Respect the Cupcake

Happy Book Birthday Blue!

2012-02-02T09:51:00.001-08:00

It's official! When Blue Met Egg hits stores today!

Sketchbook

2012-01-25T08:36:00.000-08:00

I have been working on sketches for my new book, The Great Polar Escape, drawing and learning about lots and lots of polar bears lately. Fascinating fact: polar bears do not have white fur. Their outer coat is actually comprised of clear, hollow hair. We see it as white because of the reflection of light off the ice. Which is why they sometimes look like they have yellow fur in strong sunlight. Crazy right?!!

Upcoming Events!!

2012-01-19T17:14:00.000-08:00

Currently my website is having a massive overhaul thanks to the lovely services of Denise Biondo (http://www.biondostudio.com/), which I will be revealing later this month :) But in the meantime I wanted to announce some upcoming events, so if you are in the area...

February

Friday, February 3rd

When Blue Met Egg Book Launch Party!

6-9 p.m.

Room Service Cleveland

2078 West 25th Street

Cleveland, Ohio

Saturday, February 18th

Bookstore event at Greenlight Bookstore

11:00 a.m.

686 Fulton Street

Brooklyn, New York

Tuesday, February 21st

School Event - Valley Vista School

North Royalton, Ohio

Monday, February 27th

School Event - Albion Middle School & Royal View Elementary School

North Royalton, Ohio

March

Saturday, March 3rd

Bookstore event at The Learned Owl Book Shop

11:00 a.m.

204 North Main Street

Hudson, Ohio

Tuesday, March 6th

School event at Woodland Preschool

Akron, Ohio

Friday, March 9th

Bookstore event at Barnes & Noble

10:30 a.m.

Crocker Park

198 Crocker Park Boulevard

Westlake, Ohio

Wednesday, March 14th

Storytime at YMCA

9:00 a.m.

Fairlawn, Ohio

April

Saturday, April 14th

Ohio Author Book Fair

Hudson Library & Historical Society

Hudson, Ohio

TBA

July

Saturday, July 21st

SCBWI Critique Meet Event

Barnes & Noble

10:00 a.m.

4015 Medina Road

Akron, Ohio

** This event is free and open to the public but RSVP is required, please contact Regional Advisor Victoria Selvaggio at vselvaggio@windstream.net**

Whew! Okay now you're in the know! I hope to see you there!

Blue's Playlist

2012-01-19T16:57:00.000-08:00

So you know how YA authors always seem to include a playlist with their books these days? Well I decided picture book authors/illustrators should be able to do it too. Although most of these songs have nothing to do with Blue herself, this is the playlist I listened to, pretty much on repeat, when I was illustrating When Blue Met Egg. In honor of Blue's upcoming debut...

A-Punk - Vampire Weekend

After Hours - We Are Scientists

Anyone Else But You - The Moldy Peaches

Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve

Brick By Boring Brick - Paramore

Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa - Vampire Weekend

Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine

Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z

Float On - Modest Mouse

Foundations - Kate Nash

Four Kicks - Kings of Leon

Gives You Hell - All American Rejects

Holiday - Vampire Weekend

Icky Thump - The White Stripes

Lasso - Phoenix

Little Secrets - Passion Pit

My Mathematical Mind - Spoon

Paper Planes - M.I.A.

Ready to Start - Arcade Fire

Sleep Through the Static - Jack Johnson

Time to Pretend - MGMT

Undone - The Sweater Song - Weezer

The Whole World - OutKast

Rock on!

Studio Rearrangement!

2012-01-12T18:49:00.000-08:00

Apologies for missing my usual Wednesday post! I was knee deep in picture books and dust! Before I begin working on sketches for my new book I (for some crazy reason) decided to give my studio a makeover. Which sounded great in theory...but turned into a very stressful move. Said makeover took place yesterday. As noted in previous posts my studio is right out of Alice in Wonderland, in other words small...very small. So what did I do? I decided to try and fit my ridiculously large drawing table into my teeny tiny studio space. And shockingly enough it worked! Albeit after a lot of swearing, expletives, and sweat.

There is something to be said about the perfect working space. Before and after photos to come...

A Very Blue Party

2012-01-04T12:21:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy New Year everyone! It's finally 2012 which means that my new book, When Blue Met Egg, will be released in less than a month, just in time for Valentine's Day!!!! I am so very proud and excited for you all to meet Blue and her pal Egg. In fact, to celebrate Blue's birthday, I will be having my very first book launch party! So if you are in Cleveland in February....

My very Blue party will be hosted by the fabulous boutique Room Service Cleveland on February 3rd, 2012 from 6-9 p.m., I hope to see you there!!

2078 West 25th Street

Cleveland, Ohio

www.rscleveland.com

216.696.6220

Copies of Blue!

2011-12-23T12:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I received the best Christmas present ever: my very own copy of When Blue Met Egg! I was so excited to open the package it arrived in, I almost ripped the book...yikes! But of course Blue is intact and resting happily on my shelf along with Pelly and Pig. It is so surreal to flip through the pages of something I have been working on for four years. I am very proud of Blue and I hope you will all love her as much as I do. When Blue Met Egg will arrive in stores February 2, 2012 or 2.2.12 (I love the symmetry of that). I'm currently in the process of planning a book party for her, more details on that soon...

Publisher's Weekly Review of When Blue Met Egg!!

2011-12-12T07:01:00.000-08:00

Thank you Publisher's Weekly for this wonderful review of When Blue Met Egg. I can hardly wait for her to meet the world February 2, 2012!!!

http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8037-3718-1

Character Studies

2011-12-07T18:09:00.001-08:00

Lately, I have been working on revisions for my new picture book. I've been thinking a lot about character study and how we as writers and/or illustrators determine the qualities and characteristics of our characters. Who are they? What do they care about? What is their motivation? What is the appropriate resolution for them? And so on and so on. The questions are endless it seems.

Of course everyone's character development process is different. But I though this week I would share a little bit about my process. Oddly enough, the first thing I create for my character is their name. I can't begin to draw them if I don't know their name. I don't know why, it is just the way my brain works. Pelly, for example came from the book The Giraffe, the Pelly, and Me by Roald Dhal, granted the Pelly in that is story is actually a pelican but I always loved the name. Emma Bloom's surname came from a friend of mine whose last name I thought was really unique and would make a great character name...which is how it ended up belonging to Emma.

Once my character has a name, I begin to draw. As an illustrator it is important to take everything into account. When I was working on Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon, I originally wanted to make Pelly a brunette. However, when I went to do the color studies I realized that dark hair wouldn't stand out against the night sky. I needed a color that would pop, which is why Pelly became a blond. Apparently they have more fun too. Clothing is another thing I think a lot about. I have to make sure that the clothing I pick will be appropriate for the characters actions throughout the book.

But the most important thing is my character chart. It basically looks like one of those bubble diagrams you learn to make in 3rd grade. I write the character's name in the center and add traits and ideas about the character as they pop into my head. EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT: their favorite color, activity, food, who their friends would be, what they like to do, if they have pets, even their favorite ice cream flavor (Pelly's is Rocky Road). Generally I don't use a 1/3 of what I write down in the actual text or drawings, but it helps me get to know my character inside and out. The more you know your character the more your drawings will look authentic because you will know exactly how your character will look, act, or behave in any situation.

Whether or not a bubble diagram helps you, it is definitely something worth trying if you feel stumped developing your character. You never know what you might discover...

Holiday Picture Book List for 2011!

2011-11-30T13:50:00.001-08:00

Seeing as it is post Thanksgiving, and holiday shopping is in full effect I thought this week's post should be about picture books :) In particular, some recommendations for the holiday season. I have selected five of my favorite 2011 books and five oldies (but goodies!) that some of you may not have seen before. So whether you have an adventurer, a dreamer, or princess to buy for this year, this list has it all...

George and Martha by James Marshall

Houghton Mifflin Co., 1972

For your best friend: One of my favorite books of all time. "Five stories about two great friends." These five stories are short and sweet and oh so funny. My particular favorite is about split pea soup. Great read aloud and essential for any picture book library.

The Great Pie Robbery and Other Mysteries by Richard Scarry's

Random House, 1969-75

For the detective: Originally published in three volumes between 1969 and 1975, later reprinted into one storybook containing all three mysteries by Sterling Publishing in 2008. These stories are wonderfully silly, featuring the sleuthing duo Sam Cat and Dudley Pig, who run all over town looking for pie thieves, disappearing food, and Mrs. Pig's fabulous

pearl necklace. No picture book library is complete without at least one Richard Scarry book.

Press Here by Herve Tullet

Chronicle Books, 2011

For the reluctant reader: Have you walked into a bookstore recently and noticed someone shaking or flipping upside down the book they were holding, if so they were probably looking at Press Here. This book is wonderfully interactive and gets everyone to participate upon opening its cover. Truly this book is for everyone, but especially a reluctant reader. There is no story, just instructions for what to do. Tullet brilliantly turns a book into a toy.

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

Roaring Brook Press, 2011

For the gardener: This book was recently named one of the NYT best illustrated books of 2011. A beautifully illustrated story of old and new, past and present, love and loss all told through topiaries created by one boy's grandfather. I am a sucker for gatefolds in picture books and this one has a double gatefold that is simply lovely. This is a great book for young and old. One of my favorites for 2011.

Be Nice to Spiders by Margaret Bloy Graham

HarperCollins, 1967

For the bug lover: This is one of my favorite books of all time! Spiders always get such a bad wrap. Now I'm not saying I want to let a hairy tarantula crawl up my arm, but I am one to let a daddy long leg live if only to get rid of the occasional bug in my house. We all have our purpose, which is exactly what this book is about. Even if you're a bit squeamish around spiders I promise you will enjoy this book.

The Princess and the Pea by Lauren Child, Captured by Polly Borland

Hyperion, 2006

For the princess: Lauren Child is one of my favorite illustrators of all time. She has this amazing ability to capture all that it means to be a child in her illustrations. This edition of The Princess and the Pea was fabulously done using 3D miniatures created by Lauren and photographed by Polly. Each spread is like looking into a dollhouse window, pouring over and discovering every minute detail Lauren has added. I find new things every time I read it. This is an amazing book that not every princess will already have.

King Jack and the Dragon, Written by Peter Bently, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2011

For the adventurer: I love love love all things Helen Oxenbury. Her illustrations are wonderful! So of course her new book is on my list. Peter Bently's imaginative story about Jack, Zack, and Caspar is an adventurous romp into the wild, facing dragons and beasts, and conquering the backyard! A great suspenseful read aloud before bed.

Amanda & Her Alligator! by Mo Willems

Balzer + Bray, 2011

For the animal lover: I like to think of this as a modern day George and Martha because it is a picture book of short stories, six in all. Meet Amanda and her lovable, sometimes persnickety alligator, named Alligator. Alligator has a lot of opinions, which is why I love the character so much. This book has the charm of Willem's Leonardo the Terrible Monster and the humor of the Pigeon books. A perfect book for any child, boy or girl.

Time to Get Out of the Bath, Shirley by John Burningham

Random House, 1978

For the dreamer: As you can see I love British illustrators. John Burningham is no exception. He also happens to be married to Helen Oxenbury which makes me love him more. This book is one of my favorites of his. The entire book is about Shirley who goes to take a bath one night and slips down the drain on her rubber ducky only to encounter knights, a king and queen, and a jousting competition. On every spread the right side of the page shows Shirley on her adventure and on the left we see Shirley's mother waiting for Shirley to finish her bath. The perfect bath time book, well maybe after Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon ;)

Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

Houghton Mifflin, 2011

For the artist: This book involves three of my favorite things: Melissa Sweet illustrations, Thanksgiving, and the Macy's Day Parade. Another 2011 NYT Best Illustrated Book, Melissa Sweet's newest book tells the true story of Tony Sarg, the man who became the puppeteer behind the Macy's Day Parade. The artwork is absolutely stunning! A great non-fiction picture book for any creative child on your list.

I hope you enjoyed my list and maybe you'll pick up some of these books for those on your list this year. Remember, pictures books stay with you always, even when you finish growing up. I know I still remember ones I received as a kid.

Happy Holidays!!

Happy Pre-Turkey Day

2011-11-23T07:02:00.000-08:00

Good morning and Happy Pre-Turkey Day!!

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday (mainly because of stuffing and pie). This year I am going to make a recipe from the Flour Bakery cookbook (my favorite Boston bakery). Blueberry Lemon Pie. Doesn't that sound tasty and fantastic?! I know it is a bit summery for Thanksgiving, but sometimes you need a little variety to go with all the pumpkin pies. I love this holiday because it is the one time of year where sweatpants (elastic waistband included) is appropriate attire. When it comes to Thanksgiving I have one motto: Go Big or Go Home! Needless to say, I will be eating a lot tomorrow.

But my favorite part, oddly enough isn't the big dinner, it's the part before hand, the preparation. I love spending the morning in the kitchen baking and cooking, tasting bits here and there, spending time with friends and family. Those are the best parts. Unfortunately, I can't even remember the last time I was home for Thanksgiving. In college it was too far/expensive to fly from Syracuse, New York to San Jose, California in such a short amount of time, so I was adopted by various friends and brought home to eat their traditional dinners and meet their families. I'm lucky to have amazing friends, who happen to have really good food at Thanksgiving.

In college, I usually went home to Schenectady, New York with one of my dearest friends, Kait, whose mom makes everything from scratch, even the butter. The whole family would alternate shaking the mason jar with heavy cream inside throughout the day until it became butter. Kait's mom's menu also included two key items: mashed potatoes with cream cheese (you just have to try them to experience the gloriousness) and stuffed artichokes, the family favorite. Let me preface this by saying how rare it is to come across people who make artichokes on the East Coast. It is definitely more of a West Coast thing, so you can understand how me, the California girl, felt right at home at Kait's house for Thanksgiving. Plus the stuffed artichokes are absolutely outstanding! But it wasn't just the food that I loved about Kait's, it was her family and the feel of their house, so cozy and welcoming. The house creaks when you walk down the hall and when you wake up in the morning the first sound you hear is Kait's brother playing the piano. And not just fooling around playing, but like "I'm a music major and amazing" playing, it was wonderful (although after years of this I'm sure Kait and her family felt differently some mornings). I loved that house because it had so much character. It was the perfect place to spend Thanksgiving when I couldn't be with my own family.

When I moved to Boston, I was adopted by the Gil Family. My roommate Lindsey, who is from a very large Irish Catholic family in New Jersey, brought me home for my first large scale Thanksgiving event. And let me tell you, when the Gils do Thanksgiving, they go all out! Which of course fit in well with my Thanksgiving motto. They rent a hall and have around 60 people. Most of which are all immediate family, her father is one of ten! It was overwhelming and crazy, and in the beginning I probably looked like a deer caught in the headlights, but it was great. I loved that they had this tradition of a huge family get together. It was so welcoming and wonderful. My dad's family, which is where I used to spend Thanksgiving when I was home in California is also a big Irish Catholic family, so for me it was a little like coming home, minus the Jersey accents of course ;)

Now, I spend my Thanksgivings with my boyfriend Frank's family here in Ohio. Lucky for me Frank's mom is one of the best cooks I know. Her food is AMAZING! We usually end up over at his aunt's house for dinner after I spend the morning cooking and baking with his mom. And it is perfect, my favorite part of the day. I doesn't hurt that she is one who makes the stuffing too (which I get to taste test in the morning).

After all my visits to different Thanksgivings, I found I had two very useful things to offer:

1. I love to chop, peel, and mash, which means all those time consuming tasks that no one wants to do I will. I assume this has something to do with the fact that I like to do painstaking tasks like cutting tiny bits of paper out.

2. I don't cry when I cut onions. It's my superpower.

So as someone who has spent most of her Thanksgivings with other people's families, I have a few tips:

Always be grateful

Say please and thank you

Help the cook

Offer to taste test ;)

Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Chicken & Bear Books and the Perfect Library

2011-11-16T08:50:00.000-08:00

I have been collecting random antique children's books here and there over the past couple years and realized I just don't have space for them, thus creating Chicken & Bear Books, my new Etsy shop for vintage children's books.

As noted in my previous post my studio is very small, which you can imagine reflects the size of my house as well. Most of my books (some 30 boxes mostly adult, YA, and middle grade) went into storage when I moved into this house. It was very hard to part with them. All I have left in the house are the library books I am currently reading and my collection of children's picture books. Upon moving I pleaded that those were the ones I needed the most and therefore could not live without, needless to say I won my case. I am now accountable for moving all the boxes full of books every time we move, but to me it's definitely worth it.

After posting my new shop yesterday, I got to thinking about home libraries and what people do with all their books, especially in small spaces. I have a tenancy to let books just pile up around my nightstand, creating rather treacherous mountains to skirt around while crawling out of bed in the morning...leading to many stubbed toes and tumbles. But yet I won't move them. There is comfort in their surrounding. When I lived in Boston, the piles where everywhere, spilling off of shelves, drawers, and stacked high against the wall. Thankfully for my feet I have scaled back a bit.

I recently read an article about the twenty best home libraries, most of which were owned by celebrities of course. Because who else has the money to have a whole room devoted to their books with those amazing ladders you see at Strand Books? It made me wonder about other book lover's libraries. What do they look like? Do they sort them alphabetically like I do? Do they break them down in to sections: picture book, YA, adult, middle grade, non-ficition and so on? Or are the books just piled together at random? Are their comfy chairs to sit in? I have friends who live in New York who say that if they buy a new book they have to get rid of an old one to make room. Space is obviously a very precious thing in New York so this is understandable however tragic it may sound to me.

Hopefully, Chicken & Bear Books will help find the perfect home for all of my vintage books that need one. Perhaps some fabulous home library somewhere...

To visit Chicken & Bear Books click on the link below:

www.etsy.com/shop/chickenandbear

Anyone out there with a library they have created in some corner of their home? I would love to hear about it.

My Alice in Wonderland Studio

2011-11-09T08:36:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite things about reading about other illustrators is finding out what their work space looks like. When the book Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk About Their Work, published by the Eric Carle Museum, came out I think I was one of the first people to purchase a copy. I was so excited to see what the work space of some of the illustrators I have always admired such as Robert Sabuda, Quentin Blake, and Leo Lionni, looked like. (If you don't own this book, I highly suggest you pick up a copy today!)

I have been thinking a lot about my studio space lately, mainly because I am about to start a new book, and every time I begin a new project I go into 'Scary Type-A Dinosaur Mode.' I want everything to have its perfect place, with a label of course, and maintain a neat and tidy appearance. I have determined that the only reason that I go into this mode is because of my medium, cut paper and mixed media. For someone who is as much of an organizational freak as I am, you would think I would pick something like colored pencils or pen and ink: minimal clean-up and an overall tidy work space. But no, when I start a book, I begin to hoard paper. A lot of paper. So much paper that by the time the book is finished it looks like a paper bomb went off. There are scraps everywhere! In fact, I distinctly remember going to dinner one night while I was in the midst of finishing A Garden for Pig, and a friend of mine removed a scrap of paper from my hair, which is curly, but still paper should not be nesting inside of it! Needless to say, my studio space is filled with lots of paper in all shapes and sizes.

When I moved in May, to the house I currently live in, I acquired very small studio space upstairs. In fact if you are over 5'7" you will not fit in it. This can behelpful when I need to get work done and therefore physically excludes people from being a distraction. I like to think of it as my Alice in Wonderland studio. Every time I go in it I think of the scene when Alice grows so rapidly her arms and legs go flying out the window as she can no longer fit inside the house. So I thought I would include some photos of my very tiny, Carroll-esque studio space.

This is the very small entry way to my studio :) Notice the hobbit size requirement in order to get in.

My ever growing collection of children's picture books, all of which I love dearly.

My color-coded paper bins (the result of 'Scary Type-A Dinosaur Mode'). In a perfect world my studio would include those amazing print drawers that they have in printmaking studios. Some day...

And of course, a place for Pelly.

A studio motto.

Although my studio is very small, and I hope to have a larger space in the future, I love how cozy it is. And most importantly, I have been extremely productive in it since I moved, so here's to small spaces and being creative.

Is It Really November Already?!

2011-11-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

It has been shameful how long it has been since the last time I posted on here! I am definitely one of those people who started my blog as a way to keep being creative and discussing the creative process, but of course have the horrible habit of forgetting to maintain my blog. Well I'm back, sorry it took two months!

Things have been a little hectic around here in Peninsula. Within the last two months: my agent came to town, my parents drove cross country for a visit, I had my first gallery show, a new book sold, and the holiday season to prepare for (more on this later). Whew! Just typing all that was exhausting! It has been a little busy to say the least. So if I were a major TV network I would say: "Here's what you missed last week (or should I say last two months...)

My wonderful agent Mary Kole came to town for a SCBWI conference here in Cleveland. It was so great to see her! One of the things that no one ever tells you when you get involved in the business of children's books is that you don't get to meet most of the people you work with on a regular basis, especially if you don't live in NYC and aren't able to go to conferences. Mary has represented me for just over 2 years and that was the third time I have ever seen her. So needless to say it is a treat to see her in person! I also had the opportunity to meet Andrew Harwell, who now works at HarperCollins as an Associate Editor, but when I met him (via email of course) he was still working at Dial Books for Young Readers at Penguin. When I sent in some of the final artwork for Blue, it was temporarily misplaced, which you can imagine gave me a mild heart attack! Andrew tracked it down and made sure it arrived safely to Penguin. For that I will always be thankful. Andrew was absolutely lovely and it was so wonderful to meet him in person!

Next, my mom and step-dad drove 2,700 miles from San Jose, California to Peninsula, Ohio. They are crazy for driving that far!! I don't think I could ever be in the car that long. But it was so great to see them and spend some time together. My mom, who I have posted about before because of her gallery of tattoos that feature my book characters, finally got to see the F&G for When Blue Met Egg. I dedicated the book to her, which she didn't know, so it was really special to be able to show it to her in person.

My first gallery show! So cool! There is this amazing gallery here in Peninsula, The Log Cabin Gallery, that does seasonal shows with all local artists. They have a winter show opening next week which I highly recommend checking out if you are in the area. I did not feature any originals from my books, but I did have four original pieces hang, one of which sold, as well as a bunch of books. When I brought my framed originals in, Diane (who owns the gallery) asked me why I didn't sign the pieces before I framed them. I just looked at her and said "I'm an children's book illustrator, we don't sign the originals." It never even occurred to me! Shows how much of a fine arts newby I am! It was so much fun to be a part of and to meet all the other artists who work in the area. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to show there again in the future.

I had a new book sell! I posted about this after the Publisher's Market Place announcement, but I have been working on revisions with my editor this last month, so that has kept me a little busy. More than likely we will be changing the title, which I will share when we decide on it, but for the time being we can just keep calling it The Balloon Thieves. More to come on this process in future posts...

And finally, the holiday season. For those of you who don't know I have a side business, Borrowed & Blue Handmade Paper Creations, creating stationary, wedding invitations, and just about everything else on paper. I know it's a stretch for me right...working with paper. I seriously think I have more paper in my house than a recycling center or a paper mill. Anyways, it is that time of year when I have to get my life together and design new holiday cards, invitations, and stationary sets. So that has kept me incredibly busy lately:

Okay, so that pretty much wraps up all the excuses I had lined up for not posting anything on my blog. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know :)

When Blue Met Egg F&Gs!!

2011-09-02T19:26:00.000-07:00

I had a lovely package arrive in the mail today from my editor containing my When Blue Met Egg F&Gs!!! Now for those of you who don't know an F&G is what is known as a Folded and Gathered. It is basically a picture book without its binding. So all the pages are folded and in place with the actual jacket wrapped around them on the paper they will be printed on for the books just minus the binding. This is what publishing houses send around to bookstores and so forth to sell their books before they come out. Basically it is the picture book's equivalent of an arch or galley.

Anyways, I finally received mine for When Blue Met Egg, which will be released on February 2, 2012. It was so awesome to see my book all folded and put together... they even came wrapped in an orange polka dotted ribbon. I can't wait until I get the bound books!

Trying to Figure Out How to Teach

2011-08-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

I posted a couple weeks ago that I will be teaching two classes this Fall at the Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood, Ohio. One class will be for kids, ages 8-12, teaching them the art of cut paper illustration. And the other will be for teens-adult on how to create a picture book. I was so excited to interview with the Beck and get the chance to teach with them this Fall, and I still am, however, the closer September gets the more I feel like the picture book First Day Jitters. In the book the reader thinks it is the child who is nervous about their first day of school, but in the end they find out it is the teacher...which is exactly how I feel.

Don't get me wrong, I am so excited to try my hand at teaching. Especially about something I love and am extremely passionate about! But as I sat down today to start working on my class syllabus I started to get overwhelmed with all the information crammed into my head about becoming an author/illustrator of picture books. I started making a list that just got longer and longer, until I just had to walk away from the list and take a deep breath.

I have no idea if I will get students who are really interested in becoming published or if they just want to try something new, which I think makes it harder to prepare for. Do I talk about agents? Query letters? Editorial letters? Submissions? The picture book climate? Or do I just show them the basics? My brain just kept rattling off bits and pieces of information. Then of course I sat down to decide which books to bring to class for show and tell, which just left me overwhelmed! I sat there in front of my book shelf wanting to write down every title I have because each one has something to offer.

So I did the only thing I could think of: I went through every step of When Blue Met Egg and wrote it down, from start to finish. Everything from the very first idea I had about Blue, to writing the story, creating the dummy, getting a contract, and sending out the finishes to Penguin. And all the millions of things in between.

I know I have a lot to offer about creating picture books and I hope that who ever does sign up for my class feels the same way. To them, I am very excited to meet you and I suppose if you read this post you'll know why I look so nervous on our first day of class. See you then!

Cut Paper and Illustration Classes at the Beck!

2011-08-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

I will be teaching two classes at the Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood, Ohio this Fall. Below are the class descriptions and the link to register. I am so very excited about teaching this Fall!! I hope to see you there! Please contact me via email at lindsaymward@gmail.com if you have any questions. Thanks!

Cut Paper Illustration (Ages 8 -12)

Using found paper, handmade paper, and mixed media, students will learn to create cut paper illustrations. This course will focus on the use of shape, line, texture, and pattern. Students will be encouraged to collect found paper, such as old tickets, grocery lists, recycled paper, graph paper, book pages, wrapping paper, crossword puzzles, and so forth and bring them to class to work with in creating their illustrations. Thursday: 4:30 to 5:30 pm; 8 Weeks; 9/15 – 11/3; Tuition: $130; Supply list available at Customer Service.

Create Your Own Picture Book: Part 1 (16-Adult)

This course teaches students how to begin creating their own picture book. Students will be required to bring in a short text, either their own creation, or a classic story to illustrate. This course will begin with preliminary drawings and lead up to the completion of finished sketches in a book dummy format. Thursday: 7:00 to 9:00pm; 8 Weeks; 9/14 – 11/2; Tuition: $149. Materials include: 9”x12” pad of sketch paper, pencils, eraser and ruler.

http://www.beckcenter.org/arts-education/visual-arts/

Pelly in Cesar's Way

2011-08-01T12:27:00.000-07:00

I just found out that Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon was listed in Cesar's Way, a magazine for dog owners/lovers, as one of the best dog books for young readers! Check it out:

Mr. Harrison is pretty lovable :) but then again I am biased.

Blue Tattoo!

2011-07-31T18:55:00.001-07:00

So I pretty much have the coolest mom in the world for many reasons, but one of them being that she tattoos my picture book characters on her back! The newest edition was this weekend with Blue and Egg....

I think I am going to need to be more conscience of what/who I chose for my main characters so that they will fit on her back for future tattoos to come ;)

The Balloon Thieves!

2011-07-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

Direct from Publisher's Market Place:

"When Blue Met Egg author/illustrator Lindsay Ward's THE BALLOON THIEVES, about a little girl who uses balloons to help carousel animals escape, to Nancy Concescu at Dial Children's Books for Young Readers, for publication in 2013, by Mary Kole at Andrea Brown Literary Agency."

Thanks Kellie for sending this to me, sometimes I live in a hole, as you know.

So now you know why I have polar bear pictures from the zoo....

A Day at the Zoo

2011-07-23T16:43:00.001-07:00

Coming soon...

New Review on Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon!

2011-07-21T05:46:00.000-07:00

Check out this new review of Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon, posted by Curledupkids.com!

http://www.curledupkids.com/pelly_and_mr_harrison_visit_the_moon.html

When Blue Met Egg Official Cover/Jacket!!!

2011-07-19T09:25:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to share with you all the cover of my new book, When Blue Met Egg, due early next spring! I feel like a proud mama! The whole team at Dial Books for Young Readers, including my fabulous editor, Nancy Conescu, helped me create this awesome cover. The font and design layout they chose is perfect! I just love Blue holding up the bar code! I hope you all love it just as much as I do. Enjoy!

Python Day in Peninsula, Ohio

2011-07-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

I just had to blog about this. I recently moved to a very small town (literally about 600 people live here) named Peninsula, which is in the middle of a national park. It is by far the coolest place I have ever lived (which at this point includes the following: San Jose, Syracuse, New York City, and Boston, so I feel like I have a decently well-rounded view). Let me tell you why Peninsula is so cool:

1. It is in the middle of a national park which means it is gorgeous

2. A river runs through it (this follows back to reason No. 1)

3. A steam engine train (which poses as the Polar Express and Thomas the Train during certain times of the year) runs through it

4. It celebrates weird and awesome holidays such as Harry Potter Day, Peddler's Day, and Python Day (more on this down below)

5. It has an awesome library

6. Everyone knows everyone

7. All the buildings are historically preserved and date back to the mid 1800s. (I'm an architectural nerd so I love this)

8. We have a wicked sweet ice cream place

9. We have hands down the best farmer's market on the planet! Seriously it changes lives, the food is so amazing.

10. There are trails for walking and biking that follow the river that you can take all the way to Cleveland and Lake Erie or to Akron.

Now these may not be reasons for everyone, but they are perfect for me. Oh, and yeah, I am a hell of a lot more creative in this place than anywhere I have ever lived. I think it's all the extra trees and 'parkness' that makes it feeding ground for ideas. But lets get back to the best reason: the weird holidays Peninsula celebrates.

Python Day was yesterday here in Peninsula. The history of Python Day began in 1944 when a circus train came through the town on its way to Akron. One of the carts got loose and crashed releasing the very large python inside. The Python spent the next 8 years feeding on the resident's small dogs, chickens, and other various small animals in the town. Finally the python was found, but for 8 years the residents of Peninsula were on the look out everywhere they went. Now rather than this just being a quirky story within the history of Peninsula, the town decided to create a holiday out of it. So now every July we have Python Day. The town brings in a real python (pictures of this below) and various other snakes for kids to pet (to which my reaction was to stand on the opposite side of the room!). Everyone in the town puts snakes in their front yard (not real ones of course!) and at the end of the day there is a parade with a 100 ft. python that is marched down through the center of town. At this point there are only 2 surviving residents who lived in Peninsula when the original python was loose. The best part is that the town has so much pride in their odd holiday, and everyone in the area comes to visit on Python Day.

The real python they bring in for the kids to pet (yikes!) The midsection of this python is about a foot!!

Some of the snakes people display in their yards:

Best holiday ever!

Barnes & Noble Event Pictures

2011-07-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from my Barnes & Noble event this past Friday. Thank you to everyone who came! Pelly and I had a great time!

Crocker Park Barnes & Noble This Friday!

2011-07-05T05:42:00.001-07:00

Hi All!

I will be at the Barnes and Noble in Crocker Park in Westlake, Ohio this Friday for story hour at 10:30 am. For all of you who live in the area, I hope to see you there! And so does Pelly!

The Unveiling of Pelly!

2011-06-28T09:01:00.001-07:00

(My brand new Pelly doll sitting on my lap in the car on the way to the airport)

So I am officially back from California this week, even though I got back last week, between the jet lag and catching my mom's cold, last week didn't count. I am so happy to unveil pictures of my adorable Pelly doll, courtesy of the lovely Megan Engelmann from Stitch Cleveland (check out their site if you haven't: http://www.stitchcleveland.com/ )!!

I had the amazing opportunity while I was home in San Jose to visit my all time favorite children's book store, Hicklebee's Children's Book Store (www.hicklebees.com). Granted I am a little biast, seeing as Hicklebee's gave me my very first job. I worked there throughout high school and for a couple summers when I would come home from college. This bookstore is truly amazing and its booksellers even more so.

I was so lucky to be able to come home and have the opportunity to do a book event with them for Pelly. It was so surreal to actually be on the other end of an author/illustrator event this time. Usually I was the girl in the back who was totally obsessed with whatever author/illustrator was visiting that day. I would be so afraid to talk to them, seeing as I have a tendency to word vomit on people who I greatly admire.

I was so touched to see old friends, their parents, family, and everyday bookstore customers show up to my event. Of course I was completely nervous to get up and talk. I used to think that getting up and talking in front of strangers was hard, but clearly I have proved myself wrong. It was definitely way more intimidating to get up and talk to people who know me. Especially ones who have known me my whole life. Totally scary! But it was a blast because of course the same people who I was intimidated to speak in front of are the very same ones who have loved and supported me from the beginning when I said "I am going to be a children's book illustrator one day."

It was the first time I had the opportunity to read Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon aloud to my family. And of course I had my Pelly doll! Which I made everyone take pictures with as I signed books. Here are a couple shots of me and my very good friend Carl (who I have known since the very first day I saw him in the hospital when he was born!) and his cousin Addison with Pelly.

I had such a wonderful time visiting all of my friends and family back home, but for me, Hicklebee's was definitely the highlight! Thank you to the entire Hicklebee's staff, who I am very proud to call my friends and to Valerie and Monica for all that they have done for the community and the world of children's books when they opened their doors 32 years ago.

Book Event at the Learned Owl

2011-06-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say thanks to all the staff at The Learned Owl in Hudson, Ohio for a great book signing this past Saturday! And thanks to all my friends who attended, it meant a lot!!

I've Got Mail!

2011-06-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I received this lovely email from Kathy Johnson, an elementary school teacher in Shakopee, Minnesota. She wrote to tell me that she had just read Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon aloud to her class and they loved the story so much they wanted to know when the next Pelly book was coming out (we shall see...). This email made my day! It was so nice of them to contact me and relay how much they had loved Pelly. After receiving the email I wanted to send the newest members of the Pelly Posse some Pelly stickers. And this is what they sent as a thank you...

Drawing by Cullen

Drawing by Christina

Drawing by Alexis

Drawing by Nathan

This is just four of the whole class worth of drawings I received from Mrs. Johnson. Best surprise in the mail ever! This is why I love my job.

Book Signing at The Learned Owl this Saturday 6/4!

2011-05-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, June 4th, I will be signing books at The Learned Owl in Hudson, Ohio at 1pm! I hope to see you there. Click the link below for more information:

http://www.learnedowl.com/event/authorillustrator-lindsay-ward-learned-owl

STAR Academy 2: Dark Secrets

2011-05-27T18:42:00.001-07:00

So two years ago I had the lovely honor of illustrating the cover and interior spots of Canadian author Edward Kay's new middle grade novel, STAR Academy. I had such a blast working on this book for two reasons: one, IT WAS MY FIRST ILLUSTRATION JOB EVER!!!!, and two, I got to do research illustration, which I love.

Back to reason one, as I said this was my first job ever! So naturally I was thrilled beyond all reason. I had sent out a mailer with a little girl dreaming about space (the very first drawing of Pelly oddly enough) and I was lucky enough to have Jennifer Lum, with DoubleDay Canada, ask me to illustrate the cover and four black and white interior spot illustrations for Edward's new book. Not only was Jennifer awesome to work with (she happens to love cupcakes too!) but I loved the book as well, which made it a dream job to illustrate. For all of you who haven't read it...go pick up a copy!

Reason two: the opportunity to do research illustration. All illustration is essentially research illustration because when working on any book reference is almost always involved. However, Edward had very concrete details about certain scenes in the book. One of which being the car. It had to be a 1950's Studebaker Starlight. I love getting illustration jobs that require me to do some serious research. As in "I can't just make this up out of my head" kind of research. It forces me to learn to draw new things and keeps me on my toes as an illustrator.

STAR Academy 2: Dark Secrets is coming out soon! So here is the new cover folks. Enjoy!

To Art Note or Not to Art Note, That is the Question

2011-05-22T18:34:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I attended the SCBWI conference "Uncovering the Picture Book," where I met lots of fabulous new people and learned a ton about self editing (thank you Judy, Stephanie, and Laurie!!). Yet the one thing I found very interesting was the amount of questions surrounding the issues of art notes to the illustrator. Should you, as an author, put art notes in your manuscript when sending it to an editor? And if so when is it appropriate to do so? Now, a majority of the SCBWI members attending this conference were picture book authors, in fact I only met one other picture book author/illustrator, so it is understandable that this question was a hot topic. So I am going to clear it up.

NEVER EVER EVER PUT ART NOTES IN YOUR MANUSCRIPT UNLESS IT IS IMPERATIVE TO UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT!

For example, say you are writing a manuscript where the text is supposed to be opposite of what the images are showing, or you intend there to be a character hiding on each page that is not mentioned in the text, and so forth. You get the idea. This would be an appropriate time to insert an art note.

Melissa Manlove, Editor of Chronicle Books for Children, put it best this weekend "...if your text on page one says 'Boop, Boop'...then yeah, I am going to need more..."

However, if you are inserting art notes left and right in your manuscript that look like this then you need to start using your delete button:

"Pelly and Mr. Harrison jumped into the tub." (Art Note: Pelly has blond hair, a helmet, and bunny slippers on. Mr. Harrison is spotted dog)

I hate to break this to you, but as an author you don't usually have a say in every detail of how your character looks or the setting they are in. You can give sensory clues with your word choice as to what you want to infer about the character, setting, and so forth, but don't spell it out in art notes listed throughout the manuscript. As illustrators, it is our job to interpret and come up with a visual solution for the text that will marry the two together seamlessly. Great books are the combination of text and illustrations that enhance each other!

So for future reference, let go of the perfect image you have in your head about what the illustrations for your book should look like. If an editor offers publication of your book, know that they are going to make it the best book they possibly can. They have to fight for you in acquisitions. They are your cheerleaders, for lack of a better word. Editors, art directors, book designers, copy editors, and everyone else who will have a hand in your book along the way are wonderful people who believe in your book just as much as you do. And they know what they are doing. So have a little faith.

Pelly Shirts!

2011-05-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

Check out these awesome Pelly shirts that Erin Webber, an Usborne rep made! I have my very own too! Erin and her daughter Bridget look great modeling the new Pelly swag.

UPCOMING EVENTS!!

2011-05-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of upcoming events and places I will be in the next few months:

THURSDAY, MAY 5TH

School Event at St. Jude School in Elyria, Ohio

8:30-10:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11TH

School Event at Rocky River Preschool in Rocky River, Ohio

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

FRIDAY, MAY 27TH

School Event at Albion Elementary School and Royal View Elementary in North Royalton, Ohio

9:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4TH

The Learned Owl Book Shop in Hudson, Ohio

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Book reading and signing

FRIDAY, JUNE 17TH

Hicklebee's Children's Bookstore in San Jose, California

3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

I will be coming home to the place where it all began, doing a reading and signing books!

THURSDAY, JUNE 30TH

Library Event at the Peninsula Library in Peninsula, Ohio

11:00 a.m.

Cut paper demonstration/class

All participants must register for this event. For more information please visit

http://www.peninsulalibrary.org/

Library Event at the Cleveland Heights Public Library in Cleveland Heights, Ohio

6:30 p.m.

I will be doing an art demo, reading, and signing books.

FRIDAY, JULY 8TH

Barnes & Noble Westlake in Westlake, Ohio

10:30 a.m.

Story time for preschool ages and book signing.

Also beginning September 8th I will be teaching two classes at The Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood, Ohio. One class for ages 8-12 on creating illustrations out of cut paper and an adult class for learning to make your own picture book dummy. Please visit this link for more info: http://www.beckcenter.org/arts-education/visual-arts/

I hope to see you there!

Some Things Never Change

2011-04-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

It's funny how some things never change. Five year old me sure looks a lot like twenty-five year old me at the end of a long day in the studio. The studio and location are different but the results are the same! Thanks for pic mom!

The Awesome/Dreadful Experience of Moving

2011-04-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

So I am officially moving to Peninsula, Ohio, which means I will be a full time country mouse! I look back at my city mouse days which included the bay area, NYC, and Boston, and now I am moving to a town of about 600 (well now 602). Peninsula is this really cool little town surrounded by a national park, thus why it doesn't really grow in size. My new backyard is basically this huge hill side with a million trees and a creek. It is hands down the best backyard I have ever had! I will be going from city water to well water....yeah that's right I said WELL, as in hole in the grown with natural water!!! These are big changes for me!

Although I cannot wait to move into the new house, there is that whole part about the actual act of moving that I am dreading. Moving sucks. There is just no way around it. Boxes, tape, heavy lifting, the dust, a big truck, and wrapping everything fragile in newspaper is something I could do without.

Over the last week I have been packing up boxes and boxes of books (which is really making me rethink some of my spending habits), frames, clothes, kitchen ware, and so forth. But by far the worst thing has been packing up my studio. Who knew I had so much crap in there. The whole time I was packing yesterday I kept thinking to myself "didn't you just move here a year and a half ago? And how is it possible that you have accumulated more stuff in such a short amount of time?" With as much paper as I have in my studio some would confuse me with a hoarder I am sure!

So I have decided to be cut throat about what stays and what goes. I am going by what I like to call the Month Rule. If I haven't seen it, thought about it, used it, or needed it in the last month I must not really need it. I highly recommend this rule...my new downsizing project is moving along rather quickly. This is the only part of moving I actually like. The feeling of removing piles of crap out of my space. It is like a cleansing program of sorts. The only scary part is dismantling a space that I have worked so well in and having to start over in the new place.

But the possibilities of organization in a new space are endless! Okay I realize that made me sound a little OCD, but it is true. I am definitely one of those artists with a type A personality who labels and organizes all of her art supplies. My paper is all color coded in bins, pencils, markers, and rulers all have their own containers, and sketchbooks are organized chronologically. Which for some people probably sounds crazy, but for me makes perfect sense. As someone who uses mixed media and scraps of paper to create illustrations, my studio generally looks like a bomb went off when I am in the middle of a book. So it is necessary for me to have designated spaces for everything to go back to.

I find whenever I have a new project I can't get any work done unless my drawing table is cleaned up and ready for something new. It's amazing the kind of inspiration you can get when you have a comfortable space to work in.

So here's to a new work space! Cheers!

Saturday Afternoon with the Lovely Reps of Usborne!

2011-04-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, I was invited to speak with some of the representatives of Usborne Books in the Ohio region. I was so excited to have the opportunity to meet with the people who are promoting and selling my books. They were all so excited about Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon, which is really nice to hear, especially since I have been working on When Blue Met Egg so much lately and I haven't really had a chance to talk about Pelly.

When I am in my studio working on a book, it is like being in the Bat Cave. I live there for about 6 months, without really seeing the light of day, so it is a treat to step outside my studio to talk about my books with people who are very passionate about reading. They had so many wonderful questions about the process of creating a book and what the best ways were to promote my books. What could be better than an enthusiastic group of people who really want to support you and your books? Absolutely nothing!

Thank you again to all the Usborne reps for being so fabulous and kind to me. I had such a lovely time with you all!

Pelly Prints and Posters

2011-04-03T09:34:00.001-07:00

Pelly Prints now available in my Etsy shop. Click the link for more information:

www.etsy.com/shop/redrosegirl

Character Sketching

2011-03-30T12:24:00.001-07:00

Character sketching is one of the hardest things for me. I love working on a new story for all the obvious reasons, but character sketching always ends up being very difficult, especially when it's my own story. When the character is mine, I can do whatever I want with them. There are no restrictions from another author's text, which ultimately makes the process more difficult...it's like starting with a blank canvas. Who is this character? What do they like? What type of clothes would they wear? Where do they live? What motivates them? What color hair do they have? And so on and so on. Endless possibilities!

By far the hardest question I have to ask myself when I am creating a new character is, how will I make this character relatable? Readers have to have a connection with the character whether it is through the text of a novel or the images in a picture book. It is essential to every successful and memorable story.

I have just recently finished a new story and I am now sitting down with the overwhelming task of creating the dummy. I spent the day yesterday just thinking about my main character, who she is, what she likes, even what her favorite flavor of ice cream is (pistachio by the way!). Because if I can truly visualize her as if she walked down the street in real life, then I can make her relatable and likable. Readers can connect with her. The same can be said for animal characters as well, just not as many complex details/motivations.

I found that working out my characters likes and dislikes on a sheet of paper is extremely helpful. That way, while I am working on the story, I already know everything there is to know about them. These lists end up being big bubble diagrams full of chicken scratch, but they help me shape my characters into who they are.

So the point I am trying to make about all this, is to really get to know your characters before you begin writing about them. It will make all the difference in the world.

2011 Crystal Kite Awards

2011-03-21T06:19:00.000-07:00

A Garden for Pig has been nominated for the 2011 Crystal Kite Award! Please visit the SCBWI website to support Kathryn Thurman and I for final round voting until April 15th! Winners will be announced on April 30th.

http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/Current-News?2011-Crystal-Kite-Finalists-Announced

Pelly's Big Day!

2011-03-01T06:59:00.000-08:00

Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon is officially out today!! Please support me and Pelly by requesting us or picking up a copy at your local independent book shop!

Kirkus Review for Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon

2011-02-15T06:56:00.000-08:00

"Both perspective and Pelly’s stature vary whimsically against the vast space skies. Solid bursts of colors add drama, and the repeated use of compact typed captions (“moon... moon... moon....”) make for playful use of environmental print. A graph-paper background peeks through thinly applied paint, adding a sense of scientific discovery to the adventure. The concluding page hints at the possibility of a remarkable reunion. All in all, a light, imaginative romp." - Kirkus Reviews

YAY!!

Mailers

2011-01-30T07:58:00.001-08:00

It has been a crazy couple of weeks between working on Blue and other side projects I have going on, but I am finally posting again. I wanted to talk a little bit about how illustration mailers can get you a job. When I was in college, all my illustration professors ever talked about as far as promoting ourselves was to send mailers every 3-4 months to all the publishing houses. Sounds easy enough right?...wrong...it sucks. You create a beautiful piece of artwork (which of course includes the stress of what to draw/will catch the an art director's eye), turn it into a mailer, cross your fingers, and hope for the best. And then you have no idea as to whether or not it made it past the slush pile into an art director's hands or thrown out by an intern. However, there is a silver lining, because illustrators do get jobs from mailers. It doesn't happen all the time, but it happens enough that illustrators should keep creating them. It happened to me.

My first three jobs and the inspiration for my first author/illustrator project came from a single mailer. I had been sending out mailers for almost two years without any response. And I was almost at the point of "should I still be trying to become a published illustrator?" when I received an email from Random House Canada. The mailer I had done had a space theme to it (third image shown above) and Random House Canada was looking for someone to illustrate the cover of a new middle grade book they were publishing, titled STAR Academy by Edward Kay, which involved a space/aliens theme. It was complete luck and great timing that I had sent the mailer when I did. It was an amazing first job because I worked with really wonderful and talented people, but also it was a great transitional step into doing a full length picture book. For STAR Academy I was asked to create the cover and four black and white spot illustrations for the interior of the book, which included some very unusual characters and a 1950s Studebaker Starlight (a very awesome car to draw!).

After I was finishing up with STAR Academy, I received two additional emails from Bright Sky Press and Kane/Miller asking me to illustrate two new picture books, The Yellow Butterfly by Mehrnaz S. Gill, and A Garden for Pig by Kathryn Thurman. Again, they had seen the space mailer and loved it. I could not believe that I had now received three job offers from one mailer! It was crazy. The two years of mailing and no response was finally paying off. I went on to illustrate both picture books which are now out in stores.

During the process of illustrating A Garden for Pig, I sent a story to my editor at Kane/Miller that I had been playing around with for the six months or so. It was a picture book about a little girl who is getting ready for bed one night with her dog, when she notices a rocket engine has appeared on the back of her bathtub. The little girl and her dog decide to travel to the moon where they meet an alien and learn all about living on the moon. The space mailer was an illustration of the first version of Pelly. My editor really loved the story and decided to acquire the book for their Spring 2011 list. I was so excited! I was going to have my first author/illustrator project published! I had never really thought of myself as a writer but I wanted the opportunity to create something from start to finish that I had complete creative control over. Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon comes out on March 1st.

This was around the same time that I got an email from the lovely Mary Kole, who wanted to represent me. It was a crazy couple of months. I had gone from mailer girl who never heard a thing from anyone to having four jobs and an agent in just six months. It was amazing!

So far I have had really wonderful experiences in the world of children's books and had the opportunity to work with very talented people. And I can truly say that one mailer opened a lot of doors for me. Pelly is somewhat of a good luck charm for me.

Here are some tips that I have learned about illustrating mailers whether you are sending postcards or electronic mailers:

-always make sure you illustrate in a style or create an image that you want to get hired for, in other words do not illustrate something you never want to draw again. If you draw an amazing horse, they are going to want you to do a whole book about horses.

-make sure the mailer is YOU, because that is what you are selling.

-have a website that corresponds well to your mailer.

Try to include some of the following in your illustrations:

-the same character in a couple different poses (shows consistency and variation)

-animals

-children of different ages

-what you love to draw

I hope this helps any of you out there that have become discouraged by sending mailers. The opportunity is out there you just have to stick with it. I will always send mailers to keep myself in front of art directors and editors, and to keep me working on new illustrations.

3.1.11

2011-01-12T12:54:00.001-08:00

3.1.11

Sketch Thursday: Happy New Year Everyone!

2011-01-06T07:38:00.000-08:00

A Very Merry Christmas Sketch Thursday

2010-12-23T19:15:00.000-08:00

Okay so this is not a sketch, however I did actually frost and decorate all of these today...so that should totally count for Sketch Thursday. I spent the entire day today baking cookies and it was the best day ever. There is nothing more relaxing to me than baking. I could do it all day long (obviously). I have been working on final sketches the last few weeks for When Blue Met Egg, which has been going really well (mainly due to the fact that I have an amazing team I get to work with at Penguin), but it was so nice to take a break today and bake up a storm. I probably ate my weight's worth in cookies and batter today, but it was totally worth the sugar headache. I highly recommend this form of relaxation.

Happy Holidays!

Sketch Thursday Blast From the Past

2010-12-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

I had the urge recently to ask my mom to dig up some of my old books from elementary school, mainly for entertainment purposes on my behalf, and send them to me. And let me tell you it was entertaining. Hot Diggity Dog, shown above, a personal favorite of mine, about a girl who is very negative. She has bad day after bad day until a friendly Pooch from the planet Hot Diggity (I have no idea where I came up with this stuff in third grade), gives her a look at what her day would be like if she had a positive attitude. What third grader writes about this stuff?? Me apparently! Reading this story now, it seems like the teacher gave us a prompt and the class had to create their own story from it. Thus the dog and planets. All of this I find rather funny now, considering my first author and illustrated project is about the exact same thing, sans the whole positive and negative theme. Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon (Kane/Miller, March 1, 2011) is about a little girl who travels in her bathtub to the moon with her dog, Mr. Harrison. Now they may not be visiting planet Hot Diggity, but there are definitely some similarities between the stories. Funny how things work out.

Sketch Thursday

2010-12-09T06:39:00.001-08:00

Sketch Thursday

2010-12-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

This week's Sketch Thursday is more of a project than a sketch. A lot of my friends have been talking about how expensive it's going to be to buy a tree this holiday season. Personally, I think you just can't beat a real live, full of pine scent tree, so the cost is worth it. However, I understand that in this economy shelling out $50-60 for something that is going to be thrown out in a month seems silly. So I decided I would try my hand at making my own tree out of cut paper, chalk, twine, and stamps. Although my tree isn't nearly as large nor does it smell as nice as a real tree, it is very festive, and a great project to do with your family. I spent the first snowy afternoon of December watching Christmas movies and cutting out paper. Sometimes, you just can't beat that.

Paper sources (no pun intended) to check out!

2010-11-30T12:54:00.001-08:00

I received an email today from a fellow illustrator, Melissa Lind (www.melissalind.com), who asked me about where I get my paper. Being a cut paper illustrator I have traveled far and wide to find the best selection. I wanted to post about this because finding great paper shops can be really difficult depending on where you live. Before I moved to Ohio last year I lived in Boston, where I had access to lots of paper shops (some of which are listed below). But when I moved to Ohio I found that what I had in Boston was hard to find. I no longer lived within walking distance of Paper Source (probably one of my favorite stores of all time), nor was I a T ride away from Rugg Road Paper Company. Life was tragic. But then I realized that because I had obsessively been shopping in these shops for almost two years, I could easily go online and buy all the supplies I needed. Now, I want to mention that I was very opposed to this idea. I DON'T SHOP ONLINE. I am a tangible experience kind of gal. Especially with paper, I need to see it and touch it before I buy. However, until Paper Source decides to open a location in Ohio, I will be a digital shopper. And ultimately, my online shopping still allows me to support my ex-local shops, seeing as I know their inventory so well :)

So here are some of my favorite paper shops that I hope those of you out there who love paper as much as I do will support:

www.paper-source.com - They sell paper from all over the world along with lots of other amazing items. They also have multiple locations all over the country.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/mikis-paper-berkeley - Miki's Paper - Berkeley, CA - the most beautiful Japanese paper selection you will ever see in the states.

http://www.ruggroadpaper.com/ - one of my favorite paper stores in Boston, MA. They also sell handmade papers from all over the world.

http://www.thepapermermaid.com/ - I don't think this place sells online, but if you are ever in Rockport, MA you should pop in. Very cute!

http://www.katespaperie.com/ - New York City - paper mecca (as I like to call it), this is place where my paper fetish started. They have some of the most beautiful papers I have ever seen.

http://www.onpaper.com/index.php - Columbus, Ohio - great paper and a stunning shop. The first time I went in this shop I just wanted to live there (okay that sounded a little weirder than I intended it to...but you get the idea). It is very beautiful inside.

If any one has any other great paper shop suggestions, I am always looking for a new shop to visit!!

Smithsonian recommends A Garden for Pig!

2010-11-30T12:12:00.000-08:00

The Smithsonian recently published a gift guide including great books about food for kids and listed A Garden for Pig as one of them! Check it out:

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/11/30/holiday-gift-guide-new-childrens-books-about-food/

Happy Turkey Day!!

2010-11-24T16:30:00.001-08:00

Because it is Thanksgiving tomorrow (my absolute most favorite holiday) and I won't have time to post a Thursday Sketch, what with all the eating I will be doing (elastic pants here I come!), I wanted to make a point to list what I am thankful for this year...

My family, who although I don't get to see very often because I am the black sheep who lives in Ohio, I love dearly.

The new friends I have made here in Ohio, especially one fabulous writer who has been such a great friend to me.

My Frank, who talked me into moving to Ohio, a year ago today, and I couldn't be happier with the decision I made to come here.

Frank's family, who has made moving here and not knowing a soul (other than Frank, of course) so comfortable and easy. They have been so wonderful to me and for that I am truly grateful.

My fabulous agent, Mary Kole, and all of the amazing doors she has opened for me this year, including a new book deal with Penguin and the wonderful Nancy Conescu.

And of course Blue, Egg, Pig, and Pelly, who have all been a huge part of my life this past year. I get to wake up and be creative every day and that is something I wouldn't trade for anything.

Happy Turkey Day!

Sketch Thursday

2010-11-18T05:48:00.001-08:00

Original Illustrations For Sale on Etsy

2010-11-17T13:01:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in some of my original pieces, I have just posted six original illustrations on my Etsy site. These pieces were all developed using words from Illustration Friday, and created using cut paper, pencil, paint, fabric, and other various mixed media. I hope you enjoy them!

www.etsy.com/shop/redrosegirl

Sketch Thursday

2010-11-11T18:41:00.001-08:00

Cover for Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon!

2010-11-09T06:37:00.000-08:00

Sketch Thursday

2010-11-04T09:31:00.001-07:00

Perfect Day in Ohio

2010-10-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

-George Eliot

That is the only way to describe the day we had in the Cleveland area today. I just love Fall.

Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon Release Date!!!!

2010-10-15T14:10:00.001-07:00

My first book as an author and illustrator, Pelly and Mr. Harrison Visit the Moon, will be out March 1st from Kane/Miller!!! This is the story of a little girl named Pelly, and her dog Mr. Harrison, who fly to the moon one night in their bathtub. They meet a little alien who shows them all the wonders of living on the moon. I hope you all enjoy it!

A Garden for Pig at the Library!

2010-10-06T17:58:00.000-07:00

I will be reading A Garden for Pig at the Lakewood Public Library, Madison Branch, this Saturday, October 9th, at 10:30 am. Stop by if you can!!

Lakewood Public Library

Madison Branch

13229 Madison Avenue

Lakewood, Ohio 44107

I hope to see you there!

2010-10-05T20:23:00.000-07:00

New Pig Review!

2010-10-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say thank you to Jessica Almy of Vegbooks, a site that reviews books and movies that promote vegetarian and vegan values for children, for the lovely review she wrote about A Garden for Pig.

To check out Jessica's review please click the following link:

http://vegbooks.org/index.php/2010/09/28/a-garden-for-pig

Donation Art

2010-09-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to throw this idea out there for those of you illustrators who want to do some fun projects on the side to build your portfolio or even to just keep yourself busy drawing. I love being able to do short projects in between illustrating books when the opportunities present themselves, which is why I wanted to mention donating your art. Making a donation of your art, whether it is for a charity, a friend, or a cause you really believe in can be beneficial and worth your time. Obviously it is always good to donate when you are able to do so, but as an illustrator sometimes it can be difficult because the time involved in creating a piece. It sounds good in theory but there never seems to be enough time. I highly suggest making the time for a couple of reasons:

1. You get the opportunity to illustrate something new that you can usually use in your portfolio once you have donated the piece.

2. You gain more exposure depending on who you are donating the piece to or for.

3. Any materials or time you spend working on the piece is a tax deduction.

4. And last, but not least, it is just simply a good thing to donate when you can.

I recently had the opportunity to create the cover for a dinner invitation for Family Supportive Housing's fundraiser in San Jose, CA this November. A very good friend of mine works for Family Supportive Housing and she asked me to do the cover for them. It was such a fun project to work on because I was able to work on something new that was a quick project for a great cause. For any of you who have the time or get the opportunity to donate their art, please do. It's always worth it, for both you and the place in which you are donating.

For more information about Family Supportive Housing please visit:

www.familysupportivehousing.org

Illustration Doodle

2010-09-28T05:31:00.001-07:00

Character sketches for Blue.

A Garden for Pig

2010-09-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

A Garden for Pig is out!! This is my new book that came out on September 1, 2010, written by the fabulous Kathryn Thurman. Please support your local independent bookstore and Kathryn and I, and pick up a copy today!!

Blog Neglect

2010-09-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

I have been severely neglecting my blog, obviously. My last entry was over a year ago, which is just silly. And things have changed, for instance I don't even live in Boston anymore. I live in a very nice city outside Cleveland, called Lakewood. When I created this blog I wanted to write about bakeries and the amazing treats that I found trying different ones, but I would go eat sweets and then forget to post about them. I didn't feel like that was something I could keep up regularly either, mainly because I would probably be 400 pounds by now. So now I have a new plan: I want to write about the process of illustration since as a children's book illustrator it is pretty much what I do everyday. I have seen lots of illustration blogs, but not very many that actually talk about the process. How does a book get made once you sell your manuscript? What are the steps involved? I think it is important to pass that information along. No one ever really told me about what happens next until I was in the middle of the situation myself. Hopefully I will be able to successfully do this and keep this blog up regularly. I intend to write not only about the process of illustration, but also other random things along the way, such as what I am reading, and maybe even a bakery review or two.

2009-09-01T20:24:00.000-07:00

This is my beautiful birthday cake from this past weekend. It was so pretty I didn't want to cut it...but hello!- this is me we are talking about so...you know how that story ends. It was vanilla cake and frosting with raspberry filling. AMAZING! This lovely cake came from the Finale Bakery in Coolidge Corner:

Finale Desserterie & Bakery

1306 Beacon Street

Brookline, MA 02446

617.232.3233

Balinese Black Rice Pudding - Bubu

2009-08-18T03:52:00.000-07:00

So I recently came back from Bali in Indonesia. And let me just tell you that aside from all the beauty and culture of the island of Bali that you can't help but be in love with when you go there, the food is also glorious! The Balinese eat mostly fresh fruit, rice, vegetables, tempe, curry, chicken and pork. Dishes like Nasi Champur and Gado-Gado are delicious! Of course when I was there I wanted to find out what Balinese sweets were like. I came upon this dish called Black Rice Pudding, which is described as black rice and palm sugar in coconut milk. IT WAS AWESOME! I then proceeded to eat black rice pudding every chance I got. I probably had it about four times during the week I was there...so I had a pretty good idea of what it should taste like. However, it wasn't until my last night in Bali, when we had a traditional Balinese dinner with a family friend at his family's compound, that I truly experienced the ultimate black rice pudding. The wife of our family friend had been told that I really loved this dessert so she made it especially for me for this dinner, which was so incredibly nice of her considering she had never met me until that night. Her black rice pudding could change lives...it was that good! I had two cups of it after having a rather large helping of dinner and would have had more except I had to be able to walk home (and I was slowly slipping into food comatose of the most glorious nature). It was such an amazing experience to go to a traditional Balinese dinner, making it a very special last night in Bali. I highly recommend that you all buy your ticket to Bali immediately so you can try their black rice pudding, among other amazing things you will experience there. I know normally I just give you and address located somewhere in Boston that you can easily get to if you live here....but let me tell you, the rice pudding is worth the flight. Trust me on this one!

Pink Lemonade Cupcake!

2009-06-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

I recently tried the Pink Lemonade cupcake at Sweet bakery in Boston. I know it sounds like it could be hit or miss...but it was in a word: glorious. They also had a couple other new summer flavors including bubble gum. Go out and try one of these gloriously fabulous Pink Lemonade cupcakes as soon as possible.

Sweet

49 Massachusetts Ave.

Boston, MA 02115

Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

2009-06-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

Quick mention: MARTHA STEWART'S CUPCAKE BOOK NOW OUT!!! I know some people have mixed feelings about Martha post jail but I love her. She can do it all as far as I'm concerned. Anyways, I highly recommend you all go out and buy her new cookbook which is devoted to the most important baked good: cupcakes. This book has 175 cupcake recipes. Amazing. Enjoy!

Nutella Frozen Hot Chocolate!

2009-04-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

One word can describe my recent encounter with a drink concoction known as a Nutella Frozen Hot Chocolate: GLORIOUS! It consists of Nutella, milk, and frozen yogurt....and it will rock your socks. This particular awesomeness can be purchased at the Paris crepe place in Coolidge corner in Brookline. Go immediately.

Fried Snickers...So Much Potential

2009-02-22T09:31:00.001-08:00

So last night some friends and I went out to dinner at this place (no names) that had great food but broke my heart and expectations when it came to dessert (which is the best part of the meal in the first place). Everything we had was amazing until we ordered the Fried Snickers dessert. Now I know you are thinking 'fried snickers, what could be wrong with that?' and you would be correct...because in theory it is a brilliant idea. However, a dessert can't be awesome in name only, its all about the execution. My friends and I were so excited about the potential of this dessert. In fact it was pretty much what sealed the deal for me in going to dinner at this place.

We get our order of Fried Snickers and it was just tragic. It could have been so much more. Instead of just deep frying the Snickers bar, which I think would have been a better approach, it was wrapped in an egg roll style shell and then fried. This ultimately just make it taste like an egg roll filled with chocolate and peanuts. It was not good.

I think the rule of thumb for fried promises such as a fried Snickers bar is to ALWAYS get them from a street fair, carnival, or boardwalk. These three venues seem to understand the concept of frying of all things delicious.

Sophie's Choice

2009-02-17T06:10:00.000-08:00

On Sunday morning I had the pleasure of having lunch with one of my dearest friends and fellow bakery foodie at Flour Bakery, my favorite bakery in Boston. It is tradition that when ever we go we have to have the oreos...because they are life changing. And if we are lucky, they have their peppermint oreos out.

It was like Christmas morning...not only did they have the regular oreos out already, but they had the peppermint oreos AND flavored marshmallows!!! Just when I think Joanne Chang (owner of Flour) can't top herself and all the amazing things she serves, she adds flavored marshmallows to her menu. Fact: she is my hero. So just when I think it can't be a more perfect morning at Flour, my friend tells me that they are now serving these Nutella and banana grilled sandwiches! (And as noted before, Nutella is one of my most favorite things in the world).

Now if you have been to Flour before and been lucky enough to have tried their BLT you would know it is glorious, which is what I had my heart set on before the news of the Nutella sandwich was announced. All I can say is that it was like Sophie's Choice. How is a foodie like me supposed to make a decision like that??! In the end I ended up having the BLT because that is what I had been fantasizing about all morning...but next time the Nutella-banana sandwich and I will be introduced...and knowing how Flour never lets me down, I know it will be glorious! I am continually impressed by that bakery...they can do no wrong.

Flour Bakery has two locations:

Fort Point Channel: 12 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210

South End: 1595 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02118

A Hazelnut Rose

2009-02-09T13:02:00.000-08:00

Today I had the lovely experience of having a Hazelnut Rose at Tatte Bakery in Brookline. Saying that it was glorious is an understatement. Tatte's makes these rolls that they call Roses because of how they look. They are little rolls of heaven. I have tried some of their other flavors before and they were really good but nothing compares to their hazelnut rose. The flavor resembles Nutella (which I believe tastes good on anything...seriously anything) and has toasted whole hazelnuts hidden within the rose. I highly recommend you go out and try a Hazelnut Rose at Tatte Bakery and pair it with their amazing homemade pear juice. They also have plenty of other yummy treats especially if you like nuts in your pastries. Enjoy!

Tatte Bakery is located at 1003 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02446

The Ultimate Cupcake

2009-02-08T19:22:00.000-08:00

For my birthday last year my roommate gave me one of the coolest gifts of all time...a giant cupcake cake mold! Which just goes to show the brilliancy that is Williams & Sonoma for selling such an awesome baking necessity. We decided to unveil the cupcake cake at our Superbowl party (mainly because we figured if we made it for a party then it would prevent us from eating the entire thing ourselves.)

I decided to pull out the bible of all baking cookbooks, More From Magnolia by Allysa Torey, to find a recipe. On a side-note: you seriously can't go wrong with this cookbook. It changes lives. Anyways, we ended up using the Magnolia's vanilla cupcake recipe. So basically we were creating a ginormous Magnolia's cupcake. Now I ask you, what could be better than that?

I started baking and everything was going smoothly (clearly I was in denial about the task of baking a giant cupcake). The recipe worked great with the mold, nothing burned, all was well. That is until I began to frost between the two halves of the cupcake. This is the point in my cupcake adventure where an engineering degree may have come in handy. The top kept sliding off and the frosting and I were fighting- and then there were tears beginning to well up. It was not good. Thankfully my savvy roommate whipped out a plan of action to save the cupcake cake involving the use of toothpicks to secure the top layer. It was so MacGyver. Clearly they are teaching her more than they let on in law school.

So in the end we served our beautiful cupcake cake at the party in all its glory. It was a big hit! One of our friends even took her picture with it. It was great. And luckily I managed to remember there were toothpicks in the cake before anyone accidentally ate one.

The cupcake cake was a proud moment in my baking experience. I recommend you all go out and purchase a cupcake cake mold. It is entirely necessary.