How to Get a Publishing Contract - Link

There is a funny article (to anyone actually in the children's book industry) on how to win the Caldecott in 3 easy steps posted on eHow. It made me laugh at the apparent simplicity of it. If it were actually that simple, it wouldn't be a great award, and everyone would have one. Read it here. I think eHow wanted to boost their readership by posting about a topic everyone wants the secret to, and there's nothing wrong with that. It made me chuckle.

Then an illustrator acquaintance of mine, Fred Koehler, wrote this blog post on "How to Get Published" in three simple steps kind of as a spoof. See it here. There are actually bits of real truth in it as there are in the Caldecott post. But his post also made me smile. Some people think creating a book is so simple. The principles actually may be simple....but the execution is not. Creativity seldom is so simple as following a set of steps. But truth be told, it's a great place to start.

Happy Bookmaking everyone!

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Book Signing's this Weekend!

By way of announcement, this Friday, March 2nd, and Saturday March 3rd, I will be signing "Dear Cinderella" at the Provo City Library's Annual Fairy Tea Party. I will be signing for a half hour before and after each tea party. However, if you were not able to obtain tickets to the party (they are sold out), the fairy store and my signing table will be just outside the event, so all are welcome to come by and get a book. Don't miss your chance to see ME dressed up as a princess, get a signed book for your princess, and to peruse the fairy, princess trinkets in the shop.

Once again,  here's the information...

"Dear Cinderella" Book Signing
Location: Provo City Library, in the Old Academy portion of the library on your way to the Ballroom
Dates and Times: 
Friday, March 2nd- 4:30pm-7pm
Saturday, March 3rd- 10:30-1pm

Hope to see you there!

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Closing in!

Well, I'm closing in on finishing a picture book I've been working on since September. 1 more illustration to go. The author is Kirt Hickman and the book is titled, "Purple." It's a sweet story about a little boy and his blankie, written in the same spirit as "The Giving Tree." Although, in this book, if I had personified the blankie like the tree in that book, it'd be a little monster blob and kind of freaky. Here's a sneak peak at an illustration.

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David Small is Inspiration

I've been thinking about LINE recently. I've been thinking about how much I love LINE, how much Line expresses, and how much BETTER I need to get with my own LINE in my drawings/illustrations. I started to sift back through some notes and posts and sketches. I came across one of my idols especially in regard to expressive LINE.

David Small.

Me and David Small at Dinner

Sarah Stewart and I with our HATS

I've had the opportunity to be his (and his wife's) host at a conference for a few days and gained great inspiration from our discussions. The bits of his life story he shared gave me glimpses into from where his artistic expression emanates.  And the fullness that his added to his life and art can be better understood only by seeing him and his sweetheart, Sarah Small, together. His art is amazingly expressive with a few simple lines. And then he adds tone and value and it's even more alive.

Here are some notes I took a few years back in my sketchbook. Click to see larger and read.

David's graphic memoir, "Stitches," gives everyone a glimpse into his life growing up. Not a book for young children, but for teens and adults, the art in "Stitches" is a prime example of his mastery of expression. Thanks for the inspiration.

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On-the-Go sketching

What do you sketch in when you are "on-the-go?" I have a few kids (4 to be exact) so I seem to be GOING a lot...especially in the hours between school and bedtime. So whether I'm sitting at the orthodontist, in the school car-pool lane, or at a lesson of one sort or another, I try to remember this little guy...my mini sketchbook. He fits in my pocket, in my stuffed diaper bag, in my bottomless purse, almost anywhere (along with gum, diapers, toys, books, band-aids and binkies).

Do you have a little friend you bring along?

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Practice What You Preach

To prove I am actually practicing what I preach (tips for better illustrating), I just thought I'd share one spread out of my mini sketchbook I doodled while hanging with my 18 month old yesterday.

Draw Kids

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