Here at Fresh Print Magazine, we celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit. In an environment where full-time employment is hard to come by, following your dreams can be a daunting task. Jennifer Cuthbert Lam has done just that.
Jennifer, a teacher by trade with a flair for telling stories, has melded her two passions to create “The Adventures of Lollipop,” an entertaining and educational series of books for children 6-12. The central character, Lollipop, and her friends travel to different parts of the world and throughout history. Each book is a collection of comedic stories and is produced in a comic book format with colourful pictures and easy-to-read dialogue. Jennifer’s goal is to inspire kids to learn about different cultures and encourage girls and boys (especially boys, as it’s been proven that they learn at a slower pace) to read. The series currently includes 2 print titles and 7 e-books, with an 8th to be released in November. 2014 will be a big year for “The Adventures of Lollipop.” It marks the 20th year of the character’s creation—an amazing feat considering Jennifer herself isn’t yet 30.
“I created the character when I was just a kid,” she exclaims. “I started drawing the actual comic when I was in high-school.”
Writing and drawing aren’t the only things on Jennifer’s plate. In the world of self-publishing, marketing is key. To generate buzz on www.adventuresoflollipop.com she posts a free “Comic of the Week” every Wednesday, and displays fan art created by her young fans. Jennifer also frequently visits elementary schools in the GTA to perform interactive author presentations, which include a reader’s theatre and step-by-step cartoon drawing lessons, which the kids adore.
This young entrepreneur is always looking for ways to expand her business and bring her educational stories to a greater audience. Her dedication to kids, education, and the arts, leaps off the page. You can follow Jennifer on Twitter @lollipop_comics or reach her by mail at jennifer.cuthbert@hotmail.com to learn more about her projects or schedule an author visit.