Business and Creative Writing graduates collaborate to create children’s publishing house
11 August 2026
“We decided if the landscape doesn’t suit us, then we’ll contribute to the landscape directly by making something entirely our own,” shared Loui Cimino, one of the co-founders behind upcoming children’s book publisher, Button Box Books.
As a BA(Hons) Journalism & Creative Writing alumna, Loui knew he wanted to pursue publishing, and through collaborating with MSc Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management graduate and friend Sally Hodgson, the pair have combined their experience in business and publishing to build their own creative business.
We chatted with Loui and Sally to learn more about their aspirations for the publishing house, how they’ve already started working with Falmouth’s illustration students to bring books to life, and how their courses, lecturers and academic experiences instilled within them the skillsets, confidence and determination needed to pursue a career in the publishing industry.
Can you tell us about your brand-new business, Button Box Books?
Loui: Button Box Books is an upcoming independent children’s book publisher, with its intended audience being children aged 0-6. Each book is a collaboration between our editorial team and an independent illustrator. Our social media channels launched in June, from which we promoted the business and put out an open call for illustrators and artists. Within days, we’d had a plethora of portfolio submissions and began our selection process. Since then, we have signed on three illustrators, two of whom are Falmouth students, who will begin working on their respective projects from September until they are published in Winter 2027. We have also had illustrative support from a recent Falmouth BA(Hons) Fine Art graduate, Sophie Matheson, who designed our lovely logo.
What are your individual roles within the business and what skills do you each bring?
Loui: While being co-founders, we both have our own designated responsibilities. Sally will be working as the Director of Operations & Marketing, overseeing fundraising, social media marketing and finances. She is currently writing her Falmouth dissertation, which doubles as Button Box Books’ business plan, which we will be taking to potential investors this winter. Even in the early stages of our business, Sally has utilised her connections to secure potential partnerships with established businesses.
Sally: Meanwhile, Loui is Lead Editor; writing, editing and overseeing the general creative process across each individual title. A key responsibility within this is directly collaborating with our artists and illustrators to create visually engaging books for our young audience. Having previously worked at an award-winning children's publisher, authoring 20+ children’s books in one year under the pseudonym Rex Luther, Loui has already gained experience working in editorial for children’s books.
Sally, how did you find your time studying MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management and how do you think the skills gained will support you with Button Box Books?
I first studied BA(Hons) Fashion Design at Falmouth, where I had an incredible time, but ultimately decided that fashion wasn’t for me. After writing my dissertation on sustainable certifications for companies in the fashion industry, I began to explore my talents in business. After connecting with Marcus Simmons, who would later become my lecturer, and completing a micro-internship with Falmouth alumna Kate Richards from Radical Wax, I decided to pursue MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management. My time on the course has been incredibly valuable to my academic and professional development.
Both Marcus Simmons and Jamie Smith are engaging and approachable; being the youngest on the course, they always made me feel respected and comfortable, helping me reach my full potential. The lecturers at Falmouth helped guide me, giving me the confidence I needed to make Button Box Books possible.
And can you tell us more about your experience undertaking a micro-internship, and how that’s inspired you to work with students at Button Box Books?
The micro-internship was a defining experience from my time at university. Kate Richards not only gave me valuable advice but provided a space where I could learn on the job. I often think back to my time with Kate and what she taught; even now if I have a query or need advice I know she would be more than happy to help.
Working under Kate at several surf events really helped bring me out of my shell and actively encouraged me to pursue Falmouth’s MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, the course Kate was on at the time. Working with her gave me something to aspire to and subsequently inspired me to start Button Box Books with my best friend.
The connections created through the micro-internship programme not only help someone gain experience but can potentially change lives. As the opportunity was so pivotal to my academic journey and the creation of our business, I wanted to give back to fellow Falmouth students as Kate did.
We’ve since been in contact with the employability team, and with the funds raised from our crowdfunding campaign we wish to take on two micro interns from September 2026. I hope I can have even a fraction of the impact on one of our interns as my experience with Radical Wax had on me.
Finally for you Sally, you’ve worked with illustration students as part of your launch; can you tell us about how they’ve been involved?
From our call for artists, we selected three illustrators to work with on our debut titles, two of whom are BA(Hons) Illustration students at Falmouth. One is Georgie Golding, most of her work uses digital collage, and she loves nature, wildlife and food. Working with her so far has been incredible; she is illustrating one of our most promising projects.
A fellow Falmouth illustration student working with us is Roxy Canvin; from just a glance at her portfolio we began brainstorming how her illustrations would work in a children’s book. Now going into her third year, we’re aiming to get her on the micro-internship scheme in September, and if successful, continue our partnership beyond that.
She has been incredibly professional and a joy to work with. We are currently working with Roxy on a picture book titled Look Up: a story set in a world where though everybody is stuck staring at their phones, when one little girl decides to look up, she discovers the streets and skies are full of whimsical creatures taking refuge in the ignorance of humans.
Loui, how did you find your time studying BA(Hons) Journalism & Creative Writing? What were your highlights and how do you think the skills gained will support you with Button Box Books?
Before coming to Falmouth, I was originally set to do a degree in Archaeology with the University of York. It was on A-Level results day I questioned my decision and spontaneously decided to go through Clearing and put myself forward for BA(Hons) Journalism & Creative Writing at Falmouth instead. It’s safe to say that for all my spontaneity at the time, I didn’t regret my decision once.
I loved my time studying at Falmouth and would give anything to live it again. The course itself revealed a passion in me that I previously didn’t know was there, in part due to the nature of the work but also through the support of the academic staff.
Andy Chatfield, Dr Kit Chapman and Dr Adrian Markle (whose fiction module alone was a highlight for me) were instrumental in instilling the drive to work hard and pursue a career in the industry. Without them I might have never known that the publishing sector is the one I’m most passionate about. The skills I gained on the course are ones I rely on daily, ranging from conducting in-depth research to thinking creatively through a marketing lens. One piece of advice that sticks out to me most is to “chase the weird stories.”
I owe the university a great deal; I only hope that by encouraging collaboration with its current students, I can (in some small part) pay it back.
External links
You might also like
From Falmouth students to small business owners: meet five alumni who brought their creations to Graduation
MA Writing for Script & Screen alumna on award-winning period romance and working at the BBC
Meet the stars of our 2027 postgraduate Prospectus
