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This week we have illustrator Alik Arzoumanian.  She received my BFA in Illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston in 2004.   The first children’s book she illustrated was “Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur! A Palestinian Folktale” , a retold folktale by Margaret Read MacDonald and published by Marshall Cavendish Children.  The book received an ALA  Notable Book Award in 2007.

She has also illustrated “So Many Houses” written by Hester Bass and published by Scholastic Library Publishing.  “Grateful Animals” by Sona Zeitlian, and “Where are you Little Frog?”, written by Kayleigh Rhatigan and was published by Lark Books.  Her illustrations have appeared in “Christmas Carols” and “Christmas Songs” published by Ladybird Books. Her most recent work appeared in Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s Children of God Storybook Bible, that was published in July 2010 by Lux Verbi.

Here is Alik:  I was commissioned by Lux Verbi, a publisher in South Africa, to illustrate three stories in the Children of God Storybook Bible, retold by Desmond Tutu. The one I am presenting here is called “Naboth’s Vineyard”, and it tells the story of a King called Ahab and his wife Jezebel who have Naboth killed in order to take his vineyard. Prophet Elijah is sent to punish King Ahab for what he has done, but Ahab is truly sorry so he is forgiven.

Sketchbook 1, 2, 3 I first created the characters in the story. Visualizing them first helps me understand the narrative better, and results in more successful thumbnails, because instead of generic figures, I have characters I can rely on to bring the story to life.

For this story, I researched historic middle eastern costumes and looked at illustrations of King Ahab and Jezebel for inspiration. I also wanted King Ahab to look not so kingly and a little embarrassed.

Thumbnails 1, 2, 3, 4 The next step was to come up with a composition that would convey the whole narrative at once. The various s

Summer!

Monday
Kate Milford @ Chasing Ray
Randa Abdel-Fattah @ Crazy QuiltEdi
Tim Lebbon @ Bildungsroman
Nalo Hopkinson @ TheHappyNappyBookseller

Tuesday
Timothy Decker @ Chasing Ray
Y. S. Lee here
Tanita Davis @ TheHappyNappyBookseller

Wednesday
Cynthia Levinson@ TheHappyNappybookseller
Amy Reed @ Stacked
Rosemary Clement-Moore @ Finding Wonderland

Thursday
Dave Roman @ Bildungsroman
L. Divine @ Crazy QuiltEdi
Robin LaFevers @ Finding Wonderland

Friday
Jennifer Miller @ Bildungsroman
Ashley Hope Perez @ Crazy QuiltEdi
Benjamin Alire Saenz @ TheHappyNappyBookseller

       In the Sydney Morning Herald Gould's Book of Fish-author Richard Flanagan is at A loss for words as he considers the role literary prizes have assumed in contemporary literary culture.
       He begins provocatively enough:

Literary prizes exist to give dog shows a good name.

National prizes are often a barometer of bourgeois bad taste.

I am not arguing against prizes. I am arguing against taking them too seriously. The elevation and proliferation of literary prizes have obscured the slow erosion of our own literary culture -- indeed, they have arisen with it -- and disguise the near complete lack of support by our society of literary culture in general.

If awarding prizes is when we have a discussion about books and when good books are given a larger public space, prizes have a role. But if we believe that only the winning book has virtue and no others, then the prize has failed. And if we think prize culture is a way of stimulating and supporting a book culture of value, we are deluded.

Australia does less to support its writers than any developed country I am aware of. Though the publishing industry generates more than $2 billion a year, the total federal government spending on writers through grants is less than $2 million. Compare this with the more than $128 million spent on tax breaks for the non-profitable film industry.

       In The Guardian, Stuart Jeffries profiles Mario Vargas Llosa: a life in writing at some length.
       Vargas Llosa mentions:

The Nobel prize is a fairytale for a week and a nightmare for a year. You can't imagine the pressure to give interviews, to go to book fairs. The first year was very difficult. I could barely write.

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Eric Chevillard's Prehistoric Times, just out (more or less) from Archipelago Press.

It’s still Friday on the west coast of the US, so I give you Fan Art Friday, the technically not-late edition.

First, here’s a great video from Christina and Douglas, visualizing the Faceplay software from “Facing the Future” (Also known as Chapter 4 of Uglies).

Ugly to Pretty – WIP from Christina Hall on Vimeo.

Pretty cool, huh? I’ve always thought this would be a cool scene in the movie.

If my embed isn’t working for you, click here to check it out on Vimeo (and slightly bigger!).

And next, a very amusing cartoon from Soraia, riffing on the Perils of Pauline chapter in Goliath:

That whole chapter came about because I was researching William Randolph Hearst, and found out that he was behind the Perils of Pauline series of films, which began in 1914. So I decided to watch them, and discovered that in the very first one, the eponymous heroine gets blown away in a hydrogen balloon, not unlike a certain Scottish cross-dresser! So I just HAD to show Alek seeing the movie as part of his education that girls could do cool stuff.

Though I’d like to claim that I planned this symmetry between books 1 and 3 from the beginning, it’s merely a coincidence. But it proves that if you do your research, you will be rewarded. And coincidence or not, I’m super glad to see it pop up here in fan art form.

The dialog in this comic is quite funny, so click here to see it bigger and zoomable.

Here from Carly is some rare Midnighters fan art, showing Jessica at a certain climactic moment in Blue Noon.

That’s a scene that I had planned from back in book 1, as you will see if you look at chapter 4 of The Secret Hour. Sometimes I am good at first-shoeing things.

And here from MoonieBalloonie, a pensive-looking Lilit:

I always love how distinctive Lilit is, thanks to her cool Armenian attire.

And finally, from Victoria, some Dalek!

Okay, I’m headed to America soon, so I must go pack or whatever. (My only public appearance will be at Comic Con.)

Hope you all have a good weekend.

I was not in the best of moods the other morning. It was gray and sleeting, the to-do list for my book launch seemed overwhelming, and there were no babysitting hours on the horizon. As I leaned over the two-year-old to change his diaper, in my worn black cabled sweater, he reached up and grabbed a knit bobble. “Booberries,” he said. “Iss pretty.”

Guest column by Nichole Bernier, author of the novel
THE UNFINISHED WORK OF ELIZABETH D. (Crown/
Random House, June 5, 2012). She has written for
magazines including Conde Nast Traveler, ELLE, Health,
Men’s Journal, and Child, and is a founder of the literary
blog Beyond the Margins. She lives outside of Boston with
husband and five children, and is at work on her second
novel. She can be found at nicholebernier.com, and on Twitter.

Anyone who spends time with children knows the little bits of gold that come out of their mouths. They can also spew mercury and bile like Linda Blair, and show you just what they think of your stinking rules with every cubic inch of air in their lungs. But sometimes there’s a gem that makes you smile, something they say that makes you see things in a way you never have before. And for one shining moment you realize it’s not true that there’s nothing new under the sun, not as long as there are two-year-olds who can see blueberries in yarn.

Hope, like happiness, can come in the most unexpected ways. It’s true of raising children, and it’s true of the writing life. I’m no Pollyanna, but it is possible to be blindsided by random bits of kindness, and optimism. The key is to recognize them — and let yourself give them more weight than the sleet and the bile.

This has been on my mind since I wrote the Acknowledgements for my novel not long ago. It’s a fascinating exercise, creating a little word-bouquet of gratitude. How often do we ever sit down and make an accounting of the people who made a thing possible? And yet I was aware of one person I wanted to thank, but didn’t. To thank her would have been strange since we’d never met, never even spoken.

When I finished the first draft of my novel I was enormously pregnant with my fourth child, and filled with an urgency to progress in every way. This was my first time trying to write or publish fiction, so my mental timeline was that of a magazine freelancer: a) finish, b) publish, c) paycheck. I was not accustomed to improving something slowly at no fee or guarantee. So in my rush to cross “Get Agent” off my to-do list before the baby came, I sent off a handful of queries immediately.

The baby came, and so did the agents’ responses — some passes, but also partials and fulls, all leading to rejections in the e

And just in time for ALA too.

Yes, we’re counting down the Top 100 for the next few days.  Each day I’ll show a Top 100 Picture Book Poll result alongside a Top 100 Chapter Book Poll result.  Speculate at will!  There are a few surprises left . . .

#10 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (1977)
128 points

I had read many other books where characters died, but it was always for a “good” or “glorious” reason. This was the first time I read a book that reflected real life, where death is sudden, pointless, and gut-wrenching. I was so upset that I refused to re-read the book for years. – Ann Carpenter

The teacher read this book to our class. I still remember that punch-in-the-stomach shock and trying-not-to-cry throat ache I felt when she read the ending. I never knew before Bridge to Terabithia that a story could make you care so much about people who don’t actually exist. – Bigfoot Reads

“The time a child needs a book about life’s dark passages is before he or she has had to experience them. We need practice with loss, rehearsal for grieving, just as we need preparation for decision making.” – Katherine Paterson.

Our former National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature appears yet again on this list, and her Terabithia (which did not crack the Top Ten last time around) sits proudly here.

The synopsis from the publisher reads, “All summer, Jess pushed himself to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade, and when the year’s first school-yard race was run, he was going to win.  But his victory was stolen by a newcomer, by a girl, one who didn’t even know enough to stay on the girls’ side of the playground. Then, unexpectedly, Jess finds himself sticking up for Leslie, for the girl who breaks rules and wins races. The friendship between the two grows as Jess guides the city girl through the pitfalls of life in their small, rural town, and Leslie draws him into the world of imaginations world of magic and ceremony called Terabithia. Here, Leslie and Jess rule supreme among the oaks and evergreens, safe from the bullies and ridicule of the mundane world. Safe until an unforeseen tragedy forces Jess to reign in Terabithia alone, and both worlds are forever changed.”

How did it come about? According to Children’s Literature Review Paterson’s career started in this way: “In 1964 Paterson began her professional writing career formulating curricula for school systems. She eventually began writing fiction and, nine years later, her first novel, The Sign of the Chrysanthemum, was published in 1973. While her literary career began flourishing during the 1970s, Paterson was also faced with a number of difficult personal events, including surviving a cancerous tumor and losing her mother to cancer. During this period, her young son David lost a close friend who was tragically struck by lightning. While attending the annual meeting of the Children’s Book Guild of Washington that same year, Paterson recounted her son’s recent loss to the attendees, and Anne Durell, an editor for Dutton Publishing’s children’s literature imprint, suggested that the incident could be the basis for a children’s novel. Thus, Paterson began writing the manuscript for Bridge to Terabithia, which became a critical and popular success.” Durrell, to her credit, also said to Paterson at the time, “Of course, the child can’t die by lightning. No editor would ever believe that.”  True.

As Ms. Paterson said in her Newbery acceptance speech, when her son’s best friend was struck by lightning, he went through “all the classical stages of grief, inventing a few the experts have yet to catalogue. In one of these he decided that since Lisa had been good, God had not killed her for her sins but as a punishment for him, David. Moreove

#10 The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone, illustrated by Mike Smollin (1971)

For the pure joy of watching your audience’s faces as you read this aloud. – DaNae Leu

I had to look up the author – don’t think I ever read his name! I just thought of it as by Sesame Workshop. – Robin Parry

“Don’t turn the page”. I’ll never forget the first time I read this to my daughter. She really didn’t want me to turn the page. And then she laughed at the end. – Joanne Rousseau

I remember this book from my childhood more than any other. - Pam Coughlan

In this poll we’ve seen a lot of votes sink sink sink from their previous places.  Now, at last, here’s a book that’s gone up up up in the world.  Previously holding down a spot at #22, Stone’s title is remarkable partly because it not only introduced so many of us to the

You will not find The Monster at the End of This Book in The Norton Anthology of Children’s Literature.  It does not appear in 100 Best Books for Children, or within the pages of Nancy Pearl’s Book Crush.  It has never won a Caldecott.  You cannot find it on most Top 100 Picture Book lists, nor in New York Public Library’s collection.

And yet . . . .

And yet here we find at #22, almost making it into the Top 20, the one and only truly successful Sesame Street book ever to touch the hearts and minds of readers everywhere.  Sesame Street has a history of frustrating libraries and educators with its sometimes tepid literary production, but there was at least one notable exception to this.  And it involved a furry blue monster.

The description of the plot from the publisher reads, “Generations of kids have interacted with lovable, furry old Grover as he begs the reader not to turn the page . . . for a monster is at the end of the book! ‘Oh, I am so embarrassed,’ he says on the last page, for of course the monster is Grover himself!”

Robin mentioned not knowing who the author of this book was, and I’m sure she’s not alone.  For those of us who count ourselves as Sesame Street groupies, though, Mr. Stone was one of the big time heavyweights behind the show itself.  He wrote and produced the television program after doing some work on Captain Kangaroo.  Joan Ganz Cooney called him “probably the most brilliant writer of children’s television material in America.”  For a lot more information on Stone you can refer to Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis which covers a lot of this ground.

Really, it’s illustrator Mike Smollin who piques my interest.  I mean, talk about a forgotten fellow.  Looking at his roster on Amazon you can see that he did a fair number of Sesame Street titles (The Great Cookie Thief, anyone?) as well as other series like Strawberry Shortcake, LEGO, books by Seaworld about Shamu, etc.  Fortunately the man has a website and there we learn that he was an advertiser turned illustrator.  “Over the years, Michael’s imaginative endeavors have been recognized with awards from the Emmys, The Society of Illustrators, The Detroit Bravo Awards and The Hollywood Reporter.”  He passed away in 2010 and looking at his career there is little doubt that this book remains

I am spectacularly useless at introducing myself. I don't mean saying, "Hello, lovely to meet you." I'm quite reasonably good at that. I mean that thing where you have to introduce yourself at the beginning of a talk or an interview. "Could you tell us who you are and what you do?"

On Saturday I was speaking at a conference on writing in the digital age. At lunch-time, I was interviewed to camera. "Can you start by introducing yourself?"

What did I say? Well, there were a load of things I could have said but did I say any of them?

NO! I said, all meekly and pathetically, "I'm Nicola Morgan and I run a blog called Help! I Need a Publisher!"

WHAT? Help! I Need a Right Good Kick Up the Backside! And a Psychiatrist! Honestly, I do this every time and I drive myself nuts.

What goes on in my brain just before I open my mouth? Am I ashamed of what I do? No, I'm very proud of what I do. Am I confused by how many things I do and how to describe what I "am"? Yes, certainly, but it shouldn't be beyond the wit of woman, especially a writer woman, to come up with a sentence which says what I do without sounding either a non-entity or egotistical.

Writers, do you all have this problem, too? Do you start to cringe when you say out loud the things you've achieved? We want people to know, don't we? And yet it's so very hard to say it.

Do you think we should all work out a suitable sentence and practise saying it in front of the mirror?

If so, what would your sentence be for yourself? Go on, it's your chance to plug yourself!

"Can you introduce yourself, please?"

(By the way, today I'm speaking at a conference for parents, about reading for pleasure. I am going to award myself £2.50 for every time I mention one of my books or something that I do. I'm hoping to be able to afford a cup of coffee on the way home.)

Welcome!

Thanks for visiting the official site of children’s author Artie Knapp!  

Where Alligators Bowl, Roosters Moo, and Elephants work at car washes!

Use of any of the content on this website without permission is prohibited by federal law

Release the balloons! Fabulous Summer Sale.

I’m having a fabulous June sale on the July 6th start up date of Fairy Online School. And based on students’ requests, I’ve added TAG101, FB101, AM01 AND COM102 (our main classes) as  July 6th start up dates! Woo hoo! So, if you’ve been itching to take those classes, I’d take an advantage of this one week sale. There’s a sale on Empath Skills class, too!

There’s sales on these classes and more only during:

June 15th to June 22nd, so take advantage of the sale prices for some as much as $20 off!

Head on over now to the school catalog to pick out your savings…um, class. Click here.

"No one can tell you who you are. It doesn't matter who your parents are or where you come from; you're the only one who gets to decide who you're going to be. Few people can demonstrate that better than Julie Ziglar Norman. The daughter of one of America's most well-known and loved motivators, Julie found God where most of us do: somewhere in between the lofty ideal we're told about and the big mess we often make of our lives."
~ Dave Ramsey, New York Times bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio host

And if that isn't enough to get you intrigued - then pick up a copy and read Julie Ziglar Norman's Growing Up Ziglar.  Julie has not lived an easy life - so what she says comes from the heart.  I was touched by her story - it was real and encouraging.  She is honest and admits where she made some wrong turns, but she is also honest that God has never let her down and that's where her true source of life comes from.

Here is what the publisher says:
Julie Ziglar Norman often says her dad is the king of 'doing life right' and she is the poster child for 'doing life wrong.' For over a quarter of a century she lived every day with regret, shame, guilt, and depression. But she was the daughter of the motivator's motivator, Zig Ziglar, and knew that she needed to be positive. So she gathered up all her negative self-talk and squashed it deep down inside where it couldn't ruin the bright and practiced smile she presented to the world. 'People might assume Zig Ziglar's daughter would automatically grow up to have a positive attitude,' Julie says. 'For a large portion of my life, I was just positive I was miserable!' Her powerful and heartwarming story will move readers to laughter and tears. Mostly it will renew their faith in God's power to redeem all the wrong choices and bring them full circle to hope and healing. Julie urges readers not to settle for okay when God has true joy waiting for them. She shares tools to equip them to make the changes needed to find true freedom in every area of life.

Julie Ziglar Norman is the daughter of Zig Ziglar and for 20 years has been his personal editor. With a background in sales and business management, Julie has become a dynamic international motivational speaker. She lives in Texas with her husband, Jim, and continues the Ziglar legacy of encouragement.

I would encourage you to take a minute and read through this inspiring book - it's a quick read and it will challenge you!  Also don't miss Julie's website meant to encourage women - ZiglarWomen.


*I was sent a copy for review purposes by the publisher.

Jack Russell Terrier with ball. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you ever struggled to come up that character to add comic relief to a story? What about the little kid who holds the hearts of everyone in a five mile radius with the look on his face and the expression in his eyes? Or, the old lady down the street who is always there with a kind word and an understanding presence?

These are all common characters, so common they’ve become near stereotypes. But how do you create freshness to a stereotype without removing what makes them appealing and affective?

Use a different model for your character. Let’s say you’ve chosen to have an old lady for your story. She’s going to live next door to the family you’re writing about. Let’s also assume that that’s all you know about this character.

One way to get a fresh perspective on this character is to change your own perspective. The only thing you know for certain is that this character is old and lives nearby. With this in mind think of others that could be old and live nearby.

1. An aged golden retriever that’s been faithful and gentle all her life. Her slightly coppery locks have grayed. Her step is more measured now. Her ability to rush is curtailed with age. She is always available for a hug, and she thinks nothing of spending an afternoon with anyone who needs a companion, to sooth and ease a hurt.
2. An older Scot Terrier that doesn’t take guff from anyone for any reason. Female she might be, but tough, and knows her own mind. Short legs don’t keep her from taking long walks each day; even if they tire easily, she’ll push through to the end.
3. An older mare that’s birthed her last foal and been put to graze and grow complacent in her last years. She stands at the fence looking to the west, her eyes seeing the wild herds that used to roam the plains and mountains, whose king stallion stands guard at the edge of his circled harem.

You choice of character models are endless, when you realize that all creatures as they age share common traits. By removing the “animal” from the model and concentrating on the behavior, the visible traits, your own story character takes on a new dimension. You could find these characters in your own home.

Remember that comic relief character? Can you think of models to give you a handle on such a role in your story? Here are three that might work.

1. A Jack Russell Terrier. That’s the hyper pup on springs. If you don’t laugh at the antics of one of these little clowns, there’s no hope for your character.
2. Chickens are comic creatures, often overlooked for their relief value.
   9 Comments on Some of the Easiest Characters Around, last added: 6/18/2012
   Display Comments
   mliddle said, on 6/16/2012 1:40:00 PM
   

   Claudsy –
   I think this idea of stretching our minds in terms of who our characters our in our stories is a superb idea! I immediately placed this blog post in my Evernote so that I will not forget this idea. Tanks for also giving great examples!

   I have a surprise for you. Hop on over to my blog post http://www.bendsintheroad.com/we-love-blogging/. As you read the post, watch for your name. You are an amazing and gifted poet and story teller – and Blogger! Hope this surprise gives you a smile!

   Monique

   claudsy said, on 6/16/2012 2:25:00 PM
   

   Two awards for me?! Monique, that’s amazing. Thank you so much. Of course, I shall honor your gifting of these.

   I’m happy you enjoy coming here to see what I’ve written. That’s truly all the reward I want or expect. You’ve made a graying day a whole lot brighter. Thanks again.

   carrieboo33 said, on 6/17/2012 6:55:00 AM
   

   Having a Jack Russell myself, I have to say — excellent canine idea!

   claudsy said, on 6/17/2012 7:09:00 AM
   

   I’ve always found them to be a loping, leaping, lizardly bundle of ideas myself. If you want to find other ideas, think of armadillos, porcupines, chipmunks, myna birds, etc. So much variety, so little time.

   Thanks, Carrie. Glad I could remind you of the fun you have in your own living room.

   Veronica Roth said, on 6/17/2012 10:31:00 AM
   

   Great advice Claudsy. I do this all the time. Especially love watching crows interact with other animals. (They have friendly games of tag with the seagulls in Vancouver). I have a few friends who own Jack Russells and they belong to the “I survived my Jack Russell society”. Those pups are a handful but absolutely so full of character.

   claudsy said, on 6/17/2012 11:02:00 AM
   

   Thanks, Veronica. So glad someone else uses this technique. I’ve been around my share of “Jacks” and can relate to those bundles of never-ending moving and excitement.

   Gerry Wilson said, on 6/18/2012 4:50:00 PM
   

   Claudsy, our neurotic Siamese cat–a foundling, which explains a lot; he’s terrified of small children and thunder–would make a great character! I love this idea. Will keep for future reference.

   claudsy said, on 6/18/2012 6:46:00 PM
   

   Glad to be of help, Gerry. Sometimes one of the easiest tools around is also sitting right next to you.

   claudsy said, on 6/18/2012 6:48:00 PM
   

   Definitely. My mom had a pet crow for a long time. He was his own person and quite a character. We certainly missed his laughter and conversation when he wasn’t thre any longer.

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For every kid who would eventually get into comics, the first one he remembers owning is his equivalent of Action Comics #1—a seismic shift in his personal pop culture ecosystem. I remember mine—the otherwise unremarkable Superman Family #196 (7-8/79).

Then there are other comics that, while not my first, are still lodged in the nostalgia lobe. I remember staring at the cover of Flash #269 (1/79), with Kid Flash and dinosaurs, on the magazine rack within the old-fashioned pharmacy-luncheonette my dad ran in New Haven.

I remember the first issue that came in the mail of the only comic I ever had a subscription to: Super Friends (#32, 5/80). (The comic in general was actually quite a bit more sophisticated than the Saturday morning cartoon it was based on; it featured many and sometimes obscure guest stars including TNT with Dan the Dyna-Mite and Black Orchid.)

And I remember each of the first issues I bought of what would become my three favorite series: Justice League of America (#189, 4/81), The Brave and the Bold (#178, with the Creeper; 9/81), and DC Comics Presents (#38, with the Flash; 10/81).



10 Comments on Comics on Infinite Minds, last added: 6/19/2012