Heather Bell
LightNews LightNews
banner
heatherbell37.bsky.social
Heather Bell
@heatherbell37.bsky.social
760 followers 770 following 260 posts
Artist, writer, and professional overthinker 😸 She/They 🏳️‍🌈 Rep’d by Kaitlyn Sanchez, Bradford Literary Agency. 📚SIMPLY SKYE out now

Portfolio: https://heatherbellbooks.com/
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Heather Bell
kidlit411.bsky.social
Our weekly big list of kid lit links is up (Nov 14): kidlit411.com/2025/11/the-... Inside: Writing Scenes with Senses, Tabling Comic Shows, Crowdfunding webinar, more. Thanks @heatherbell37.bsky.social for the illustration, Manu Delpech and @laurenkerstein.bsky.social for the PB giveaways.
The Weekly 411 (11/14/25)
A one-stop place for all your kid lit information needs.
kidlit411.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:18 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
🍁Spooky season is almost here, and so is our agency’s Fall Art Blast! 🍂✨ Meet this brave kiddo and the not-so-scary monster in their closet!
👒
Title: They Only Come Out at Night
Medium: colored pencils on black paper
#kidlit #kidlitart 🎨
A child is putting a cowpoke hat on a purple monster emerging from a closet. A light is shining on them and they are casting shadows in a dark room. Both are enjoying playing dress-up.
September 13, 2025 at 12:34 AM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
Summer Solstice has finally come, and it's time to cool off with some ice cream. #KansasCity is blistering hot right now, but a towering cone of creamy scoops would certainly help take the edge off.

Title: A Summer Dream

#bombayinks #childrensbookillustration #kidlitart 🎨#illustrations
Frames show a girl holding an ice cream cone that is reaching out to space. An alien ship has a mechanical arm that puts a cherry on top. Text reads: It's...perfect.
June 21, 2025 at 10:50 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
🥳 Happy Book Birthday to Katie Finds Her Voice! 🎉✨
I’m so excited to see this story, written by the wonderful Amy McCoy, out in the world today!
Loved illustrating Katie's journey and can't wait for readers to experience her story!
#BookBirthday #Illustration #PictureBook #kidlit #kidlitart 🎨
March 25, 2025 at 7:04 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
It's the Holiday season! ❄️Hope everyone living in a cold climate is staying toasty and warm! Sharing my illustration for Bradford Literary's Winter Art Blast ⛄️❄️

Title: "Found Family Festivities"

Media: Watercolor ink and digital editing
#scbwi #illustrators #kidlitart 🎨 #kidlit
A group of friends and family gather in a kitchen getting food together to celebrate the holidays. A boy in front is sneaking a cookie for a puppy.
December 16, 2024 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by Heather Bell
skypitch.bsky.social
Get ready, #skypitch is happening on Wednesday. boringstorybook.com/skypitch/
GET THOSE PITCHES READY #SKYPITCH WEDNESDAY 2 DAYS 10/23 A PICTURE BOOK PITCH PARTY ON BLUESKY
October 21, 2024 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Heather Bell
bradfordagents.bsky.social
"Fall Moods" by @heatherbell37.bsky.social 🎒

Heather is available as: an author-illustrator or illustrator

Focuses: picture books and graphic novels (open to all #kidlit projects, including, board books, cover art, MG)

Rep: @kaitlynleann17.bsky.social
Website: heatherbellbooks.com
#kidlitart
September 23, 2024 at 4:34 PM
Reposted by Heather Bell
ljrwritenow.bsky.social
🥳 #NationalPictureBookDay @ginasoldano.bsky.social @tracycgold.bsky.social @judithvaldesb.bsky.social @writerjolene.bsky.social @viviankirkfield.bsky.social @heatherbell37.bsky.social @jilldanabooks.bsky.social @bonniekelso.bsky.social @lisaljrogers.bsky.social @lynnbbooks.bsky.social
Bookshelves of picture books by PictureBookGold authors and illustrators Bookshelves of picture books by PictureBookGold authors and illustrators
August 9, 2024 at 2:12 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
It's SUMMER! So, here's my illustration for our agency's Art Blast going out next week. Whether you have fireflies or click beetles where you live, summertime is the best time for catching summer night's winged lights.

Title: Catching Hope
#bombayinks
#kidlitart
🎨 #kidlit
#illustrator
Child with glasses catching fireflies at night with the moon shining.
June 21, 2024 at 4:50 PM
Reposted by Heather Bell
kaitlynleann17.bsky.social
#kidlitzombieweek starts Monday! Do you have manuscripts you thought were dead? Join us to bring those zombies back to life w/ blog posts, discussions, & of course #prizes! Check all the details out here:
sites.google.com/u/0/d/1uPxbh...

Share and tag all your #amwriting #amrevising #kidlit friends
June 15, 2024 at 7:56 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
Today is our agency's Spring Art Blast! Here's my piece.
Title: "Make the Morning Last"
... a little nod to Simon and Garfunkel on this gorgeous spring morning🌞 🌱🌷

#kidlitart 🎨
#scbwiillustrators #illustration
Porch in the light of morning in the early 70s, mom rocking her baby in a yellow rocking chair. Ferns decorate the porch.
March 15, 2024 at 2:18 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
Happy #KidLitArtPostcard day from my creative spark!

I love portraying diverse characters and different perspectives in PBs, CBs, and MGs, and love exploring the magic in everyday life.
✨🎨
Website:  heatherbellbooks.com
Rep’d: Kaitlyn Sanchez at Bradford Literary
 
#kidlit #kidlitart #illustration
A creative spark emerging from an open book to explore the outside world.
March 7, 2024 at 2:14 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
My newest commission painting in honor of a gorgeous pup who has crossed the rainbow bridge 🌈 🐕‍🦺 🎨

#petportrait #artist
Large dog looking back while walking down gravel path.
March 1, 2024 at 7:38 PM
Reposted by Heather Bell
ljrwritenow.bsky.social
youtu.be/lxBrtswO_TE?... My book comes out in 2️⃣ weeks and I have a trailer!
Am I excited? Yes! 🎬 #kidlitchat
January 29, 2024
An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story book trailer
youtu.be
January 31, 2024 at 2:51 AM
Reposted by Heather Bell
queerkidlit.bsky.social
The 2024 Queer Kidlit Mentors are posted! We have mentors for PB (manuscript or dummy), GN (script or pages) CB, MG, YA, and illustrator portfolios

Applications for this program will be open on January 10th.
Thank you for sharing to help spread the word! #Kidlit

queerkidlit.weebly.com
January 3, 2024 at 9:09 PM
Reposted by Heather Bell
ljrwritenow.bsky.social
#Gratitude We felt the love & can’t wait to share more #kidlit joy in 2024
@judithvaldesb.bsky.social @heatherbell37.bsky.social @mollycranch.bsky.social @lisaljrogers.bsky.social @writerjolene.bsky.social @authoranita.bsky.social @viviankirkfield.bsky.social
@jilldanabooks.bsky.social
December 30, 2023 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Heather Bell
charlenedraws.bsky.social
Exciting news! We’re bringing our beloved #KidLitArt chat over to BlueSky in 2024!

Stay tuned & please follow @kidlitart.bsky.social for updates to come!

#KidLit
Colorful background announcing KidLitArt chat is coming, January 25, 2024, 9pm EST
December 14, 2023 at 9:13 PM
Reposted by Heather Bell
brianlarossa.com
There's only about a day left in the auction and, alas, this morning there were still no bids, so I bid on myself, lest WNDB lose out on the minimum donation.

I do enjoying talking to myself, but, also, I would genuinely love to talk to you! I invite you to outbid me! Give WNDB your $upport!

💙❤️
brianlarossa.com Brian LaRossa @brianlarossa.com · Dec 7
Hey #kidlit illustrators the “We Need Diverse Books” 2023 Winter Auction has begun! Proceeds support WNDB programming including initiatives that fight book banning. 

I'm offering a 1-hour portfolio-review/coaching-session!
e.givesmart.com/events/zGk/i...

Bid for yourself or gift it to a friend! 💙❤️
A graphic announcing We Need Diverse Books' 2023 Winter Auction. wndbwinter2023.givesmart.com
December 11, 2023 at 2:45 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
❄️I never saw snow until I moved away for college, and I spent literal hours lying on my dorm bunk staring at it falling when it finally came 😻
"Let it Snow" 🎨

#kidlitart #scbwi #illustrator
Child staring out window where snow is falling. Holiday lights surround window. Grandma in room behind reading and dog laying down by the warm fire.
December 11, 2023 at 3:27 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
Got a bit sidetracked, but may I present—#inkvember 27 and 28. See? I didn't totally forget about these kids and their adventures.
Drawing Prompts: Beast and Sparkle
#kidlitart 🎨
Three graphic panels depicting a flying roaring beast protecting a chained egg. Two beings appear (an angel and a demon) along with three children. Two other children discuss plans in the foreground.
November 29, 2023 at 1:17 AM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
November always seems to be chockful of commission work and other things, so I haven't tried it yet. But I am curious how others feel about it. It seems like a good way to encourage butt in chair. #middlegrade
rosdando.bsky.social Ros Dando ✨A Gift of Wild available now!✨ @rosdando.bsky.social · Nov 5
A few people have already mentioned this, so... here's #MiddleGrade chat question 4!

(I think we'll leave it at four for this week, as I've been a little behind in posting, and few people share snippets)
Question 4 Are you tackling NaNoWriMo this year? Have you ever tried it before and, if so, how did you get along with it?
November 5, 2023 at 5:56 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
I can only speak to this for picture books for which I've done many! 😜 But I have not done a whole rewrite for #middlegrade and even hearing others around me working on one causes me to break out in a sweat 😆
rosdando.bsky.social Ros Dando ✨A Gift of Wild available now!✨ @rosdando.bsky.social · Nov 5
#MiddleGrade chat question 3.

If you've not rewritten from scratch, how chunky are your edits? Have you done big structural work before, or do your first drafts come out pretty clean? (If so, I'm a little jealous 😂)
Question 3 Have you ever rewritten a project? What was the reason behind it, if you have?
November 5, 2023 at 5:42 PM
heatherbell37.bsky.social
Still finishing up #inktober prompts...er....#inkvember 😅...

Here's a whole bunch in one, the story is almost done:
Daily Drawing Prompts: Scratchy, Celestial, Shallow, Dangerous, and Remove from days 22-26.

#kidlitart 🎨 #illustrator
www.instagram.com/heather.bell...
A ferret and two children attempt to remove a giant egg in chains from a shallow nest. In the background it is snowy and night with large planets and a mythical beast swooping in from the sky.
November 5, 2023 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Heather Bell
joshfunkbooks.bsky.social
Teachers, librarians, educators, parents, & readers! It’s #giveaway time! I need to find these 18 middle-grade illustrated/graphic novels a new home!

FOLLOW, ❤️, and RT/QT or Comment+Tag a friend to enter for a chance to add these great books 📚 to your collection! Winner selected 11/5.
November 2, 2023 at 9:57 PM