott has been a fantastic husband and I think it's time he shared his talents with everyone else. This may be far-fetched, but I think he could be the UK's Walt Disney."

Now that would be Tickety Boo.

The Great Old Wizard Tickety Boo is available from Rhyme and Reason, 681 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, and from Scott's website www.oldwizardticketyboo.co.uk. It costs £11.99.

Everything is coming up just Tickety Boo!

Ah yes, to us Squidoo lensmasters we probably FIRST got to know the expression about the Squidoo servers running tickety boo. But, for the majority of us lensmasters, do you really KNOW about that expression? It has been quite a while ago that I researched tickety boo through a Google search and to my delight, discovered The Old Wizard Tickety Boo, a book by Scott Morton. I was so enthralled by this magical book, that I blogged about it in JaguarJulie Blog On in March 2009. Then, after my blog post, I 'met' the author online and was delighted to see that he joined me on Squidoo on March 22, 2009.

The internet can be a magical place, bringing people together worldwide. Scott opted to join The Journal of the Traveling Squid, the goodwill project connecting lensmasters and giant squids worldwide. On August 26, 2009, Scott and the Wizard Tickety Boo made their appearance in the traveling squid. Have you seen the photo journey of the traveling squid? It is pretty amazing to see where the traveling squid has been; to see all the wonderful lensmasters who have participated; to read their awesome journal entries. You will find the Wizard Tickety Boo not only in the journal, but also on the Giant Squid t-shirt. Thanks Scott, for sharing the wizard with us!

You can find Wizard and Author Scott Morton on Facebook, Zazzle, and on Squidoo as a lensmaster with some very cool lenses! Want that book? Get The Old Wizard Tickety Boo from Scott!

Tickety Boo and the World of Squidoo

Tickety sat up in his bed, stretched, gave a yawn,
sun shone through his curtains, how he loved the dawn.
He peered through his window to the Magic Tree Wood,
you know the place where all creatures are good.
He noticed the Phoenix, it's fire blazed a trail,
in it's talons clutched tightly it carried the mail.
Phoenix shouted "Old Tickety, I've something for you!
From 'Jaguar Julie' in the land of Squidoo."

I must read this journal of the travelling Squid,
so he popped on his glasses and read it he did.
With a wave of his wand made the pages turn faster,
realising his quest to become a lense master.
A landmark he must find here in his own land,
He stood scratched his head for a while as he planned.

Tickety called for his friends, made this appeal,
To come on a quest to the City of Steel.
Find three bronze giants, all standing tall,
In a magical place known as Meadowhall.
So with Yabba Rat humming and Gizz who was shaking,
Old Autumns bones creaking and Stumpy's noise making.
All set off to Sheffield to find Meadowhall
And find those three bronze giants standing so tall.

The Journal did state how a picture they took,
should be put with this story, inside of this book.
Using his wand right there on the spot,
made a magical picture with a man we call Scott.
With those three bronze giants, all his friends too.
Also magically included himself, dressed in blue,
Did you enjoy this tale of Great Tickety Boo?
Check out more' Wizard Morton' lenses here on Squidoo.

All the Best

Wizard Morton

There lived an old wizard called Tickety Boo,
He lived in a land where Wart Globbers grew,
Up high on a hill there his castle stood,
Looking down on the creatures of Magic Tree Wood,
The Wizard he dressed in blue robes and a hat,
And sitting beside him, his friend Yabba Rat.
The Magic he used was for all good things,
To bring light to the wood, To mend fairies wings.