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You are viewing the most recent posts from the 1564 blogs currently in the JacketFlap Blog Reader. These posts are sorted by date, with the most recent posts at the top of the page. There are hundreds of new posts here every day on a variety of topics related to children's publishing. We have provided a variety of ways for you to navigate through the blog posts. Click the dates in the calendar on the left to view blog posts from a particular date. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. Click a tag in the right column to view posts about that topic. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a "More Posts from this Blog" link in any individual post.
Bloomsbury has acquired New Holland Publishers‘ natural history list, a collection of more than 200 books.
With this acquisition, the company says it now controls “the world’s largest list of natural history books.” Here’s more from the release:
Bloomsbury’s natural history list includes the Christopher Helm ornithology list, the T&D Poyser imprint and the market-leading RSPB books … The New Holland list includes books by Steve Backshall, Bill Oddie, Chris Packham and Mark Carwardine, a series of photographic guides covering birds and wildlife throughout the world, a new series of Pocket Guides to British wildlife, and a well established series of Wildlife Trust Concise Guides.
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
One World, Many Religions: The Ways We Worship, by Mary Pope Osborne (author of the popular Magic Tree House series), is a clear, concise, and thoughtful overview of the world’s major religions for young readers. Covering Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism and Taoism, Osborne tells of each religion’s origin and history, worship practices and beliefs, and holidays and celebrations. This well-designed and attractive book is illustrated with color photographs, many of young people practicing the faiths.
Young readers will be interested in the various stories that led to the evolvement of the most widely practiced religions today, and the way that young people of different religions engage in their faith communities. Reading about each religion side by side encourages the reader to see what unifies the practice of religion around the world, and also what makes each faith unique.
In a world in which worshipers of different faiths are increasingly living side by side, it is important for people of all ages to have knowledge of and a respect for others’ faiths. One World Many Religions is a wonderful place to begin. Recommended for independent readers in grades 4 and up.
Posted by Parry
When I was asked to design the World of Dinosaurs stamp issue (1996), I painted two panoramic settings for the individual stamp subjects. The top one was Jurassic and the other was Cretaceous. I keyed the colors differently to separate them.
I developed the design in a charcoal comprehensive drawing that I showed to the various paleontological consultants for their input and approval.
It was vitally important that the dinosaurs, insects, and plants in each panorama were all known from the same geologic formations and so would have lived together in the same time and place.
Having worked out the plan in charcoal (bottom), I felt a lot more confident when I went to the final oil painting (top). In most natural science illustration, it's essential to present the art in a comprehensive, intermediate step that is sent out for approval by the scientists.
This was probably the only final stamp artwork that was ever worked on en plein air. I had to go outside in the forest to paint the ferns, because I discovered that cut ferns wilt too fast. The painting was less than 24 inches wide and painted on flexible Bristol board so that it could fit on the drum scanners of the time.
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For for a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at how I do paleoart, check out my new DVD "How I Paint Dinosaurs" from
Kunaki.com.
Digital download (HD 720p) at
Gumroad (credit card) or
Sellfy (Paypal).
buy“How I Paint Dinosaurs is a fascinating, detailed look into the making of the masterful dinosaur creations of James Gurney. I loved following his creative process, from the initial ideas, through the scientifically informed and accurate paleo-reconstructions, to the final stunning artwork. I found this video to be extremely informative and creative, and I have to say that I was completely inspired to draw dinosaurs!”
—Mick Ellison, paleoartist, American Museum of Natural History
The Public Theater will put on an original musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest from September 6th to 8th.
Free tickets will be distributed on a daily basis at Central Park’s Delacorte Theater.
Broadway Buzz reports that the show “will feature the talents of 200 New Yorkers from all five boroughs, who will join together with professional actors for the three-night civic event.”
continued…
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
A Picture Book of Jewish Holidays
By David A. Adler; illustrated by Linda Heller
In my search for a great book to help young readers of the Jewish faith usher in the New Year and the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, I stumbled quite by accident on Cam Jansen too. Huh? Let me explain. David Adler, author of the graduate-to-chapter-book mystery series, starring the stalwart heroine, Cam Jansen, previously wrote a fantastic picture book to guide your young reader thoughtfully through all the Jewish holidays. I love his opening intro.
This is not a book of facts but of feelings. It’s filled with the warmth of the Sabbath, the solemnity of Yom Kippur, the wonder of Hanukkah, the joy of Purim, the awe of Shavuot, and more. It’s filled with the love Jewish people have for their traditions and holidays.
To set things in perspective, Ms. Heller provides a beautiful rendering of the Jewish calendar, based on the moon and used for the last 5,000 years. Young readers can easily see where each of the holidays falls in the lunar calendar and the month into which it falls. The holidays are celebrated on the same dates each year. BUT the dates on the newer Julian calendar based on the sun, change from year to year. The calendars are shown together so a child may understand the difference.
The drawings by Ms. Heller are simple, but beautiful. For instance, the ones for Rosh Hashanah depict the book where our good deeds are written and also those where we need a little more work. And of course, there is a lovely rendering of the blowing of the ram’s horn or “shofar” that in the words of Mr. Adler, “remind us to obey God’s laws and be good to others.”
On the world scene today, religion can be a cause of much conflict, but in the simple world of Mr. Adler’s “A Picture Book of Jewish Holidays”, we see reflected the honest and human sentiment of the real desire to be close to the divine and to continue to seek it out in those with whom we come in contact. Young readers of all faiths may benefit from insights into the beliefs of faiths other than their own, and what they share in common. Here’s a book that provides that opportunity. “Shanah Tovah” or Have a good year!
Dear readers and contributors:
We need your input.
Throughout the blogosphere, blogs are seeing less traffic. Unless they are very popular blogs, usually by famous people or well-known experts in their fields, blogs are not attracting readers like they used to. It's partly a matter of over-saturation. The number of blogs has sky-rocketed, and people only have so much time to read them, so smaller blogs don't get as much attention as they once did. It's also due to things like Twitter and Facebook, which have become popular places to look for information.
Here at Utah Children's Writers, we've seen a reduction in readership and comments over the past few months, and a similar drop in the frequency of posts. It might be a summer slump, or we might be following the current trends in the blogging world, or maybe it's a combination of both.
Let us hear from you. How much value do you get from this blog? How could we make it better? What topics are interesting to you? What will keep you coming back and commenting?
How can we make this a more vibrant part of the Utah writing community? Do you like reading blogs, or would you prefer to see us make our Facebook page (yes, we have one--look for Utah Children's Writers) a more active center for our community?
We don't plan to go away anytime soon. We enjoy providing what we hope is interesting and useful information for writers of all levels. But we want to make sure we are providing a useful service, and that there's not a better way to build and support our community of writers. If there's a better way to support the community these days, we're open to change.
Let us know how best to serve you.
Thanks for your input,
The blog admins
By
Cynthia Leitich Smith for
Cynsations The S-Word by
Kathi Appelt from The Pippin Insider. Peek: "One February morning, while sitting at my desk and wondering how in the world I was going to meet my June 1st deadline for my next manuscript, I received an email from
Cynthia Leitich Smith. It had only a single sentence: 'I think you should write something funny.' She signed it with love." See also
Kathi on The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp from Indigo.
How Young Adult Literature Challenges Gender Norms by S.E. Smith from Thought Catalog. Peek: "...the people writing YA today are the people who were once furtively hiding from gym class in the library with their copies of The Mists of Avalon." Source:
CBC Diversity.
Writers' Conferences: A Cheat Sheet by
Sarah LaPolla from Glass Cases. Peek: "Meeting agents and editors is great, but the main reason to attend a conference is to learn." See also
Query, Sign, Submit by Sarah from I Write for Apples.
Five Traits of Published Writers by
Megan Shepherd from Adventures in YA & Children's Publishing. Peek: "My published author friends work nonstop. They get up at 5 a.m. or else stay awake until 5am. They write on Christmas, during lunch breaks, while at their children’s soccer games."
Fiction Techniques for Nonfiction Writers by Darcy Pattison from Fiction Notes. Peek: "...while I was researching the nonfiction topic of Kentucky basketball, I was really looking for a certain type of information."
Why "Middle-Aged White Women" Writers Need to Care about Diversity, Too by Peni Griffin from Idea Garage Sale. Peek: "The point being that, even if you and your protagonists are from the privileged categories of people, the diversity issues are there. It doesn't harm your story or your chances in the market place to acknowledge them." See also
"White Publishing" by
Daniel Nayeri from CBC Diversity and
Multicultural Statistics from CCBlogC.
Cause-Related Marketing by
Kay Kendall from Mystery Writing is Murder. Peek: "Simply put, you as an author know what charitable causes have resonance with you. Find one that also relates to something in your book. Then promote the fact that you will donate a part of your royalties to that worthy cause."
Please Pants Responsibly: Paper Notebooks For the Win by
E. Kristin Anderson from Write All the Words! Peek: "I have a different notebook for every novel I’ve finished (and even some that I haven’t). And when I get feedback on drafts, and do revisions, I can go and keep all of that information in the notebook, too." See also
Five Quotes to Plot Your Novel by
Darcy Pattison from Fiction Notes.
Teacher/Librarian Conferences: How to Make Positive Connections from Ashley Perez. Peek: "Authors, you are at a conference to increase your visibility and to connect with the readers who will put your books into the hands of more readers."
Sarah Harrison Smith, the new New York Times Book Review Editor, from Educating Alice. Peek: "Sarah is continuing the weekly online picture book reviews begun by her predecessor Pamela Paul, and paying close attention to titles from publishers small and large, near and far."
The Class of 2K14: Fiction Addiction: "20 authors debuting in middle grade and young adult fiction in 2014."
Top Four Lessons from Semester One of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Program in Writing for Children and Young Adults by Marissa Graff from
Angela Ackerman at The Bookshelf Muse. Peek: "We rarely give ourselves permission to play. At my advisor’s suggestion, I explored short stories as my out-of-the-box writing experiment during my first semester."
Uma Krishnaswami on Writing for the Long Haul from
Janni Lee Simner from Desert Dispatches. Peek: "Early book contracts tend to give a writer hope, but they can also be, like the peacock’s tail, part illusion. When the folk tale market began to thin, and I was no closer to finishing my first novel, I was left questioning the whole endeavor."
A Is for Aging, B Is for Books from Lindsey McDivitt: "a blog about positive images of aging in children's literature." See also
Disability in Kidlit: "reviews, guest posts and discussions about portrayals of disabilities in MG/YA fiction."
Writing Physical Attributes: Stocky by
Becca Puglisi from The Bookshelf Muse. Peek: "Stocky bodies tend to be short and round, rather than angular. People with these body types are often quite strong due to their higher percentage of muscle mass."
Being Responsible for Your Own Writing Career by Jenna Black from Adventures in YA & Children's Publishing. Peek: "When I finally came to accept that I could work harder, and that working harder might actually be the key to getting published, everything changed for me."
Trendwatch 2013: A Mid-year Assessment by
Elizabeth Bird from a Fuse #8 Production. Peek: "Contemporary Jewish characters where their religion is not the point."
Book Publishing's Big Gamble by Boris Kachka from The New York Times. On the Penguin-Random House Merger, peek: "There is, for one, the persistent gripe of writers and agents: companies either forbid (as at Penguin) or restrict (at Random House) their constituent imprints from bidding against one another for a manuscript. That means not only lower advances, but also fewer options for writers to get the kind of painstaking attention — from editors, marketers and publicists — that it takes to turn their manuscripts into something valuable." See also
Baker & Taylor Owner Buys Bookmasters by Judith Rosen from Publishers Weekly.
Children's Books in Iran: A Chat with Ali Seidabadi by
Mitali Perkins from Mitali's Fire Escape. Peek: "...many recent books by American authors are translated and published in Iran. I have read numerous works written by today’s American writers. For example, last year I read two books by Brian Selznick, and you might find it interesting to know that his Hugo won a golden Flying Turtle award in Iran." See also Mitali on
Children's Books for and about Syrian children.
Making Your Writing the Best It Can Be: Top Tips by Children's Book Editors from The Guardian. Peek: "People always say that a story must have a beginning, a middle and an end. If that is true then by far the most important part is the end."
Understanding & Manipulating Time to Strengthen Your Novel by Meredith Davis from The Writing Barn. Peek: "When you give time markers, they don’t have to be a day, date, or time. The marker could be a holiday, a season, a school year, or some other specified event. What’s important is that it is intrinsically tied to your storyline."
 |
| Recommended Trans Title |
Trans Titles for Young Adults by Tayla Sokoll from Linda Braun at Young Adult Library Service. Note: a bibliography of recommended reads.
How to Write a Satisfying Ending by Jane LeBack from QueryTracker Blog. Peek: "Your main character's chief flaws have to be highlighted and overcome in the climax. Moreover, the thing your main character has desired most from the beginning of the book must be brought to bear on the final resolution."
Children's Picture Books Retain Stubborn Stereotypes by Tom Jacobs from Pacific Standard. Peek: "A new survey of children’s picture books finds gender stereotypes—nurturing mothers, breadwinning fathers—remain stubbornly persistent." Via
Jen Robinson.
First Readers vs. Manuscript Critique by
Darcy Pattison from Fiction Notes. Peek: "When you finish your draft, do you look for a manuscript critique or a first reader? They are different and serve different purposes."
Graphic Novels: What Are They and Why Should I Care? from Austin SCBWI. Note: Delve into the world of graphic novels on Oct. 5 with a
Graphic Novel Workshop, featuring author/illustrator
Dave Roman, author
Cynthia Leitich Smith and First Second Books Senior Editor Calista Brill; sponsored by
Austin SCBWI.
Character and Series Backstory and the Traditional Mystery by
Elizabeth S. Craig from Mystery Writing is Murder. Peek: "Many readers won’t put their finger on exactly what it was that made the story boring, but they’ll put it aside. No one really enjoys an expository dump of information—they just want an engaging story."
Banned Books Month: Dori Hillstestad Butler on How Censorship Changed Her from
E. Kristin Anderson from Write All the Words! Peek: "...I never expected to face such a public challenge. I never expected to make ALA’s list of most challenged books. I never expected strangers to see a 3-minute segment on 'Fox and Friends' and think they know all about me and my motivation for writing such 'trash.'"
In Defense of Quiet Picture Books (Or Still Waters Run Deep) by
Marsha Diane Arnold from The Picture Book Academy Blogettes. Peek: "Having recently sold a quiet picture book text, I pondered what made it different from my other rejected quiet stories. I came up with a list describing what the best quiet books do and what picture book writers should aim for."
From The SCBWI"The
SCBWI congratulates
Edie Parsons of Athens, Georgia, as the winner of the first annual Karen and Philip Cushman Late Bloomer Award for authors over the age of 50 who have not been traditionally published in the children’s literature field. Edie has written several children’s books and won the award for 'Mercury Sea,' a middle grade fantasy novel about the poetry of historical alchemy.
"The grant was established by Newbery Award winner and Newbery Honor Book recipient
Karen Cushman and her husband, Philip Cushman, in conjunction with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Karen published her first children’s book,
The Midwife’s Apprentice (Clarion)(winner of the 1996 Newbery Medal), at the age of 53 and has gone on to become one of the field’s most acclaimed novelists."
This Summer at CynsationsMore Personally |
| Hello, big bird! |
 |
| Embracing my inner butterfly! |
 |
| Rocking the Austin skyline before "A Chorus Line" at the Long Center. |
Cynthia Leitich Smith on Staying Sane, Good Vibes and Author Platforms from Deborah Lytton at Adventures in Writing. Peek: "Pay attention but don't obsess. If you're losing followers in droves, you might want to take a look at your recent content and ask why. If you're not building steadily, you may want to amp things up a bit."
Congratulations to
Anne Bustard on signing with
Emily Mitchell of Wernick & Pratt, and congratulations to Emily on signing Anne!
Congratulations to
Amy Goldman Koss on receiving the
2013 PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship! Peek: "...provides a writer with a measure of financial sustenance in order to make possible an extended period of time to complete a book-length work-in-progress. The fellowship is supported by an endowment fund established by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and confers a prize of $5,000 on the honoree."
Anna Boll Is Now Available for Hire to Write Curriculum Guides for Books from Creative Chaos. Peek: "When you provide teachers with a Teacher/Reader Guide, they are more likely to buy a class or reading group set of your book to go with it."
Personal Links
Hello Authors, Illustrators and children's book community!
Please join me in sharing your wonderful stories and gifting autographed
children's books for the lovely children in Haiti. The gift of books
will brighten their day, and let them know that we are thinking of them.
for kindly donating two boxes of books and jump starting the campaign!
getting the books to the children. They are a non-profit organization
serving the poorest children in the Western Hemisphere.
 |
| Photo courtesy of Life Connection Mission |
I am collecting board books, pictures books, beginning readers, and
information books with pictures, such as animals, computer/science, space, etc.
My goal is to have an incredible collection by the end of the school year.
And I see school and church bake sales in my future, to raise money
to ship the books to Haiti. I am very excited and look forward to partnering
with our talented children's book community.
 |
| Photo courtesy of Life Connection Mission |
I will update often with books that are collected, and together
we will see our efforts grow. Please spread the word!
received my books this past summer.
If you are unpublished and would like to donate new book(s),the children will love it!
Thank you for your kindness. I look forward to hearing from you! [email protected]
Do you dream of writing slam poetry? In this three-minute TED-Ed lesson, slam poet and educator Gayle Danley shares “Five Steps to Slam Poetry,” illustrating how one writer crafts a slam poem.
We’ve embedded an animated video with the lesson above. Over at the TED website, poetry fans can access a quiz, a discussion board, and more resources.
Two styles of animation were incorporated into this video. To go behind-the-scenes and learn more, follow this link.
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
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By: Julie G,
on 9/5/2013
Blog:
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I think pretty much everyone is, by now, familiar with the premise of the Dexter series, largely because of the TV show. Just in case you aren't, Dexter is a serial killer. Sure, he kills people for fun, but it's not that he's REALLY a bad guy - he only kills people who deserve to be killed. When he's not killing, he's a pretty mild-mannered guy, witty, and devoted to his sister in spite of himself. This book, the first in the series begins Dexter's story.
From the Goodreads description:
Dexter’s well-organized life is suddenly disrupted when a second, much more visible serial killer appears in Miami. Dex is intrigued, even delighted, by the fact that the other killer appears to have a style reminiscent of his own. Yet he can’t help but feel that the mysterious new arrival is not merely invading his turf, but reaching out to him as well. This new killer seems to be doing more than copying Dexter—he seems to be saying, “Come out and play.” Dexter’s secret life makes for a lonely existence...even a lovable monster can be intrigued by the prospect of finding a friend.
Writing I was actually much more impressed than I had even hoped to be by the author's wit. Dexter is a totally charming and likable guy, you know, except for when he's killing people. I thought the author's voice was so unique and made for such a fun thriller. Dexter's narration is perfect. There's not a thing I would change as far as writing is concerned.
Entertainment ValueAlso quite appealing. It was fast-paced and I didn't see any of the plot twists coming or guess the end of the story before it happened. I think the author found a perfect and frequently hilarious voice for Dexter that really made the book.
NarrationNo complaints here either. The narrator does a fine job of reading the story and adds well to Dexter's character.
I don’t know why this news hasn’t been picked up at every entertainment blog everywhere. A comic book has been optioned for a live action “tv” show. Actually not just optioned: THE SHOW IS IN PRODUCTION! And PHOTOS OF THE STARS ARE ONLINE. Granted, there are a few quirks that make this news somehow less newsworthy than fanboy casting daydreams masquerading as “exclusives.”
#1 — it’s an indie comic. Chuck Forsman’s TEOTFW was originally published as a series of mini comics, and is now a collected edition from Fantagraphics. It’s a stark, dark and intense story about two teenaged psychopaths who go on a road trip and invade an empty house. When the house’s owner comes back, even more stark and dark things happen. As I was reading this I was thinking, “Man, if they were going to make a movie out of an indie comic, this would be one to make into a movie.”
#2 — the actual title of the comic is not one that is fit for a family newspaper. TEOTFW stands for The End of the Fucking World, the mini comic’s original title.
#3 — It’s happening in England. The comic is being adapted into a series of live action videos by up and comics UK director Jonathan Entwhistle. A test pilot is being filmed, which, if picked up by Film4 will eventually be shot for release on Vimeo. And the Starkweather/Fugate-type narrative is being shfted from unenployed America to unemployed Britain.
The TV version stars Craig Roberts, best known from Submarine, and Jessica Barden (Coronation Street) as James and Alyssa, the two tortured leads. As seen on Entwhistle’s sodial media, the visuals match the comic very closely. Forsman wrote on his blog that Entwhistle came across the comics at GOSH! in London, and noted:
P.S. this doesn’t make me a millionaire or more important than you.
…which is indeed an important message to repeat. But hopefully, this project will work out and more copies of TEOTFW will be sold, and more people exposed to Forsman’s excellent work as a result.
By: Alice,
on 9/5/2013
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By William Chislett
The installation of a concrete reef by Gibraltar in disputed waters off the British territory, which is designed to encourage sea-life to flourish, was the final straw for Spain, which has long claimed sovereignty over the Rock at the southern tip of the country.
British diplomats say there is little room for doubt in international law that the waters are British, despite the Spanish government’s argument that they were not specifically referred to in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht under which Spain ceded the territory to Britain.
As a result of the 72 concrete blocks dropped on the seabed, Madrid imposed extra border checks on the Spanish side that have caused lengthy traffic queues of up to several hours. Spain has similar reefs for environmental purposes in various areas of the Spanish coast.
The UK government in London says the checks are excessive and break EU free movement rules. The conservative Popular Party (PP) government of Mariano Rajoy insists they are needed to control smuggling, particularly of cigarettes. A European Union (EU) team is to monitor the border.
In a move that was reminiscent of the conflict over the Falklands in 1982 (another relic of the British Empire invaded by Argentina), the Royal Navy’s HMS Westminster docked in Gibraltar in the middle of August after a flotilla of Spanish fishing boats staged a protest about the reef.
In a reversal of the Spanish Armada, the Spanish fleet that sailed against England in 1588 and was defeated, other British warships joined HMS Westminster in what UK defence officials called a long-scheduled deployment in the Mediterranean and the Gulf. A British aircraft carrier, the Illustrious, sailed along the Spanish coast as part of the military training exercise.
Obviously, the two countries are not going to war. Spain, however, has threatened to join forces with Argentina and take the sovereignty issue to the United Nations, while the UK government might take the case of border controls to the European Court of Human Rights. In Spain, the spat is seen as a diversion from the country’s five-year recession and tough austerity measures, and the slush fund scandal in which the PP is embroiled.
Unlike in the 16th century, Spain and the UK are allies and not sworn enemies today: both are members of NATO and of the EU. Some 12 million British tourists visit Spain every year, the largest country group, and two-way trade and direct investment is very strong.
The squabble comes at a time when Gibraltar is celebrating 300 years of British rule. The anniversary has been marked by a set of four Gibraltarian stamps, which bear the Union Jack, a portrait of Queen Elizabeth and the words from the Treaty “for ever, without any exception or impediment whatsoever” which Madrid regards as provocative.
While the previous Spanish government of the Socialist José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (2004-2011) sought to ease the tone over the contentious issue of sovereignty by agreeing to set up with London a trilateral forum (Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar) to air grievances other than sovereignty, the PP killed this initiative by insisting on widening the forum to include local interests in the Campo de Gibraltar (the area in Spain close to the Rock). The UK and Gibraltar rejected this. Had the trilateral forum still existed, Gibraltar would probably have informed the Spanish government about the reef and the current situation might have been avoided.
The PP government hankers after a return to the 1984 Brussels Process, which established a bilateral negotiating framework with the UK for the discussion of all issues including sovereignty.
The trilateral forum was a modest step in winning the hearts and minds of Gibraltarians. The PP government’s heavy-handed response to the artificial reef, though it has legitimate concerns over other issues such as money laundering, has only served to harden Gibraltarian attitudes to Spain and remind them of previous crises, particularly the closing of the border in 1969 by General Franco, Spain’s dictator (1939-75). Last March, the US Department of State called the Rock “a major European centre of money laundering.”
The preamble to the Constitution declares that “her Majesty’s Government will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes.” In other words, Gibraltarians have the last word and it is highly unlikely they would ever vote to come under Spanish rule or even some kind of shared rule (the idea, as opposed to an actual agreement, was rejected in a 2002 referendum by 98.9% of votes, although it carried no legal weight). The residents of Hong Kong were not consulted when handed to China in 1997 when the New Territories’ lease ended; Gibraltar has a different status.
My wife and I suffered the consequences of the closure of the border, which was not re-opened until 1982. We were married in Gibraltar in 1974 because during the Franco regime Catholicism was the state religion and it was difficult for a Catholic (my wife) to marry a Protestant. Civil marriages did not exist in Spain. The only way to get to the Rock from Madrid, where we lived, was either by flying to London and then to Gibraltar or by train from the Spanish capital to the port of Algeciras and from there to Tangiers by boat and then in another ship to the British territory, an arduous journey and the route we took there and back.
We are hoping that by the time I appear at the Gibraltar Literary Festival at the end of October, it will not take hours to cross the border and common sense will have prevailed.
William Chislett, the author of Spain: What Everyone Needs to Know, is a journalist who has lived in Madrid since 1986. His book will be presented at the Cervantes Institute in London on 9 September, in Madrid on 24 September and at Gibraltar’s Literary Festival at the end of October. He covered Spain’s transition to democracy (1975-78) for The Times of London and was later the Mexico correspondent for the Financial Times (1978-84). He writes about Spain for the Elcano Royal Institute, which has published three books of his on the country, and he has a weekly column in the online newspaper El Imparcial.
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The post Spain and the UK: between a rock and a hard place over Gibraltar appeared first on OUPblog.
Returning back to the mainland from Arran on the ferry, I spent the time collecting knots and ropes. Once I started looking out for them, they became quite beautiful - still life at sea.
There are a few authors and illustrators whose careers I've followed since day one. So its a real treat to be able to help them celebrate their successes. Kristi Valiant is one such creator and I'm thrilled to have her visit today...
Q. Kristi - Congratulations on your first picture book as both author and illustrator! PENGUIN CHA-CHA is adorable!!
A. Thank you, e! What an honor to be on your blog. Let's cha-cha!
Q. It seems I've seen your penguins dancing around for some time. How long has this story been simmering in your creative brain?
A. The penguins have been marathon dancers indeed! The first appearance of dancing penguins in my portfolio happened in 2007. They even made their way onto licensed wrapping paper before I wrote this book.
Q. How did the idea for this story come to you?
A. I used to be in a swing and Latin dance group called the Fourth Street Alley Cats. I wanted to bring some jazzy jitterbugging into my portfolio, so I combined my favorite animal with dancing… and the dancing penguins were born. When I showed my portfolio to children's book editors and art directors, I kept getting asked, "Did you write a story that goes with this illustration?" I kept answering, "Yes!" and I wrote story after story. Some were pretty funny, but none were absolutely, exceptionally marketable. I even sketched out the whole story of one earlier version about a brother and sister buying the penguins from a crazy animal store, but an editor who requested to the see the dummy kindly pointed out that selling exotic animals in this way might be frowned upon. As for the final story idea with Julia discovering the penguins dancing at the zoo, that morphed from earlier versions over the years.
Q. What was your path to publication?
A. I'm an art school grad (Columbus College of Art & Design) and published in the educational market, but to figure out how to illustrate for the trade picture book market (hard cover picture books) in particular, I joined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.org). The portfolio critiques from children's book art directors that I received at regional conferences especially helped move me in the right direction. I illustrated some picture books, including CORA COOKS PANCIT [[Note from e: that title was with Shen's Books, who also published my first book, THE PRINCE'S DIARY.]] and THE GOODBYE CANCER GARDEN, but I also wanted to write my own stories. A wonderful exercise to see how my manuscripts stacked up was to read dozens of picture books selling in bookstores right now that were published recently and make a stack of my favorites. After reading so many, I reread my own manuscripts and suddenly my stories didn't seem so entertaining anymore. I worked more on PENGUIN CHA-CHA. When I finally got my PENGUIN CHA-CHA writing up to par, I met my dream agent at an SCBWI conference in 2011. I submitted to her. At the same time, an editor from Random House emailed that he loved the illustration of my dancing penguins on my website, and would I please submit the dummy to him that goes along with the illustration? I said, "Yes!" Usually editors don't come knocking for manuscripts! He loved it and asked to acquire it just as Linda Pratt became my agent. That part came together so beautifully, that I'm sure I had some help from above.
Q. I love how you caught Julia's motions mid-step. Truly, she looks to be dancing right out of the book. How do you maintain that energy when you illustrate?
A. I illustrate digitally, including my pencil sketches. It's taken me awhile to come up with a pencil tool in Photoshop that truly feels and looks like a pencil, but now that I have it, I love sketching right on my monitor! I keep my pencil sketches as the top layer in my final illustration so that I keep the looseness of the sketches.
Q. The penguins stay frozen like "penguin popsicles" whenever anybody is looking at them, but finally they can't help themselves and dance with Julia. As a kid who stared at her toys for hours willing/wishing them to talk or move or...something (I knew they could!), I could so relate to Julia! Did you do that as a kid too?
A. Oh yes. My childhood fantasies involved me being a famous singer or actress and performing for all my adoring fans, so I always was watching for my toys to burst into applause.
Q. How are you celebrating the release of PENGUIN CHA-CHA?
A. I'll have a book launch party Sept 14 at Barnes & Noble in Evansville, IN. We'll have cake with the cover of my book on it, penguin crackers, a cha-cha lesson and dance party, a penguin craft, coloring sheets, and of course, I'll sign books. I'm also working on creating a stand-up cut-out of my dancing penguins that kids can poke their own head through to be a dancing penguin!
I'm doing some other regional events as well as some more blog interviews, guest posts, and giveaways.
And, well, I may have to go out dancing to celebrate! (And eat chocolate. Definitely eat chocolate.)
Q. Tell us about your other works or whatever you have in the pipeline now!
A. I'm illustrating a picture book that Danielle Steel wrote for Random House! It's called Pretty Minnie in Paris and combines Paris, a fashion runway show, a long-haired teacup Chihuahua, and a stylish little girl. So sweet and fun to illustrate! And I just HAD to go to Paris to research. After all, I don't think I could draw Paris without having tasted so many pastries… I mean seeing the city firsthand. Watch for Pretty Minnie fall of 2014.
Q. Thanks so much for dropping by!
A. My pleasure!
FREE FOR EVERYBODY!
Kristi put together a fun storytime kit for PENGUIN CHA-CHA with coloring pages and activities for anybody to use. CLICK HERE to check that out!
GIVEAWAY!
This one is a biggie! Kristi is generously giving away a signed/dedicated copy of PENGUIN CHA-CHA along with a bookmark, sticker, and magnet!!! (Must live in the US or Canada to win.) Leave a comment to sign up below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Across all age groups, spies seem to be universally loved, so we split this program into two sessions, one for kids and one for teens. Some adults did stop by and were encouraged to try the different stations as well.
This program was highly inspired by Rachel Moani’s Spy Training Academy program at Lacey Timberland Library.
For the program, we created Spy Games cards so everyone could assume an identity and check off every station they completed. All of the spy games are actually Secret Service code names for presidential family members or presidential nominee family members.
We broke the event into four missions.
1) Invisible Ink: Everyone wrote a message in invisible ink. Some recipes can be found here and here. We started everyone with this so the paper would have time to dry. It, however, did not provide the punch a first mission should have.
2) Catapult Construction and Launch: Participants constructed a simple catapult using popsicle sticks, rubber bands, glue dots, and a water bottle cap. The surprising element of this construction was that many boys found winding the rubber bands around the popsicle sticks a challenge. Apparently ponytail assembly has given many teenage girls an advantage on catapult construction. Ideas for construction can be found here and here.
Participants then needed to use their catapult to launch a pom pom into a frisbee to move on to the next mission.
3) Balloon Minefield: This was the favorite mission for the teens. Everyone got three chances to make it through the minefield. They were timed for each try and received penalties for every balloon that broke and any balloons that escaped the minefield. The person with the fastest time won rearview vision sunglasses.
4) Laser Field: Everyone had three attempts to move through the laser field. They received penalties for every time they touched the “laser” rafia. no teen made it through the laser field without touching the lasers so this was a mission teens would not have been able to complete without the penalties clause (at least not with our course). The person with the fastest time won rearview vision sunglasses for this mission as well.
Spy Games was highly enjoyed by all who participated with most taking extra turns. We will likely repeat this program in the future, although we will probably link it to a movie release a la Spy Kids. We also promoted our spy books at the event to tie the event into our collection.
Jennifer Rummel, YA Librarian, Otis Library (Norwich, CT)
Where you’ll find me…. I’m on Pinterest, my Blog, and Twitter
When I’m not working, I… read a ton of books, across genres and ages, play with my puppy. I’m a die hard Celtics fan. I like to bake and do crafty things. I relax at night by watching TV – my top three favorite shows: Castle, Elementary, and Big Bang Theory
My favorite things to do online include… right now I’m addicted to Candy Crush. I love browsing Pinterest for things to bake or crafts to create. I love reading twitter and blogs to catch up on the latest book news.
Last awesome YA book you’ve read… Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas – It drew me in and refused to let me go. I devoured the book and I’m still thinking about it days later.
What you want to bring to the YALSA blog? My passion for reading and sharing ideas for great services to teens.
The YALSAblog Advisory Board’s function is to support the Member Manager to ensure that the blog is relevant, innovative and meeting member needs for information about YALSA and the young adult librarianship profession. The Advisory Board participates in the maintenance of the blog and works within the guidelines for the site as set by the YALSA Board of Directors. The Advisory Board also serves in an advisory capacity to the Member Manager of the blog and assists with the collection of content for the site; generates ideas for direction and content; helps obtain, analyze and use member and library community feedback about the site; assists with marketing as needed; and writes for the blog when requested by the manager.
Are YOU interested in writing for the YALSAblog? Check out the blog post guidelines and protocols, and drop us a line at [email protected] with your post ideas!
By: Allyn Stotz,
on 9/5/2013
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Welcome back, me! And I have a giveaway to offer at the end of this post!!
As you all know, I took the month of August off from blogging because I had a couple of weeks there that I knew was going to be impossible for me to post. So I decided I deserved a summer break just like the school kids! And, I can promise ya'all... I enjoyed it immensely. It's been a long time (I won't mention how many years because I don't want to give away how very old I really am!) since I had any kind of summer break. I may just need to do this every year!
Unfortunately, it's over now, boo hoo! But it feels good to be back in the swing of things. Although I took a month off from blogging, I still got quite a bit of writing done. Started several new stories and got some submissions out. Yay!
During my summer break I made an emergency trip home to Ohio, went on a true vacation to my sisters in Wisconsin, had a book reading and signing at Barnes and Noble, started the long process of getting stuff around for a garage sale, and got a nasty infection that had me down for about a week.
My emergency trip back home turned out better than expected and my mother-in-law is doing much better. What a relief that was as we didn't expect her to pull through. God answered our prayers on that one, thank you god!
Had a wonderful vacation to Wisconsin. My oldest sister and her hubby live there and my other sister and her hubby from Virginia also made the trip (even though my sis was on crutches and it took them an extra day of travel because their GPS screwed up and they got caught right in the midst of Chicago traffic). But they finally made it and we were all together. It was fabulous! My oldest sister/hubby are wonderful hosts who treated us to many delicious meals, a fantastic day on the water, a trip to one of the best flea markets I've ever been to, some great golf outings for my hubby and plenty of fishing for my brother-in-law. We always have such fun together and always makes us wonder why we don't get together more often!
The only thing bad about getting back home and into my regular routine is... the dirt in my house did NOT take a summer break. Darn dirt, can't you ever take a day off!! I need to WRITE not CLEAN!! But I'm one of those silly people who can not start writing until my house is cleaned. Same thing with cooking. I can't begin cooking until my kitchen is cleaned. Makes no sense! I guess I want it clean so I can mess it up and clean all over again! It's a losing battle.
Kind of like writing is. I write and write and write but it's never enough for me. I have a ton of stories started in my inventory but it's never enough. I'm constantly starting something new. It's the same feeling with having a book published. It's not enough that I have contracts on 4 more books, I want more and more and more! However, it's a good thing to want, right? Hopefully the feeling will continue and after my 50th book, I'll still be wanting more!
Okay, now it's time to have some fun. In honor of my return to blogging and the end of my summer break, I'd like to give a way a signed copy of a book that I have a story in. It's Knowonder's 4th edition of their book of 31 children's stories. My story is called
Hippytoe Gets A Frog In Her Throat, page 68. Here's a link to that book in case you want to take a peak.
http://www.amazon.com/Hermans-Horrible-Day-collection-read-aloud/dp/1482662485/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378304438&sr=1-1&keywords=hermans+horribleOur friend, Anne Johnson also has a story in this edition. Anyway, all you need to do is leave a comment telling me a little bit about what you did over the summer! I'll announce the winner in next weeks blog, next Thursday. Thanks for playing along!
The Contagious Colors of Mumpley Middle School, by Fowler DeWitt, illustrated by Rodolfo Montalvo (Atheneum, Middle Grade, September 3, 2013), is tailor-made for kids who like their wacky middle school science fun with glowing snot. And glowing puke...
Young Wilmer Dooley wants to follow in the footsteps of his father, famous for his invention of SugarBUZZZZ, 12 fluorescent colored flavors of high energy fun. So Wilmer has set his sights on the sixth grade science medal...and if he can get the beautiful Roxy to smile favorably on him, that would make his year even better.
When his classmates start flashing fluorescent colors of his own, and bouncing of the walls with manic energy (more so than usual), Wilmer knows he has his science project. So he sets of to find the cause of this colorful contagion in true scientific style. And yes, glowing snot and puke samples are an essential part of his data. But there are those who want Wilmer to fail--his hostile science teacher (threatened by his intelligence) and his sixth-grade rival, Claudius, who's determined to take on the role of Evil Genius.
The stakes get higher when Wilmer discovers the source of the epidemic...and learns that, if left untreated, his classmates might well explode...
So yes, there's ick (not exactly appealing to the grown-up reader). But there are kids out there who will doubtless find it funny as all get out. The colorful contagion and its manifestations are divertingly presented. Looking past the snot, the book actually offers a nice introduction to epidemiology and the scientific method, that should appeal to the scientifically-minded reader who can tolerate wackiness.
I'm not quite sure that fifth and sixth grade boys, the most likely readers, will appreciate the amount of page time (considerable) given to Wilmer's unrequited crush--from my own experience, boys that age still shun open acknowledgement of that part of life (finding it more disturbing than glowing snot). The book opens with Wilmer day-dreaming about Roxy, which might make it off-putting.
I also can't help be bothered by the minor but distressing fact that Wilmer took fourteen test-tubes home from his science classroom. This gives his teacher, who suspects him, a legitimate reason to dislike him, and given that Wilmer's dad is a scientist, couldn't he have just asked at home?
Final answer: offer it to kids fascinated by gross science, with a tolerance for the absurd (this is one of those handy cases where readers who find the cover appealing will almost certainly enjoy the book).
Courtesy of the publishers, I'm hosting a giveaway of one copy of The Contagious Colors of Mumpley Middle School plus a box of custom-made Contagious Colors band-aids! Just leave a comment to enter.
Here's another review (and giveaway) at
GreenBeanTeenQueendisclaimer: review copy received from the publisher
by Sam Cheever
Some authors like to give stuff away and some don’t. I personally know one author who refuses to give away copies of her books and just gives bookmarks and trading cards away at conferences. No bling for her. She’s not alone. Promotional items cost money, giving away books takes sales out of an author’s pocket. But what about the old business adage, you have to spend money to make it? Does it apply to creative businesses as much as traditional ones? I think it does.
Nobody can chart a direct affect from a promotional item to a book sale. It isn’t possible to identify a monetary result, because it’s not a direct transaction. It really isn’t even monetary. It’s emotional.
People love getting free stuff. They especially love getting clever and useful free stuff. And when they get something they really like they generally remember the person who gave it to them. That’s why I love fun promotional items. When I start researching a new item to take to conferences or give out to new fans in their goodie boxes, my first goal is to find something nobody else has thought of. I rarely give out bookmarks anymore. I have boxes and boxes of them in my closet as proof! When I give away a print book I include a Romance Trading Card because those are collectors’ items and they’re more fun. I load heart-shaped memory sticks with free reads, book trailers, and first chapters and give those away. They’re useful, they bear my website and tagline on their shiny red surface, and they contain lots of fun reading and viewing that will hopefully inspire someone to buy one of my books. It’s a win-win! For my Declan Sands books (MM romance) I found a tiny tool kit with four screwdrivers and a tape measure. Again, useful, and bearing my website and tagline in case someone decides he/she needs a great book to read while repairing their computer with the toolset.
I have knit caps with my website on them, book lights with twisty stems, mouse pad planners that double as notepads, and lots of other fun stuff. Call me Author Santa. Yeah, the stuff costs and I have no way of knowing if I’ll recoup my investment in book sales. But when people receive a goodie box or promo item from me they remember it and hopefully they’ll remember me. In fact, people often come up to me at conferences and exclaim, “Oh, you’re the one with the great promo stuff!”
I just grin and offer them something else from my red velvet bag. ‘Cause I’m selling fun and smiles…hopefully I’ll even sell some books!
Happy Reading Everybody!
Bitten by Paranormal Romance gives Cupid a 4 – A Pack Howl!"This is a delightful and sexy story of competition not only in the office, but between a cupid and a demon."
Long and Short Reviews: "Cupid Only Rings Twice was a very cute story that was short but entertaining.”
This Valentine’s Day, Rori’s gonna meet an honest to god Cupid. And he’ll use more than arrows to win her love. Rori Foster is too beautiful to find love. Men just can’t seem to look past her exterior to recognize the human being inside.
Unfortunately he’ll have to save her from the bad intentions of a cocky Love Demon first. But Damios is determined to protect her. Even if he loses her in the process.
To read more or purchase
Cupid Only Rings Twice please click the vendor's name.
Musa Publishing |
Nook |
Kobo |
Sony |
ARe |
Kindle |
Amazon.uk |
Amazon.ca Sam Cheever writes mainstream romantic suspense and fantasy, all heat levels; and Declan Sands for M/M romantic suspense and fantasy. Her books are fast paced and fun loving. Not one of them will solve a single world problem, but you definitely won’t be bored while reading them!
Sam’s published work includes 40+ works of young adult, romantic suspense, and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy, been nominated and/or won several CAPAs, were nominated for Best of 2010 with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She is published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; Electric Prose Publications (her own imprint), Musa Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.
She lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 11 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband.
Learn more about
Sam Cheever on her blog
Eclectic Insights. Stay connected on
Facebook and
Twitter. You can also find Sam on
Goodreads.
Earlier this summer New City Community Press/Temple University Press released a book that means so much to me—
Dr. Radway's Sarsaparilla Resolvent. It's a book about poor Philadelphia in 1871, a book about Eastern State Penitentiary, Baldwin Locomotives Works, My River (notice the caps), two best friends, and an heroic blowzy named Pearl. Among other things.
Reviewers have been extremely kind, some of their thoughts
here.
I'll be officially launching that book in just a few weeks at Radnor Memorial Library—reading from it for the first time, talking about it for the first time, sharing it, because that's what we do.
I hope you will consider joining us. Huge thanks to Pamela Sedor, who throws a wonderful party.
It's always fun to see other language editions of books I've sold, particularly the ones published in Japan. Here's CRASHERS by Dana Haynes (the book in the background is his new one ICE COLD KILL!)
Notice the size? I'm not sure if this is the standard size in Japan but they're wonderful to hold and remarkably easy to read.
And of course because Japanese is read right to left the binding is on the right side and the book opens "backwards" to our way of thinking.
CRASHERS for those of you who haven't read it yet:
Whenever a plane goes down, a “Go Team” is assembled to investigate. The members of that team—each a leading expert in a specific field—are known as Crashers.
Portland, Oregon: A passenger plane has gone down. Enter NTSB investigator and pathologoist “Tommy” Tomzak who leads his team—a voice recorder specialist, bomb expert, engineer, mechanic, pilot, and crime scene specialist among them—to grapple with the evidence.
Usually the Crashers have months to determine the cause of a crash. But this time it’s different: The plane appears to have been brought down deliberately. The enemy might be one of their own. And an off-site operative who made a name for herself in Israeli intelligence has just made a catastrophic discovery: In less than three days, terror will strike the U.S. airways yet again…
Follow Dana on Twitter: @DanaHaynes
I've contributed cartoons to several Chicken Soup for the Soul books.
And now I've contributed a story to one as well.
  | Title: Gamble in Gold Author: Natalie Anderson |
May Contain Spoilers
From Amazon:
Seven years have passed since shy Lexie Peterson had her heart trampled by her teenage crush. And Luke Marchetti walks into his flat to find Lexie in a negligee, all he can think of is having a little flirt and fling. But Lexie’s determination to keep him at a distance makes him realize she deserves more than he can offer. Is one kiss enough to entice the two to take a gamble on love?
Review:
I’ve read one other novella by Natalie Anderson, and it really worked for me (Melt). Gamble in Gold, sadly, did not. Even though it featured one of my favorite tropes, it was too short and too predictable to keep me engaged in the story. Worse yet, a day after reading it, most of the plot has escaped my memory, so it’s also fairly forgettable. Mango the dog, though he played only a small role, was the most memorable character for me.
Lexie is crashing at Luke Marchetti’s flat while he’s out of town. He’s supposed to be gone for a month, so color Lexie very surprised, and also embarrassed, when he walks into his home and finds her in the kitchen. In a gold negligee. At the sight of him, Lexie is overcome with many emotions. She’s had a monster crush on him since she was a foreign exchange student staying with his family in high school, and to her dismay, she hasn’t gotten over it. Mix in the hurt from his cool dismissal of her – after sharing her first kiss – and she’s instantly on edge and angry. He’s probably still a man whore, lacking any ability to have a real, caring relationship. When she discovers that he’s hurt his leg in a training accident, though, her heart thaws, just a little. Maybe he’s not so bad?
Unknown to Lexie, Luke has been attracted to her since she was a shy guest in his parents’ home. When they’re caught kissing, his father tells him in no uncertain terms to keep his hands to himself. With Lexie off limits, Luke turns to serial dating to forget her. All he does is frustrate himself and break her heart. With so many misunderstandings between them, can he convince her to give him a second chance?
I think my favorite part of Gamble in Gold was Luke’s realization that Lexie is the one for him, and that he’s finally ready to settle down with one woman. When she coolly brushes off their night together as nothing more than a one night stand, it’s his turn to be hurt. Lexie is beating herself up for succumbing to Luke’s charm, knowing that it will only result in heartache, so she wants to cut to the chase and make him think that he means nothing to her before he can do it to her. Luke must plead his case, and he has to face some of his fears about a lasting relationship as he does so.
I was also disappointed with the length of GiG. Based on the file size, I thought it would be longer, but the included preview took up a big chunk of the end.
Grade: C/C-
Review copy provided by publisher
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I had those stamps, and thought they were the coolest ever. Unfortunately they were used for what they were intended for, the mail. Wish I kept a set intact. I bet stamp collectors love them.
Hey James, what type or brand charcoal pencil did you use for the drawing? What do you use now?
Joel, yes, that was the idea, to sell stamps that no one ever used. It made such commemorative sets quite profitable for the USPS.
ERC, when I was an art student I got my hands on a couple big boxes of General's charcoals, Medium and Soft, and I'm still trying to use them up.
This is my favorite set of stamps ever. I re-did my office but I still had to hang them up because I love them so much and admire their individual compositions as well as their WHOLE composition so much - Here's a pic of them hanging - Thanks so much for the fun information on them, Jim!
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s165/sh/ad50e3a9-6a40-4d10-bfec-69b8eda8b527/b0da1c0943e52248345f732d2806e9a4
That's awesome. Thanks for sharing the photo, Robb.
I recognize the Ceratosaurus in the top panorama. It's on a mousepad I have!
I bought the autographed stamps in a custom mat from the Post Office's catalog at time of their release - it's one of my prized possessions!
What a coincidence, I've just received that stamp set in the mail last week for my collection!
I still have the set I bought!
Who's that young guy at the easel?
Great stuff, James. Thanks for posting!
Hi Mr. Gurney,
I just finished watching your painting video and I have 2 quick questions? Do you prime your illustration board with gesso before you draw or is the matte medium enough to prevent absorption? Also, how do you prevent warping?
Hi, Hasani,
No I don't prime the board first. I like the way the illustration board takes the pencil. It doesn't warp because I'm using a heavyweight board. If you do get warping, do the same thing to the back that you do to the front, or even just wet the back (don't do an 'X' as some people recommend because that makes a different kind of warping).
Thanks. I'll definitely try your method on my next painting.
Mr James,
If I ever get back to charcoal drawing I use the Generals also. During the 90s when i use to take classes everybody used the RITMO charcoal pencils.
They were smooth, silky and easy to erase. I think towards the end of the decade they changed ownership and the quality wasn't the same imo. If theres anyone out there who can make charcoal just as smooth please do.
I got a little excited and ordered another set off of Ebay after this post...
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s165/sh/eea9c657-dff3-41bb-8a17-ef337b48c88b/d9c10131304b6b5be5250cb50991bae9
Jim - Have you seen that "First Day Cover" stamp of the brachiosaur before? And did you also design that? Very cool looking, either way - Thanks again for this great post!