I have some traveling coming up and I thought it would be fun to share some images from the road.
Instagram is so convenient so I will probably be using it quite a bit.  If you are not already a follower of my account, be sure to check my profile. There are images and process shots that I do not always have a chance to post on this blog or my public facebook page.

Cheers,

Chris

As you can see, I work quite quickly. Any given piece usually takes about 30 seconds. From "Lucy's Lovey" by Betsey Devany. From Henry Holt this September.

Interesting little aside. A few months ago the folks over at HBO asked for the rights to use Firefly Hollow (text and images) in an episode of House of Cards. Never sure how these things go, scenes are cut ect. But if any of you binge watchers catch it, be sure to let me know!

I loved my view master-still fascinated by these mini environments!

New book. #kidlitart #childrensbooks #picturebook— with Anne Marie Pace.

From MPR news:

"Firefly Hollow": The children's book that began with a painting
In the publishing process, children's books typically begin with a story — then the illustrations follow. But that's not how "Firefly Hollow" came to be.

Writer Alison McGhee, who has published several books for both children and adults, received a package on her doorstop six years ago. Inside were full-color paintings of entrancing creatures: A mouse-like character in a sailor's outfit and a cricket curled up with a cup of tea. The illustrated companions were adrift in a small boat, sailing down the river....

listen to the full interview here

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/12/28/books-firefly-hollow-alison-mcghee

I just realized that I have not updated my posts from my professional Facebook Page, Christopher Denise Illustrator. So, for those of you that do not use Facebook, I will, over the next few days, post a few of the highlights.
This post from December 5th was to mark the completion of the art for my next picture book, Lucy's Lovey,written by Betsey Devany. This is probably the funniest manuscript I have ever had the pleasure of working on!

If you have had a chance to read Alison McGhee's Firefly Hollow, and hopefully liked the book, then you may enjoy this wonderful post she has written on the creation of the story. In it, she shares her own thoughts and struggles in the writing of the manuscript with inspiring honesty and grace.

"The long and winding road that led to my novel Firefly Hollow began with some photocopied paintings that arrived in the mail one day. They were by an artist named Christopher Denise, and I spread them out on my big wooden dining table and stood there studying each one. 

The idea was that I would write a picture book to go along with them. I love an assignment, but this one intimidated me. The paintings were just so damn beautiful. There was a vole wearing a little sailor's cap, and there was a cricket, and there was a boat and a river. There was the night sky and moonlight and the colors in each painting were like jewels.

Could I write a picture book worthy of those paintings? I wanted to, and I tried. For about a year and half, I tried. But everything I wrote—and I wrote a lot—kept spiraling out into more story than a picture book, with its tiny word count and strict page limit, could handle."

Read the rest of her post here at the Pippin Insider:

http://www.pippinproperties.com/blog/entry/conjuring-firefly-hollow/?comments

I am a big fan of Jonathan Stroud's books. If you are as well, make sure that you are signed up on Goodreads. He will be answering questions from readers on July 29th. Sign up today-its free and a great resource!

http://www.goodreads.com/