Some big news! Get ready for …Hello, London!

Hellooo, London! I can’t quite believe it, but soon I’ll be adding book number five to my collection, the fifth instalment of my Hello series, going all the way to the UK for Hello, London!. I signed on for a double deal back in 2018 just after my third release (Hello, Australia!) was published, committing to two books, New Zealand and London, so there was a big 6 month block of book work that already feels like a blur of research, writing, palette building and drawing all the internals. I finished up the NZ book, sent it all off for printing, and got straight into working on the London book. Hello, New Zealand! was published in September 2019, and hot on its heels will be London, in February 2020. Sheesh!

I’m so proud of all the work that’s gone into the London edition, and hope you will love it as much as I do. I took a research trip to London in late 2018, where I got to see London dressed in beautiful Autumn colours — from the orange trees in the parks, to the start of holiday decorations in the city, as well as getting caught in a few sudden downpours! I felt like I was seeing the city in a new light, rich with colour and hidden surprises. It was such a fun challenge to take my inspiration and make something themed on a city that typically has a reputation for being grey and dark. The book is bright and colourful, while still feeling classically ‘London’, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work on such a fun project.

Zooming all over the city, Hello, London! will have you stopping in at the Tower of London, Kew Gardens, Borough Market, riding the Underground and a double-decker bus, and admiring the views from iconic places like The Shard. Arriving in stores in Australia and the UK in February 2020 (and available for pre-order now from Booktopia and The Book Depository). As usual, I’ll also be posting sneak peeks and process work in the lead up to publication on Instagram under the hashtag #HelloLondonbyMeganMcKean.