The Author and Illustrator Alyson Marsh
It has been a long but cathartic journey to create this book. Although the reason behind this book began with the sadness that came from losing my father, it has enabled me to appreciate what is important in life. To me this is my family and good friends that have helped me throughout my life.
My role as an Art teacher (with 23yrs experience) gave me the confidence to believe in my creation and the support of my family and friends helped me to make my dream a reality. I only hope that this book will go on to help countless young people to come to terms with their loss and serve to give them some hope in such a challenging time in their lives.
The main aim for me creating this book was to try to get young children to talk about grief. Grief is very personal to each individual and people and children cope in different ways.
I have not created this book to dictate how one should grieve but to offer some hope and comfort at such a challenging time.
Death is a very difficult subject, particularly for young people so I am hoping that my book will help to encourage this necessary discourse to take place while at the same time reassure them that the person they have lost is always with them in their heart and memories.
I am hoping to get my book into every school in the UK and then hopefully I will look to selling overseas to engage with as many young people as possible.
The Kickstarter Journey
In Oct 2019 we set up a project on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. Through social media and a lot of hard work we managed to raise £9,100. This enabled us to be in the position to self publish. In Oct 2019 I was invited to go on the Chelsea Norris show at BBC Radio Manchester. The show was a great opportunity to spread the word on the book and the interview went really well.
The Corona virus made me realise just how important A Better Place will be.
The father in the book is based on my husband David and Thora is based on my daughters. I wanted the book to have a personal feel to it so for this reason much of the illustration work relates to my family and the memories we have created so far. 
Bereavement is a difficult but important topic. This book, A Better Place, by Alyson Marsh, deals with it beautifully. Alyson reflects on and evokes images of a better place where our loved ones now reside, waiting for us. The book is absolutely beautiful, soothing, thoughtful and delightful. Very well done!
Alyson illustrated the book as well.
This is a lovely edition, beautifully designed and sensitively written with a comforting message about grief and loss for younger readers. It offers positive steps to help manage emotional trauma with accompanying activities. Read solely or shared, it explores confusion and myths around loss and grief permitting helpful discussion. It supports ways of finding ‘a better place’
Well done.. Your book is gorgeous, engaging quirky, fun and incredibly touching. Although it covers a sensitive subject its bright illustrations and cover make you feel happy
Rare that I do a book review on Facebook.. This however deserves huge credit
Everything I love.. Fun.. Engaging…Heart warming
