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I have to say, these last three months have not been easy. I had to drink water, milk and other stuff besides my beloved soft drinks. What a serious “first world” problem. Right? And until I started writing this post, I was really proud of myself for giving up the soft drinks for three whole […]

It’s pouring outside here in Boulder (really pouring…like a monsoon. Seriously, there are flash flood warnings in effect.) This turn of events has ended a streak of blistering hot days and put me in the mood for autumn. Bring out the galoshes and wool sweaters! Serve up the hot tea and warm soup! I’m ready.

So, without further ado, here is an illustration I made at work today to celebrate the changing of the seasons:

You’re probably wondering why I haven’t updated my website since February. Yes, February. As in, A LONG TIME AGO. My only excuse is that I became slightly busy with little things like changing jobs and getting married. (I know, some people manage to still update their websites while doing other things, but some of us are a little more bloggingly-challenged.) Anyway, that’s what I have been up to. I can now happily say that I am now a full-time professional illustrator for a company here in Boulder, and I can also happily say that I have been married for a whole 10 days. Hooray!

My new employer is called Mocavo and is a genealogy web searching service where you can find out all sorts of delightful secrets about your great aunt Mildred and so forth. Unlike other web start-up companies I have encountered, this one had the good taste to hire a full-time illustrator to be on staff. Brilliant! You can find the Mocavo website here.

So, folks, I’m glad to be back here posting again. I have a ton of illustrations to share since I draw and paint almost every day now, so stay tuned for more to come!

The post An Autumn Stroll appeared first on Jessica Lanan Illustration.

Took a few photos along the way.

Much to my daughters dismay, it's been snowing here since Thursday afternoon.  She was hoping to leave for Sanibel by car with her boyfriend this weekend.  Buuuuut, that's not happening.  Now she's hoping to leave Sunday night or Monday morning . . .

The predictions are for blizzard conditions today into tomorrow!  8 to 16 inches with high winds.  We've got the generator ready, just in case.  Extra water.  Candles.  And leftover Christmas chocolate.

I think we're all set.

I'd taken a self imposed hiatus from writing over the Christmas break.  I did this for many reasons, and I'm finding now that I miss it.  Monday morning can't come fast enough, so I can dig back into my project again.   

Yesterday, I took a winter walk with my favorite four legged companion.



I figure that was probably my last walk without snowshoes for awhile!   Cookie and I took the trail through the woods and saw lots of signs of wildlife . . .



but no actual wildlife because Cookie races ahead like a bull in a china shop.  You can hear the squirrels in the tree tops chattering ahead to their friends:  "The Wights are coming!  The Wights are coming!  Hide!"

There's still some open water on the lake



where it flows past the beaver hut.  So we stuck to the land's edge.

 



 

Now, I'm off to take down the Christmas tree . . . if I can just distract the family long enough so they don't see and then beg me to leave it up one more day . . .

1. Go for a run. 

2. Rent a movie.

3. Build a card tower.

4. Write stuff down backwards and then read it in a mirror.

5. Buy a trampoline.  

6. Jump on it.

7. Crank up some tunes.

8. Try to lick your elbow.

9. Read a good book.

10. Clean up your room.

11. Start a blog.

12. Watch people’s fails on YouTube,

13. Prank call a friend.

14. Find a wall and see how high you can get your hand by jumping.

15. Wet your hair and style it.

16. Start a new instrument.

17. Find a job.

18. Put iodine on any open cuts.  Being bored will seem pretty good after this.

19. Go for a walk and comment on people to your self.

20. Learn how to cook something tasty.

21. Write a story.

22. Take a hot shower.

23. See how far you can get a paper airplane to fly.

24. Wikipedia Race (google it).

25.  Think of something else to do when bored and comment it for others to read.

1. Go for a run. 

2. Rent a movie.

3. Build a card tower.

4. Write stuff down backwards and then read it in a mirror.

5. Buy a trampoline.  

6. Jump on it.

7. Crank up some tunes.

8. Try to lick your elbow.

9. Read a good book.

10. Clean up your room.

11. Start a blog.

12. Watch people’s fails on YouTube,

13. Prank call a friend.

14. Find a wall and see how high you can get your hand by jumping.

15. Wet your hair and style it.

16. Start a new instrument.

17. Find a job.

18. Put iodine on any open cuts.  Being bored will seem pretty good after this.

19. Go for a walk and comment on people to your self.

20. Learn how to cook something tasty.

21. Write a story.

22. Take a hot shower.

23. See how far you can get a paper airplane to fly.

24. Wikipedia Race (google it).

25.  Think of something else to do when bored and comment it for others to read.

I've been trying to get out on the snow shoes a little more in the last couple of weeks.  I'd been a little lax so far this year because of the kids being sick and all.  But I'm proud to say I started up again this past week in earnest.



Some days, it's tempting to stay indoors all curled up with my manuscript for the hour, but I know I could really, really use the exercise.  And besides, I tend to solve some of my most difficult plot and character problems while tromping through the woods with an eager companion 





And on that same subject?  Does anyone else find that they thinking writing all day long?  Sometimes I wonder about myself.  

I wake up scheming ways to fit more writing time into my day. 

I'll hear a teacher/child conversation about shoes, and think, "Hey! That'd made a great storyline!"

B will post a funny sign on his door, and I'm taking pictures for my idea board.

Talk about a one track mind!!




Oh!  And look what I found while on my last trek!  



I reminded me of the post kmessner  did about the subnivean zone!  I can't wait to see that book!!

Okay, I'm off to start my day!  Which includes snowshoeing with Cookie and a good friend, late afternoon . . . taking care of a sick little boy . . . and getting ready for a camping show this coming weekend.  

And of course some time with the camp/loon middle grade I've begun to revise . . . a piece very close to my heart.

B got some snowshoes from Santa.  We were awfully excited, because that means he can come hiking with Cookie and I this winter, no matter how deep that snow gets!

We took our first trek last Sunday.  The snow was still falling, and sticking to everything, so you what that means!  B had to jump up and jiggle every branch over my head. 





With an 11 year old boy and an energetic pup along, I wasn't surprised there were no signs of wildlife.   But walking with those two never fails to make me look at these familiar woods and trails with new eyes.   With every step, I become younger and younger until I too am jumping up to tug on branches . . . . or better yet, tossing snowballs at the back of heads



So that's my prescription for feeling stuck or blue about a project.  Oh, I know that's not a new remedy, but sometimes we forget the tried and true methods while we're angsting!



The camp work is pretty well caught up, except for a few small details.  But I'm going to push that pile aside, and declare today a writing day! 

Anyone want to join me??

Things are hopping here at the campground. No campers yet . . .  they arrive May 1st.  But phones are ringing, orders are being made, and we've been doing a lot of stocking and sprucing up.  

Most years it's hard to switch from my writing hat to campground hat.  But this year it seems a little easier.  I think that's due to having polished off Guardian, being wicked pleased with what I've done and having handed it over to my agent Caryn.  She'll take care of it from here.  And I need to keep myself busy in the meantime.

I put the answering machine on and made time to take a little walk today, because I wanted to update the campground blog on our snow situation.  I've been getting e-mails and calls daily, people asking if we'll open on time.  I think we will, but I'm being cautiously optimistic about it.

Here's some early spring scenes









This last one wasn't put on the camp blog . . . Dave was afraid I'd scare my campers away!  This guy didn't move a muscle.  I'm sure he was soaking up the rays . . .

Right after Memorial Day I'll find bits of time here and there to work on a writing project.  I'm still torn between two of them.  The Sci Fi one is a little more polished, but needs some plot work.  The loon story has only been through one round of revisions, and the mystery needs to be  expanded, but I think the story would benefit from some "living in the moment" summer writing.   While I can't physically sit and write, my projects are still rolling around in my thoughts, so I should decide soon.

Decisions, decisions . . .

I don't know about anyone else, but  BIC*  has been hard to do the last couple weeks.  But there's a good reason for it!  Honest!

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous . . . anom3, cynthialord and carriejones will all vouch for me.  Just because we live in Maine, doesn't mean we're always freezing you know!  Temps in the 70's, with warm breezes on your face and the musty smell of leaves as you kick through them on your walk . . .

Who can sit at their desk?

And even when I convinced myself I couldn't, wouldn't  walk until I'd worked on X-amount of pages, Cookie would intervene.  Since we've taken her off the leash, she now has this bad habit of sitting by the door (which is right next to my desk) and ringing her I-want-to-go-out-bell. 

I tell her I her I have X amount of pages to go.

She snuffles.  She moans.  She rings the bell again.

I tell her to lie down . . .

She groans and lays her head on the window sill, staring sadly outside.

I get my sneakers.

And if none of the above convinces you, here are some shots of the campground in all its fall splendor:




The above photo is of the house across the lake from our dock area.

And here is a shot of the heron, who was still hanging around as of Friday.




And here is a view from the picnic area down by the lake.  As I took it, the eagle flew over my head!  I wasn't quick enough to catch him.




So . . . can you blame me?  I mean, who can sit when the sun is shining, the redish-orangish leaves are swirling in the breezes right outside my window and I can hear the geese calling?  

Today though, I'm going to BIC.  I'm really, really, going to BIC.  For hours at a time.  It won't be too hard because it's gray outside . . . and a little cooler . . .


Um . . . is that . . . bells I hear?



*For my non-writing friends and family, BIC is a writers best friend.  Butt In Chair.  Which can be very, very hard to do when you work from home . . .