Virginia City and the NV mentor (NOT MENTAL!!) programme is a distant memory already. OK, not really, missing all my new found writery friends very much. I won't go on (again!) about what a fab time I had, in case I make you jealous and I would. It just got better though. 2 x's winner in the raffle and I won a review with senior editor Cheryl Klein at Arthur A Levine Publishers in NY. Don't know who they publish?? Google them! Have to tell you it is a wonderful opportunity to make it to the top of their slush pile.
This is a great goal I can now set myself to get my YA in shape. I wrote furiously on the plane and am beginning to see it come together in my mind. Whether I will get it together on the page is another thing ....
Here is a quick sketch of Reno I did in the airport (really!) I had hope to draw more when I was in Virgina City, but, alas not enough time. And the altitude did get to me, like they said. And they were right, this Nevadians.
Since I got back I have been working hard on the first go round of revisions for Free Spirit Publishing, done some late nights, finished yesterday. So a breather before they come back to me ...
Waiting for the contract with Charlesbridge ... yippee!! More on that soon I hope.
I am in earnest now in search of an agent (just in case any happen to be idly reading this blog in their free time .. right ....). So although the math concept PB's are now at dummy stage I am not sending them out to editors until I here back from agent query.
Meanwhile working on new ideas and thinking about APPS. Emma Dryden gave a very informative talk on the way forward with IPAD, she is working with Ruckus Media.
PIXEL SHAVINGS!! The new GLOG is launched (Group Blog for the uninitiated.) Myself, Russ Cox, Sheralyn Barnes, Carrie Clickard and Fred Koehler will be posting every few days our sketches and art. Come along and join at http://pixelshavings.blogspot.com it's going to be a lot of fun. We are all author/illustrators.
The leaves are falling here in Maine and we have had some good North Easter's already. So it looks like winter is nearly with us. But I am good with that because I have a heap of ideas to keep me warm.
In my breathing space today, going to be working on a piece for the 2011 Tomi de Paola award for NY SCBWI conference. The theme is Heidi ... so I am researching Alpine views.
Lastly, thank you to Teri Sloat. She gave me permission to create. Sounds crazy I know. So I will be doing it Teri!
And my fellow mentees from Nevada I love ya and I miss ya and I can't wait till April!!
Hasta la Vista
Hazel
aka The Wacky Brit
PS. NOTHING NEW ON THE BEDSIDE TABLE!!!! Going to visit my long suffering library this morning.
xo Hazel! Good luck with all your projects! You're going to be busy!! Can't wait to see you in April and until then...see you in the chat room. :)
You SO caught the spirit of Nevada -- my adopted home -- in your sketch. Hugs.
Amy ... being busy is good ... April is going to be AWESOME!! But a lot to do before then ....
Terri ... I loved this area, not somewhere I thought I would ever be! I look forward to returning and maybe doing some more drawing!