As you have probably guessed, I am completely obsessed with books – their writers, their illustrators, their creators, the process, everything. So, while I illustrate I am often either listening to an audiobook, listening or watching authors at book festivals and signings, or following book trailers. Well, this is my latest discovery, BookVideos.tv. These are book trailers (mostly adult books vs. children's lit) which seem to be more focused on the authors than the actual stories within the books. Most are interesting and fun to see. However, this one with wrestler Chris Jericho is a complete kick in the pants - hilarious! If it weren't for the mile high stack of YA's next to my bed, I'd be sorely tempted to read his book. I couldn't get the embed to work, so swallow your coca-cola (I warn you - you're screen will be a mess if you don't), thengo take a gander.
I was reminded this morning of those great shorts created by Schoolhouse Rock. Remember those? "Lolly, lolly, lolly get your adverbs here." And "The Preamble"? And "I'm just a bill. Yes, I'm only a bill." And "Conjunction Junction." Gads they were great, weren't they? Well, they're still around. You can buy them on DVD and listen to snippets of those classics online (which I am still known to sing when nobody can hear me . . . okay, when they can hear me too). Go to the Schoolhouse Rock website!
If you read below, my snowflake, "Give a Little Push," was in the first round of auctions for Robert's Snow. LindaBudz was kind enough to leave a comment that she is the "winner" of my snowflake! She blogged about it as well. Linda made the highest bid for my snowflake, so this was an expensive "win," but Linda's generosity will go towards funds for the Dana Farber Cancer Research Institute, a highly worthwhile cause. Linda, thanks so much for your kind words about my work, but especially for helping raise money to find a cure for cancer. I can't think of a better way to kick off a season of good cheer. My warmest wishes for a happy holiday go out to you, your family, and your new little nephew. I'm so pleased my snowflake found a great home.
I just sent out my latest newsletter, which you can view here. To receive your very own copy of my newsletter in your in-box, sign up here. Thank you, thank you very much.
I have remained woefully behind the times, but am once again making an attempt to get more comfortable with MySpace. I'm duplicating my blog posts over there and would love to make friends. So, please friend me if you're there too: http://www.myspace.com/elizabethdulemba. See you there!
Okay - this is just plain cool. Go see if you are right brain or left brain dominant. (Click the image to go to the animation.) If the dancer is spinning clockwise, you are right brain dominant. If she's spinning counter-clockwise, you are left brain dominant. She spun clockwise for me and staring at her today, I couldn't get her to go counter-clockwise for nuttin' although several of my friends could. So, I took it as confirmation of what I've often suspected - my left brain is in atrophy. Thing is, I'm writing this blog on my right screen while the dancer is up on my left screen (I have dual monitors), and y'know what? With my peripheral vision, I can make her go counter-clockwise. That is just so freaking bizarre. What's it all mean? Anyhow, you gotta check it out.
Don't have kids? Or a front stoop? You don't have to miss out on the fun. Go carve a pumpkin online! Course, I don't know how you're going to roast the pumpkin seeds . . .
I've already shared the story behind Robert's Snow, the fundraiser for cancer research, but there's a new side to it. Bloggers have stepped forward to do their part - they are interviewing the illustrators who created snowflakes for Robert's Snow. The 200 participating illustrators are impressive and all are worth checking out. So, here's the list. Check back, because I'll make each name a live link to their website and add static links to the blog interviews (the links will take you straight to the interviews) as they are posted. See my snowflake here and read my interview at sruble's world on Sunday, November 11th. And don't forget to go bid on a snowflake - they make an important and beautiful gift or collection.
Kicks off today! I'll be giving a talk about breaking in to children's book illustration Wednesday night and I'll be available to answer questions in the forum all week. It's too late to sign up this year, but if you didn't know about it, mark your calendar for next year. This is a fantastic, free event and a great new way to use this cyber-universe of ours. I'm thrilled to be a part of it!
It's the second year for this new award driven by a book's merit and popularity, and nominations for your favorite books of 2007 open today! Per the Cybils website:
When we say "the public," we mean it. Anyone with an e-mail address may nominate one book per category. Then groups of bloggers get to work. First, a nominating committee reads ALL the titles in a given category. After nearly two arduous months, this committee winnows the nominees to five finalists. A second committee of bloggers considers the shortlist and, after much debate, chooses the best of the best for 2007.
I don't have an eligible book for 2007, but I have lots of friends who do - Go vote!
So shake things up and go read something you're not supposed to! Banned book week is hosted by the ALA (the American Library Association) every year and this year from September 29th through October 6th. You can learn more about it at their website or click on the icon. At the ALA website you can learn why books get challenged, by who, what books are banned, and what you can do to fight censorship in your libraries. What books have been banned? You'd be surprised. You've probably heard of Harry Potter being banned for witchcraft, but did you know last year's Newbery winner, The Higher Power of Lucky, was banned in many places because a snake bit a dog on his "scrotum"? Or how about A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L'Engle, for witchcraft? Even classics like The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson have been challenged or banned. There are so many amazing titles that shake people up and get them thinking. That's the point after all – to get readers to think. That's how we all become better citizens and keep America free. So, go read!
So I'm looking up pictures of bunnies to make sure I'm drawing them correctly for a project I'm working on, and I come across this from Say no to crack. Unfortunate blog name, but these "slippers" are great! I want a pair!
Ahoy mateys! In honor of "Talk Like a Pirate Day," I've created a new pirate coloring page for ye! Here's Cap'n Book with his valuable treasure - a booty of books! Considering the last pirate I drew was downloaded from herrrre to Timbuktu, I wagered ye needed a new one. Arrr! Click the image to get to a printable one. As with all my coloring pages, if you color it and send it back (as a low resolution .jpg - about 300 pixels wide), I'll post some of 'em. In the mean time, ye scurvy dogs, here are some scalewag jokes for ye:
Q: What does a pirate say when he's having a heart attack? A: Arrr! Me heartie!
Q: What goes thump-thump Arr!, thum-thump Arr!? A: A priate falling down the stairs!
Q: Why couldn't the pirates play cards? A: The captain was standing on the deck!
Q: Did you hear about the pirate who took up boxing? A: He had a killer left hook!
This pirate is by Kris's 7-year-old son, Trey, who is home sick today and sorry to be missing out on the pirate festivities at school. His Mom said he was "tickled pink" to find my coloring page. Thanks for sending it in!
When I was named the Grand Prize W.I.N.ner of this year's SmartWriters.com Competition, I won a shiny new copy of Anastasia Suen'sPicture Writing. Since I already have a much loved, dog-eared copy, I held a drawing to give the new one away. Turned out Kelly Milner Halls (one of the competition organizers) also had an extra copy - so two books are going out to two lucky readers! Well, hubbie had the honor of picking two names out of a hat last night, and the winners are (drum roll please), Janice Skivington and Kristi Valiant! So, check your mailboxes ladies as Picture Writing is on its way!! Thanks to all who entered. This was my first foray into a giveaway and 'twas much fun. I might have to do it again . . .
Betsy Bird has taken the leap - she's gone to audio. We can now listen to her awesome reviews along with reading them. She's got a good voice for podcasting and she sounds just as quirky as she reads - fun! (Mostly MG fiction.)
This brings up podcasts in general, and I'd be remiss to not mention some of my favorites. For those who love to follow authors on their book tours, go to Authors on Tour run by the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Colorado. These are mostly adult authors (clarification: people who write for adults rather than children), but they occasionally get some crossovers.
The Library of Congress' National Book Festival. These are webcasts rather than podcasts (you can see the authors), and they have a ton of children's book authors and illustrators you can enjoy. Check out previous year's shows too!
BEA podcasts. These also tend to include a lot of adult authors, but have some great panels and commentaries on the publishing industry. It's where I learned about BookTour.com where you can find out who's touring in your area and go see them in person!
Meet the Author Bookbites. More authors than you could possibly imagine doing private interviews. Very cool.
TeachingBooks.net does interviews with authors and illustrators (webcasts). Not all are free, but a few fun ones are - just to tempt you.
Kidvidlit. Okay, this one is rather new to me too, but it looks like a lot of fun. They're silly videos of authors and their writing lives. (Beware they take a little time to load and crashed my browser once.)
BookVideos.tv also has well done videos of authors talking about their books. (A whole section of children's book authors!)
Horn Book has decided to jump into podcasting as well and you can listen to their first foray: an interview with Jon Scieszka. They have a distinct advantage in their new venture - who wouldn't want to be interviewed by Horn Book? I long for the day when they knock on my door . . .
And last but not least, especially for the kiddies, you can see picture books read online by famous folks at Storyline Online. Very good.
Have more links to offer? Add them in the comments!
Many of you already know about the auction of snowflakes, Robert's Snow, to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Hundreds of snowflakes have been created by children's book illustrators (see mine here) to help out. Sadly, the inspiration for the fundraiser, Robert Mercer, passed away this week. To help support Grace Lin, Robert's wife, through this painful time, I'd like to remind my readers that bidding for these beautiful snowflakes will begin in November. Please bid often to help raise money for research. Nobody should have to lose a loved one so young.
My great day continued when my friends, illustrator Liz Conrad, writer Vicky Alvear Schecter, and I left the Carlos Museum, had lunch (I still can't believe Liz ordered a fried green tomato sandwich - how southern is that!?), then headed over to our very favorite place, Little Shop of Stories, to see the award winning author of LOVE RUBY LAVENDER and EACH LITTLE BIRD THAT SINGS, Deborah Wiles. Deb is on tour for her latest book, THE AURORA COUNTY ALL-STARS (cover once again illustrated by the marvelous Marla Frazee). She read and spoke to what ended up being a group of mostly budding writers (while we enjoyed MoonPies and Cracker Jacks). So along with sharing her new book, Deb talked about the process of writing and her experiences in the publishing industry. It was fascinating and I learned a few tips to apply to my own writing as well. Thanks Deb! After Deb's signing, we had the honor of sharing a "seeing your book for the first time" moment with Liz. Her book, THE WITCHES' BALL, just came out! Diane (LSOS owner) pulled it out of a box as we watched. Can you say "ADORABLE!?" Perfect timing too. Liz will be on the panel of illustrators I will be moderating at the upcoming DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL. I get to quiz four fabulous illustrator/writers: Chris Raschka (who I had the pleasure of being on the panel with last year), Judy Schachner (gads I love Skippy John Jones!), Liz Conrad, and Laura Knorr!! You will be there, right? Children's Stage, Sunday at 1:00pm. In fact, if you love books and reading, you can't miss this event. The Decatur Book Festival is already one of the five largest book festivals in the nation (and only in its second year!). The line-up is impressive to say the least, and with the Decatur square construction complete, the venue is charming! More on the festival coming soon! (Click the banner to learn more!) .
I had the coolest day yesterday and have to share. I met fellow writer/illustrators Liz Conrad and John Witkowski at the Emory University Carlos Museum where my incredibly knowledgeable writing buddy, Vicky Alvear Schecter took us on a tour of the Cradle of Christianity: Jewish and Christian Treasures from the Holy Land exhibit. Vicky is a docent at the museum and shared the show's incredible artifacts (Including a portion of the actual dead sea scrolls) through the eyes of a writer and storyteller (rather than a scientist). She did an amazing job of making what we viewed personal, relating the strength of people's faiths which often led to pilgrimages they didn't survive, the politics of the time which strongly impacted the formations of synagogues and the growth of Christianity, and the misconceptions and traditions which are still believed or carried out today. For instance, do you remember hearing the hubub about "the ostuary (coffin) of Jesus" being found about a year ago? Well, it was there and it does say "Jesus, son of Joseph." But did you know "Jesus" was the fourth most popular name during that time, kind of like "John" or "Christopher" today? (This is an example of a very nice ostuary in the exhibit - no pictures allowed!) No matter your faith, it was a fascinating time period and course of events. Vicky was especially qualified to lead us through this portion of history, as she has become an expert on the history of Cleopatra, the history of religions and politics, and of course, Alexander the Great. In fact, Vicky is the author of ALEXANDER THE GREAT ROCKS THE WORLD, a rollicking history of the impact this young warrior had on the world. She'll also be sharing more interesting history with us in a new book, but I'm not sure I can share much about that yet. You'll just have to keep an eye out for more books from my talented friend. The exhibit has only been granted to three locations in the US and will probably never leave Israel again once it returns home. It is open through October 14, 2007 and I highly recommend it - especially if Vicky walks you through! But our incredible day didn't stop there . . .
e's news - August '07 Hi All! It's been a few months since my last newsletter. This year has truly turned into a "nose to grindstone" kind of year for me - work, work, work. The good news is, it's paying off. I have SIX books coming out in 2008 (two trade picture books, two parenting aid picture books, and two educational picture books). I'll talk about them more in upcoming newsletters. I also have an article in the upcoming "You Can Write for Children" issue of Writer's Digest Magazine on my "Path to Success" - ha! No secret there, just b.i.c. as Jane Yolen likes to say (butt in chair). I believe it will be the October issue, but it hits shelves September 25th, so look for it! In the mean time, scroll down to see my great news from SmartWriters.com and don't miss the Decatur Book Festival where I'll be moderating this year's illustrator panel.
Good News! I was named the Grand Prize W.I.N.NER in this year's 2007 SmartWriters.com Competition for my illustration, "Lula's Brew" This was the first year an illustrator won this competition (and my first trophy - ever), so I was incredibely honored. (That's my lovely trophy in the front.) Winning this competition also ended up being a huge boon when I attended my first Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) National Conference in Los Angeles this summer. Read about my experiences on my blog.
It's time again for the I will be moderating the illustrator panel on Sunday, September 2nd at 1:00pm with Chris Raschka, Judy Schachner, Mark Braught, and Laura Knorr. Be there for a good time!
One of my SIX books coming out in 2008 is PACO AND THE GIANT CHILE PLANT ~ PACO Y LA PLANTA DE CHILE GIGANTE Raven Tree Press, June 2008 (My Spanish lessons continue . . .)
Hubbie and I hadn't had a vacation in a looooong time, so we tacked an extra day onto the end of LA, rented a convertible and headed up the coast. Cousin Bruce recommended we find Paradise Cove, and I'm so glad we did!! This was the view as we pulled in: And our view as we ate lunch: See that seagull? After this picture, he jumped on a tray of food and tried to steal french fries. They had the place SCOPED OUT!! We saw a school (?) of seals go by too - jumping just like dolphins . . . very short, brown, fuzzy dolphins. And yup, there's no floor. We had our toes in the sand while we ate. Ahhhh, heaven. Later, I laid out on the beach behind Stan to soak up some rays. Turns out we got more sun from the top being down - gotta watch out for that in California it seems. Oops. There was the cutest group of preschoolers nearby at daycamp. Their counselor had to be a comedian. He had them trained. Whenever he said, "Thank you, thank you very much," they all responded, "Elvis has left the building!" After an awesome lunch we headed farther north, then cut inland where we saw vastly different terrain. We even came across the Rock Store, which Stan claims is a very famous motorcyle stop. After our fun bimble, we headed back to the hotel for showers and dinner at a great seafood restaurant. Afterwards we pretty much face-planted into bed. What a great day.
Wow, wow! My favorite independent bookseller, Little Shop of Stories, made the New York Times with their INCREDIBLE Harry Potter release party. I can't believe I didn't bring my camera, it was Such a great time, but at least the photographer from the New York Times did! Congratulations to Little Shop of Stories!
‘Twas release night of Harry and all through the town not a reader could sleep or put the book down.
We went to the party and claimed our great tome. We mingled with muggles then took our book home. We argued and fought o’er who would read first, and find out who died as the other one cursed,
“Don’t tell me! Don’t tell me! And hide the reviews. I’ll read for myself the terrible news
Of who doesn’t leave the Hallows alive. I can’t wait to know who doesn’t survive.”
But once I’ve found out the journey will end. I’ll miss my dear Harry. He’s been a good friend.
Since Sorcerer’s Stone, I’ve found the books groovy. There’s no more to wait for, except for . . . the movie!
There are several organizations around the country that work to get books into the hands of children in lower income communities. First Book is one of the best. In fact, they're about to celebrate the distribution of their 50 millionth book! To celebrate, they are asking you what book got you hooked on reading? You can vote at their website (click the logo) and choose the state you'd like to receive 50,000 brand new books for children in need. So go vote! Thanks to Reading Rocket for the heads up!
OMG OMG OMG I'm still reeling!!! The email came in about 6:00 this evening - silly me didn't put my phone number on the entry form. I honestly didn't think I'd win! At first I thought Roxyanne meant I'd won the illustration category (which would have been good enough!). But no!!! I won the SmartWriters 2007 W.I.N. Competition Grand Prize!! OMG. I can't tell y'all how much this means to me. I started in this business cold turkey right before 9/11. Like everybody else, I had all the stereotypical misconceptions about how it all works, and I have learned just about every lesson the hard way. But with every failure, I just grew more and more determined to keep trying. (Yes, I'm a bit stubborn). Things have been going well lately, I must admit. But I work so hard, no violins, just truth. I needed some reassurance that this was all going somewhere. And my dream is to write and illustate my own books. That's the goal. It's so frustrating to know what you want sometimes, and know that you have a lot of work ahead of you to jump the hurdles that need jumping. Sometimes it flat out gets you down. One of the things I find I have in common with others on this crazy journey is the conscious decision to stay positive, move forward, and not resent the need for growth. But it's a much needed shot in the arm to receive recognition like this. It's confirmation that you are supposed to be on this path, that it's the right one. I'm so pleased, so thrilled, so honored to be on this journey with all of you. What a funny quest to embark upon, but somehow it is so, so worth it. Thank you to Roxyanne Young, Verla Kay, Kelly Milner Halls and SmartWriters for such a well respected competition, but especially for everybody's kind comments and support. This is not a stand-alone honor, I assure you. I am on the shoulders of so many friends.
Btw, one of the prizes in this year's SmartWriters.com competition is a copy of Anastasia Suen's "Picture Book Writing." I already have a copy, dogeared from the treasure it's been to me. Reading it at different stages of my career has revealed new and just as relevant information. So, I am "paying it forward." Email me below if you'd like me to forward you my winning copy. I'll hold a drawing at the end of the month. (Make sure you don't sign anonymously so I can get in touch with you if I draw your name.) Keep writing, keep dreaming, don't give up!!
Sunday, a group of writers and illustrators from the SCBWI Southern Breeze gathered at the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum to see the Maurice Sendak exhibit. Wow. I already admired Mr. Sendak's work immensely, but I had no idea the history and depth in his art. Being a first generation Polish immigrant (like my hubbie's grandparents) during the depression and WWII, Sendak had a difficult childhood. Rather than fluff his work up into a fantasy world of lovely, skinny mothers serving pink frosted cupcakes, he told stories using what was familiar to him, children wise beyond their years, frustrated parents, and scary relatives who didn't speak English. Childhood was a terrifying place, and he introduced an escape, a way to deal with harsh realities. Perhaps that's what makes his work so memorable. His stories emit an honesty, sometimes a tough honesty, which modern stories often avoid. Heck, he was the first to do it in his day too. It was a wonderful exhibit if you can make it by, and we all reverted to our inner six-year-olds when faced with a giant bowl of chicken and rice soup!
When Laura Zarrin and her son painted a birthday cake for me, they also posted it at this great new blog, http://www.bigandlittleart.com, where kids and adults collaborate to create finished art. What a great idea! Participation is open, so if you have little ones in your life, you'll definitely want to check this out.
I love posting these when I come across them: M E D I A R E L E A S E
CONTACT: Virginia S. Grenier Editor, Stories for Children Magazine Email: storiesforchildren@vsgrenier.com
For Immediate Release
Stories for Children Magazine Is Looking for Young Writers!
Stories for Children Magazine, which debuted April 1, 2007, is looking for stories, articles, and poems written by young writers ages 17 year old and younger.
VS Grenier, editor of Stories for Children Magazine stated: "Stories for Children Magazine is not only for adult writers. One thing that makes us who we are is that we also publish stories by children and teens.
After writing for magazines I noticed that there were only a handful that allowed underage writers. I couldn't believe it. How could the writing world not embrace the young it already writes for?
I decided to change all that with Stories for Children Magazine. My goal is to have at least one story, article, or poem written by an underage author.
After all if we don't help embrace the future writers how do we expect children to love the world of ink?"
Stories for Children Magazine is a free monthly on-line magazine for children ages 3 to 12 years old. Children will journey into the imagination with short stories, articles, crafts, puzzles, and so much more. Each issue also features a Children's Author and/or Illustrator.
Now come enter into the World or Ink at Stories for Children Magazine!
Full Media Kit, Magazine Cover Art, and more are available upon request electronically. -------------------------------------
Thanks from Gayle. :-)
PLEASE NOTE: Stories for Children is closing submissions on June 24th (youth can submit any time) and will not open again for submissions until September 1st; however, there WILL be a magazine coming out online for July, August, and September during this time. :-)
I don't feel any different. I haven't sprouted scales or turned a grotesque shade of peuce. Hubbie gave me a pretty necklace this morning. And I've asked the Oracle @ WiFi a question which received (what I translate to be) a favorable response. Hm, maybe I'll survive this. Y'know, I've been awfully reflective this past week. I suppose the big 4-0 will do that to you. (Driving said hubbie crazy in the mean time.) I even wrote an essay which I won't bore you with. Bottom line is, I did a pretty darn good job of living out loud during the first forty years. I'm really looking forward to seeing what I pull off in the next forty. Click the cake to help me celebrate. Once again, if you color it, I'll post it!
And here come the cakes! This one was sent in by Casey Girard - thanks Casey! Here's another cake by illustrator, Laura Zarrin, and her 6-year-old son, Josh. So cute! and here's a lovely ditty by Neil Ornstein. It says, "He dreamed of heaps of schlag. Of the satisfaction of every human desire." - Thanks Neil! Yet another cake has come in - this one by Martha White. Thanks Martha!
Are you a kid? Do you know a kid? I had to share this Call for Submissions:
Become a Published Young Author or Illustrator! Launch Pad: Where Young Authors and Illustrators Take Off! is now accepting fiction, nonfiction, poetry, book reviews, and artwork by children ages 6-12. We are looking for creative works about the following themes: Animals The Ocean Fairy Tales & Fantasy Heroes Mysteries Sports Launch Pad: Where Young Authors and Illustrators Take Off! is scheduled to debut with a January/February 2008 print issue. Please visit www.launchpadmag.com to review our submission guidelines! Paul Kelsey Editor and Publisher Launch Pad: Where Young Authors and Illustrators Take Off! editor@launchpadmag.com
Well, I've been tagged twice now, by Laura at Wordy Girls and Kim at Stone Stoop, so I guess I'll play. Although I'm not going to tag anybody else because we all know the same people and it's turning into a whirlpool!
So, 8 habits/facts about me: 1) Hey Kim, I'm allergic to mangos too!! Yup, blow up like a balloon. Not pretty. It's a shame too, cuz I really like mangos. 2) I'm taking Spanish lessons so I can talk to my multi-cultural audience when my bilingual picture book, "Paco and the Giant Chile Plant" comes out in June 2008. 3) I tend to start singing songs from the broadway version of Peter Pan (Mary Martin style) if I've imbibed a bit too much. ahem. 4) Otherwise, I'm a tea-drinker. Make a pot in the morning and sip all day. 5) I love listening to audio books when I'm illustrating, but when I'm writing, it has to be dead quiet. 6) I used to hang-glide. Y'all know this, I've said it before. Now if I could just find the pictures to prove it . . . 7) I'm turning the big 4-0 this summer. Is it freaking me out? Nahhhhhh. Not at allllll..... yah, whatEVer! 8) I used to drive the coolest vehicle known to mankind: a 1978 Toyota LandCruiser - and this time I DID find proof!
Yo ho! I'm back with the living, well sort of. I brought home a cold from my weekend in the mountains as a souvenir. Yuck. Anyhow! My Creating Picture Books class at John C. Campbell went well. I had six students of various levels and expectations which is always challenging, but exactly what I love about teaching. It's a constantly shifting puzzle to figure out how to relay the most pertinent information to each particular brain in the most effective way. It was also the first time I'd taught that information in such an intense environment. I've given my "Nuts and Bolts" of children's book publishing several times at conferences, but this was an entire weekend and added a lot of focus on writing. I believe we had some real successes with some of the students, so I was pleased. Speaking of writing, I've just sent out a revision of my novel, "A Bird on Water Street." Now, I love the internet, but sending a novel via email is so . . . anticlimactic. Where are the trumpets? Where's the mojo from my postmasters? Where's the ceremony? And what do I do now? I'm all wound up. So, I have created an "I just sent it out" ceremony in celebration . . . rearranging refrigerator magnets! Yes folks, it's all the rage. I grouped my take-out Chinese menus under one clip magnet and my pizza delivery menus under another. The classic monster cereal magnets are lined up in a neat, orderly row. OCD you say? No way. It's a ritual! It's a ceremony! And I somehow feel much better about sending out my manuscript. Oh, and just in case there is anything to that whole The Secret thing - my manuscript will be sold within three weeks. It will be fought over, a bidding war will ensue, and it will be purchased with a two book deal. Oh the glory.
Hubbie and I went to see Maura O'Connell at Eddie's Attic last night. She's an Irish folk singer and wow, what a voice. Her singing is soulful, painful, beautiful and pure. I first discovered her about twelve (or more?) years ago in Chattanooga, Tennessee during the Riverbend Festival and became an instant fan. Turned out hubbie heard about her even earlier. When we married and combined our music libraries, we had several duplicates of Muara's music. I always get inspired during concerts like hers. Between the music and the people watching, I had to pull out one of my bookmarks and scribble down thoughts: "There's a hole in my pocket and I lost my rainbow. I lost my dog and my lucky penny but I kept my dime. . . . You make me matter . . . He was uncomfortable with the width that made him man. If he'd been born right, he'd have been narrow, petite, leaving little impact on the world . . . " What do these mean? I have no idea. And yes, a lovely buzz is probably due some of the credit. Hubbie and I are both out of town this weekend. I'm teaching "Creating Picture Books" at John C. Campbell (more on that later) and hubbie's out on his motorcycle again! (Apparently the eight day riding vacation last week wasn't enough.) So we celebrated date night a bit early. What a great evening!
Net book sales last year dropped 0.3% to $24.2 billion from $24.26 billion in 2005, according to the Association of American Publishers. The estimates are based on sales reports from 81 publishers and data from the Bureau of the Census. For religious books and e-books, data includes sales information from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and the International Digital Publishing Forum, respectively.
Sales of adult and children's trade books rose 2.9% to $8.3 billion. In this category, sales of adult paperbacks rose 8.5% to $2.3 billion and sales of adult hardcover grew 4.1% to $2.6 billion while sales of children's/YA hardcovers fell 2% to $2.1 billion and sales of children's/YA paperbacks slipped 0.6% to $1.3 billion.
Good news for picture books. I wonder if these means the demographics are starting to shift again?
Have I been quiet lately? Seems like it from this side. Why? Because I've been incredibly, insanely busy of late (14 hour work days, no lie). I won't bore you with the details but I do want to share one of the projects I just finished. Diane at Little Shop of Stories roped fellow illustrator, Liz Conrad, and me into painting a door to be auctioned off at this year's Decatur Arts Festival. This turned out to be quite the project when the old, stripped, mission-style (aka heavy) door arrived. It took five coats of primer and paint to cover each side - no small task! After days of prep, it was time for Liz to come over. We set up a great work space in the garage with hubbie's stereo blasting awesome tunes (yes, it's his favorite room). The weather was beautfiul and our supplies were plentiful. Now, what to do? We decided to lean on the bright colors both our illustration styles share and created a rainbow palette on the inset panels. To those we added cut-outs from our books (the galleys and such). Here's Liz doing her amazing cutting thing (cut paper is her preferred medium, so she's a whiz). We ended up using a combination of paint, collage, decoupage, 3-D, you name it. Here's me painting antennae on one of the carrot butterflies from Glitter Girl and the Crazy Cheese. The cool thing was, collaborating and working with paints and modge podge was something neither Liz nor I had done in a long time. We worked well together and it ended up being a fun break and a wonderful creative exercise. We really enjoyed it. It took two days to complete and we were pretty darned pleased with the finished door, must say. We both agreed it would be a fun, colorful addition to a child's bedroom. (Hope the purchaser sends a pic if they come across this blog post.) Here's the finished product: It will be included with the other colorful doors around the gazebo downtown during the arts festival. I'll be teaching Creating Picture Books at the John C. Campbell Folk School, so won't be there to hear the oohs and aahs, but Liz promises to share pictures. In other words, more to come!
I clued into this last year and had to share. Book Expo has a podcast series of authors and people in the biz during and around Book Expo. You can subscribe to the email newsletter alerting you to what's available with links to listen. Easy peasy! Click on the logo to learn more.
A local credit union recently used my "Pirate Treasure" coloring page in a promotion for their bank. Kids colored tons of my art and the bank had a contest. Here are the three winners: 1st Place, 2nd Place, and 3rd Place. Are these not the cutest? This is when being an illustrator is really fun, things like this just make me smile! I'm going to draw a new pirate image for "Talk Like a Pirate Day" in September. This one has been so hugely popular! Oh, if you'd like to color my "Pirate Treasure" yourself, click on the black and white version.
After reading "The Golden Compass," I wanted a daemon too. Well, now I have one! This is my daemon, an Ocelot named Nicoleus. I had to take a short quiz to determine my daemon. My profile reveals that I am modest, sociable, solitary, assertive and outgoing. I liked the question, "Are you easily distracted." Well yah, otherwise I wouldn't be taking the quiz to determine my daemon! What's your daemon? Go find out at The Golden Compass website and check out info about the film while you're there - to be released this December!
A bike is bought, a blog is born. http://k1200gt.blogspot.com/. Did I ever mention how hubbie and I met? It was at a BMW motorcycle banquet. Yup. I walked in with my Dad (I used to ride on the back of his bike quite a bit). Hubbie's best friend, Buster, said, "Bob brought his daughter. You need to mingle," and pushed him my way. Wheels brought us together, and so I was clear from the start about the man I married. He is a motorcycle rider. Always has been, always will be. When we met, he had three. (His house had no furniture.) He's down to one and that's quite the compromise. But this is his latest - a K1200GT. It's the most technologically advanced motorcycle BMW makes, and hubbie is in love (he used to look at me like that - ha!). So, he's wearing out the roads on the weekends, having a blast and looking forward to acheiving his second 100,000 mile certificate. I just love seeing hubbie happy.
According to this article at Publishers Weekly, publishers in the UK are considering ways to cut down (sorry) on deforestation by using more recycled paper in their books. I'm all for it! But I do wonder, if you had the choice between two books, the one you only sort of wanted to read had a "recycled paper" logo and the one you really wanted didn't - which one would you buy? Would it make a difference to you? We book lovers tend to be consciencious people when it comes to everything but our books. We scoop 'em up like crazy! (Well, I do anyhow.) Wouldn't it be nice if we could do it with a little less guilt about our impact on the environment? The most ethically pleasing job I ever had was creating animations for the Stone Mountain Laser Show. Everything we did was on computers and our final product was light . . . just light cast onto the side of a mountain. The worst damage we were responsible for was the crushed grass from the picknickers blankets. I'd love it if publishing could rise to that level of ethical responsibility. Not that I could love books any more than I already do, but well, maybe I could just a little bit.
Is this not the most adorable thing? Okay, maybe I mean the dog. Still, if I saw this on the street, I would just lose it completely. Funny how similar looking this doggie is to the mc of one of my early dummies, "Teacup." Thanks to Cute Overload for the image. Today's "overload" was full indeed. I wasn't sure which to post - the carrier or the video of a scientist who has discovered that rats laugh when tickled. Sometimes the world just makes you smile.
We have a new book by J.R.R. Tolkein! Yes, I know he's no longer with us, but supposedly he worked on this manuscript for thirty years. And although he never finished it, his son has. "The Children of Hurin" will be released next week. Will it mark our generation the same way "The Hobbit" did in its day? Time will tell, but I know I'll be reading it!
Well pooie. I'm reaching that point in life where the eyes don't focus as quickly, and sometimes not at all. I wear glasses for reading and working on my computer, but I've been wearing them more and more and suspected I might need a different prescription. Last night, my wondering was confirmed. The eye doc is putting me in progressive lenses (called bi-focals in our parent's days). And he says I'll be wearing them all the time. What!? Okay, I love the opportunity for a new fashion accessory, must admit, but the idea that I actually need these things all the time kinda freaks me out. I know many of you have probably worn glasses forever, even contacts, but this whole thing is rather new to me. I mean, where's my free will? Where's my choice? Why, oh why, are my eyes being so ornery? *sigh* It's a little spooky too. You don't realize what you take for granted and all that. Between reading, writing, and illustrating, I lean on these puppies pretty heavily. I need to take good care of them . . . and apparently, now I get to decorate them too.
Mo Willems has a new website for all his wonderful creations, and it is the CUTEST THING!!! You gotta go visit (click Mo's art). Make sure you roll over everything and prepare to laugh out loud!
TA-DA!!! According to Publishers Weekly, this is cover for the last of the Harry Potter books, "Harry Potter and the Dathly Hallows," again illustrated by fabuloso Mary GrandPré. I love his serious, mature expression on this one. Of course, the big question is . . . will Harry survive? I can't wait to find out. Of course, I've got to say, the cover kind of reminds me of something . . . hmmmm.
If you scroll down, you'll see I've added a new feature to my sidebar. This is Shelfari - a website where you can create a bookshelf of all the books in your library, your reading group collections, your favorites, you name it. I know there are other programs out there that do this, but I found this one especially easy to use. I'm slowly adding my children's book collection which will take a while, let me tell you! The cool thing about this feature is by clicking on the covers you can learn more about the books or even buy them. It also feeds into my Amazon associates account, which is a way to make pennies (or Amazon credits - woohoo!) off of referrals. Now I will always say you should go to your local indie bookseller first, but having lived off the grid in the north Georgia mountains, I know that just isn't possible for everybody. Anyhow, it is in beta so is a bit clunky in some browsers (and please tell me if it's made my blog go wonky in your browser, especially if you're running IE on a PC), but I think I've made a new friend.
My favorite memory of St. Patty's Day is the morning I awoke to my husband rattling off joke after joke in a thick Irish brogue. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard. So here's one for ye:
Two Irishmen, Patrick Murphy and Shawn O'Brian were lifelong friends. But alas, Patrick grew sick and was dying. While on his deathbed, Patrick called to his friend, "Shawn, I 'ave a request for ye." Shawn walked to his friend's bedside and kneeled. "Shawny ole boy, we've been friends all our lives, and now I'm leaving 'ere. I 'ave one last request fir ye to do." O'Brian burst into tears, "Anything Patrick, anything ye wish. It's done." "Well, under me bed is a box containing a bottle of the finest whiskey in all of Ireland, bottled the year I was born it was. After I die, and they plant me in the ground, I want you to pour that fine whiskey over me grave so it might soak into me bones and I'll be able to enjoy it for all eternity." O'Brian was overcome by the beauty and in the true Irish spirit of his friend's request, he asked, "Aye, tis a fine thing you ask of me, and I will pour the whiskey. But, might I strain it through me kidneys first?" Here's a coloring page too - click the image to download. (104k) Luck o' the Irish be with ye!
Can you imagine this cruising through your neighborhood? This is the latest creation by Innocent to sell smoothies. I'd be all for it! I wonder what music they pipe out of those speakers though. I'm thinking "Green Acres." Hm. Anyhow, got this great image at The Cool Hunter, a great website for cutting edge and weird design.
Hubbie and I saw blues artist Keb'Mo' at Symphony Hall last night. I didn't know that much about Keb'Mo' other than hearing some of his music on my fave station out of Chattanooga, 88.1 (I listen to my favorite D.J., Richard Winham, via streaming radio). Anyhow, I just had the feeling he would put on a great show, and boy was I right. Have you ever met somebody who opens their mouth and pure magic flows out? This lanky, unassuming guy is so full of talent he doesn't even have to think about it. (True talent vs. the American Idol variety.) He's actually going to make a great old guy. He's so laid back and casual as all this wonderful stuff pours out of him, but he has this smirk he flashes at the last minute letting you know you better not underestimate him. It's obvious he loves what he's doing, he just seems so darned content. And his blues style is remarkably accessible, even to those who aren't true blues fanatics. You can hear samples of his music at the Keb'Mo' website. If you get the chance to see Keb'Mo' in your town - don't miss him!
According to this article, Adobe will be offering a free online version of Photoshop soon. For all those who have never been able to invest in the whole hog - keep an eye on this!
was last Thursday. Everybody was talking about the milestone, and I didn't want to be redundant, but I can't pass up sharing this photo from PW Daily: "Last Thursday the staff of Random House Children's Books saluted The Cat in the Hat on his 50th birthday at a companywide meeting. Everyone attending got a hat." Is this not the cutest? Gotta love it.
I'm mostly posting about this Great Article by Laura Salas at Wordy Girls because I want the link in my blog history. Laura breaks down the American Idol process equating the steps to the children's book industry. I completely agree with her assessment. I've been an American Idol fan since I first viewed the show and felt the obvious similarities. Lucky for us in the books fields, we don't have to put ourselves out there so visibly for all to watch us fall flat on our faces. It just feels that way sometimes...
I try to as best I can even though I am so far away from the publishing hub of New York. I've been reading the publishing houses' financial summaries via Publishers Lunch and was a bit confused about the overall message. I want to know, "are children's books on the rise, on the fall, or somewhere in between? Which children's markets are strongest?" Well, PW came out with an article that everybody remotely connected with picture books should read, "Are Picture Books Back?" Do it. Go read it now.
I really don't know what to make of this, but I have NEVER heard Seuss like this before!! Click the image to go hear "Green Eggs and Ham," "The Cat in the Hat," and such, sung by Dylan. Hmmm. Thanks to Fuse #8 for the ... fascinating link.
I've gotta figure out how to add an accent to the "a" on my machine - hm. So! I have been going crazy for the last few months. When I started taking Spanish Lessons at the Latin American Association, I also started listening to the local Latino station for a feeble attempt at immersion, 105.7 (say it with me like a radio announcer - "cientos cinco puntos siete"!), (you can stream the station online, btw) and there was this one song that I completely flipped over. Unfortunately, my Spanish was so . . . green, I had no idea who it was. Well, I've come a long way, baby, and today I finally figured it out. And now there are two FAB songs: "Bendita Luz" and "Labios Compartidos" by Mana (accent on the second "a")! Okay, so they are not new, and certainly not news, but they are new to me - and I LOVE them!! The lead singer, Fher Olvera has a voice highly reminiscent of Sting back in the Police days (turns out The Police were one of their influences - ha!), slightly grindy, very sexy. Add to that a great beat, interesting chord changes, and awesome harmony, and you have ¡Mana! And you can hear them for yourself - in fact, the two songs I mentioned are their two #1's right now. Snippets play automatically when you visit their website. The site takes a bit to load, even on high speed, but stick it out. It's worth it. I dare you to not totally love these guys, especially the gals. What a VOICE!! Ahhhhh.....
Note: To the person who keeps leaving notes in Spanish on my blog - I hope you read this! I'm getting closer to being able to understand what the heck you're saying to me! :)
My favorite poster from the Childrens-Writers Message Board has finally started a blog. Her latest post about where rejection letters come from is a perfect example of why I love her so. Even though I've spoken with her for years on CW, I still know precious little about our mysterious Missy. She supposedly has a book for adults published, but refuses to give up her pseudonym - I wish she would, I'd love to read it. And while she doesn't have a children's book out yet, from the teensy hints she drops, I believe she's close. Boy, will that be something. Anyhow, check out her blog, but don't drink anything first lest you blow it out all over your computer screen in raucous guffaws.
On another note, estoy inferma. I am mucho sick-o, and this mucho suck-o's. I can't seem to kick this thing and long for the day when I can actually breath through my nose again. Gaads. Anyhow, I can't focus very well, so I'm a bit light on my postings lately (oh, except for the ugly irritable rant I removed the other day). Please send healthy vibes my way, and take your Vitamin C. You don't want to catch this . . . achooooo!
Okay, Matt Phelan posted his, so I'll share mine too. A few months back, Blue Rose Girls posted a request for Owls to celebrate Keene State College's 100th Anniversary in 2009. They are gathering 100 Owls to mark the occasion, and put out a call to children's book illustrators. I couldn't resist. One, it's a great cause; two, owls are so cool; and three, my owl will be hanging alongside owls drawn by many of my illustration heroes. So, I created my "Wise Reader" and had a giclee made. (Since I work digitally, a giclee is as close as I get to original art.) My owl has already flown north and will be included in the collection. I'm thrilled.
Yes, you read it right folks! (I bet Boing, Boing is so jealous they didn't think of this.) Hit "Play" and say "boing" every time one jumps, it makes it much more fun. (This is also a test to see if I can add YouTube videos to my blog - if it doesn't work, you can see it HERE.)
Remember when this was the best you could get from THE best graphics programs on the THE most powerful computers? Well, now you can go doodle with style on a website! So groovy, you gotta try it! (Click the image.)
Oh, I couldn't resist. I tried to actually draw something. The cool thing is, you can go back and "play" your drawing! I couldn't figure out how to save the animation in a way to link to it unfortunately. If you come across this one in the "fantasy gallery," it's mine. Y'all send me some of your creations!!
I've seen this floating around, and now I've been tagged by Gail Maki Wilson. I don't always do these, but sharing "6 weird things about myself" sounds pretty fun (the "rules" are below). I've done some crazy stuff in my life (I only play a mild-mannered children's book illustrator on the internet.) So, here I go:
1) I used to hang-glide. Yup. It's why I moved to Chattanooga (great town!). I started lessons in college, scaping together money to camp in the l.z. (landing zone) and leap off the small training hills. I eventually moved up to jumping off the mountain. For years I drove up to Chattaboogie in my '78 Landcruiser (great vehicle!) until I finally moved there. I loved the reactions from the tourists around the launch, "It's a GIRL!"
2) I like to rock climb. I first took it up towards the end of my hang-gliding days and discovered I loved it. It's not as hard as you'd think, it's more like a big puzzle you have to figure out as you go up. We have indoor climbing walls here in the big city, and I've been a few times, but I need to go more to help research my new novel.
3) I make bread. It's really not that hard to do, it just takes time, and since I work at home, I'm here to keep an eye on it. I love to knead the dough. It's like you can hear the ghosts of the generations of women who have made bread before you. It's the one thing that pretty much ties all female history together.
4) Hubbie and I went on Safari in Africa for our honeymoon. Trip of a lifetime that. So beautiful, so strangely familiar. You can see pictures here.
5) I am a Francophile. I took French through high-school. I was an exchange student in college (took French at the Sorbonne). I've visited on three other occassions. I'd love to live there some day, at least part of the year. Of course, since I started learning Spanish, my language skills are just getting really confused.
6) Okay, this is obscure. Numbers and letters have always had gender and personalities to me. They just came to me that way from day one. I have no idea if this is normal or weird.
So here are the rules:
Each person who gets tagged needs to write a blog post of their own 6 weird things as well as clearly state this rule. After you state your 6 weird things, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names.
Don’t forget to leave a comment that says “you’re tagged” in their comments and tell them to read your blog for information as to what it means. That means you may find a short message from me at any time soon in your comments.......
Wow. Technology changes our world once again. Hans Wilhelm has brought back all of his out-of-print picture books, but this time they are on his WEBSITE to be downloaded and enjoyed by all, for free! He is quoted in Publishers Weekly as saying, "It is entirely logical. Books seem to go out of print faster and faster these days, often for reasons beyond our control and not always because they aren't selling well, and it is a pity that many powerful books are no longer available. I thought there is no reason why my out-of-print books should collect dust on a shelf when I could keep them alive. So I'm taking them out of retirement so that they can continue to give joy and pleasure to millions around the world." What a great idea! And what a great thing that our modern technology can open such wonderful opportunities to those who hadn't seen his earlier works. Good books never have to die! Ain't technology grand?
Somebody sent this to me today - is this not the cutest? Okay, my cat isn't quite this bad, but she's not far off. Most days she is either in my lap or on my desk between my keyboard and me, between my keyboard and my monitor, or trying to attack my cursor onscreen. The worst is when she sits on the buttons on my Wacom tablet or my keyboard and suddenly programs are opening and closing, everything is blinking and beeping, or I end up with a lot of +++++++++++s in whatever I'm typing. She has yet to actually destroy anything, although she does love to chew on the end of my Wacom pen. As Cartman from South Park would say, "BAD KITTY!!" Mostly it just cracks me up (unless I'm on deadline, of course). :)
Remember drawing a face on your hand as a kid? Artist Guido Daniele took it to the next level. Check out the rest of his hand paintings on his WEBSITE. So very cool!
I had lunch with a friend the other day, and a friend of hers, Beth Lilly, joined us. Beth is a photographer and is the creator of what verges on performance art, "The Oracle@WiFi." Every Sunday, peole call her cell-phone and say "I have a question." (They don't tell her what it is.) She then takes three photographs and emails them to you. After she's sent you the last one, you send her your question. (It's funny how similar so many of the questions are.) Simple, right? Well, what is freaky weird is how often the images answer the question, I mean REALLY answer the question. I called last Sunday and you can can see my result above. We agreed that this was a very good reading. The three cups translate to all kinds of positive things (she sometimes refers to Tarot card information for the meaning of symbols), such as exuberance, friendship, cups to be filled with largesse. The second image I took as "I'm being watched" (in a good way), but it could also mean that I need to be vigilant pertaining to business, protecting my interests. The third image is just so obvious it's funny - the classic "climbing the career ladder." All in all, I concluded I am on the right path, and need to keep doing what I'm doing, which is: work hard, stay productive, keep networking, and enjoy the ride. Is there anything to this? Any cosmic truth that comes through the Oracle? I don't know, but it sure is fun, and what a great idea. Look through the history of readings - they're a trip!
You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Found this on Stacy Whitman's blog today - and it's a fun thing to do. I've often wondered if I read more than the average person. Well, probably, but how much is that compared to the grand scale of things? Go find out for yourself! Oh, and btw, Stacy got "Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm." She reads more than I do, but c'mon - she's an editor after all! :)
"Come meet us for breakfast," my friend said. "But I just ate," says I. "You need to get out, c'mon," says my friend. But I was already "in The Zone." What exactly is The Zone? It's this strange, otherworldy place my brain goes to when I'm creating - and I must admit, it's not a completely comfortable place to be. It's a release of myself and everything around me. In the zone, time flies quickly and very little can pull my attention away. I can go into the zone at 11:00am and come out at 4:00pm wondering, "What just happened?" It's a little weird. The more I write and illustrate, the more I realize how necessary it is to let The Zone take over. I've discovered that reading emails and checking blogs isn't just procrastination - it's how I slowly wind into The Zone. It's an important part of how I work. However, I'm also starting to realize that I have to balance it with a bit of real life. See, the The Zone is slightly addictive. It sucks me in and would really like to keep me there. It wants to rule me - scary! But if I let it keep me, I can stay holed up for days without any human interaction, and my social skills really do suffer. So this morning I said yes to my friend and I met her and her daughter at Thumbs Up Cafe. I got a take-out salad for lunch and caught up on what she's up to, as well as some other friends who I haven't seen in a bit. And y'know what? I feel better, I feel more human. I am a social creature after all. And now that I'm a functioning, interactive part of society, I am once again ready to sit down and go into The Zone.
Scientists have discovered a new dinosaur that looks so much like a dragon, they actually named it "Dracorex Hogwartsia!" J.K. Rowling is said to be thrilled by the honor. You can read more about it (and see pictures) HERE.
Just found this groovy word meter tool via Candie Moonshower's Blog, via Revelda's Journal. You can keep track of how far along you are on your latest writing project. I'm going to keep track of my newest novel, "Goldrush" (working title), although as I mentioned earlier, I already had to put it aside to get back to edits on "A Bird on Water Street." Still, these things take time and it will come, but now I can "see" my progress!
THANK YOU!! to all you wonderful people who comment on my blog. I try to respond when I can, but with bloggers new settings, most of the comments come in without an email address to reply to these days. But, I want you all to know how much I appreciate your kind words, encouragement, and general silliness. Your comments often arrive right when I'm in need of a pick-me-up and make me smile. So, thanks to all, and I wish all of us a peaceful, successful, and happy New Year!! Okay 2007 - I'm ready for ya - let's see what you've got in store for us this year!
My good friend (and conference travelling buddy) Karen Lee tagged me this morning. And seeing as it's a Sunday and I'm being a complete slug - I'll bite.
4 Jobs I've had: I was a hostess/waitress and I was absolutely terrible at it. I ended up being assigned the worst stations and doing portraits of the other waitresses on slow nights in the back.
I was a groom for the Atlanta Polo Club. That was pretty cool actually. Yes, I had to muck out the stalls, which I don't really mind, but I also had to exercise the horses, and they were some darned fine animals. Course, it's also how I attained a lot of the injuries that still haunt me today, including a broken nose. Hm.
I created animations for the Stone Mountain Laser Show - cast onto the side of an enormous granite mountain with laser lights. We were a small room full of artists, most true animators who went on to work for the Cartoon Network, and there wasn't a day I didn't cry from laughing so hard. Crazy good times.
Well, this one was volunteer, but I helped design and implement the landscape in front of the new Fannin County courthouse in Blue Ridge, Georgia with my Master Gardeners. The best part of it was I got to play with one of those enormous backhoes with a front dump. I didn't get to drive it, but I did get to direct it, and that was a FUN toy!!
4 Movies I could watch over and over Yeah, Sleepless in Seattle is great Somewhere in Time (when I need a good cry) Finding Nemo (an absolutely Perfectly done movie in my opinion) Valley Girl - I'm a geek, I admit, and oh, was Cage a hottie when he was young or what? And the music ROCKS!
4 Places I have lived (apart from where I live now) A log cabin in the north Georgia mountains A 1932 bungalow in Chattaboogie, TN (I loved that house.) A cool old apartment in downtown Chattanooga (was a brothel before it was fixed up!) An apartment in Paris for a summer as an exchange student - yeah, that was cool.
4 TV shows I love House Survivor Medium Desparate Housewives
4 Places I have been for vacation The best: Honeymoon safari in Africa. You can see pics online HERE Completely rockin: Paris, and the surrounding areas Snowmobiling through Yellowstone St. George's Island, Appalachicola
4 Favorite foods: Thai anything Home-made macaroni and cheese Good chocolate Yeah, me too on the gyros
4 Places I would rather be: Hm, I'm in one of 'em - I love my office Paris, of course I'd love to go back to Africa Beach, I'm in desparate need of a beach. I'm not picky about which one.
As I've shared before, hubbie and I lived in the North Georgia mountains for four years, in a log cabin no less. My first novel, "A Bird on Water Street," was actually born there – we lived about five minutes away from the mining town of Copperhill where the story takes place. One of the things that made that mountain community so special was the music. We quickly plugged in with lots of bluegrass musicians playing the old tunes that had been echoing through those hills for hundreds of years. It's magic stuff. Well every now and then, it comes out of the mountains. We had the pleasure of seeing one of our favorite bands, Ducktown Station, play at the Red Light Cafe last night. They were fantastic, and it was so fun to hear how tight the band has become since we got to enjoy them in their early days. Lisa is a trip as she sings or plays one of the various instruments hanging on her throughout the show (guitar, mandolin, fiddle). Pete has become an expert at the dobro. And 17-year-old Jarrod rips up a banjo - keep an eye on this guy! What a great time!
Can't wait! Yet another fantastic children's book turned into a movie. Philip Pullman (the talented author) is on one of my message boards and loves the young girl they chose to play Lyra - thinks she's perfect for the role. You can check her out and get fired up about the movie at the website: www.goldencompassmovie.com
My friend Kim Norman has created a version of "Santa Baby" just for us children's writers - it's too funny and she has a great voice. You gotta check it out: www.kimnormanbooks.com. (Click on the arrow in the blue box.)
I did this last year and it's fun as well as a great procrastination tool - for a good cause no less. Every snowflake made, ups the ante from the Salvation Army. So check out http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/ and make your own snowflake! This is mine:
It's official. GLITTER GIRL AND THE CRAZY CHEESE is on the list of nominations for the new Cybils Award. The Cybils (a loose acronym for "Children's and YA Bloggers' Literary Awards") is a new award invented by a group of (per the website) "librarians, teachers, homeschoolers, authors and illustrators, parents and the kidlit-obsessed" who felt the need for an award based "both on a books merit's and popularity." If Glitter Girl doesn't win, at least it will be read by some passionate people who may not have been familiar with it otherwise. But you never know – a girl can hope. Keep yer fingers crossed!
My cousin, Chris, and his wife, Kelly, just produced the first heir to the Oberholtzer clan (that's what the "O" stands for in my name). Kate Olivia is just six weeks old and sweet as can be. Her parents don't get much sleep right now, but they love her something silly. I'm looking forward to when little Kate can run around and make lots of noise - we're going to have so much fun! Welcome to the world little sweetie!
Okay, I am totally stealing this link from Drawn! but geese - I am addicted. Y'all have got to check these out. The purple guy and the orange guy especially. These are just freakin' beautiful! Mr.CityMen
Tonight I start taking spanish lessons at the Latin American Association in Atlanta. I'm excited and a wee bit nervous. I hope this old decrepit brain can squeeze a bit more info into it. I've always wanted to speak and understand Spanish - well all languages really. I LOVE languages. I speak some French (need a long vacation to Paris to trip over to fluent), and being a romance language, the structure is the same. That'll help. I can also speak a few words in Italian, Hebrew, German, Swahili, Mandarin, oh, and Amharic (Ethiopian). Love 'em, love 'em all. The Spanish is most important right now for two reasons: one, we have a wonderful culture moving into the state of Georgia and I want to be able to really experience it; and two, PACO AND THE GIANT CHILE PLANT comes out in June 2008. It's a bilingual picture book, and I'd like to be able to speak to what I hope will be a large, culturally mixed audience. Wish me luck!
We had our annual pumpkin carving party Saturday. I've been throwing this party for about seven years now, and it's always so much fun. Everybody gets gooey and messy. We roast the pumpkin seeds and then line up the gallery. Here are some of this year's creations with neighbors, Isaac (Buzz Light-Year) and Hannah (witchie), to show them off. I love Halloween!!
Wow. You've got to see THIS. It's about how "real beauty" gets distorted in our society. I knew about make-up, and I even knew about photoshopping out imperfections, but this goes beyond. They change the size of the girls eyes, the length of her forehead, the length of her neck, etc. The end result may as well not even be a real human. Disturbing.
There's been an awful lot of talk lately about stats. Even editors and publishers aren't immune. So I thought I'd talk about my own stats addiction. I use a free service through http://www.statcounter.com/. The coding is hidden on most of the pages of my website, so I can track a lot of visitor traffic. The information falls off quickly with the free version though, so I do have to visit often (hence the addiction). But I've found checking in the morning and again at the end of the day seems to give me a good idea of whose been dropping by. It's part of my routine. Somebody on my SCBWI message board recently asked if keeping stats serves any practical use. I find my stats highly valuable. For instance, I watch my stats closely for hits from New York right after I send out my latest round of promotional postcards. Most of the big publishing houses' servers are named for the houses, so I can see if Scholastic or Random House has been to my site. I do a screen capture of these little snippets and keep them in a file to see who is showing the most interest in me. It helps me direct my mailings better, and it's a nice boost on those days when I feel like throwing in the towel. It's helped me recognize which marketing strategies attract more visitors to my site. For instance, when my blog was included in the megablog at Jacketflap my stats shot way up! If I've posted some work online for a particular client, I can see when they've visited (or if they haven't yet). I can see if people are downloading my art. For some reason, my "Angels and Devils" submission I did eons ago for Illustration Friday is extremely popular. I have no idea why, it's one of my least favorite pieces. Hubbie thinks people are using it for their personal icons. Could be. But my favorite part of following my stats is when I see that somebody in some faraway place like Kazakhstan or Taiwan has downloaded one of my coloring pages. Glitter Girl is on the other side of the globe! I wouldn't know it if it wasn't for my stats, and what a groovy thing to know.
We just had a new diner move in to our area, and the groovy thing . . . it's in walking distance. Okay, I know there are lots of places where walking to restaurants is a way of life (you lucky New Yorkers), but we don't happen to live in one of those. Just at the edge really. So, this is a great thing. This morning, we threw on baseball hats and running shoes and walked to "Thumbs Up." It was pretty good and I love people watching on Sunday mornings. They're stripped down to their bare essences - no showers, not awake yet, and don't really care. It's like peeking behind the curtain. What a great way to start a Sunday.
It's what keeps me sane, lunch with friends. Working from home, it's often my only social contact. I get a bit o' cabin fever, y'know. Not to mention, I have so many interesting writer and illustrator friends close by now (since we left the mountains). I love talking the biz with such talented people. Today I had my monthly lunch with illustrator Liz Conrad. She has an incredible 3-D style, cut paper. She says she has callouses on her fingertips from working with an X-acto blade so much. I've got to watch her work someday. I imagine she weilds that thing as easily as I do a pencil. Her method is just more . . . dangerous. Anyhow, had to share the piece she did for Illustration Friday's "Quiet" theme. Ain't it Great!? We're teaming up as roomies for the upcoming SCBWI Southern Breeze Fall Conference. It's going to be a blast!
I’ve recently returned to something I used to love doing when I was a staff artist at Buster Brown Apparel (please don’t ask how long ago that was) – listening to books while I work. In illustration, once the concept drawing is finished (and approved), and the base colors are decided, there’s a lot of fill in rendering and shading which requires my hand more than my brain. So, lately I’ve been listening to podcasts and audiobooks while I work. I am absolutely in love with the Authors on Tour podcasts available from The Tattered Cover Bookstore in Colorado. (Bookstores and publicists, hint hint - this is a GREAT marketing tool!) I get to know the author by hearing them "in person," making their book much more personal, I get a good feel for their latest creation, and I learn what makes a good (or bad) author talk. I even subscribed to the feed so I know when the Tattered Cover has a new podcast available. I do wish there were more MG/YA authors to listen to. Anybody know of more podcasts available in kids lit? Pleases share! Along with podcasts, I'm back to audiobooks. The other day, I tried out iTunes new selection. They don’t have many choices available yet, but I was glad to see my bud Karin Slaughter’s "Triptych" is among them. I already have that in hard cover though, so I downloaded Brad Meltzer’s "The Book of Fate." It had an interesting premise and was a kick to listen to while I worked. And wow, I was amazed how much I got done in what felt like very little time. I want more! So I checked out Audible.com. You have to sign up for a year or some-such, and I may end up doing that since audio books can be way expensive, but I wanted to see what my local library had available first. They do have a good selection, but most are still on cassette. We retired our cassette player when we moved, so those aren’t an option right now (hubbie may have to dig it back out of the attic). What I did find on CD was M.T.Anderson’s "Whale on Stilts!", Susan Cooper’s "The Dark is Rising," and a classic, John Irving’s "The World According to Garp" (it’s been so long, I want to refresh my memory). So, I have some great listening ahead, and watch my hand fly while I do!
To learn more about the guys who cooked up this crazy idea, go to Talk Like a Pirate.
In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, I share some jokes: *What do you call a pirate that skips class? -- Captain Hooky! *How much did the pirate pay for his peg leg and hook? -- An arm and a leg! *What kind of socks does a pirate wear? -- Aarrgghyle!! *What happened when Red Beard fell into the Blue Sea? -- He got marooned! *Why couldn't the young pirate go to the movie? -- Because is was rated "Aarrrrrr"!!
Some Pirate Lingo (repeat out loud - loudly): "Ye landlubber!" "Shiver me timbers!" "Ahoy Matee!" "Yo-ho-ho!" "Avast, ye scurvy dogs!" "Walk the plank!"
A Pirate song: Drink up me hearties! Yo ho! Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A pirates life for me! We're rascals, scoundrels, villains and knaves; Drink up me hearties! Yo Ho! We're devils, black sheep, and really bad eggs; Drink up me hearties! Yo Ho!
And a coloring page, "Pirate Treasure"! Click the image to download the jpg (300k).
"Glitter Girl and the Crazy Cheese" will be a featured book on Jacketflap for two weeks. I am loving this site!
Also, my Glitter Cheese Sammies recipe has been posted to Cooking up Reading - a site that lists recipes connected with your favorite children's books. What a great idea!
On that note, I'm making a bunch of Glitter Cheese Sammies for my book signing at the Northpoint Barnes & Noble (one of the top 25 B&Ns in the country!) this Saturday. I'll be reading Glitter Girl for their pink hat party. Can I tell you what a silly job it is to find a pink hat? The one I found is a magenta hip-hop jobbie. Hm.
I had the pleasure of escorting the author of "The Legend of Zoey," and her friend Karen Carroll, to A Little Shop of Stories recently. She was in town for the Romance Writers of America convention, but her newest book is a young adult novel – she had to meet Diane, the owner of my local independent children's bookstore! We had fun getting lost on the way back to her hotel, which ended up creating a wonderful tour of downtown Atlanta. (I'm still figuring out the roads around here.) Here's me and Candie with her new book: Turns out Candie and Alan Gratz (author of "Samurai Shortstop") are old writing buddies from Tennessee, so he dropped by with his wife and daughter and we all went out for a late lunch. I love hanging out with my writer friends. What a great time! MORE: I finished reading "The Legend of Zoey" and highly recommend it! In fact, I couldn't put it down. Zoey travels back in time to the days of earthquakes in West Tennessee. There she meets Prudence, and the story is told from their points of view back and forth. It's educational, interesting, well-done, and Highly entertaining!
I went to the SCBWI-NY portfolio show which I will write about above, but I want to talk about New York first, an amazing and unique place. When we moved to our log cabin in the mountains five years ago, we thought we were granola-crunchy, off-the-grid types. I honestly was at one time in my life. But I always wondered how I could be a country girl, and yet love Paris like I do - after all, it's a big sprawling urban CITY. When we left our country life and moved to Atlanta I discovered, at this stage of my life (and maybe running through me all along), I am a city girl. I love the vibrancy, the food (the smells), the walking, the amazing resources all Right There. I loved New York. We walked, oh how we walked! This is Karen and Beth with Mickey peeking above. Our hotel (the Hilton) was perfectly located. Starting out, we learned the hard way that eating gyros from the sidewalk kiosks is a bad, bad idea. Luckily Karen had medicine with her. We were within walking distance to the park, Rockefeller Center, MOMA, Times Square. You name it, we walked there. I quickly learned to look for the red hand vs. the little walking guy saying to stop or go. I learned to look for Taxis that won't stop, trucks that will mow you down, and to "go with the flow." We were surrounded by languages - heaven! Russian, French, and so many others I didn't recognize. My ears perked up at every one. It created a kind of music with horns and engines keeping rhythm. New Yorkers are skinny people, it's no wonder with all that walking. I know the stereo-type of the "rude New Yorker" but they struck me as focused. Every face had a business-like appearance, with whatever they had to do next fresh on their mind. Any time I spoke to somebody, they were warm and helpful. I discovered they really do wear black and running shoes, and they all look "hip" in a way I never could. Garbage was everywhere, bagged and waiting to be picked up (I now understand the impact of a "Sanitation Workers Strike") - but so were tulips in vast arrays of color. I was reminded the blooming schedule is about two or three weeks behind Atlanta. Walking to the park, I expecting something similar to Piedmont Park, a large grassy area and sporadic trees. What I found was magic. No matter how many movies I've seen with Central Park, I never expected such amazing rock formations, or the trees that twisted wildly above me before they ever started to leaf out their canopies. Near the zoo, the architecture was old and romantic. I felt I had walked into a secret garden, truly. I was surprised by the beauty of the buildings. I expected a plethora of tall grey structures. They were anything but. Radically modern buildings with chrome and shine sat next to century-old buildings of stone. Side streets revealed light striking surfaces in soft hues that took my breath away. Stone arches we passed under felt so old, there was no way to avoid connecting with the millions of people who had passed that way for over 100 years. I could almost hear their shoes tapping on the pavement beside my sneakers. Time Square reminded me of the setting for "Blade Runner," a multi-tiered, advertising intensive place, but this time abudant with color and life. Everything towered above me with blinking lights and animations. I was cowered, humbled and awed completely. What struck me as most different from my usual experience was the sound. I live in a horizontal world here in the south, although I didn't realize it. Things here are mostly level and sound travels sideways. Not in New York - sound travels vertically there. On the 24th floor of our hotel, the noises of the street below drifted up to us. Laying in bed, listening to the sounds above, sideways, and below, I imagined it must be a similar feeling to live in an ant hill with busyness all around. It was enchanting to feel space in such a new way. Peeking through the thin curtains, the street far below resembled a river running through a canyon of steep, windowed cliffs. New York did remind me of Paris, although it is most definitely its own magic creation. I loved it and can't wait to return.
I was contacted recently by the Mom of a "Lego First Competition" student. This is an "Odyssey of the Mind" type organization and her son and his team had to create an under sea robot. They wanted to call themselves the "Sea Monkeys." When the Mom googled the term, she found my art. I was honored to have my art adorn their t-shirts as they competed and won 4th place against several older students! They sent pictures too - so great. Here is the team with their medals: And here are the back of their shirts with my Sea Monkeys illustrations: Too, too groovy. :)
If you 
This pirate is by Kris's 7-year-old son, Trey, who is home sick today and sorry to be missing out on the pirate festivities at school. His Mom said he was "tickled pink" to find my coloring page. Thanks for sending it in!
I had the coolest day yesterday and have to share. 
Hubbie and I went to see 
Diane at 
We decided to lean on the bright colors both our illustration styles share and created a rainbow palette on the inset panels. To those we added cut-outs from our books (the galleys and such). Here's Liz doing her amazing cutting thing (cut paper is her preferred medium, so she's a whiz). 
A local credit union recently used my "Pirate Treasure" coloring page in a promotion for their bank. 
Kids colored tons of my art and the bank had a contest. Here are the three winners: 1st Place, 2nd Place, and 3rd Place. 
Oh, I couldn't resist. I tried to actually draw something. The cool thing is, you can go back and "play" your drawing! I couldn't figure out how to save the animation in a way to link to it unfortunately. If you come across this one in the "fantasy gallery," it's mine. 
Remember drawing a face on your hand as a kid? Artist Guido Daniele took it to the next level. Check out the rest of his hand paintings on his 
