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by Cece Bell

Several years ago I was at a really low point in my career as a children’s book author and illustrator. None of my published books seemed to be doing all that well, and every new book I submitted seemed to get rejected. I was stuck. My writing came to a standstill. I didn’t even want to draw anymore! Good grief!

Eventually, I got off my pity pot by realizing that I didn’t have to get a publisher interested in my stories and drawings in order to work. I just needed to start working again—for FUN, not profit. So I decided to hire myself. Here was the assignment: Ask friends and family for adjectives and names of animals. Write adjectives on separate slips of paper. Fold them up and put them in a cup. Write names of animals on other separate slips of paper. Fold them up and put them in a different cup.

Now for the good part: Each day, for over one hundred days (and I didn’t skip any days, not even weekends), I selected a slip of paper from the adjective cup, and I selected a slip of paper from the animal cup. What I selected was what I had to draw—in no more than two hours. I couldn’t put anything back and hope to get a “better” combination—all combinations were good. The more challenging, the better!

I ended up with pairings like “victorious chinchilla” and “lost ocelot.” “Glittery manatee” and “theiving sloth.” “Bashful anteater” and “uncomfortable ostrich.” “Maniacal anemone!” It was great fun to illustrate all these animals I didn’t normally draw; it was especially fun to come up with stories (not written, but implied in the illustration) for why the chinchilla was victorious, for why the ostrich was uncomfortable. And what would the sloth steal?

I was a cheap boss. I didn’t pay myself a cent. But the rewards of my little project were copious. My brain loosened up. I learned some new illustration techniques. I began to love being an illustrator again. I GOT OUT OF THAT FUNK. And guess what? When I decided to submit “mustachioed fly” to my agent to turn into postcards, I got hired to illustrate Diane Mortensen’s picture book Bug Patrol for Clarion. This job led to a relationship with Clarion that made my picture book with Tom Angleberger (Crankee Doodle) possible, and then that helped me loosen up to do El Deafo. Now I’ve got more work than I can shake a stick at!

My little project was focused on illustration—but it could work for writing, too. TOTALLY!

So, my humble two cents (I happen to have those cents because I didn’t pay myself earlier, remember?) is that if you pursue this line of work—or any line of work—do so because you love it. Try not to lose sight of that love. And hopefully, that love, plus a lot of hard work and little bit of luck, will get you where you want to be.

Cece Bell lives in an old church with her husband, author Tom Angleberger, and she works right next door in a new-ish barn. El Deafo, her first graphic novel, is a slightly fictionalized memoir about her childhood, her hearing loss, her first crush, and her quest for a true friend. She has written and illustrated other books for children, including the Geisel Honor book Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover; Itty Bitty; Bee-Wigged; and the Sock Monkey series. You can read more about her at www.cecebell.com. Follow along on Twitter @cecebellbooks.

And the book winners from last week are:

Donna Marie Taylor for i haiku you and Wendy Greenley for Bug Patrol

If you are a winner, please email your address to me, so I can arrange to send your book.

I will report who our guest critiquer is as soon as I can confirm. Sorry for the delay.

Each Month I try to give Writers and Illustrator a chance to be noticed and further their craft. Writers can use the picture prompt below by Lisa Anchin to help inspire their first page for Free Fall Friday or they can submit a first page from something they are currently writing.  Lisa was featured on Illustrator Saturday on October 27th last year.  Take a look to see more of her great artwork. http://wp.me/pss2W-5yi

WRITERS Sending in a First Page: Please attach your double spaced, 12 point font, 23 line first page to an e-mail and send it to kathy(dot)temean(at)gmail(dot)com. Also cut and paste it into the body of the e-mail. Put “December First Page Critique” or “February First Page Picture Prompt Critique” in the subject line. Make sure you have your name on the submission, a title, and indicate the genre. Also let me know which steps you took, so I will know how many times to put your name in the basket. If you end up doing more things to get additional entries, then e-mail me by February 23rd. The four chosen and their critiques will be posted on March 1st.

AUTHORS: If you have a new book coming out and want to be considered for a post, please e-mail me at: Kathy.temean (at) gmail.com

Call for illustrations for February: You can send anything, but it may not get used for February, unless I have a post that will go with it. I will try to use all illustrations that reflect the month. You do not have to wait, I will post the illustrations as they come in. Please make sure the illustration is at least 500 pixels wide and include a blurb about yourself and a link to see more of your work. Please send it to kathy(dot)temean(at)gmail(dot)com and put “February Illustration” or “General Illustration” in the subject box.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Here is your chance to win a copy of Denise Morsenten new book BUG PATROL comes out on Feb. 12^th.  Just leave a comment and tweet and you may be the winner.

Wee-o! Wee-o! Wee-o! Woo! Bug Mobile coming through! Bugs are a misbehaving bunch, so Captain Bob, insect cop, has a busy beat. The beetles are using their bug mobiles like bumper cars, the roaches are protesting for better housing (down with roach motels!), and the crickets are up late, partying. Can Captain Bob keep the peace and maintain law and order? This enthusiastic, goofy-sweet read-aloud is crawling with fun rhymes, lots of action, endearing bug-eyed characters, and a few lessons in manners, too!

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (February 12, 2013)
• ISBN-10: 0618790241
• ISBN-13: 978-0618790241

Denise Dowling Mortensen is the award-winning author of Good Night Engines, Wake Up Engines, a combination flip book of both Good Night Engines/Wake Up Engines, Ohio Thunder, and the forthcoming Bug Patrol, all published by Clarion Books. When she is not writing, she proofreads, edits, tutors students on the art of writing, and occasionally cleans her house. She is the mother of five children and lives in New Jersey.  You can follow her fan page on Facebook at Denise Dowling Mortensen or follow her on Twitter at @dmortensen5.

Tracey Baptiste, author of ANGEL’S GRACE signed with Agent Maria Lamba at the end of last year.

Tracey Baptiste was born in Trinidad and moved to Brooklyn, New York, when she was fifteen. Ms. Baptiste is a former elementary school teacher.

She lives with her husband and daughter in Englewood, New Jersey.

Marie Lamba sold two middle grade books in January.  Congratulations Marie!

Now for the editorial changes and pats on the backs:

At the Random House imprint, Kaela Myers, Sam Nicholson, and Anna Pitoniak have all been promoted to associate editor.

Emi Ikkanda has been promoted to associate editor at Holt and Times Books.

At Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Emily Bell has been promoted to associate editor.

At Simon & Schuster Children’s, Sylvie Frank has joined Paula Wiseman Books as associate editor. Previously she was an editor at Holiday House.

Kerri Kolen will join Putnam as executive editor on February 24. Previously she was executive editor at Hyperion.

At Tor, Melissa Frain, Kristen Sevick and Whitney Ross have all been promoted to editor.

Congratulations to Denise and Tracey and all the editors who are moving up the ladder.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy