ABOUT NICKNAME PRESS

Nickname Press is located in beautiful Cobourg, Ontario, Canada.
Our mailing address is:

Box 454
39 Queen Street
Cobourg, ON K9A 1M0.

Email us at

HISTORY OF NICKNAME PRESS

While pregnant as a surrogate mother for a gay family, Nickname Press founder Heather Jopling was surprised to learn from the intended parents that there were very few children's stories that dealt with non-traditional families in a down-to-earth manner. Seeking to fill this void, she began writing diversity-friendly stories that would give reading alternatives, not only to gay/les families, but to families like her own; open-minded and eager to share inclusive ideas with their children. Bypassing the traditional publishing industry, she decided to form her own publishing company - Nickname Press.

In September of 2006, Nickname Press launched a line of diversity-friendly and gay/les-positive illustrated children's books. With the considerable talents of illustrators Allyson Demoe and Lauren Page Russell, Nickname Press has created a new line of Canadian children's books which offer reading options to open-minded families.

The first three titles from Nickname Press are matter-of-fact representations of today's diverse families. Ryan's Mom is Tall is a comparative illustrated book showing lesbian mothers; Monicka's Papa is Tall is the gay version of the same style of book; and The Not-So-Only Child is an illustrated book showing an only-child's very diverse family. All three titles are appropriate for children aged 3- 6 years. Other stories to be launched in the near future include ideas of surrogacy, bi-racial families and international adoption. The coming titles will be more story-based and will be appropriate for older children aged 5-8 years.

The picture of families is changing and Nickname Press whole-heartedly welcomes that change. Our extended family has a beautiful blend of lifestyles and ethnicities that enrich our lives. We hope that Nickname Press's launch of these books will help all families embrace diversity-friendly views of family. With the help of families like yours, we can continue to create and pubish titles that embrace diversity. Please support your local independent publisher!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR		ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATORS
	Heather Jopling has performed Shakespeare as a clown, written 4 one-woman shows, several plays and a very bad romance novel. She has been a surrogate mother for a gay family and her husband has been a sperm donor for a lesbian family. She has a degree in Theatre and is the proud parent of a beautiful daughter, three cats and one dog.		As a youngster, Allyson Demoe always enjoyed drawing, painting and looking at art, so much so that she graduated with a degree in Studio Art from the University of Guelph. Allyson also likes to help others draw, paint and look at art, so she became an art teacher and currently lives and teaches in Southern Ontario. In her off time, Allyson enjoys (you guessed it) drawing, painting and looking at art.
			Lauren Page Russell is a Drawing and Painting graduate of the Ontario College of Arts and Design. Her favourite medium is the trusty HB Pencil, but she has also been known to use pencil crayon, paint and ink. In Lauren's spare time, she also designs theatre sets. Lauren lives and works in Toronto.

# # # MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Jopling, [email protected]