Welcome to my new blog, which now includes content from many of the blogs I’ve created over the years. You can now also access content via category from this one page instead of having to search for my individual blogs, which were scattered over various platforms and websites.
Cuuute glove squirrel/chipmunk! Thanks to Alice Ching-Chew for the image. My only fear: This depiction of squirrels gives people the mistaken impression that squirrels are cute and loveable while downplaying their Evil Horde World Domination aspect. I did some hunting around, and it looks as if the image is from Happy . . .
Publisher Allen & Unwin recently opened up their Friday Pitch to children’s/YA writers. Before making your pitch, make sure you read through all the guidelines carefully. They’re not accepting pitches for picture book texts, for example, or poetry or short stories.
Today, I’m delighted to interview my Pixel Shavings friend, children’s book illustrator and writer Hazel Mitchell, about her newest project. Published by Charlesbridge/Mackinac Island Press, HIDDEN NEW JERSEYis a new book written by Linda Barth and illustrated by Hazel. The book is packed with historical, cultural and fun facts about New Jersey shared in rhyming narrative . . .
Thanks to Christie Harkin for alerting me to this disturbing slide show on the Time Life website. Apparently a woman in the 40’s actually adopted a squirrel and dressed it up in various costumes. Eek!
Still catching up from my week-long trip in NYC. I’ve decided I’m more likely to actually post about the event if I write up some shorter pieces rather than attempt one mega-long report. So here’s my first! I love making new friends at these events, which is one reason I . . .
Just posted a post-conference comic on the MiG Writers blog. Still catching up on e-mail and other work but promise to post about my Simon & Schuster visit and the SCBWI conference very soon!
I created this set of comics to help break the ice when I attended my first SCBWI conference (or at least the first in a long time) in 2009, knowing that 99% of the people there wouldn’t know me. I was WAY nervous. I’m reposting the comics here in case . . .
I have too many picture book ideas (I partly blame Tara Lazar & her PiBoIdMo 2011 month 🙂 and have been working on half a dozen picture book story texts over the past year: rewriting a zillion times & dumping ideas that just don’t work. Anyone who thinks picture book stories are easy to . . .
Just had a great Google+ Hangout with my fellow SCBWI Illustration Mentee pals (Class of 2010): Kimberly Gee, Eliza Wheeler and John Deininger. Andrea Offermann tried to join us, but unfortunately had browser issues. 🙁 It was great to be able to catch up with what we’re each doing in our children’s book illustration and writing projects, plus . . .
Sean and Lisa Ohlenkamp of TYPE Books (one of my favourite bookstores in Toronto) spent “many sleepless nights moving, stacking, and animating books at TYPE” to put together this amazing video.