Orphan Works Bill

     I don't usually talk about politics on my blog, but this particular issue directly affects me as a freelance illustrator.
     Have you heard of the Orphan Works Legislation that's been sneaking through the House of Representatives? Well, if this Bill goes through, it could directly affect my business - not in a good way. Right now, when I create, I own my creation. It's an automatic copyright. Seems logical. I created it so I own it.
     I make my living by people paying me to use my art.
     But sometimes when a person wants to use a piece of art, nobody knows who the artist is, or they can't find them. That's an Orphan work - a creation (music, art, a photograph, etc.) who's creator can no longer be located and therefore permission cannot be saught or compensation offered for usage of their work. Orphan works do exist, and libraries and schools do have legitimate reasons for wanting access to be able to use these works.
     But that's not what this Bill is about. It started out that way but quickly morphed into a way for commercial businesses to use artwork without much research and without much recourse for the artist.
     Here's the gist: Let's say there's a big t-shirt company (I mean really big) - that wants to use a piece of art for their company logo which they found on Google Images - a great sketch of a happy sun - they want to use it on everything they produce.
     They can do what they call "due diligence" (this term has not been defined in the Bill) to find the artist, and if they can't find the artist, they can declare it an orphan work and use it anyway.
     Say the artist finds out, because the image is now in every store in America. The artist can sue the company for damages, but there's a cap on how much the artist can sue for (not a very high cap).
     And here's where the Bill protects the abuser and not the artist: the Bill is so loosely defined, loop-holes abound, and if the big corporate lawyer is better, and more powerful than the lawyer a poor little freelancer can afford - the company doesn't have to pay the artist a dime and the artist is out the legal fees they spent and time wasted (which translates to income in a freelancer's world). Most of the time it will literally makes no sense for an artist to go after an abuser (this is true even in today's system).
     One argument to protect artists against abuses is to create a database for all works to be registered. Sounds logical? Well, this database does not exist yet. The software to search the work in a database does not exist yet. (I'd like to see it search for abstract art.) Whether or not this would be a non-profit or profit driven database has not been determined.
     In other words it could cost me money to register every single thing I draw or I don't have any rights to my own creations.
     Let's say that unlucky artist drew that happy sun on a cocktail napkin - there's nothing in this Bill saying how much that artist would have to pay to register that cocktail napkin.
     Reality check - people illegally download my work for their personal use all the time. Yes, I make my coloring pages available and free for non-profit uses, but I have other images on my website that have been downloaded literally hundreds of times (I can follow this in my stats) - work that I never gave permission for and was never compensated for.
     So why do I have my artwork online? Because I'm a freelance illustrator and to get new work, I have to advertise myself with an online portfolio. So while it's really rotten, theft happens.
     Beginning to get the picture? This Bill protects the abuser, not the creator. It could severely cut into my ability to charge for what I do and how I make my living.
     So what can you do to help stop this Bill from going through? SIGN HERE. Our biggest enemy on this legislation is that nobody has heard of it. One Congressman supposedly thought it was about orphan children. Another was quoted as saying "we must protect the consumer" (implied: not the creator). What!?
     So, please SIGN HERE. It's time to get as many people aware of this bad legislation as possible and start shouting about it to our representatives. The ability for me to continue creating art could hang on this - so please go SIGN.

Office Redo

Before:

After:

     So I had another one of those pesky birthdays recently, but instead of jewelry or some such, I asked hubbie for bookshelves and some hard labor. I wanted to redo my office. It was starting to close in on me - with piles of books everywhere. I just knew storage could be handled more efficiently. But really the whole thing started with a shoebox. This fabulous lime green interior:

I propped it up on my old bookcase and stared at it for months wanting to pull that incredible lime into my office. And then I came across these awesome orange bookshelves from West Elm (the 3x4 set in Saffron!). Had to have 'em! Aren't they purty?

     So hubbie and I pulled everything out of my office and started over. We painted the walls a pale yellow, called "Cornbread." With the orange shelves, I wanted the shoebox lime and some teal as an accent - it happens to be my personal color palette.
     What? Don't you know what your personal color palette is? I've found most people have one - especially illustrators. And it really helps to identify what that palette is and play up on the strengths of that knowledge. If you look at my website, you can see it in my main design. And here it is in swatches: The pale yellow is my neutral, the main colors are Orange, Lime and Teal.
     To find your own palette - lay a bunch of your art on the floor and stare at it. Are there certain colors you seem to use again and again? See if you can narrow it down to three.

     The hardest things to paint turned out to be my filing cabinet and stereo cabinet, four coats of paint later they were a lovely shoebox lime - a perfect match. The cool thing was the stereo cabinet ended up fitting perfectly underneath a parsons table I dug out of my parents basement. It was my grandfather's, and I couldn't get it out of my head when I first saw it. I loved its clean sqare lines and modern sensibility. Stylistically, it's a perfect match to my new orange shelves, and the color is a dead on match for the walls - sometimes I scare myself. By sliding the stereo cabinet underneath I ended up with an awesome credenza. And kismet - the orange magazine boxes slid into the album slots so perfectly, I couldn't have planned it any better. This kind of thing downright excites me:

To top it all off, I painted my old wooden chair aqua. It ended up lighter than I planned (teal), but it's growing on me.
     Now with my lovely orange shelves and the black bookshelf by the door, I finally have enough storage for all my books - yippee!! (Ooo, I wonder if hubbie noticed his shirt matched the shoebox?)
     The only thing missing now is my ego wall like in my old office. I think I'm going to reign it in just a tad (that was a lot of holes to spackle) and put two pin boards over my credenza. Maybe this weekend.
     Honestly, the biggest experiment in my new space was the removal of my drawing table. I've never been without one and I hemmed and hawed. But since I went digital, I was really only using it as a cutting surface and not often enough to warrant the enormous space it was taking up. We'll see if I miss it too much, but so far, so good.
     So, can I tell you what a good giftie this was? We purged, we scrubbed, we reorganized (and we're both still sore). But my soul just feels calm and content now when I sit down to work in my new space. Of course, that's when my men let me use it...

Making a Repeat Pattern

     I used to make simple repeats when I worked for a children's clothing company (wayyyy back when). I occassionally still do it, like for the endpapers for Paco and the Giant Chile Plant (which I am using as the background for my website right now). But this is the best tutorial I've ever seen on making a complicated pattern in repeat. Check it out at Design Sponge!

ForeWord Magazine - on blogging

     How cool is this!?
     Librarian and fellow blogger Jackie Parker has been writing for ForeWord Magazine, and recently put out a call to bloggers on one of my message boards. She had lots of questions like:

     Were you already published when you started blogging?
     Why did you start blogging? Why do you continue?
     Has your blog changed over time?
     How has blogging affected your career?

     Several of us responded and she's collated our answers in "Let's Hand it to the Girls," her latest (and unfortunately last) Shelf Space entry.
     I loved reading the other responses, and found that we all seem to have similarities in the when, why, hows.
     So if you're thinking about diving into the blogosphere yourself - go have a read. Maybe you'll get some ideas. And if you already blog, maybe you'll see some similarities to your own journey. Fun stuff!

Publisher Day after IRA

     My publisher for Paco and the Giant Chile Plant, Dawn from Raven Tree Press came to town for the International Reading Association (IRA) along with Dick, the owner of their parent company, Delta Systems. They treated me to dinner on Cinco de Mayo where we talked about fun project ideas. Then Thursday Dawn and another Raven Tree author/illustrator, Sheila Jarkins (check out her new book coming soon - Marco Flamingo), and I took a day to talk to some important people here in Atlanta.
     First were my friends at the Latin American Association, where I take my Spanish lessons. Since Delta Systems specializes in ESL materials for all ages, and Raven Tree specialized in bilingual picture books, they were a natural fit. Our meeting was enormously successful and we were able to enjoy lunch at the Cuban sandwich restaurant across the street afterwards.
     Our second stop was to a new bilingual bookstore and educational facility in Alpharetta, My Spanish Workshop. I was thrilled to find out about this local resource.
     Third was The Reading Tree, our latest independent children's bookstore in Alpharetta. There we talked to friends, Cindy and Martha about exciting happenings in the independent children's book business.
     And from there we headed to my extended home, Little Shop of Stories.
     Of course, we were also exhausted, so hung out at The Brick until Sheila's son picked her up and Dawn left on Marta for the airport. But we got some great time to sit and try to digest all the information from the day and talk the biz. (Here's Dawn squinting in a sudden wind gust, Sheila, and me.)
     Do all creators get opportunities like this? To show off the places where the magic happens in their cities to the people who make the magic happen with their books? I hope so, because it was a wonderful experience for me. And I loved putting faces with the people I email with. Bonus was they are wonderful people and we all got along so well (and had a lot of surprising things in common), I know I have new friends.

What I've learned about speaking engagements

     Well, Paco has been properly celebrated with awesome kick-offs at the Alabama Book Festival, Cedar Valley Arts Festival, the Georgia Center for the Book, Mami y Yo, Barnes & Noble, The Reading Tree, and Little Shop of Stories. I finally get to sit back and relax (HA!). I tell you - with having to be at so many engagements, sometimes back to back, I have developed a system for creating a smooth presentation, so I thought I'd share my method.
     First is the bag. I use my SCBWI Southern Breeze tote to carry a copy of all my picture books, book marks, signing pens, a bottle of water, my camera, my drawing supplies (black pencils and pastels), publisher catalogues and postcards, and the folder. I keep it together so I can just grab it and go.
     The folder (which goes in the bag). I bought a bunch of yellow school folders and printed stickers with my name to adhere to the front. In the pockets I include a bio page with photo, a list of my books with a quick summary of each, information on school visists, master copies of my coloring pages and word find puzzles, bookmarks, and my invoice with a feedback form and a self addressed stamped envelope (if it applies). Most of these items are available for download beforehand on my Media Page (even how to pronounce my name), but I like to make sure I have a hard-copy with me. Loosely I include google maps if I'm driving to a destination which I'm not familiar with, and a print out of the contact information for all the key people I will be dealing with (including phone numbers in case I should become unexpectedly delayed). If I'm meeting with new people, media specialists or people who may be interested in inviting me to future engagements - I pull out the maps and info page, and give them the folder for future reference.
     Next, the illustration demonstration supplies. Having been to a few book signings early on where they didn't have an appropriate (or easy) easel, I finally bought my own. I converted a fold up chair nylon bag thingie with a handle into my over the shoulder easel carrier. I also have to carry a large drawing pad - again because I never know what they might supply me with and it's a variable better left figured out. I am probably going to reassign one of my big old portfolios to carry the drawing pad, as it's awkward and unruly (especially in wind or rain).
     In my purse I make sure my cell phone is fired up (but off during my presentation). I also keep book marks and signing pens in my purse at all times.
     The bod. It's ironic what you have to think about when you'll be in front of a crowd, but here you go. I dress casually, but ironed, clean and put together. I tend to dress a bit more colorfully than I do in my daily life. I also watch the neck lines - we tend to lean over a lot with kids - I don't need to make it a ride for the parents. And not that I wear short skirts anymore, but that could also cause trouble when your audience is at coffee table level (and I often end up on the floor with the kids). I have also figured out I have to have my hair held back in some manner, dangit. I have long hair, it falls in my face. Fine for every day, but not when a crowd is trying to fallow along with you and it's important you stay connected with them.
     Finally, the presentation. I end up speaking to all different age groups, so I have a library of activities in my head appropriate for each. The littlest ones are good with a reading, a demonstration, and coloring pages. A little older, and you can play some games too. The main thing is to keep them involved to hold their attention. For even older (4th grade and up) I have a slide show about what it's like to be an illustrator. Now I know a lot of people carry around projectors and laptops with power point and the like, but I'm not a good trouble-shooter and those things can have LOTS of problems at the last minute. What's worked for me lately is I have a slide show, created through my .mac account, hidden in my website. I share the link if I'm going to be using it, then I let the venue worry about getting it set up. They know what works best for them, so I let them handle it and they can get any kinks worked out long before I get there. So far, it's worked beautifully. (It does require they have internet access at the venue, but these days that is becoming more and more common and has not been an issue.)
     Giveaways - yup. Good idea. I've given away everything from coloring pages and bookmarks to maracas and sombreros (ordered from the Oriental Trading Company). The sombreros were a bit big and unruly, but when I saw the look in the eyes of the kids who won them (during a quick Spanish quiz after reading Paco) it made it worth it. Giveaways don't have to be expensive, so get creative!
     If books will be available for sale, I let the booksellers handle that end. (Hopefully we've been in touch beforehand and I've supplied them with all the ISBN #s and the title of the book I'll be featuring.) I just keep my pens handy. It does help if they supply sticky notes for people to write the names for the dedications. It's amazing how creative people can get with the spelling of some of the most common names and you don't want to get it wrong! I also have tag lines I use for signing each book. After a while, your hand will write it without a lot of thinking which is important because people always want to talk to you while you're signing - you need to be able to multi-task.
     And speaking of being in touch beforehand, most events are scheduled months in advance. I touch base as we get closer (in time for books to be ordered if necessary), and again a week before and the day before the event so I know they are expecting me and everything will be in order. It also helps to drum up excitement and get me focused on what's coming. It's also important to have one main contact person for this - this is often the same person I hand my camera to before I speak. I ask them to please try to include the audience in the pictures (as a picture of me alone is purty darned boring and doesn't share the feel of the venue). And I make sure to let everybody know I'll be blogging about the event and have free activities on my website.
     So that's it. This is my method for making sure my presentations go smoothly, that I have everything with me, and that I can leave fun things behind for the audience to remember me. But even with everything in place, it's important to remain flexible. You can't control the size of the crowd (which will vary wildly) or their moods (expect that you will sometimes have kids who misbehave). And you need to be creative on the fly. But that's part of what makes speaking engagements so enjoyable - they're a constant puzzle of how best to entertain the audience you have and they can be lots of fun to do!

Bookmarks!

     A question came up on one of my message boards about business cards. Well, I don't hand out business cards, I hand out bookmarks. Several people liked that idea, but had questions and I thought it would be good information to share on my blog.
     Here are my two latest bookmarks:

     (Click a bookmark to open a version you can print and cut out!)
     I created these in Photoshop using my own art. The one on the left lists several of my books, while the other just promotes one book - Paco and the Giant Chile Plant. The one on the left I had printed at Kinkos - eight up on their 11"x17" cardstock (which kept the color pretty accurate - don't use their gloss stock). Here's what my .pdf file looked like:

     What you may not be able to see here is that I extended the size of my bookmark 1/8" around all outside edges here and placed crop marks where they should be cut down. (Kinkos can do this.) This guarantees I won't have white space showing around the edges and is the most efficient use of paper. I didn't have anything printed on the back for this round.
     Kinkos does a great job, but ends up being more expensive per bookmark. (And they are only as good as the person helping you, so they require a lot of hands on.) So, I searched out another printer for bulk. I've just started using a local printer, Claxton Printing.
     My main reason for not wanting to go with one of the large online printing companies like VistaPrint or others, is that I wanted to be able to see a proof - maybe even swing by to have a look if I needed it quickly. (I also like to support local businesses.) Another advantage is that I didn't have to set up the file for them. I just sent them one bookmark design (as a .pdf with the image extended 1/8"" all around) and they took it from there.
     They did a great job on my Paco bookmarks, and I got 500 bookmarks for about the same price I used to get 200 at Kinkos.
     (I also added information to the back of the Paco bookmark in black and white which you can also download by clicking the image to the right.)
     I tend to prefer a bookmark about 2 inches wide, although my heights have varied. However, I've found the shorter bookmarks easier to deal with in my purse. I also think, in the future, I may stick with a bookmark that shows several books - that way I can put it with any book I sign (I always give a bookmark when I sign a book), and it advertises my other books. But in the mean time, I've got about 400 more Paco bookmarks to give away!
     The main thing with bookmarks is I'm trying to let people know about my books and drive them to my website where they can download free coloring pages, word find puzzles, computer wallpaper, etc. Hopefully, they'll visit again and again and still be around when my next books come out!

The Edge of the Forest, March/April 2008

     Do you know about this great online magazine on children's literature? Go check it out! This issue includes:

• An interview with Peter Cameron, by Barbara Shoup
• Spring Book Recommendations from the Editorial Board.
• Fairytale in the Forest: A Friendship, by Candice Ransom.
• A YA Review Bonus Section.
• Barrie Summy is this month's Blogging Writer, interviewed by Becky Levine
• Sounds from the Forest is back.
• Reviews in all categories—from Picture book to Young Adult

Springmingle '08!!

     The Spring Conference for the Southeastern region of the SCBWI (Southern Breeze) is quickly approaching. I am actually going to do a skit for the opening entertainment - gads! (Hence the purchase of the lovely bunny slippers.)
     Anyhow, there are still a few openings left. (Shocking, as the last few years were sold out!) So here's the info if you know anybody who may be interested – maybe YOU!

Book Writing & Illustrating Seminar!
Springmingle ‘08 • February 22-24
Sponsored by The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

This is sure to be a spectacular seminar! The publishing houses represented acquire everything from picture books, MG books and YA novels, to poetry written by adults for kids – and they are looking for new talent!

Featured SM08 speakers include:
- Editor Robin Tordini of Henry Holt (NY)
Ms. Tordini acquires genres from picture books to young adult novels. She says, "Naturally, I’m always looking for interesting manuscripts and illustrations, too."
www.henryholtchildrensbooks.com

- Editor Jennifer Wingertzahn of Clarion Books (NY)
Ms. Wingertzahn acquires picture books, novels and poetry for all ages. She "hopes to find new talent" at SM08!
www.clarionbooks.com

- Art Director Martha Rago of Harper Collins (NY)
This company and its many imprints publish 600 titles per year in various genres. HarperCollins is a CLOSED house, but Ms. Rago will accept illustration submissions from SM08 attendees! Illustrators – get those portfolios ready for display!
www.harpercollins.com

- Deborah Wiles, Award Winning Author and Keynote Speaker (Atlanta, GA)
She’ll share her winning inside story. Visit her website – just look at that list of awards!
www.deborahwiles.com

- Diane Capriola, co-owner of the bookstore Little Shop of Stories (Decatur, GA)
This bookstore has been nominated for several awards. Hear inside tips from a successful bookseller’s perspective!
http://littleshopofstories.com

Registration information at www.southern-breeze.org. Hurry – space is limited. Our last three seminars SOLD OUT!

Teatrio Children's Book Int'l Competition Exhibition

     I've been invited to attend the opening reception for the 30 winners of the 2007 Teatrio Children's Book International Competition Exhibition at the Savannah College of Art and Design (Atlanta campus) tonight.
     SCAD students participate in this competition every year and this year not only are twelve of the 30 winning pieces by SCAD students or recent alumni, but the Grand Prize Winner is also a SCAD illustration graduate, Suzy Maier. Even better, the opening show is in America this year at SCAD-Atlanta.
     The artwork for this competition is always fresh and cutting edge, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what these new talents have come up with.
     I'm also happy to see several of my friends (Rick Lovell, Julie Mueller-Brown, and Jay Montgomery), the illustration teachers who have invited me back again this year to speak to children's book illustration undergraduate and graduate students (March 3rd).
     This is my favorite age group to talk to as I feel they can best use the practical, real working advice I can give them. At this stage, they are bundles of potential bursting to discover what creative voice they will shout to the world - it's an exciting time.

Writing a novel . . .

     You know, one of the reasons I keep a blog is so I have a place to store links to things I don't want to forget. Today, I'm saving a link to an article by Jeff Vandermeer, "HOWTO Write a decent novel in two months." Hubbie sent it to me from boingboing of all things. It's short, but shares some great secrets to staying focused on the task at hand.
     I think his best bit of advice was to "Make sure you know what kind of novel you're writing." It helps you add necessary scenes, cut unnecessary ones, and keep the pacing true to the genre. Some of his advice is 'in the back of your brain you know this, you just never put it into words' type of advice. It's part of what I love about teaching. When you verbalize why you do what you do, you learn too.
     So, I promised to share a bit about my writing process as I work on my second novel . . . All I can say is, wow. And I thought getting into "illustrator mode" was hard! Still, I've done it once, so I know I can do it again. And now that I know what I'm writing (an actual novel), I don't think it will take nearly as long as the first foray did.
     This story takes place in the 1850s, so perhaps it takes me longer to travel back in time, but once I'm there, I have a hard time getting out! I love the research. I'm discovering so many stories and cool facts. I constantly stumble across examples of 'fact is stranger than fiction' and end up in amused shock throughout much of my day. I'll never include everything I learn, but I need to know enough to make my writing believable.
     For instance, Chapter Two has a lot of travel logistics in it. So the other weekend, I went to hang out with the Little Old Lady who helped me so much on my first novel. She actually had documents from her Great Grand-Mother travelling to America - even the name of the steamship. So, I spent some quality time on her floor, learning how to get around in 1850. What an interesting time it was. They were practically laying down railroad ties in front of moving trains! And how do you suppose they took baths? Well, I need to find that out...
     The writing is coming along well too. Once I get in the zone, my fingers can't seem to type fast enough. It's a great feeling, truly.
     Anyhow, more soon!

Call for RSS help!

     If you look to my sidebar you'll see that I've added a link to my blog on LiveJournal - I'm finally going there too (although I'll keep this as my main blog for now). I've heard too many wonderful things about the community and friend capabilities of LiveJournal. However, I don't want to have to come up with new content for every community blog I use (Facebook, MySpace, LiveJournal, etc.) I want to post once and have the other programs pick up an RSS feed.
     I've managed to make this happen in Facebook (here's the walk through to set this up and here's my profile on facebook - notice the feed.)
     I also managed to create a syndicated feed for LiveJournal which dumps into my Friends Page.
     But here's the question . . . how do I get that feed to dump into my Main Page on LiveJournal? And is it even possible in MySpace?? Any cyber-geniuses out there who could help me with this? (I'll do a cut and paste on this for LiveJournal today.)

Bunny Slippers - Oh Joy!!

     I always tease about working in my bunny slippers. (As most freelancers will admit, you go to check emails before you grab a shower and before you know it, the entire day is gone.) So, I figured it was about time I owned some actual, real bunny slippers.
     Look what the FedEx guy just dropped off! Aren't they beautiful!!??
     Bernie didn't know what to make of them though...

     Oh, I have so opened a can of worms!!! Turns out I'm not the only one in love with funny slippers. Here's my friend Janee Trasler with her sock monkey slippers!!

     Do you have funny slippers to share?

My Office - 2008

     People sometimes ask what my work space looks like, so I've taken some pictures to give you a peek inside the mad, creative brain. Drum roll please . . . Welcome to my lovable mess . . .

Click the image to see it larger in a new window.
     There are several things to notice in this picture (beyond the mess). First, Bernie posed for me like a super-model. He's in all my books, so be sure to look for him! The bookshelf to the left is stuffed with YA and writing advice books, dictionaries, trade magazines, a turtle shell, a cow vertebrae and an impala vertebra (bones are cool), etc. I work with dual monitors (one is an Apple) and a 9X12 Wacom tablet. (The computer tower is out of view under my desk.) The small chair holds my Little Shop of Stories bag (my local indie bookstore) which is almost always full with my "read next" selections. My portfolio is on my drawing table to the right - I'm pulling it together for the Kindling Words conference I'm attending in Vermont later this month.

You can click on this one too for a close-up.
     Behind my desk is what I have dubbed my "ego wall" and I think everybody should have one. It's grown slowly over the last few years. On it are things that remind me how much I've accomplished in this tough business. We get enough rejections and bad news, so I make a point of surrounding myself with the good stuff. You can probably see the big sign I used at a book signing for Glitter Girl and the Crazy Cheese, and the poster from the 1st Decatur Book Festival. (And the hand puppet I posted for this week's Illustration Friday.) I've also pinned up some proofs from my forthcoming book, Paco and the Giant Chile Plant, and the owl I sent to Keene State College for their 100 year anniversary parliament collection. Probably too small to pick out are the certificates and letters from Writer's Digest for my Honorable Mention in this year's writing contest (for my story "Queen Bea") as well as from the Southern-Breeze writing contest. Thank you notes, friend's postcards, schwag from conferences or schools where I spoke and images I like, fill in the gaps.
     Whenever I feel beat up by this business, I just look up.
     Moving around the room, when you first enter, on the left is my picture book collection, which has also become overflow for my YA books - stacked and two deep. I really need more shelves. (Yes, that's a Howard Finster on top.) The box to the right contains postcards for Paco and the Giant Chile Plant which I need to start sending out soon to announce its release - wippee!
     To the right of that is the closet. It has double doors which I use as my paste up surface when I lay out an entire book. Those open wide to reveal storage. I keep the bureau filled with dummies, drawing paper, my schwag (bookmarks, postcards, catalogues), rejected manuscripts, etc. The tv stays hidden since I rarely have it on. The boxes above contain art from the last - ahem - forty years of my life. (I threw out the really bad stuff so some future researcher will think I was always brilliant - ha!) To the left of the bureau are rheams of paper, file folders, envelopes - you know, normal officey stuff. It's a complete mess right now. I really should clean it up . . . later. Ugh.
     Here's the lovely view from one of my windows. I can see the light play across several back yards which is actually quite pretty. Sorry I missed my neighbor's tree in the fall. It's turns completely yellow - beautiful. If you look really close you can see my neighbor's dogs - I spy on them and keep them safe. They're sweeties.
     In front of the window is our music server. I've told you hubbie is a geek - well, here's the proof. I listen to WUTC out of Chattanooga on this puppy, and all our music is based here and wired through the house. Is good. My collection of children's magazines is below that (SCBWI, Southern-Breeze, publisher catalogues, PW Children's editions, etc.)
     Anyhow, the rest of the house is quite sparse and serene in comparison to my office (on purpose). My office feels like an extension of myself and this is where my creative juices flow. I miss it if I'm away too long (translation: a few hours). Thanks for letting me share.

Updates at Dulemba.com

     It's 2008 and I've made some updates to dulemba.com including lots of new art on my portfolio page.
     I've added several new articles over the last year that budding writers and illustrators may find helpful at my etc. page. Work in progress covers are up on my homepage with more information about each listed on my books page.
     Please let me know if you hit any hiccups or just let me know what you think!

Good news - Oscar the Badger!

     I signed the contracts yesterday - "Oscar the Badger" is a go! Written by Karin Slaughter (yes, that Karin Slaughter), it will be published by MacAdam Cage Publishers (publisher of my picture book, Glitter Girl and the Crazy Cheese), and should come out in Fall of 2008 - wippee!!!
     So Hubbie and I went out to dinner last night to celebrate, and I ordered a salad for dinner... but then I had two glasses of wine which made me throw all caution to the wind so we ordered the bread pudding. And then our lovely waiter, who knew we were celebrating, brought us two glasses of champagne!
     Oh yeah, we did it up RIGHT! And oh yeah, I'm paying for it today...
     But y'know, you've got to celebrate when you jump the hurdles in this business. So often we have our sites set so far ahead, it's easy to forget to acknowledge the hurdles we have jumped that we once thought we never would.
     Cynthia Leitich Smith said it well in an interview at Through the Tollbooth:

"I have found that it helps to celebrate every victory no matter how small.
You finished your draft? Celebrate!
You received a personal rejection letter? Celebrate!
Your workshop leader says your story arc is stronger?
An agent asks for the whole manuscript?
You’ve sold your first book? Your fiftieth?
Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate!"
Allow yourself to be happy! Be your own best cheerleader!

     So yeah, I'm celebratin' baby! And I'll let you know more about Oscar soon. In the mean time - Woohooooo!!!

dulemba.com is back!

     Well, I managed to back up my blog, my website, and change over to a new server with my hosting company without blowing anything up or losing any information - WHEW!!
     So, dulemba.com is back, new and improved, although it doesn't look ANY different. I have lots more room to share art and coloring pages easily.
     I'd like to thank the amazing customer support at my awesome hosting company, directnic.com, especially Marc who spent no less than 45 minutes with me on the phone this weekend literally walking me through everything, not to mention his helpful emails.
     If you're in the market for a new hosting provider, I HIGHLY recommend them!

Illustration Friday: The Blues (and figuring out color)

     This is old. I'll say that straight out. But it's got a story.
     I've told y'all that I was a corporate in-house illustrator for many years before I moved into children's books. Well, I drew this for a box of bird-seed for a gardening company a long time ago.
     I drew it. I didn't color or render it. It was sent out to a freelance illustrator to paint the final.
     What!?
     Yup. At one of the companies I worked for, it happened a lot actually, and let me tell you, it gave me the serious blues.
     But back then, while I could draw my little tootsie off, I couldn't color very well. I could do flat color, cartoony stuff with my eyes closed. But the fine-art look, highly painterly styles, that wasn't me.
     "But aren't drawing and painting the same thing," you ask?
     Not at all.
     Knowing how to draw with black and white (pencil, pen and ink, etc.) is completely different from learning how to apply color well in any particular medium. Color is a finicky thing. Applying atmoshpere and light with color is a completely independent skill. You can't just make a color darker to throw it into shadow. Colors change, they grow cool and hot, they oppose each other. Color can cause objects to jump forward or hide in the back. Using color incorrectly can make a piece feel flat, or it can push things forward and back that shouldn't be, making the perspective feel wonky.
     Think about it. Have you ever seen artists who could draw like crazy with graphite, but the second they rendered their art with color, it went south like a duck in winter?
     When I first dove into freelancing with my own art, I had to figure out what my medium was, and then I had to become proficient with that medium to apply color effectively. It took several years and a lot of work. I feel like I'm only now reaching my stride. Nowadays, the puzzle I enjoy most in my art is tweaking color and light, making them really work.
     So now, I can finally work with color. I can pull off those painterly looks I always admired, but I always regreted that I hadn't rendered some of my earlier drawings and sometimes go back to them to see how much I've improved.
     I revisited this particular piece several times over the years in several different mediums (this one is colored pencil), and while I still don't think it's a success color-wise, I did reach a level where I thought, "It's okay." Of course, if I did it again today it would be completely different.
     Learning how to paint and render my own drawings has been an interesting journey for me though. I hope it's interesting to budding artists as well.

Fuse #8 and other Podcasts/Webcasts I love

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!

My snowflake for Robert's Snow

     I have the honor of creating a snowflake for Robert's Snow this year to help raise money for cancer research. This is the third year illustrators have pitched in to help with this cause, and for good reason. One of our own has been too closely affected by this horrible disease. The story is worth reading about, and the snowflakes, which are auctioned off, are a joy to see. So, needless to say, I'm so happy to be involved.

     The snowflakes are all original pieces of art. However I work digitally (the most original art I create is a first run giclee), so what did that mean to me? To the matresses . . . I mean, pull out the paints and see if I can get these muscles to do what I want!
     The great thing is, while I was improving with my digital art, I was learning a lot about traditional media. I never claimed to be good at mixing colors (which is part of why I went digital). Who knew that mixing colors onscreen would teach me how to mix colors off? Well, that's what happened, and I was very pleased with the results.
     I didn't think to take pictures until I was well into the project, so I jump around a bit, but I'll walk you through my process:
     I had to practice to get my hands used to working with a brush rather than a pen-mouse, and experiment with how the acrylics would react. I certainly didn't want to practice on my snowflake! So, I bought a piece of masonite similar to the material from which the snowflake was made and cut it down to small pieces (about 8.5"x11"). I prepared the surface by layering it with gesso.
     One of the things I always try to achieve with my digital work is that wonderful rich texture and transparency you get with paint. So, layer after layer of gesso, I used a dry brush to cross hatch when it was close to dry. After four or five layers, I had a nice solid white with a rich texture. I then used Saral paper to transfer my art to the masonite. It worked very well as you can see the back design on the left.

     I also wanted to experiment with "scumbling." It's a fancy word for painting the darks first, letting them dry, then layering thin, lighter colors on top. (This is where the transparency comes in.) It's also about the only way to get gentle shading with acrylics - they just dry so darned fast! (They do make solutions to extend the drying time if you want to experiment, but I didn't want to go there.) So I went in with the darks first. Here you can see I've already started to layer in the turquoise sky and vermillion santa suit.

    I especially liked the way my workspace came together through this. I bought a set of small tubes of acrylics. Because they dry so quickly, smaller tubes encourage you to squeeze out less and therefore lose less to drying (okay, and after much digging, I couldn't find my acrylics!). It's also amazing how little paint you actually need. I saved plastic egg crates and used them as my palettes. (I can't tell you how many expensive palettes I've thrown away that I could never get clean - this worked GREAT.)
    By the way, my brushes did not sit above my art while I worked - I've heard horror stories about that kind of thing. I moved them over for the photo so you could see the size brushes I used.
    So the main things I learned: there are major advantages to working small; use egg crates for palettes; take your time and let the layers build.
    I have to say, I really enjoyed this. I may actually try to do more projects in the future just for fun.
    Here is my finished snowflake front and back:


I sure hope whoever purchases my snowflake gets in touch!

illustration Friday: Discovery & Postcard Demo

Little Yella riding hood went to visit her Grandma (with a bag full of bagels from Zabar's and a Starbucks Chai Latte) only to discover . . .

     A while back, somebody asked if I would talk about my process with promotional postcard mailings. Since I'm using my latest postcard art for IF this week, I thought it would be a perfect time.
     I like to use Premium Postcard for my printing. They have no minimum print requirements which means I can send out a very targeted mailing list for less money. They are also run through the US Postal Service, so postage is included in their prices, and I can do everything online, including build my mailing list.
     When I'm ready to send my postcards, I just upload my art, click the names I want to mail to, and voila! I do, however, mail myself a proof postcard first. PP uses a coated glossy stock which holds up great in the mail and looks very professional, however, it tends to blow out the saturation of my art. So I usually send a very dummed down version of my art colorwise to get a good result.
     I build my postcards in Photoshop and save them as .jpgs to upload.
     Here's the front of my latest:

     Notice I have my name and contact information on the front. Art Directors will often pin postcards they like to a bulletin board. You never know what could sway an Art Director to hire you over somebody else, so make things easy for them. Include your contact information on the front so they don't have to fumble with your postcard to get in touch with you.
     Here's the back of my postcard:

     On the back I include my name, relevant title (children's book illustrator), a list of books I've illustrated with the publisher's name and any accolades they've received. I have my website address so they can see more of my art at my online portfolio (this is important and what makes the postcard/website advertsing technique so effective.) I include contact information for me and my agent. The art for this particular postcard is also published in this year's Picture-Book annual, so I included the page number. PP also has room for a small vignette of art - I included the "snout cream" from the bedside table. (This is an actual mailed postcard, so you can see the USPS logo and mailing strip.)
     I mail different art out three to four times a year to a mailing list I've pulled together by studying trade magazines and researching online. It's down to a select group of Art Directors and Editors with whom I'd especially like to work.
     And that's it! Hope you find this helpful.

Another Young Author/Illustrator Opportunity

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!

View guidelines at: http://storiesforchildren.tripod.com

###

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. :-)

BookTour.com

     Ain't technology grand? This is why I try to stay on top of things.
     So I'm listening to a podcast from BEA on "Free Lunch." And it's several top guys talking about the whole "free content/information" movement on the internet, including the Editor-in-Chief of Wired magazine, Chris Anderson. Sounds kind of boring for a children's book creator maybe?
     Well, Chris goes on to announce the brand spanking new site he's made available called BookTour.com (you can see my listing here). It's a site for authors to post their upcoming book tour events. As a user, all you have to do is plug in your zip code to find out about upcoming signings/events in your area.
     Wow.
     Not too long ago, I actually wondered why there wasn't something like this in existence. It would seem great ideas hang out in many heads (which is why you should always jump on yours). I do wish they would make classifications for illustrators and genres, but it's in BETA, so this could very well be in its future. In the mean time, I'm listed, and I'm keeping an eye on this baby!!

Catching up & rearranging refrigerator magnets

     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.

A Door for the Decatur Arts Festival!

     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!

Book Expo Podcasts!

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.

May Day and Drawing at John C. Campbell

     I taught my annual Beginning Drawing class at John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina this past weekend. Being around May Day, we were treated to Garland, Maypole and Morris Dancers. These are images from the website as it was rather drizzly weather during the performance.
     I especially liked the Morris Dancers. They had bells on their legs, clacked sticks together, and their faces were covered with blue paint. The story is, if you were kissed by one, you'd be pregnant before the year was out. Well, these are all fertility rites anyhow. Much fun to see.

     I also had a great group of students. All claimed to be beginners, but I was so impressed with the drawings they created. I'll post the final gallery show as soon as I can figure out how to get the images off our new camera.

     I'll be teaching Creating Children's Picture Books at John C. in two weeks. There's still time to sign up if you'd like to join us. What an inspired and beautiful place to hang out. I'm looking forward to going back.

New Feature - Shelfari!

     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.