This is an image from TEACUP (unpublished). Gotta hate a crowd.
Speaking at the Blue Ridge Writers Conference
This was a wonderful first experience. My talk was "Picture Books and the Journey - PB&J." Everybody was extremely respectful and nice. I didn't get cornered by anybody. There were a few bees (hovering, waiting). I noticed them because, well, I’ve been a bee too. There were probably about 100+ people there total, and I met several fellow writers. We ended up talking quite a bit while waiting for our time slots. I sold a few books and signed a few autographs (so strange). I felt pretty comfortable giving my talk and the audience seemed appreciative of the information I shared. I don't know if it all sank in, but they've got a great resource there if they keep the notes. I tried to be honest about how hard the business is, but encouraging too. It's a fine line. I would love to hear some direct feedback though. All in all, it was a wonderfully gentle and positive break-in to talking at conferences. So, all good!
Illustration Friday, Theme: Bloom
Okay, I'm confused. Did the week with the "Fragile" theme already end and a new week begin? Was I really that busy that I didn't notice the time moving forward? Craziness. Anyhow, this is Gonzago with his seed packets. The blooms are still in their "potential" stage.
It has been an insanely busy week, I must admit. I got a project off to my agent yesterday, and I'll be speaking at the Blue Ridge Writer's Conference tomorrow. "Picture Books and the Journey - PB&J." I'm just arrogant enough to think I have something to share with these budding writers. Actually, I put together an outline of information it took me three years to gather. It may not all sink in, but I wish someone had handed me all this info when I was starting out. I'm pretty excited about it.
Robots - The Movie
We saw ROBOTS last night. This is the second movie by the creators of ICE AGE. While ICE AGE was wonderful, but obviously a beginners attempt (beginners - yeah - I'd like to see me do that), ROBOTS shows a huge leap in skill and story. It does begin with an opening cartoon with the hero from ICE AGE - the squirrel. Loved that squirrel.
It's amazing to me that I look at the computer animation as an afterthought. It's so amazing looking and yet I take for granted this has only been around for about 15 years. (I'm remembering the early days of Pixar.) Anyhow, while I don't believe any script could be more perfect than FINDING NEMO, this one comes close. It still relies on cliché a little more than I'd like. But I love these movies that obviously have intense brain-storming in the background, popping funny references in every other second. There are some hilarious moments in this movie. The greatest was when I found myself laughing out loud (couldn't stop), only to notice there was a little boy sitting close by laughing just as hard as I was - he was probably about 8 years old. This is a great movie. Your kids will love it, but so will you. I will definitely be buying this on DVD when it comes out.
Illustration Friday, Theme: Ancient
I'm getting mine in a bit early this week. This isn't anyone I know, I swear.
Several of you have asked how I did this. With this piece, I started with a pencil sketch, scanned it in, and rendered it in Photoshop. Thanks for all the nice comments.
Illustration Friday, Theme: Sorrow
I'll leave it to you to guess what's in the washing machine.
Have a good weekend!
Illustration Friday, Theme: Flight
This week's theme is "Flight." So I created this little fairy. I like to think the magic potion she's pouring out will help me fly too.
Blog Issues and Illustration Friday
Well, I was unable to post for several days. It didn't appear to be anything on my end, but once again, blogger support has come through shining. So, here is my first post after a forced hiatus. To make up for missing last week's theme: the year of the Rooster, I'm posting a gourd I did last summer. The style is Polish, as is my husband.
The Caldecotts are here!
Woohoo! They've arrived! Unfortunately, the shipping delay was not caused by stickers, as my Picture Books arrived sans stickers. I'll review the Newbery Winner, KIRA-KIRA by Cynthia Kadohata, as soon as I've read it. Picture Books are such little flashes of joy - they go by too fast. Here are my thoughts on the Caldecotts:
The Winner:
KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON by Kevin Henkes
Unbelievably simple. That's the first thing that hit me. And I don't just mean the black and white illustrations, which look like they must have been drawn much smaller and enlarged to create such rich line quality. Even the paper is dull and uncoated, almost like a thick newsprint. But the story itself, is so simple, and yet there is tons of action. The kitten draws amusing conclusions. It's just smart enough I can imagine a child interrupting, "It's a reflection!"
Did it deserve to be the Caldecott winner? I don't know. I think I'm surprised it made it onto the radar. But once noticed, I think this book has a strong impact.
The Honor Books:
THE RED BOOK by Barbara Lehman
What a beautiful book. It is very tactlie, with it's solid red high gloss cover. The child in the corner is embossed, but not glossy. It's immediately a very rich feeling experience. There are no words in the story, and you won't miss them. The images are mysterious, but clear, and the story is easy to understand - even with it being so fantastic. The illustrations themselves are very simple, a fitting evolution from KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON. The line quality is strong and the details sparse and geometric. I might have liked to see a bit more color on the faces of the children, but overall this is a wonderful book.
Coming On Home Soon
by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis
One of the few Caldecott's awarded to a book written and illustrated by two different people – this book confuses me. It is beautifully illustrated with watercolors done the way one expects superb watercolors to look. The story is quiet and rich. What confuses me is the old feeling of the book. The story is obviously set in the first half of the 20th century. It is a memory, and something most of today's children will not relate to. With the push in the publishing world for something new and different, I'm surprised this book even exists. Don't get me wrong, it is beautifully done. It just seems a completely different direction from what the publishing world says they want, and what marketing says will sell. It could have been produced 30 years ago as easily as today. It will sit on my bookshelf screaming of age that it does not have.
KNUFFLE BUNNY by Mo Willems
I am converted. I didn't realize this was by Mo Willems when I ordered DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS! today. I am a new fan. Where COMING ON HOME SOON feels old, KNUFFLE BUNNY feels new and vibrant. The art is a combination of halftone photography with flat color illustrations drawn in a scratchy pen and ink. The art is not well-drawn, but it is fun and lively and a joy. Character emotions are easy to read and right on the money. The story had me laughing out loud from about halfway through all the way to the end. It is about a common enough event, the loss of a favorite toy, told in the most amusing way. This one I highly recommend. Frankly, if I were voting, this would have been my pick for the Caldecott.
The Winner:
KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON by Kevin Henkes
Unbelievably simple. That's the first thing that hit me. And I don't just mean the black and white illustrations, which look like they must have been drawn much smaller and enlarged to create such rich line quality. Even the paper is dull and uncoated, almost like a thick newsprint. But the story itself, is so simple, and yet there is tons of action. The kitten draws amusing conclusions. It's just smart enough I can imagine a child interrupting, "It's a reflection!"
Did it deserve to be the Caldecott winner? I don't know. I think I'm surprised it made it onto the radar. But once noticed, I think this book has a strong impact.
The Honor Books:
THE RED BOOK by Barbara Lehman
What a beautiful book. It is very tactlie, with it's solid red high gloss cover. The child in the corner is embossed, but not glossy. It's immediately a very rich feeling experience. There are no words in the story, and you won't miss them. The images are mysterious, but clear, and the story is easy to understand - even with it being so fantastic. The illustrations themselves are very simple, a fitting evolution from KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON. The line quality is strong and the details sparse and geometric. I might have liked to see a bit more color on the faces of the children, but overall this is a wonderful book.
Coming On Home Soon
by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis
One of the few Caldecott's awarded to a book written and illustrated by two different people – this book confuses me. It is beautifully illustrated with watercolors done the way one expects superb watercolors to look. The story is quiet and rich. What confuses me is the old feeling of the book. The story is obviously set in the first half of the 20th century. It is a memory, and something most of today's children will not relate to. With the push in the publishing world for something new and different, I'm surprised this book even exists. Don't get me wrong, it is beautifully done. It just seems a completely different direction from what the publishing world says they want, and what marketing says will sell. It could have been produced 30 years ago as easily as today. It will sit on my bookshelf screaming of age that it does not have.
KNUFFLE BUNNY by Mo Willems
I am converted. I didn't realize this was by Mo Willems when I ordered DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS! today. I am a new fan. Where COMING ON HOME SOON feels old, KNUFFLE BUNNY feels new and vibrant. The art is a combination of halftone photography with flat color illustrations drawn in a scratchy pen and ink. The art is not well-drawn, but it is fun and lively and a joy. Character emotions are easy to read and right on the money. The story had me laughing out loud from about halfway through all the way to the end. It is about a common enough event, the loss of a favorite toy, told in the most amusing way. This one I highly recommend. Frankly, if I were voting, this would have been my pick for the Caldecott.
His Dark Materials Trilogy, Philip Pullman
I've surfaced. May I recommend that if you buy these, you buy them all at the same time – they're sold as a group on Amazon: HIS DARK MATERIALS TRILOGY: THE GOLDEN COMPASS / THE SUBTLE KNIFE / THE AMER SPYGLASS by Philip Pullman. The story does not "end" sufficiently at the end of the first two books, you will immediately want to pick up the next book to continue.
At first I wasn't crazy about his writing style - I felt very distant from the characters and the action. But the story drew me in. It is EPIC along The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars scale. In fact, I hear there are attempts in Hollywood to make it into a movie. That would be no small task. About halfway through the second book, his true purpose behind the adventures start to reveal themselves. I don't want to tell too much, as I highly recommend you read them for yourself, but it involves the very essence of everything we are, including God and religion. This is a wonderful quote from the text that may give you a hint of what's in store:
"Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit." – Philip Pullman, THE SUBTLE KNIFE.
At first I wasn't crazy about his writing style - I felt very distant from the characters and the action. But the story drew me in. It is EPIC along The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars scale. In fact, I hear there are attempts in Hollywood to make it into a movie. That would be no small task. About halfway through the second book, his true purpose behind the adventures start to reveal themselves. I don't want to tell too much, as I highly recommend you read them for yourself, but it involves the very essence of everything we are, including God and religion. This is a wonderful quote from the text that may give you a hint of what's in store:
"Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit." – Philip Pullman, THE SUBTLE KNIFE.
Late Amazon Delivery
Well my Caldecott winner and honor books, and the Newbery winner I ordered are delayed. I'm not dissapointed. I'm hoping that means they pulled them all aside to put those pretty gold and silver stickers on them before they're delivered. Gotta love the stickers.
Sick Again!
Oy. At first we thought Stan had food poisoning, until I came down with it too. It's been a comical battle of "whoever feels better refills the gatorade" around here this week. Second time this winter - I am over it! Ugh. We're finally starting to come out of the fog and catch up, but I'm afraid I'm going to miss this Friday's topic: Gluttony.
I am currently devouring Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" Trilogy and will report in when I've finished the third one (almost done).
I am currently devouring Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" Trilogy and will report in when I've finished the third one (almost done).
Illustration Friday, Theme: The Seasons
This is created employing an image I made for the banners that hang in downtown Chattanooga several years ago. The graphic designer in me coming out:
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