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There is a classic stereotype of a writer, locked away in a dim room, staring at a single screen as they shut the world out in order to produce a new one. And honestly, I'm okay with that.

Why? I am an introvert. No matter which personality type test or quiz you show me, I will always come down heavily on the "people drain me" side of the scale.

Don't get me wrong - I enjoy people. I get along well with people. I can take on a crowd from a platform with relative ease, and can even do the mix-and-mingle well. I do a fun presentation with classrooms of all ages and sizes, and enjoy Q&A sessions and signings. But when I finish those events, the quiet room with space for my imagination to be free sounds pretty sweet.

And then I see publishing advice and see that I need to have "platform" and be active in social media and I wish for a world where I didn't have to be a personality.

At a meeting with my critique group the other day, one of my fabulous peers told me "You have a vibrant personality - you just need to convey that on paper." Good advice (as always) and it has had me thinking: how does personality really fit into a writing career?

I've decided that there are different areas where an author's personality shows up:

1. Voice (Personality in your Writing)

Ah, the elusive element that every editor wants but can't really define. And in fairness, I don't blame them. It's rather like true love - it can captivate you when you find it but it probably won't look like you expect it to either. The charm is in the unexpectedness of it.

Voice goes beyond having the basics of writing structure mastered, and is really where the personality of your writing shows up. Voice comes in combinations - how you mix all the possible ingredients of writing to create a sound, a style, a feel that is unique to you as a writer. It might show up in your story pacing, in a visible richness to your prose, in a lyric phrasing that carries a subtle motif,  or a unerring connection to the subculture of your characters. It might be your mastery of effective or unexpected punctuation, or a bare-bones clarity that cuts away all extraneous fluff.

Do some writers seem to have a natural grasp of voice? Absolutely. Can you develop voice? Certainly. How?

By reading - prolifically - and saturating yourself in other writer's styles. And then by writing - continuously - until the words and worlds that you produce contain echoes and flavors of the masters but create your own particular blend of  story, vision, and word.

2. Queries, pitches & cover letters (Personality in your Presentation)

This is another "on paper" part of the equation and is arguably one of the hardest types of writing any writer has to produce. I personally think the reason it's so hard is because it straddles the line between our personality as an individual and the personality of our writing. Because we're supposed to be selling our idea and ourselves in the voice of our manuscript. And if those don't mesh, it sounds stilted and unnatural and has us pulling our proverbial hair out as rewrite stacks up on rewrite. (If you ever want to cringe over your writing, look back at your early cover letters. Youch.)

It really does make it seem easier to deal with live people.


3. Conferences, workshops & writing events (Personality with Peers)

Well, here's where we should be able to breathe easy among our own tribe, right? Well, yes and no. You'll find your tribe. You'll connect with wonderful kindred spirits that "get" the excitement and the frustrations and the realities of being part of the writing world. You'll hear speakers and teachers that challenge you to the next level and remind you why you love what you do. You might even find the dream contact that lands you an incredible contract.

You'll also find the nervous, the ambitious, the aggressive, and the borderline narcissistic writers that have the constant question lurking behind their eyes, "How will you benefit MY career?" And you may walk out thinking, "I'm in the wrong line of work ... "

Hang in there, because at some point, you'll be the one in the limelight.


4. Author events (Personality with the Public)

At some point, whether you are traditionally published or an indie author, you will have an opportunity to do an author event. (Here's where the introverts curl up or break out in a sweat (or both) and the extroverts say "YES! This is why I'm a writer!" :) ). It might be a book signing, a classroom visit, an author fair, a reading, or your own book launch. People enjoy meeting their favorite writers and hearing about the process of writing. Meeting a real live author can help teachers boost literacy and inspire classrooms. Think about it - the public is why you publish!!

Your own personality will play a big part in how you view these events, and knowing that can help you play to your strengths in these events too.

(Or you can just swear off them entirely and stick to on-line interaction with the public.)


5. Social media (Personality as Platform)

This is still the public, right? Yes. And no. Social media - blogs, FB, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and so on and so on - is a great place to connect with peers, with fans, with industry experts, and to provide a consistent arena for your writing while still maintaining a little distance. It, too, straddles the line between our own personalities and how that reflects in our writing. It's not on paper, but it's an "on paper" (written word) form of expressing our personalities.

Here, too, your personality will play a role. Can you be scintillating in 140 characters more than three times a day? Can you produce quality content on a daily/weekly/monthly basis? Can you connect with enough people to provide immediate connection to your latest and greatest publishing news? When you can, that's platform.



So let's review: does an author need a personality?

Really, in the end, it's a trick question. Every author has a personality. It's just that who you are as a person is not always irrevocably tied to your personality as a writer. Your combination of experience, training, motivations, and character traits will always be reflected in your writing but in your writing you can also step beyond your reality and into your imagination where the limits are lifted.  

For aspiring and experienced authors, the question, then, is how can you mesh your writing career with the type of person you are? More on that soon.


*All photos courtesy of www.pixabay.com.

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There is a lot of information available on the internet and sometimes the challenge of protecting our writing time is sabotaged by the challenge of finding useful, pertinent, reputable, up-to-date, consistent resources. I have joined a multitude of emails lists, followed the rabbit hole of link bait, and scratched my head multiple times over seemingly conflicting advice  over the years.

While this is only a top 3 list, and people will often find they connect better with one group or approach over another, here's my current go-to spots for great information, excellent advice and lots of writerly support.

1. SubItClub

http://www.subitclub.wordpress.com/

The site has great behind-the-scenes interviews and blog posts plus a very active Facebook group for help with submissions to agents, editors and publishers.

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Over the last month or so, I have been focused on learning more about the non-writing aspects of an author’s publishing experience. While I’ve found a wealth of information through a variety of sources, I’ve also been taking part in a significant number of webinars.

Lots of great information is available online in the form of webinars. Some require a registration fee, others are offered for free. Your time has value, so how do you maximize the benefit of a webinar?

1. Register ASAP.

Some webinars offer a limited number of seats for any given webinar, and some webinar programs can only handle a finite number of attendees. So if the webinar is being offered by a poplar personality, there is a chance that you may not find a slot. Register as soon as you think you might be interested. (Remember, you are providing an email address that will put you on a mailing list. I’ve found it useful to be on a couple presenter’s mailing lists, but there’s always an unsubscribe button.)

2. Register anyways.

Even if you’re not sure you’ll be available during the live webinar (or if you’ve miscalculated the time zone change), most webinars will offer a free replay after the event for registered attendees. The replay will typically have a limited window of availability but it gives you a chance to catch up or to review your notes.

3. Sign in early.

The day of the webinar, make sure you know where you filed your access link (usually provided when you register). Then sign in 10-15 minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. 

Why? Two reasons:

First, there may be some set-up work to do. 

• You may need to install an app to run the webinar. This doesn’t take long but you want to allow time to be sure all the technical issues are settled at your end (including making sure your webcam/microphone is muted so noise from your end doesn’t distract others). 
• Presenters may provide a down-loadable resources (a “notebook” or worksheets or pdf of some kind) to help you follow along, and you’ll want them downloaded and open before you begin. 
• Familiarize yourself with the browser interface to know how to ask a question or leave a comment

 

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I love editing, but I will confess that I sometimes have mixed feelings about editing a picture book manuscript when it shows up in rhyming text.

It's not that I don't like rhyming text. I know much of the advice from editors and agents suggests that rhyming texts are a hard sell (and they can be) but when they're done well, they can be brilliant. So why the hesitation?

Because they are hard to write well. And that means that as an editor, I know it's going to take 2-3 times longer to get that piece polished into shape. That represents a bigger investment on the part of the writer (although kudos to those that recognize when they need that level of help), and a harder road if they want to take it to publication with a traditional publisher.

So here's my compromise. I'm going to give away the top 3 things that I find most rhyming picture book manuscripts need to work on. That's right, for free. Because then you can use your editing budget to really polish that piece and not use it laying the groundwork for your rhyming text.



1. Rhythm

The challenge with any rhyming text is not just a matter of finding the right rhyming word, it's also in mastering rhythm, or the places key words are stressed in the lines. When writing for children, rhythm is just as important as rhyme. Did you get that?

Rhythm is just as important as rhyme.

Yes, it may come intuitively for some people, but just in case that's not you, I recommend you establish a math-based pattern for your text so that readers don't find themselves tripping over where the sentence should rise and fall. (You know when you've had to do this and so have I when reading rhyme.)

What I will do on a manuscript is put a syllable count and stress pattern at the end of each line. It might look something like this:

Christopher Robin (5/1,4 = 5 syllables, with the emphasis on syllables 1 and 4))
Had wheezles and sneezles, (6/2,5)
They bundled him into his bed. (8/2,5,8)
They gave him what goes (5/2,5)
With a cold in the nose, (6/3,6)
And some more for a cold in the head. (9/3,6,9)

(from Sneezles by A.A.Milne)

This may not look like an easy pattern to identify, but there are several consistencies about it that make it very easy to read. (And I've cheated a little by giving only one section of the poem.) The first is that the strong syllables (those with the emphasis) are always 3 syllables apart (1/4; 2/5; 3/6, etc.); the second is that the last syllable always has a strong beat (in a sense you count the pattern backwards from that final beat in every line); and the third (this is the cheating bit) is that this pattern of 5/6/8/5/6/9 continues throughout the entire poem. 


If you find there is no discernable pattern throughout your rhyming text, my recommendation is that you choose the stanza pattern that you like best out of the entire manuscript, and then use that as your blueprint for the rest of the stanzas so that they are consistent. It might mean backing up and taking a new run at a few of them, but it will make the overall rhythm much stronger.

Note, too, that rhythm doesn't just have to do with the pattern of emphasis, it also has to do with a multitude of word play options: alliteration, onomatopoeia, internal rhymes, assonance, ... all can help move the story along to a rollicking, frollicking finish.

A great idea to double-check your rhythm is to ask someone else - that hasn't read it before - to read it out loud and see if there's anywhere they falter. You might have put the stress (or emphasis) in places that you didn't mean it to fall so hearing another person read it is the best possible gauge of how well you succeeded in establishing the rhythm of your text. Remember that your test reader will probably be typical of any cold reader for your text, so if they can't figure it out, the next editor/parent/child/teacher that picks it up probably won't either.

2. Rhyme

Of course rhyme matters! That's why it's a rhyming text, right? Rhyme is fun and teaches language skills and so much more! So here's what I'd be checking if I was editing the manuscript for you:

a. Near rhymes are a no-no.
     Children's editors, especially, are aware of any deviation to the pattern you first establish, and near-rhymes (words that almost, but not exactly, rhyme) can disrupt the pattern of the text. (It's much easier to get away with in song lyrics because enunciation is less distinct. But don't get sidetracked ...)

Don't use them! The role of a rhyming text (among others) is to teach reading skills and a near rhyme does nothing to help a young reader predict the word that they will be seeing next.

b. Natural language is a yes yes!
     Okay, yes-yes isn't really the way we say it in English, but you'd be surprised what people will try for the sake of shoehorning that rhyming word in.

It never fails - I'll be sailing through a story, and suddenly Yoda pops up in the middle of a stanza - "I heard the buzz/Rhyme matters it does." Really?

In English, the typical word order is Subject Verb Object (SVO). It's possible to change sentence order to SOV or OVS but, especially for children's literature, that's not your best choice. First, it changes the sentence word order to a pattern less familiar to a young reader, and second, the end result usually just makes the sentence feel awkward. Rule of thumb: "Don't do it!" Especially not for the sake of making a rhyme work!

What's the solution to these problems? It might be to start again!

Seriously, it might mean finding a better word for one line, or it might mean backing up that entire segment of the story and starting with fresh words, fresh ideas, and a fresh twist in the story. It might mean scrapping the entire story (or converting it to prose - see below) if you can't make this version sing.

c. Made up words can be fine fine.
     Yep, stretched the point again, but guess what? By doing that I created a pattern and it starts to look less odd in the overall text, doesn't it? If I wrote "The End End" at the end of this post, it wouldn't be too surprising anymore.

The same is true of made up words. Sometimes the temptation is to add a syllable to make the word you want fit. And that's okay, as long as you use the same kind of wordplay GENEROUSLY sprinkled throughout. "Jabberwocky" would be a very different poem if "brillig" was the only nonsense word that made it in, wouldn't it? The point is, use them with intention, not just for convenience.

3. The Story

Above everything else, a rhyming text still needs to have a story. Or at least a flow that builds and falls throughout the manuscript. (It might be a lilting, lulling, let's-leave-the-day-behind story but it still needs to have some shape.) All the elements of a good story are just as important as when you're writing prose so don't think you can skip over them just because you're rhyming.

So that's my top three. But there's one more.

THE BIG QUESTION:

If you're really struggling with a rhyming text for a picture book, the really big question to ask yourself is

It's a perfectly valid question. And it might mean the difference between tearing your hair out over a routinely rejected manuscript or publishing a truly fun piece of prose. So ask yourself honestly, "What is it about this story that will be stronger if the text rhymes?" If you're only using rhyme as a technique to camouflage a half-hearted storyline, or to prop up a premature idea, then you might need to reconsider. But if you're convinced that rhyming is the way to go, then make it shine.


And there you have it. My top three pieces of advice, with some sub points and the Big Question thrown in for good measure. Once you've worked through these, an editor will be happy to help with the final tweaks. Make the most of that investment by being sure you've tackled what you can first.

It takes some intentional work, but your ultimate goal is to get them to the point where they will delight every reader by tripping off the tongue.

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“Dont underestimate the value of Doing Nothing,of just going along,listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering” - A.Milne - @BooksBestQuotes

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As part of the work I do, I'm actively and intentionally involved in developing leaders - people who will step up to use their talents, gifts and abilities to encourage and inspire others. One challenge I often encounter is a sense of inadequacy - people frequently question their ability to lead.

My answer is usually not one of my own making:
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"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."

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I've been going through a season of working with other writer's words (which I always enjoy), and find it interesting that "overtelling" the story is so  frequently a problem for writers. (It could be that it is for me too, but I've really never heard that said much during feedback and critique times. My writing faults seem to run in a different direction.)

It's not always a case of "show don't tell," it's more a case of "tell, don't overtell." Sometimes there is incredible power in restraint.

Obviously, you never want to lose or confuse your reader, but you don't want to give them so much information that they are constantly having to readjust the mental version of the story that you want them to carry in their head and heart. It's very hard for a reader to immerse themselves in the world you have so painstakingly crafted when you're throwing detail after over-elaborated detail into the mix.You don't want them so busy looking at the stageworks that they miss the drama of the story.

Do I mean don't write a rich and descriptive work of art? Never! But do your best to be sure that your description (and your dialogue) always stops short of distraction. Let your reader meet you partway in building your characters and your plot. Because I suspect when you do this, you'll create a partnership with your audience that will always have them looking for your latest work and spreading the word for you.

Here are a few questions I might suggest you ask yourself when looking at any portion of your work that might be suspect:

1. Is it necessary?

Keep in mind that you may not be the best judge of this when you're in the white hot inspiration of the moment. Is your point  so vital to the plot that the story would fall apart without it?

2. Is it necessary here?

Assuming you've determined it HAS to be there, sometimes certain information can be handed off to another character, or placed at a different spot in the story so that it's not lost, but it's positioned in a better place to support the story and not bog down a scene.

3. What changes if I take it out?

That may seem like the same question as "is it necessary" but it's a different angle that some writers are able to be more objective about. If you can drop the number of adjectives and not lose the storyline, chances are they shouldn't be there. If you can ax the mother-in-law (assuming she's not  the victim of your murder mystery) because her contribution to the plot is shared with another character, she shouldn't be there. If she's only telling us what we can see perfectly well for ourselves, we don't need her parroting her way through the story.

4. Is there anything hooked to my ego in these words?

Sometimes we writers can't resist pointing out how clever we are. We want to offer a glimpse of our puppet-mastery behind the scenes. Unfortunately, there's really only one response to that - don't. Our more discerning readers will see it anyways and we'll be able to save our blushes for the right time. And if someone misses it, they'll at least be spared the insult of having you point out what they haven't seen.

There's a new commercial that I think demonstrates this concept perfectly. I think it's very clever, but they don't have to tell me that they have been. And they let me make the discovery by myself so I can feel I'm smart too :). See what you think.



P.s. There is a chance that this might seem a little risky. A sort of literary coyness, if you will. But never forget that a glimpse of Victorian ankle still managed to set pulses racing in its time ... Read the rest of this post

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Once again, I have found a small collection of thoughts and ideas through Twitter that have made me laugh, nod sagely, or turn the idea over in my head for a time.

Here's some of the latest:

My to-do list is going to-do me in. 
@M_K_Reynolds


 

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It's grad season and I seem to be caught up in more of the celebrations than usual this year. It's always a bit of a challenge to wish a young person a lifetime of challenges, joys and triumphs, but then I came across this:

Poets to Come by Walt Whitman
(1819-1892)

---

Poets to come! orators, singers, musicians to come!
Not to-day is to justify me and answer what I am for,
But you, a new brood, native, athletic, continental, greater than
before known,
Arouse! for you must justify me.

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Came across a news story today that made me kind of sad. So let me start here instead:

According to the obviously-well-informed comedian John Branyan, Shakespeare had a working vocabulary of 54,000 words. And, according to his sources, the average American currently has a vocabulary of  3,000 words. (You can see where he says this a little later on. 'Cause I'm not making it up!)

That's a big difference.

To look at early American school primers, those little tykes had to tackle some pretty hefty material. Catechisms introduced a whole new slew of words to children. And the history lessons of the time meant that worlds unfolded in - what seems to us - verbose and instructive repetition. But it also meant they knew more words.

And so today, after several centuries of diminishing vocabularies, came this news report:

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Working in any field of creative endeavor, particularly if you take them on as a profession, will eventually mean finding a balance between the creative efforts and the practical realities. After all, as Seth Godin says "Real artists ship." (He may not have been the first to say it, but he's the one that caught my attention with it.) I've sometimes said that I'd like my career to reach a point where I can spend the day in my studio and people just crawl to the door and pay me for whatever I bother to slide out underneath it. And the response is usually - "Ha!" And rightly so.

But until I find an undiscriminating patron of my arts, what I've done instead (and I hope you've done too) is set myself a series of goals. Reasons?

1. I accomplish more with a deadline.
2. I want some way to measure success.
3. I want to track improvement or growth (or find out if there's even any to track).

I suspect I have a stronger latent nerd streak than some artistic types but it feels good to me to check things off a list or to know I've accomplished something in a certain time frame.

When I began doing this, I started very small. Why set yourself a goal you can't reach? I was a mom of young kiddos, and felt lucky on the days I found time to brush my teeth more than once. So in wanting to work my way back to writing on a regular basis, I didn't even know if I could find time, period.

So my goal was to try to write for 15 minutes, 5 days a week.

I got a desk calendar and every day that I managed to write for at least 15 minutes, I made a note of that on the calendar. Small potatoes. Eat-em-whole-new-red-potatoes small.

I once heard said, "Battle plans are excellent up until the first shot is fired!"

There were some blank weeks to begin but as the days and weeks went by (and the kiddos grew), more and more days had a writing note on them. Then the time chunks got bigger each time. And by the time I reached the end of the year, I had a visual reminder of the increase I had accomplished in my writing time. I'd even venture to say I saw an increase in the writing quality because the longer segments gave me time to revisit and review work I'd written earlier with a fresh eye and an eagerness to polish them. And the practice of regular writing provided a polish of it's own to the first drafts I was putting together.

From those writing times, I also realized that I had a collection of work ready to submit. And with that began a straggle of cheques. Articles sold, royalties paid ... so I set a new goal. I put a dollar amount - I think it was $50 a week - on my writing, and I gave myself 5 years to start turning a profit.

And I realized I was in business. (Tax records, business expenses - more nerd stuff to learn.)

From there, it's been a rinse-and-repeat process. At the end of every year, I've seen growth in both time spent writing and income. I wouldn't say I've hit the behind-the-studio-door ideal yet but my goals have become increasingly more ambitious. And so far, it's been working. Where I am is not necessarily where I envisioned being but it's eminently satisfying nonetheless. New opportunities mean revising the battle plan occasionally, but it's been a process that is consistently moving me forward in this business of writing.

Cool.

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I don't spend a lot of time on Twitter.

There - I've confessed it. I don't have the app so I only see what goes through when I got to the website. How archaic is that? I suspect I fear the information overload would make my hair curl even tighter and then combing it would be more of a chore and who wants that kind of torture every day?

But in the times I take to cruise through my feed I consistently find writing advice, regrets, information and encouragement. It's a good shot in the arm most days.

So here's a collection of some of my favorites from my last visit:

Revise. Revise. Rinse. Repeat. @joypreble

When I write, I write quickly so that fear can't catch up with me. @jonacuff

It takes a heap of sense to write good nonsense. (Mark Twain) @thequotemaster

Writing – a duet of ego and bad self esteem. @annelamott

Please do not annoy the writer. She may put you in a book and kill you. @heatherbrewer

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I visited a local radio newstalk station early this morning to talk about children's books. Obviously, it's a subject near and dear to my heart, and the hosts were a delight to talk to. I actually enjoy radio, although it's always a surprise to remember that you don't know who might be eavesdropping on the conversation :).


Perhaps naturally, the question came up: "What advice would you offer to someone that wants to write for children?" The way I answer this question has probably changed over the years, but today, this is a short glimpse into what I think writers need to keep in mind when writing for children.

1. Hang out with children.

Children are fun. Children are funny. And children say some the most thought-provoking, imagination-firing, laugh-out-loud, heart-squeezing things sometimes. So go find your audience! Find out what they are reading, what they like about it, don't like about it, things they care about, things they hate - and then take it home and stir it into the pot of your own experiences, passions and irks and see what starts bubbling to the top. It may be something amazing! It may be something that totally stinks! But either way you'll have something very unique.

2. Hone your craft.

Writing for children is one of the most exacting and challenging genres you could ever want to jump into. Partly because of brevity (every word has to count); partly because it can get kind of crowded (a lot of people take the approach "Write a children's story? How hard can that be?"); and partly because publishers are having to be more selective about the number of books they publish, the type of story they can accommodate and the size of the piles they have resources to dig through when facing a landslide of submissions.

But it's also one of the most exciting areas of writing to participate in. So practice, practice, practice. Learn the details of manuscript formatting, picture book construction, page layouts, blurbs and jacket copy (even if you aren't the artist). And learn about the tips and tricks of language, not so you can shoehorn them in at every turn but so that you have all the tools you need at your disposal when it's time to tell you story.

3. Know the business.

Writing for children, just like any other genre, is a business. So be a professional. You really have no excuses not to be - the list of resources available is endless! Get in and get grubby among the details of submission and contract terms and rights and finances and tax exemptions and small business claims. You don't have to be an expert in any of these areas but you have to at least become familiar with the terms. Think about school visits, or social media platforms, or e-books. Know your own strengths and then use them. And always, always put your best work forward.

Even if you don't write for children, I think this advice holds true (substitute "Trekkies", "sports fans", etc for children depending on your area of interest). You need to have a grasp of who your audience actually is, you need to present the best possible writing you can offer, and you need to know the business. And tip #4?

Even on the radio, you might want to think about a little lipstick.

So there it is. Now let's get to work!

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Do you know how every once in a while you run into a concept or a presentation or a thought or a person and you actually feel the connections start to light up in your brain? It's such an exciting moment and for me this TED talk was one of those most recent moments. It's a completely fascinating meld of idea, presentation and challenge. Maybe you won't see it the same way but for me, it once again stirred the pot of potential and it's always amazing to see what comes out of that.

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I'm still working on the mural project that is creeping nearer to completion. Unfortunately, it's colliding with the production of my first stage play called "By Way of Wonderwood" that opens on December 8th. But it's certainly improving my skills as a multitasker. What a blast it has been to see costumes, props, stage sets, etc coming together! And every completed character on the mural is a triumph, too.

In the meantime, I found a wonderful downloadable calendar for 2012 through My Owl Barn that lets you choose from a wide variety of artists to customize your own calendar. It's hard to choose just 12! The founder of the project also invites you to use them as gifts for friends and families so put together a few!

I'm excited about the coming year - what are you looking forward to?

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It boggles my mind to think of the mental gymnastics necessary to produce this art. But wow.

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I've mentioned several times now that I've been involved in a mural project that has been keeping me busy. As an update, I've been working as design lead on a mural project in a children's area (birth to pre-k) that involves 6 classrooms, a prep area, entry area and large common space (+3 restrooms with some small details in them). Each room has a theme and involves wall murals plus some installation and/or 3D items to bring fun and fascination to these spaces for the little ones that will be using them.

I am finally able to say that we're "beginning to finish". Step by step, elements are being checked off the list and while there's still plenty to go, there's some to share now too.

It's been so exciting to see these characters come to life!

Today's selection are from an ocean room:




And this dolphin is not done yet, but I'm so excited about him I had to share him anyways:

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Between the mural, a trip to France and a computer that keeps trying to eat my camera cards, it's been a little hectic around here. (Oh and don't forget conference prep!) So once again my best blog ideas are waiting until

1. the mural is done
2. I'm over my jet lag
3. I can access the photos I want to share
4. I have something constructive to show about my hopes for the conference.

But here's another one of those creative gems that just makes me giggle:

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I've been slow with blogging lately. Mostly because I've been knee deep in a very fun project that involves decorating a children's space. It's 7 rooms that have murals, installations, furnishings and a variety of things to make the kids feel welcome. I've had the privilege of being design lead for the project and - boy! - are we having fun!

So here's a snippet of something I was working on the other day. Doesn't it look yummy?



Btw - do you have any idea of how many paint colors are named after FOOD? It's possible to get a serious case of the munchies standing in the hardware store...

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I'm working on a new venture these days - wall murals. It's going to be a fun project and I'm very excited to see the finished results but today at the paint store I ran into a misunderstanding over a couple small words.

Part of the challenge came about because paint companies no longer seem to feel the need to print those "progressing" chips that have a range of intensities of the same color available. I wanted specifically to use Olympic's new lo-odor, VOC-free paint (*quick review below) but they simply had nothing acceptable on the paint chip display. So I had to take in a competitor's paint chip and have a custom blend done. I started small (1 quart) and while the color was right on, it did prove too intense for the large scale we will be using it. So, I needed to lighten it somewhat.

The helpful man at the paint store informed me that he could enter the mix colors from my quart and the computer would let him scale it in terms of percentages - 50% lighter, 75% lighter, etc. This was exactly what I was hoping for so I asked for 5 gallons at 75% OF the current tint. He mixed me 5 gallons lightened BY 75%. And I looked at the sample dot on the lid and thought "Hmmm, that's really light" but didn't think through the process until I got it out to my van.

So I'll take it to the job site and try it. In my defense, paint does darken quite a bit on the wall as it dries, right? I'm pretty sure it will be too light and I'll take it back and ask them to add 50% of the tint mix and try again. (I've checked with a couple math whizzes and they assure me this will make the 75% I originally intended. ) And we'll carry on.

And next time I'll watch my prepositions a little more carefully.

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Quick review: LOVE IT!

The new Olympic No VOC latex paint goes on smooth, has (as they claim) virtually no odor (there's a very faint puddingesque smell if you get your nose right into it), and is definitely comparable in price to many paints. I've definitely needed two coats for good coverage but that's not a big deal compared to all the benefits. A review I found reminded that once standard tints are added it is not truly VOC-free (although even with my math I can figure out the VOC levels would be greatly reduced) so don't think I'm touting it as completely non-toxic but the no-odor factor has made me a fan.

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A friend pointed me to this video and it is too funny not to share. (I'm also a little envious of the beautiful bookshelves in the background.)

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There's a new resource in town! The agents at Books & Such have introduced a new tool for authors called Library Insider.

It consists of two parts - a database of libraries and their acquisitions information to help authors target their marketing materials to the people and regions best suited to their titles. It's subscription-based and you can find out more here.


It looks to be a great resource (and there's a contest for a subscription discount running until Thursday! Check the blog for more info.)

Psst: You can find them on Facebook too.

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I'm a member of the Colored Pencil Society of America, a great group of talented artists that focuses on the medium of (what else?) colored pencil. The work of some of these artists leaves me absolutely breathless.

It quickly became a goal of mine to have artwork accepted to their annual international exhibit. Along with the exhibit, the accepted pieces are also showcased in the CPSA membership magazine, called "To the Point". Because I am not usually in a location to attend the annual exhibit, that issue has become a highlight in my year.

Somehow, that goal took on the flavor of an "ultimate" goal. Once that happened, I would "really" be an artist and would have professional confirmation and would cruise ahead with my other art goals and become famous and never step in a puddle or have to smell a bad odor again in my life. (Or something like that.) It became a BIG DEAL.

So last year, I once again submitted a piece to them and - wonder of wonders - it was accepted! I was thrilled!

Or would have been if I'd known about it.

Unfortunately, a mis-communication on the entry site meant that I did not see the notice of my acceptance. I found out about my acceptance when the curator of the exhibit contacted me via the CPSA co-ordinator to find out why my artwork hadn't arrived at the gallery. The exhibit opened TOMORROW, and I was 300 miles from my studio.

Needless to say, I was devastated for a time. "Aaaaggggghhhhh!" was the sentiment that kept running through my head. But eventually my husband interrupted my plans for hara-kiri and I decided I had a lesson to learn. And I eventually also decided to share it so hopefully someone else can learn from my mistake besides me:

Entry deadline, entry requirements, date writers/artists will be notified, HOW they will be notified, when winners will be announced, etc. If you enter online, make sure the image/document is attached. Ask if there's something that doesn't seem to have gone through correctly. Make a note on the calendar and pay attention!

That's about it. It can always be hoped that an exhibit or competition will keep us updated and notified as events happen. But ultimately the onus is on us to be as responsible for our own work as we possibly can.

So when the exhibit issue of To the Point arrived a couple weeks ago, it was a bittersweet moment. But I intend to try again. And we'll see what happens.

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