FREQUENTLY ASKED

QUESTIONS

Where can I buy your books?

All my books area available on Amazon. For especial signed and doodled copies contact me ahead of time.

Are you an illustrator or an author?

I'm both. Writing helps me draw new characters and worlds, and drawing makes me create new stories. I began to developed both skills at the same time since I was thirteen.

Years later, I started to work as a freelance professional illustrator for big publishers in my country (Portugal) while I taught in public schools.

I used to illustrate covers for the Portuguese editions of famous books like Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

Now I only illustrate my projects and my husband's novels and games. (www.theveiolwetwest.com)

I love your artwork. Will you draw my characters, book cover,  graphic novels or children's books?

Since 2016 My artwork is www.thevioletwest.com excluvisive.  It makes me very happy that you consider my work.  

You can still collect my artwork with my artbooks, merch, prints, stickers, or commission me an original Artist Card (watercolor or ink) see examples here.

Would you teach me how to draw my children's books?

Sure. I accept private students (online only). I'm also available as a consultant (rate per hour) to give you tips and answer your questions. For prices contact vanessabettencourtart@gmail.com

What are your main influences?

Fantasy illustration, comic books and animation. These are just some of the books that played an important part in my life: Neverending Story, The Hobbit, Chronicles of Prydain, The Redwall, Lord of the Rings, Dragonlance Series... and many more. As for animation: Studio Ghibli.

Was Polly and the Black Ink your first book?

It's funny that I decided to publish my most recent projects first when graphic novels were meant to be just for fun. I used these projects to understand better the world of self-publishing. 

Although the process of publication using KDP doesn't quite translate from a graphic novel to a novel, it helped me to grasp the concept and understand better the different stages. After experimenting with 9 books, I felt ready to push forward and publish my first novel with more than 200 illustrations (Beyond the Cliff and Courage).

I wrote my first book when I was about ten years old. I chased people around the house, reading it out loud. They still quote passages from that project. 

I never stopped writing. I wrote daily about 20 to 40 notebook pages until I was 20s. 

While working as a teacher and a professional illustrator, I kept writing and finishing manuscripts, but never had the will to share them with the public. 

I finally feel that I'm in that place. 

At first, I wrote only in Portuguese; then I started to write only in English.

I have about 12 manuscripts finished that need to be edited and published.

Did you go to college?

Universidade Autonoma de Lisboa  - Linguas e Literaturas Modernas Ingles/ Portugues ( Portuguese and English Literature)

Universiade Autonoma de Lisboa - Ciencias de Educacao (like a... Teacher's License)

Sociedade de Belas Artes - Pintura e Desenho (Painting and Live Drawing)

Faculdade de Belas Artes - Pintura e Escultura (Fine Arts and Scupture)

What about sports?

One day I was very sad so I decided to try Kendo in a dojo in Lisbon. When I realized, years later, I was representing Portugal in the Kendo European Championship in Bern. Sometimes things like that happen.