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Puddle hoped this subtle hint would get him some face-time with his busy human.

When I heard what the Illustration Friday theme was for this week, this little image popped into my head, so I thought I’d run with it.

Hello. This is Totto, our new pet cat. A curious bundle with sharp claw and teeth, yet so cute :). Bye bye smooth sofa. *_* purr purr purr.



















 :: Shake, shake, shake the cat.. *_*

Here’s a little something for your weekend–some physics, some time travel, a little fish-licking (that part is based on my own dog’s peculiar habit)–give it a try. (The story, not the fish-licking.)

Here’s the link to the story. Use coupon code JR93U to get it for free all weekend long! Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Camping With Dogs, dog, dog stories, dog story, dogs, fishing, fishing with dogs, Free fiction, Free short stories, free short story, Free stories, free story, Outdoor Adventure, outdoors, pet, Physics, physics story, Quantum Physics, quantum physics stories, science, Science Fiction, Science Stories, Short Fiction, Short Stories, time machine, Time Travel

You can now join the "Champ's Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too!" fan page on Facebook.  Just click HERE, and the click the "Like" button at the top of the fan page.  Post your stories about the book, photos of your child reading the book, your own stories about how cancer has touched the life of you, your child or a pet.  I hope you enjoy this new way to interact with the publisher, author Sherry North, illustrator (me), and other fans of the book.

Only 4 more spreads to complete for "Champ's Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too!".


I promise, the book has a happy "twist" at the end! Get the book, and you'll see what I mean!

See more of my artwork for the book by visiting my website. Thanks!

From my latest children's book illustration project, titled "Champ's Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too!", written by Sherry North, and coming in 2010 from Sylvan Dell Publishing.

I'm really excited about children's book I am currently illustrating for Sylvan Dell Publishing, and written by Sherry North. It's called "Champ's Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too!"

When the folks at Sylvan Dell offered me the project, I skimmed the manuscript and admittedly I was a little disheartened. Having lost both my parents to cancer at a young age, I was not so sure I wanted this theme to creep back into my life in the form of a story about a little boy whose pet gets sick and has to endure chemotherapy treatments. I really had to think about it and pray about it and search my heart about whether this book was a good match for me. For those who don't know, children's books generally take anywhere from 6 months to a year to illustrate. They are all-consuming, at least for me, because I pour my heart and my passion into them. After sitting with my thoughts awhile, it began to become clear to me that the book was Divinely offered to me for a reason. I have great empathy for anyone going through such a difficult illness, whether they themselves or a loved one. I also sweetly love my dog, Sunshine, and could easily imagine how I would feel if I had to watch her endure treatments for cancer. It is my life experience, I believe, that is guiding me as lovingly I create each illustration for this book. I hope that the end result will touch many lives and help many children understand cancer and deal with their own treatments for the disease.

Here is a dramatic scene from the book Champ's Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too!".

Sylvan Dell Publishing has been wonderful to work for. They have given me quite a bit of creative freedom in how I have chosen to illustrate the book. It has been fun mixing media - watercolor, gouache, oil pastel, pastel pencil, and touches of colored pencil - to achieve the look I want. I like how I've been able to bring a softness to the illustrations through the mix of media. It's like getting paid to try something new with my art!

In other news, if your New Year's resolution for 2010 is to a better illustrator, please read my latest column in the SCBWI-IL's e-newsletter The Prairie Wind, appropriately titled "Your New Year’s Resolution: Become a Better Illustrator". I lay out a few tips, accompanied by examples from my latest children's book "Little Black Ant on Park Street", written by Janet Halfmann and published by Soundprints Publishing.

My latest children's book project is a book I am working on for Sylvan Dell Publishing, titled "Champ's Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too".

Below you can see the cover art. Champ and Cody are best friends, so I gave them both golden red hair. I used a combination of watercolors, gouache, oil pastels and pastel pencils for the art throughout the book:


And here was my pencil sketch for the cover. I wanted to show a deep, emotional connection and love between the main characters:


And here is a mock-up for the possible finished cover design by Sylvan Dell:


The book will be out sometime in 2010. The story is designed to help children with cancer understand and deal with their illness and treatments. But I also believe it is a great story for children dealing with the illness of a pet or a sibling or friend. I really think it is a great story, and I am honored to have been chosen for the project.

Many kids will beg, plead, and annoy their parents into letting them get a puppy or kitten, but few have the skill or foresight to request the best kind of pet, a ROBOT.  Just imagine how awesome your life would have been if you had thought to get yourself one of these useful and quirky companions.

GODDARD

Jimmy Neutron, a young genius inventor, created Goddard as a helping hand and best friend.  One of Jimmy’s few inventions that doesn’t threaten to burn down the entire town of Retroville, Goddard can reportedly do 11,000,004 things.  Goddard however is unable to clean up after his  own “messes” (which are nuts and bolts).

GIR

In aiding Invader Zim’s quest to take over the Earth, GIR is at best a distraction.  Often, he is the cause of Zim’s epic “Wile E. Coyote” failures.  Despite his extremely convincing Earth disguise (a green dog suit with visible zipper) he is indeed a highly powerful yet malfunctional robot.

The Robot from Lost in Space

A Model B-9 Class M-3 General Utility Non-Theorizing Environmental Control Robot, the robot from Lost in Space has no given name.  The Robot is most famous for his catch phrase, “danger Will Robinson!”  It seems that the fun of a robot slave was lost on the young Robinson who tolerated the robot as a kind of metal nanny rather than enlisting it into more mischievous purposes.

SPEED BUGGY

While a sputtering delivery of “Roger-Dodger!” and “Vroom-a-zoom-zoom!” may grate on more adult nerves, a talking, self driving dune buggy is just the thing I would have died for as a kid.  Speed Buggy even had a remote control making him the world’s largest, most awesome RC car.  

C3P0

So he’s a bit of a wanker, C3P0 is still a marvel of engineering from an 8 year old.  R2D2 is obviously the preferred choice of the pair, but I would argue that C3P0’s personality make it possible that he can be classified as an actual “pet”, whereas R2D2 is a sassy service droid.

THE DINOBOTS

Big, metal, dumb as rocks.  They are the Dinobots and Grimlock is their King!  Much like GIR, they are often more trouble than they are worth to the Transformers who built them.  The Dinobots combine the awesomeness of Dinosaurs with the sexy sleekness of Robots.  One of my most epic dreams ever involved the decimation of my ninja enemies by my pet mechanical Brontosaurus.  Mwa ha ha ha ha!!!

And all I ever got was this!!!?

“I love you.”  Yeah, yeah.  Come back when you can breath fire and/or open locked doors with mathmatical algorhthyms. 

I know I must be missing some great Robot Pets, so please leave a comment if you can think of any more!

…

Our dog decided to celebrate Earth Day by getting skunked early this morning. He's been a real rascal. It's the second time in a month. Last week he jumped off a deck that was under construction to chase a deer. He's doing better now, a pulled muscle gave him a little bit of a limp that day though. He had to go on an anti-inflammatory and lay low all weekend, which worked out well because Joe was sick and laid low all weekend too. Oso is funny because he sniffs his treats like they are poison before he will eat them, but takes the medicine like they are treats.

BTW–Tomato juice doesn't get the skunk out but cider vinegar does! Skunk remedies being one of the things the girls and I chatted about around the pool in Vegas. We took Oso to Petco for the de-skunk treatment, but we plan on having cider vinegar, Dawn, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide at the ready since he seems to enjoy playing with skunks and getting skunked.

Today is the beginning of another move for us. We are bugging out of the Cottage and headed for the Coast House. Moving the office stuff first.

In other news: COACHELLA here we come! Prince was added as the headliner on Saturday so I'm psyched. I've always wanted to see him in concert. Looks like it will be a hot one in the desert.

Candice takes off for Hong Kong late tomorrow night. Mx is feeling better every week, mono is loosening it's grip a little. Only three weeks left until her first year of college is over. Around four weeks until Candy graduates from college and we head up for a little celebration in Napa.

“That’s my best friend Shannon-sama! She’s a magical warrior just like us! She has the powers of the night and starlight and Kishi is her pet that helps her fight because he’s a magical cat.”

“I put this illustration of the Warrior of the Night up in my Sketchbook and Illustration Gallery too.”

“We’ve got a webnovel preview any second folks. Don’t miss out!”

“See you soon!”

“I’m telling you, man. Miss Shannon gets all the best stuff.”

“I don’t get a big giant hammer to thump monsters with.”

“No, you just get a big giant cat with fangs and claws!”

“Rawr.”

“Check out the new updated Warrior of the Night Page folks.”

My summer is finish, and holiday also, however I will go on my holiday in 3 weeks.

But this is a new image onSale on Dreamstime.


© Photographer: Piedenero | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Author: Kenneth Oppel (on JOMB)
Illustrators: Steve Johnson (on JOMB) &
Lou Fancher (on JOMB)
Published: 2009 Harper Collins (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0060753722

Dexterous textile, text and recipe clipping collage are the pièce de résistance of this delectable adventure in talent, teamwork, travel — and sneaked treats!

More gallivanting animals on JOMB:

• Safe and Sound
• Someday When My Cat Can Talk

More food on JOMB:

• A Medieval Feast
• The Butter Man
• The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza
• The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster: A Tale of Picky Eating
• The Tortilla Cat
• Too Many Tamales
• Treasure for Lunch
• Berry Magic
• Chopsticks
• Mammoth Pie
• On Top of Spaghetti
• Pumpkin Soup
• Sanji and the Baker

More kings on JOMB:

• The King of Capri
• The King’s Equal
• Rumplestilskin’s Daughter
• The Red Wolf
• Wenceslas

More dogs on JOMB here.

HOTLINE VOICES: Eden Spodek — who will be at PAB09 — has fabulous childhood and parenthood memories of Where the Wild Things Are (by Maurice Sendak)

We’d love to hear your thoughts on a favourite children’s book. Leave a voice message on our JOMB listener hotline, +1-206-350-6487, so we can include your audio in our show.

©Kathleen Rietz
I oftentimes use kids and their pets as a theme in my illustrations. I guess you can figure out where my heart is...

Many kids will beg, plead, and annoy their parents into letting them get a puppy or kitten, but few have the skill or foresight to request the best kind of pet, a ROBOT.  Just imagine how awesome your life would have been if you had thought to get yourself one of these useful and quirky companions.

GODDARD

Jimmy Neutron, a young genius inventor, created Goddard as a helping hand and best friend.  One of Jimmy’s few inventions that doesn’t threaten to burn down the entire town of Retroville, Goddard can reportedly do 11,000,004 things.  Goddard however is unable to clean up after his  own “messes” (which are nuts and bolts).

GIR

In aiding Invader Zim’s quest to take over the Earth, GIR is at best a distraction.  Often, he is the cause of Zim’s epic “Wile E. Coyote” failures.  Despite his extremely convincing Earth disguise (a green dog suit with visible zipper) he is indeed a highly powerful yet malfunctional robot.

The Robot from Lost in Space

A Model B-9 Class M-3 General Utility Non-Theorizing Environmental Control Robot, the robot from Lost in Space has no given name.  The Robot is most famous for his catch phrase, “danger Will Robinson!”  It seems that the fun of a robot slave was lost on the young Robinson who tolerated the robot as a kind of metal nanny rather than enlisting it into more mischievous purposes.

SPEED BUGGY

While a sputtering delivery of “Roger-Dodger!” and “Vroom-a-zoom-zoom!” may grate on more adult nerves, a talking, self driving dune buggy is just the thing I would have died for as a kid.  Speed Buggy even had a remote control making him the world’s largest, most awesome RC car.  

C3P0

So he’s a bit of a wanker, C3P0 is still a marvel of engineering from an 8 year old.  R2D2 is obviously the preferred choice of the pair, but I would argue that C3P0’s personality make it possible that he can be classified as an actual “pet”, whereas R2D2 is a sassy service droid.

THE DINOBOTS

Big, metal, dumb as rocks.  They are the Dinobots and Grimlock is their King!  Much like GIR, they are often more trouble than they are worth to the Transformers who built them.  The Dinobots combine the awesomeness of Dinosaurs with the sexy sleekness of Robots.  One of my most epic dreams ever involved the decimation of my ninja enemies by my pet mechanical Brontosaurus.  Mwa ha ha ha ha!!!

And all I ever got was this!!!?

“I love you.”  Yeah, yeah.  Come back when you can breath fire and/or open locked doors with mathmatical algorhthyms. 

I know I must be missing some great Robot Pets, so please leave a comment if you can think of any more!

…