I got to tell you, ALA was cracking! It was my first visit to a BIG library conference and it was so much more than I expected. I expected to see a LOT of librarians, a LOT of BOOKS and SOME amazingly awesome people. What I didn't expect was to feel totally at home, surrounded by thousands of people who love books, LOVE them I tell you! If you have never attended ALA, summer or midwinter conference (and you can afford it) ... go! Just for the experience. If you're an illustrator, a writer or a reader I say GO! Get involved. Meet the librarians ... meet the publishers ... meet the famous writers and artists! (And the not so famous!) Go to panels and readings and presentations. Buy a ticket to the Newbery/Caldecott Banquet or the Coretta Scott King Awards. You won't regret it.
OK .. so my trip was fat ... got to Anaheim, CA Friday night (from Maine), back on the redeye, Sunday. My lovely roomie from last year's SCBWI summer conference (and LA resident) Charlene Ellen (MG author in waiting) collected me at the airport. (Thanks Charlene!). We stayed at the Hilton Anaheim ... excellently situated right next to the conference centre, so you could nip back and forth to the hotel during the day.
Here's our 'Disney view' room ... watched the fireworks in the evening. Here's the view:
We got upgraded after first being put in an occupied room. You know that feeling when you open the door .. and oops, there they are on the bed!! JUST KIDDING!!! But the room WAS occupied ;-)
And there's the swimming pool that the kid pooped in just after I got in. Yuk!!!! No, really, it was a great hotel. Despite the toilet blockage. (I blame Charlene).
Pretty nice to get an exhibitor's badge too! Felt like a pony at a show. (No comments from the cheap seats, thank you). I had a book signing with Kane Miller and also with Charlesbridge on Saturday .. pretty overwhelming for a first timer.
4 Comments on ALA ... just what I got up to last weekend., last added: 7/5/2012
This week I was asked to create a banner for New England's SCBWI Facebook page. This was an honour and a lot of fun to do. What better than lobster and water on a day that was over 90F .. phew, Maine!
Here is the banner.
View it on Facebook at
NESCBWI pageI wanted to keep it fun and lively, so it's one of my digital drawings straight into Photoshop, no sketching. It stops me overthinking and it's a style that is appealing to younger eyes. And older ones too I hope!
Right now I am packing to go to ALA (American Library Conference) in Anaheim, CA. This is my first time at a big library conference and it's exciting. I have two book signings, so if you are going, catch me at Kane Miller (with Anastasia Suen, author of 'All Star Cheerleaders') at 11am Saturday and at Charlesbridge's booth Saturday 2-3pm signing 'Hidden New Jersey'.
I am looking forward to meeting LIBRARIANS and catching up with some industry friends. So please come and say HELLO!
There will be photos ...
Right, back to packing.
Toodles
Hazel
On the bedside table:
A slew of Emily Gravett picture books
'Picture This' and 'What it is' by Lynda Barry - recommend highly.
Love it when a package arrives you weren't expecting!!
The next two books in the 'All Star Cheerleaders' series by Anastasia Suen, published by Kane Miller.
http://www.myubam.com/ecommerce/Details.asp?ID=111768 Don't you love the colours the cover designer used? These are such fun stories ... I gave the first book to my little twin girl cousins and they devoured it, even though they are not into cheerleading. Testament to Anastasia's brilliant writing. She nails this age group on the head.
Well, one more to illustrate in this series ...
give us a 'C' - give us 'H' ... etc etc etc.
Toodles!
Hazel
Fall is coming quick to Maine. It seems amazing that the summer has come and gone so quickly, but there it is. We've been stacking wood, fitting a new propane stove and insulating. The leaves are tinging red and yellow, birds are gathering, the garden is giving up it's last thrust of produce and it's time to think about submitting dummies. Well, it is in this house anyway!
Submitting is something I haven't been doing much of lately. The last two months I have been deep into finishing the final illustrations for the next two chapter books in the 'All Star Cheerleader' series for Kane and Miller by Anastasia Suen. Each book has 23 black and white illustrations and colour covers. You can buy the first one on line right now!
In fact I was so deep into them that I even forgot to blog! Wowser!
So, that is why I am thinking about submitting dummies ... I have several hanging around, and they are no good loafing around on my desk, it's out into the world they go. It's back to the CWIM to research likely publishers and fingers crossed on interest and not rejections. But, hey ho!
The hurricane passed us by uneventfully (Irene). Power off for a bit, but nothing horrible. Poor Vermont, they had a rough time, we were lucky. I will be glad when hurricane season is over, although all we get usually is humidity and a deal of rain. I don't mind rain, but if I wanted humidity I would have stayed in South Carolina.
I did make time to visit the Camden Book Fair and listen to some excellent authors and illustrators. It was nice to take a few hours out. Here's who attended ... I got some fabby signed copies!
How many do you know? Spot Toni Buzzeo, Jeannie Brett, Chris Van Dusen, Stephen Costanza, Cynthia Lord and Melissa Sweet amongst others.
The beautiful harbour and library in Camden, Maine.
All of which gave me some great inspiration for my own work. It occurs to me that this is the first time since October 2010 that I haven't been illustrating a book for someone else. It has been fantastic, and it has been a little frustrating ... working on my own projects has been limited. Hence no submissions. This week I have been reviewing and rethinking. There are new stories I would like to work on. Heck, I would love to get back to the MG I star
This colouring/activity page is for you to print out and give to children - yours, someone else's or to use in a school or library. All I ask is that it is not used for commercial purposes.
Simply click on the image and print for your children to colour.
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Toodles!
Hazel
By: Hazel Mitchell,
on 6/11/2011
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It's very exciting to have 'Tick Tock Taylor' almost on the bookshelves!
This is the chapter book I have been illustrating for Kane and Miller Publishing, author Anastasia Suen and have been BUSTING to tell you about.
Here's the cover ...
This is the first in a series of 4 in the All Star Cheerleaders series and each one will feature a different member of the squad. I loved illustrating Anastasia's work. The inside illustrations are black and white, with tints added in photoshop. The ink work is done with dipping pen - which can lead to some big blots (so you have to start again), but gives a lively and varied line, because once it is done, it is DONE and there is no changing it. Well, except in photoshop of course. I love working in this loose, fun style and although drawing cheerleaders was a challenge at first (being English I know very little about the cheerleading world) I soon got into the swing of it.
Here are a couple of examples of the interior illustrations.
So if you have any little cheerleaders, or wannabee cheerleaders in your life, this is the series for them!
I hope to meet up with Anastasia at ALA next year to promote the books.
I will be starting on number two in the series shortly and I can't wait!
So for now it's bye bye from Tick Tock Taylor
And give me a W give me a B!
Tata from The Wacky Brit
aka
Hazel Mitchell
Oh ... I can't resist ... this is the teeny TINY squad ....
By: Hazel Mitchell,
on 2/22/2011
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Lucky enough to be the featured artist on Kathy Temean's blog 'Writing and Illustrating for Children' last Saturday. She features a different artist every week and I'm thankful I was accepted. Lot's of great feedback. See the post at this link ... http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2011/02/19/illustrator-saturday-hazel-mitchell/
Next on the what's happening with 'TWB' (The Wacky Brit) - an agent has expressed interest in rep'ping my Math Concept series! Yippee .. so stay tuned for more exciting news there I hope ....
The winter is still set in here ... more snow forecast this week. Confess I'm ready for spring. Everyone in the house is getting cabin fever. (4 dogs and the crazy cat and 'im indoors.) I fear there are a few more weeks to go yet.
Been working hard scribbling away this week. Mostly on rough drawings for the chapter book for Kane and Miller (under wraps so I can't share ... but I PROMISE you - your going to love it ...), plus the beginning layouts for Charlesbridge 'Hidden New Jersey.'
As if my arm wasn't tired enough (and it is!), on Saturday life drawing with Russ Cox and some other artists at a studio in Bangor. We hired a model for the day and got in six hours ... the time flies when you are drawing from life. So good to study a real model and do some disciplined drawing. Decided that as well as full length studies I would hone in on hands and feet (my worst thing!!) so here are a few sketches ...
In between, and in a change of mood, I've been putting together a promotional piece for a bakery in PA .. they make GORGEOUS PRETZELS and I KNOW this because they sent me a bunch! Haven't eaten them all yet (quite). Go on over and check out their natural pretzels .... they have an online store and do gift baskets and CHOCOLATE pretzels....
https://secure.uniquesplits.com/dev/index.phpHere are some of the illustrations ....
By: Hazel Mitchell,
on 2/14/2011
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Yes sir, this week I signed a new contract with Kane and Miller in CA. Very happy ... can't tell y'all what the book is about yet as it is under big wraps ... and there is a possibility it will be a series. So double Yippee!!
I will be a busy illustrator in the next few months with this and 'Hidden New Jersey' for Charlesbridge.
I love to be busy... the busier I am the more I want to do! It's when it is quiet and slow that I start procrastinating, and cleaning underneath the control switches on the gas stove. There is nothing like a deadline to get the creative juices a flowing.
Also working on some sketches for a book about a rather cheeky Grandmother for Judy Bradley in Savannah, GA ... here is my first thoughts on her ...this will be a fun project!
Last week I met up with my crit group 'Revisionists'. We haven't met for a couple of months with Christmas etc, so it was good to catch up and see what everyone was working on and compare notes.
Here in Maine we are about to have a heatwave. 40F this week they say .. WOWSER! T-shirt weather.
Me and 'im indoors celebrated our 10th year of wedded bliss, so we had a joint celebration last night with Valentine's Day, and ate FAR TOO MUCH at the Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse in Bangor. Which has talking Moose heads. And good steak. From cows, not moose.
Well that's the news from The Wacky Brit, I must away back to work ... the intray is looking somewhat fearsome.
Happy Heart Day to you all!
Hazel
aka The Wacky Brit
Nothing new, alas, this week on the bedside table.
Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! What an incredible time you had! Thanks for sharing it with us -- I look forward eagerly to Post Two. (And how cool is that, to get a pic with OLIVIA!) (or rather, for Olivia to get a pic with HAZEL MITCHELL!!!)
What an exciting ALA lowdown! My feet hurt just thinking about all the walking, but I can see it was a great experience. Love Kadir Nelson's art esp. the cover of Heart and Soul. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Beth ... it really was! And I love Olivia.
Hi Julie ... and the talking .. oh the talking and the LOOKING. Kadir Nelson is just a gift to the world.