Jump for Joy!

Late last week I finished my final few paintings for Who Has These Feet? by Laura Hulbert. I think its a Spring 2011 book, and I know that its published by Henry Holt. Stay tuned for another sneak peak or two as the seasons slide.

Thank You!

There are several upsides to living 4 hours from Seattle. Perhaps the most tangible downside however (from the children's book makers perspective), is that I am so far from events and concentrated numbers of people. It cuts both ways. Thankfully, I don't mind driving. There is a certain bliss to cruising down the highway, taking in the mountain scenery and following the winding river valleys to and fro. I have plenty of time to "chill out" and process as I go.

In this case, reflection  is easy. I was pretty jazzed the whole way home :) Thanks VERY much to everyone who attended the SCBWI Western Washington monthly meeting last night. It was great fun for me to share my "10 years in the biz" and I was more than pleased that many of you stayed and that most seemed to enjoy the talk. Three cheers for another 10 years!

As tribute to said visit, here is Boo giving her introduction -- enjoy!

p.s. This is my first ever video post. Please forgive the learning curve if the size or quality seem somehow "off". Ciao.

Illustration Friday: Muddy

In line with my 10 year book author/illustrator anniversary, here is a freelance illustration from the archives.

10 Years in the Biz!

Tomorrow night I'm giving a short talk at SCWBI Western Washington's monthly meeting. 10 years I've been doing this -- and then some! Stop by for a few thoughts about the decade, plus a mini-session on Cultural Authenticity in Fiction with Margaret Nevinski.

6:45 registration, and the programs start at 7pm.

Its Official: The Polar Opposites Book Jacket!

Creating a book jacket is a combination of sketches, editorial input, marketing mojo, and designer execution. I'll start with thumbnail sketches like this:
Progress to this:
And it'll all come through the other side looking something like this:
Yahoo! Welcome to the world Alex and Zina!

Macmillan vs. Amazon: Round 1

Round 1 to Macmillan! A good synopsis (and leveling of opinions) at Fast Company.