By: flashlightblog,
on 8/25/2013
Written and illustrated by Courtney Pippin-Mathur
Maya Was Grumpy was selected for the top ten Summer ’13 Indie Next Kids’ Great Reads (Use the arrow to scroll to the right to see Maya).
Thank you to all the independent booksellers who believe in Maya!
Hi folks! I am giving away a copy of Being Frank on June 14th! Here are the rules for the giveaway: 1. In the comments section below, share a time when you were too honest for your own good OR when someone was too honest with you (keep it family friendly!) 2. Share this post …
By: Tara,
on 11/16/2011
For PiBoIdMo, I’m giving you a very special gift.
Your very own Inspiration Fairy!
This Fairy will grant new ideas and make your kidlit dreams come true!
All you have to do is the following:
Next, (and this is the only way to make fairy magic happen:) You have to believe.
And in order to believe, you have to work. You have to write or draw something as often as you can. And never give up! (for more than a few minutes or days at least)
The things you create can be things that are wonderful, horrible, short, long, happy, funny, sad and even things that will probably be better off in the recycling bin.
But, you have to do it.
You have to work for it.
And you have to believe.
I speak from experience. It took five years to get my first book published. It was the first book I wrote and the first publisher I sent it to. But, it took five years for the planets to align, my skills to improve and to get the yes. During these years, I hoped, despaired, submitted and almost quit a million times.
I give you this fairy to remind you that the kidlit adventure is dangerous, slow and might even bring you to tears occasionally.
But, hang in there, keep at it, work it and most of all, believe.
Courtney Pippin-Mathur is an illustrator and writer. Her first picture book as a writer and illustrator, MAYA WAS GRUMPY, is coming out Fall of 2012 with Flashlight Press. She juggles paint, paper, keyboard and three kids. She wouldn’t wouldn’t have it any other way.
Courtney is giving away an original watercolor painting of the Inspiration Fairy to a lucky commenter. A winner will be selected one week from today! Good luck!
15 Comments on PiBoIdMo Day 17: Courtney Pippin-Mathur Has a Gift For You (plus a giveaway!), last added: 11/16/2011
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Thank you.
Alas, I am usually too honest for my own good! My most recent is when I thought I was guiding my husband’s cousin to help her make a smart decision whether to stay put at her current college or move back home. She told me I was out of line in giving her advice!
I try.
Ahhh… those are hard moments. I’m afraid I’m too free with my advice, too, sometimes!
A relative/friend told me she recommended New Age and finding a spirit to talk to. I told her that was like seeking advice from the devil. She didn’t speak to me again for several months. I don’t ever bring it up with her now that we have reconciled.
A granddaughter-in-law did not follow the rules we sibs had established when my parents were breaking up housekeeping. She went directly to my mom and asked for a family heirloom (the only painting done by my grandmother we had). Because the rest of us were following the rules and not going around saying, “We want this, we want that, …,” Mom thought nobody else was interested in the painting and gave it to the GDIL, who had only been in the family a couple of months and hadn’t even known Nana. I expressed my opinion to my sibs. Should’ve kept my thoughts to myself.
I can understand why you were upset! I also know the feeling of ‘should have kept quiet’… but it is usually too late for me!
It’s hard to speak gently, sometimes, about things we feel very strongly about. Been there, done that, too. Glad y’all are reconciled. Prayer is a good thing!
Hi Donna,
Once my mom told me she got up at 2:00 a.m. and went outside to her storage building to operate a table saw. She had figured out how to resize a bathroom cabinet. My response: “Mama, you need to get a life.” Not my best mother-daughter moment.
I am writing a blog post at http://www.lindamartinandersen.wordpress.com and I will share a link to this site. It will be up by tomorrow, if not sooner. Please enter me in your contest. Thanks!
I LOVE Being Frank. It’s clever and cute and definitely slides the theme of tactfulness into the story. It’s a great PB. My grandsons think it is hilarious.
Awww! Thank you sooo much. And thank your grandsons for me, too!
I bet that did NOT get a pretty response from mama! Thank you for sharing!
And thank you for sharing this on your blog! I always enjoy your monthly activities and fun posts for the kids in my life (and my inner child)!!!