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By: Kris,
on 2/24/2011
Now Playing - I'm Getting Sentimental Over You by The Ink Spots Life - A year in the northeast. Roughly a year ago, we left our world in the West behind and flew out to Maine. Neither of us had ever been here before, in all honestly, I can't say Id ever really even given the state much thought. But we were ripe for a change and my company was actively seeking experienced managers to head
By: Reviews Of Unusual Size!,
on 1/21/2011
Now Playing - Lorena by Bob Schneider Sassafras has a slight Sasquatch infestation. Life - Man, just when I thought we'd gotten a lot of snow, we got a lot more snow. This morning, we got over a foot on top of the crusty, ice covered foot that we already had. I spent a good chunk of today fighting my way through it trying to free up my vehicles but eventually gave up, much to my
By: Hazel Mitchell,
on 1/17/2011
The winner of the original artwork draw is ... Kim Ardelian! If you see this post before I message you, please send me your address for mailing, in an email. Congratulations and I will be doing more giveaways in the future.
We are deep in winter in Maine. The snow is sparkling and we hit the minus' this week, the only way is UP. I have a little pot of spring bulbs on my mantel and the green spikes sticking through give a hopeful promise of spring. It's a nice thought. But at the moment it's about keeping warm and the pipes unfrozen, the horses fed and gathering with friends in cozy kitchens for laughter and games.
I finished my showcase piece for SCBWI Winter Conference (Yeah!) Here it is ... it's the most complicated piece I have worked on in a long time and I had a good time. I hope it shows. Let me know what you think:
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 9/27/2010
I've decided to try something a little different with my reviews from now on. I'm going to keep the "numbered" format of my previous reviews, but incorporate the ROUS initials of my site and make the format a bit more open to reviewing other types of things, like restaurants and the like. Let me know what you think! Reviews Of Unusual SizeRestaurants RED'S EATSMain St. & Water St., Wiscasset,
By: Stacy A. Nyikos,
on 8/31/2010
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 8/28/2010
Ahh, Boothbay Harbor. Every time I think I've given up on Maine entirely, we stumble across something just cute enough, or goofy, or cool enough to make my hopes stay alive. A rare 1/2 blue lobster We visited the Boothbay area, which is about an hour to the Northeast of us this last Thursday, to celebrate my birthday. Our tentative plan was to visit the aquarium, spend most of the morning
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 8/7/2010
Now Playing - Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Life - Ahh, days off, why do you have to end? FOr the last few weeks, we've been fortunate enough for our days off to fall on the same two days. It's been really nice. We've built a porch, made some fun little trips, worked in the house a bit. In the next few, that'll change a little, my boss is going out of town, so my
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 8/1/2010
Now Playing - Ain't Got So Far To Go By David Byrne Life - When we moved to Maine, I had an image of Maine in my head. Compiled largely of sourceless assumption and a chapter in a Bill Bryson book, I'd pictured a rugged country with rocky shores and simple people, eking out a living by plucking skittery crustaceans from the sea while wearing a yellow slicker. Maybe relaxing in the evenings on
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 7/30/2010
Now Playing - Crickets in the forest behind my house Life - One of these times, I'm going to get to spend my days off doing absolutely nothing and going nowhere. But for now, I'll have to be content spending it creating a nice little oasis for us to spend the evenings. AA dragonfly on the inside of the screen We finally finished the painting on our back porch last night (sort of. We actually
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 7/10/2010
Now Playing - The Day The World Went Away by Nine Inch Nails Life - Belfast, seen from the bridge. Ahh, Belfast. Not as wonderful as it could have been, but not as bad as I'd feared. We started the day out bright and early, getting on the road by 9-ish (Which isn't really that early for us, but for a road trip it was early - we always seem to have myriad little tasks those mornings that keep
By: Lauren,
on 7/9/2010
as narrated to Susan Fensten, Senior Publicist
I’m often understandably mistaken for a Pomeranian. We are cousins. I am a 4 year-old German Spitz Klein [small Spitz] and I was adopted by my human friend at BARC Shelter in Williamsburg. It was love at first sight.
But don’t let my silky fur and cute, little cookie face fool you, when it comes to reading I’m dead serious. Life is too short and there’s no time for fiction. I’m a true crime lover. There’s nothing better than curling up on my pillow spending hours lost in the fervor of a terrifying crime spree and its aftermath. The excitement, the fear, the victim/s, the suspect/s, the cops, the investigation, I love it. Then ultimately the trial and surprise verdict keeps me turning the pages.
Murder is the territory and the idle, filthy rich are the adventurers in this unique true crime story. Savage Grace: The True Story of Fatal Relations in a Rich and Famous American Family by Natalie Robins and Steven M.L. Aronson. Born into staggering wealth and privilege, Tony Baekland’s fate was sealed by the very elements which propelled him throughout his tragic life. His grandfather was the inventor of plastic, bakelite it was called, in its early form. A suffocating, beautiful mother, Barbara and a critical, distant and demanding father Brooks Baekland both lit the fuse that would later shock the world elite, the beautiful people. Poor unfortunate Tony. What could he do? Nothing, except to maybe put an end to all of the noise in his mind.
The book is told entirely through actual correspondence between family members and their wheel-heeled, well off friends. The Baeklands trundled aimlessly to the glamorous ports of the world, staying only for short spates before pushing on, writing mountains of letters, ever rambling. Chasing endless pursuits each more futile than the one before it. In their own words they express finely nuanced details about themselves as only the self can know. They reveal their insecurities, egos, their pettiness and pomposity, their dreams and crushing disappointments in themse
lves and in each other. It’s a jungle of madness and murder, letters and locations and dark secrets.
My adoring human friends are taking me to Maine next week and I cannot wait. We are going back to Stonington on Deer Island in Penobscot Bay. We went there last year. I loved the pines, the tide washed coves, the sharp-eyed fledglings and most of all, the lobster rolls! Seacoast Maine: People and Places by Martin Dibner with photographs by George E. Tice is the per
By: Nicole T.,
on 6/17/2010
As First Book nears the end of our two-year U.S. Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Education grant, Andrea and I hit the road again last week to continue to spread the magic of books throughout Maine.
After landing in Portland and having a marvelous lobster roll lunch, we set our sights on Augusta to host a Volunteer Orientation session to introduce new volunteers to our First Book-Kennebec County Advisory Board. We saw some old friends at the Buker Community Center and met some new ones too! In addition to strengthening our Board in Kennebec County, we’re looking forward to working with Rob Gordon of the United Way of Kennebec Valley and Troy Alexander of Augusta Schools to bring more books to the children of Augusta!
The next morning we had a beautiful drive, despite some rain, over to Bucksport. Being particularly fond of small towns, I really enjoyed passing through the many coastal towns along the way. In Bucksport, we met in the Town Council office with our good friend Marcelle and some others who are working to start a First Book Advisory Board. We had a great discussion about the importance of books and reading and how First Book is a great resource for their community. It’s clear they take their town motto Rich in Heritage, Looking to the Future to heart.
After a quick stop at the 
Bittersweet Gift Shop for some yummy treats for us and some Lupine flower seeds to send to my mom, we were back on the road heading north to Houlton. In Houlton, we had the pleasure of meeting with our dear friend Otis and the First Book-Aroostook County Advisory Board. We heard a wonderful presentation about how Houlton Elementary School is incorporating books from First Book into their family literacy festivals. At the end of our meeting, we presented First Book-Aroostook County with a small token of thanks for over 10 years of serving children in need in Maine. Otis then presented us with The Boy with the Leaking Boot t-shirts which we will wear with fond memories of another great trip to Maine!
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 6/10/2010
Now Playing - You Run Away by Barenaked Ladies Life - Today is how a day off should be. Especially when you consider it was kind of a work-related trip. We sell live Maine lobsters at work, the only drug store in the nation to do so, and I've kind of become the Lobster Manager by default, dealing with the tank, keeping us in stock, etc... And one of the best/worst parts is actually obtaining
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 5/5/2010
Now Playing - Crazy In Love by The Puppini Sisters Life - Hello everyone out there in World Wide Webville. My name is Kristopher, and I want to be a blogger. Well, actually, I want to write kid's mystery books, sixties crime pulps and run a motel in Oregon. But for now, blogging! That's right, it's been so long since I've written a post that I feel obligated to reintroduce myself.
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 3/30/2010
I knew this was gonna be a pain in the rear, but man... That was a long trip. I have a lot to say about it, and this blog will probably only cover the basics. Then I'll make little separate observations about the details of the trip later, thus avoiding the dreaded Serial Effect that most of my trips have, but still allowing me to ramble and rant like I usually do. That said, this will still have
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 2/8/2010
My internet here in the great state of Maine has become increasingly erratic and useless, more often than not just working long enough to anger me when it goes down again. Usually just after I've hit submit on something, causing me to lose anything I'd typed. But that's okay. Apart from that, we really like it here. In the next few daqys we are starting to look for a house to rent or buy, will
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 2/2/2010
Saturday. A bit warmer, though not much and we spent the day tooling around in our rental, getting lost again, checking out the city. Portland boasts a good sized area out by the airport dominated by the Maine Mall, a mall that is actually alive and thriving, shockingly. Most of the malls we've visited in the West are half empty edifices, filled with faked in walls and empty promises about
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 1/31/2010
And for once, I truly do not know when I'll be back again! That's a cool and im,immensely scary feeling, the idea that I may not get back to familiar territory in quite a while... Of course, the idea of a jet ride was also a bit nerve wracking because I'd just watched a few episodes of LOST, so maybe I was just projecting. Luckily, I was fairly certain the plane would not crash, at least not on
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 1/30/2010
It was time to take off. Maine was calling us, begging us to leave brown, dreary, land-locked Idaho and come sample their snowy, ocean swept lands for a time. It's been a rough few weeks prepping for the move but finally, Thursday morning, we gathered the last of the luggage and gave our pets, our kids, really, a last, heartfelt goodbye and left for Salt Lake City, where we would leave on a red
By: Kristopher and Crew,
on 1/14/2010
Life - So... packing to live in a different state, in a bit of a hurry, possibly a wee overwhelemed. What could make that rougher? Trying to do it with just your left arm. Ugh. I I've never been more frustrated and annoyed in my life than I am now, watching my small wife try and move boxes, straining to budge something that would normally have been pretty simple for me to lug around. I can't
Posted on 1/7/2010
SO last year, right around now, Linz and I were in serious discussions to take over a small motel in Seaview, WA. The place had a lot of charm and was in a great spot, but it was pretty run down, owned by a fellow that no longer cared about the business. All was looking well, and we had extremely high hopes for the year to come. Well, turns out that the owner did have a love of something related
By: Anastasia Goodstein,
on 10/19/2009
Foursquare (the mobile game beloved by urban techie hipsters gets profiled by the New York Times, reg. required. Plus G4's "Attack of The Show", a variety show for young web-savvy guys, also gets love from The Times)
- Doctor's orders (according to... Read the rest of this post
Maine is the sort of place in which a traveler discovers unexpected delights: a stunning view from an undiscovered spot along the shore, a restaurant serving hot chowder to diners sitting on the pier, a yarn shop that also sells penny candy (!). I found all these when I visited Maine recently to participate in the Bar Harbor Book Festival, but I didn't expect that I would discover a new favorite illustrator. I truly fell in love with the work of artist/author Rebekah Raye. 
To my delight, Ms. Raye, who works with the small Maine publisher Tilbury House which was recently named publisher of the year by the New England Independent Booksellers Association, was willing to give Jacket Knack an interview.
CB: What things need to be considered when choosing the cover art for a picture book? How does this differ from the interior illustrations?
RR: I have learned from my publisher at TilburyHouse that the eyes of your characters are very important and to make a connection to the audience as if they are really looking at you the viewer. While the interior illustrations contain images of the characters looking at each other to better tell the story. Though I like to have a glance or two of a character looking back at the viewer.
CB: Your publisher is a small one. Does this affect the amount of input you as the illustrator have in the design/images/typeface/layout of your covers? How does the relationship between the art director and the illustrator work, in your experience?
RR: The first two books were designed with the given dimensions and shape of the book and I was told to leave bleed out areas for trimming and cropping. I was given plenty of freedom using the entire page for a spread sheet, just to leave room for the text. I would get approvals of the dummies and all of the stages of the paintings. I would turn in the paintings and the next thing I would see would be the folded and gathered part of the book. This last book due out Oct. 15, Bearly There, was different. I was able to see the full spread sheets laid out and was in a great back and forth conversation with the both the publisher and designer which let me feel like my voice and ideas were still clearly expressed. I have developed a strong and close friendship with the publisher. It has been comfortable and easy to discuss concerns, opinions, questions and she has always been there with helpful responses. I love her editing and philosophy. It has been a wonderful experience from the beginning and I am grateful.
CB: I was taken by the unique layout of the covers on The Very Best Bed 
and Thanks to the Animals (the latter, authored by Allen Sockabasin). Whose decision was it to use the band of white across the top on these picture books? It's quite an attention-grabber, and yet soothing and simple at the same time. How did the clever idea of the squirrel reclining on top of the lettering come about?
RR: In Allen's book, Thanks to the Animals, 
the designer Geraldine Millham created the covers along with the publisher. The idea was that the title would be easier to read on a shelf if it was placed at the top. In The Very Best Bed, the publisher, Jennifer Bunting, thought of the title as the shape of a bed since the idea of the story was how the little gray squirrel was in search for that perfect place to sleep at night. They chose the chipmunk from part of an interior illustration and asked me to create a separate single squirrel relaxed enough to be placed on top of the title.
CB: Please share any other stories about your covers, if you like.
RR: I had quite a time creating the cover for my next book, Bearly There. 
I tried 6 different attempts thinking I had the main character , the bear, the way I wanted him. Finally one came that seemed to fit the personality I wanted to portray. I wanted him to be looking back at the viewer, as if you caught him by surprise or you by surprise and with some feeling that he quickly wants to disappear back into the woods. It just takes a while it seems to get to know your characters. Once I saw those eyes, I fell in love and hope others will to.
CB: You mention your newest book for Tilbury House, Bear-ly There. This cover has a similar design, but the band across the top is blackish and the lettering is a mixture of fall colors. Can you tell us why this one was done differently?
RR: This was the decision of the designer, Geraldine. We wanted the title to still pop out and the black seemed to help with the contrast. The letters were cut out from a previous cover attempt of a bear with a very colorful red background that she liked. So she sort of combined the two. The publisher felt the title disappeared into the back ground without the black furry band.
CB: What, if any, children's book covers by other illustrators have caught your eye lately?
RR: I am drawn to any animal cover that has a mystery feeling,or that fills the page with strong color and has a somewhat simplified design. I love Ashley Bryan's Beautiful Blackbird cover:
By: Andrea C.,
on 9/30/2009
As First Book goes into the second year of our two-year U.S. Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Education grant, we packed up and hit the road to continue to spread the magic of books throughout Maine.
This trip we decided to spread our wings throughout the state, last week we held a “Starting an Advisory Board” training in Falmouth. Thanks to Pi Beta Phi member Meredith Baker, we met some new potential advisory board members and reconnected with a few familiar faces. From there, off we went to Bangor for a Meet and Greet hosted by the United Way of Eastern Maine. Thanks to Suzanne Farley and University of Maine intern, Ellen for their gracious hospitality and enthusiasm. On our final stop, we held a morning Meet and Greet in Augusta at the Buker Community Center. Thanks to Karen and Kelly, we had a wonderful turnout and left with some great sweatshirts, too!
We encountered many new friends on our trip, we’ve already seen an increase in registered groups in the state of Maine! We will work hard to 
continue the momentum so we can provide more books to children in Maine. I have a new found love for “Northeastern hospitality!” I have two suggestions for your next visit to Maine: 1. Go in the fall, the foliage is awesome to experience and 2. Indulge in eating a Maine lobster roll!
By: Nicole T.,
on 8/24/2009
Thanks to the support of U.S. Senator Susan Collins (Maine) and U.S. Senator Robert Byrd (West Virginia), First Book received grants from the U.S. Department of Education, Fund for the Improvement of Education to provide new books to children in need throughout the states of Maine and West Virginia.
As a generous part of the grants, First Book is pleased to offer the following opportunities to all eligible Recipient Groups in Maine and West Virginia:
For more information about the grants and for updates on incentive opportunities, please see www.firstbook.org/maine and www.firstbook.org/doewestvirginia.
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I like the way you set and achieve goals. There's an old saying, "Inch by inch, life's a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard." While you're keeping your eye on your ultimate goal, you are also taking lots of steps to achieve your dream. Keep it up.
Brilliant, I'm so glad reporter Steve suggested this. I start salivating every time I see that lobster roll picture. I want to drive out to Maine just to eat one of those beauties. What a great way to sum it all up with the phrase from your wedding ring. "Dreams create the future." What a great way to live! It is my fervant wish, one day, may your dreams come true. I look forward
I love those pics. I want to visit Maine and Oregon one day.<br /><br />The best of luck to you publishing your books.
Randy - We'll keep dreaming and blogging, even after our current dreams have been met, I promise!
Thanks Steve - You've been a huge support for us throughout this, you have know idea how great We love ya. And your inexplicable yet constant rallying for that state you live in....
Thanks, Medeia!<br /><br />We like Maine, it does have it's high points and we LOVE Oregon! <br /><br />I've never been to Florida, but we have a friend that lives there and she loves it. It seems to healthy and tropical for me. haha!