don't look back!

Happy, happy birthday to my dearest "Gram." She's 86 today, and we just celebrated at her place with dinner and this cake. In a nutshell, here is why I think my Gram is the best...

I've always looked up to her, for so many reasons. I'm in awe of her crossword puzzle, Scrabble and card-playing skills...she has the most extensive vocabulary of anyone I've known, yet she's not snooty about it. She loves learning, and has been a long-time volunteer for PEO, an organization that promotes education for women (they gave me a scholarship and a loan too, thank you very much!) Though Gram's very modest about her artistic skills, she's got a creative spirit for sure, and has a lot to do with why I do what I do today. When I was a kid, we made paperdolls, watched birds, played dress-up, went to museums and the theater (saw Robert Goulet in South Pacific!), and had many, many sleepovers. So, I still think my Gram is one of the super-coolest ladies in the whole wide world. I got so lucky to get her in the grandma lottery...I really hit the jackpot.

When I was little and it was time for good-bye, my Gram would always turn her back to me, look over her shoulder and say, "Don't look back!" I think that's a good philosophy in life, and it's good to be reminded of that today.

So, just wanted to give a cyber shout-out to my Gram on her birthday. She's not really into fancy, newfangled technology, so she won't see this. But that's okay cuz she already knows how much I adore her. xoxo Gram!


This is Gram, my grandfather (who I never got to meet), my mom (left), and my uncle (right). My mom was born in Hawaii when my grandfather was stationed there...he was a military doctor.


Here's me playing dress-up at Gram's house...this was my mom's wedding dress.


And here's me as a bride again, officially. Gram's in the middle and my mom's on the right. Have I ever mentioned how awesome my wedding photographer/friend Donna Von Bruening is ??? She gave Jeff and me the gift of her photography for our wedding (as if her gift of friendship is not enough). She shot Jeff's sister's wedding, and she's shooting Jeff's brother's wedding in October (can't wait!).


And my Gram gave me this necklace to wear on my wedding day. It was more perfect than anything I could have picked out, and meant so much more.


And here we are today, 3 generations.

have you ever tickled a tiger?

Yippee! Today's the official publish date for my new book with Random House, Have You Ever Tickled a Tiger? It's a baby/toddler touch-and-feel book where you can poke a penguin's soft tummy, kiss a walrus's tickly whiskers and scratch an armadillo's scaley back.



Also, I found out a few weeks ago that the book will also be in WalMart stores, which my editor explained is a good thing because that means 900 stores with a much smaller selection of books than your big national book store chains. So, the book will have a chance to be in a more prominent spot for a larger audience. And good book sales mean more new books coming from me, so fingers crossed everyone!

Also, this book is dedicated to my adorable, very ticklish 2-year-old niece Ava and to my favorite furry pet-friends. This is Ava's drawing using Photoshop and a drawing tablet, which she is surprisingly good at...when I asked her what she was drawing, she said, "A dinosaur!"

lots of "firsts"

Well, here it is! My new picture book for Random House that I have been working on since last summer, and the big reason I have been MIA. It has been so long since my last post that I don't even know where to start. How about a recap?

Since my last post, I have:
•finished the picture book (due out January 2010)
•received my first-ever royalty check (yippee!)
•done a storytime at Lorain County Public Library where we made a jellyfish craft (my first paid event)
•created and given 3 45-minute slide presentations at the College of Wooster about "my story" (my first time using KeyNote and first author-related presentations to college students and adults...I LOVED it!)
•had my first official "fan" come to a book signing (she seemed like someone I had known all my life and actually brought a picture of her little girl holding Haiku Baby...so cute and a moment I will always hold dear)
•working hard to pull some work together for Surtex and the Licensing Shows (for my first appearance there at my agent's booth)

With all of these "firsts", I guess it's no wonder I have been overwhelmed with just living life lately! But, finishing a long project like a picture book always feels so good. I've been reflecting on my processes and the path I've taken to get to where I am, especially since I've started giving presentations about my work. It's been interesting to look back, but in a way it's been cleansing and has helped me find my way again. And I've been locked up in my bat-cave studio for so long finishing this book that it's felt so good to wake up in time for spring and get that balance of human interaction back again. And it's been especially rewarding to interact with not only the kids that my books are meant for, but also to start speaking to college students, educators and
the adult public–that is such a mutually beneficial experience that I LOVED more that I could have imagined.

Now, a little about my picture book I just finished. Thirty-two pages is SO much longer than twelve, and it's really been the project I've been focusing on since August. It's truly been a labor of love for me, and it has taught me that it doesn't always feel easy and graceful to grow. There are days when ideas and words and drawings flow, and the "making" moment feels peaceful and right. But there are also days when it is a struggle to be creative, when art feels hard and doesn't "click" and the process feels clunky and scary and I don't know "how." I think this is the reality of making books (or making anything creative) that artists and authors sometimes don't feel okay to talk about, because we know we are so lucky for the opportunity and don't want to sound ungrateful (because we're not!). But as I get older and know myself better and connect with a larger network of artists that also do what I do, I have learned that these feelings, good and bad, are all part of it–the growing pains we need to go through to truly accomplish something and share a part of ourselves. And when I have the self-doubting moments when I wonder how I will make it through the 32 pages and create something unique that I can be proud of, that my publisher is happy with, and that childen and parents will enjoy, I find my strength in the people around me that believe in me. I think some projects are ones that feel more effortless, where I have a clear vision and am able to stay pretty true to that through the course of the project. But other projects are ones that evolve, where one idea leads to the next, and I arrive at a very different place that where I began. This new book is the latter. The book has altered course a lot from the original concept, which some might think would be a disappointment, but I think letting go is important so that an idea can grow into what it is supposed to be. If we hold on too tightly and treat ever itty-bitty idea so preciously, we run the risk of suffocating it. Some ideas need room to breathe and grow. I feel really fortunate to be working with a great editor and art director team at Random House–they have had so much confidence in me from the beginning and have really helped pull things out of me that I didn't even know were there. Heidi my editor, sorry this paragraph is so long...you are probably cringing and dying to edit it!

Anyways, thanks to all of you–my husband, family, friends, and work buddies–who have stood by me, encouraged me, listened to me, inspired me, taught me, believed in me, waited for me. I truly could not do this without you and please know that you are all part of my story.

Sorry this one is so sappy but I needed to get that out! Hopefully I will have some more time to blog and post goodies again soon...I'd like to be better about that. Happy Friday!

lucky me

Good news! The luck 'o the Irish must have been with me, because yesterday I found out from my editor at Random House that our book Haiku Baby has been named one of the CCBC Choices 2009, the Cooperative Children's Book Center's annual best-of-the-year list. If you want to find out more about the CCBC, click here. I'm so happy my little baby book is getting a BIG shout-out...thanks CCBC!

bein' green

I married a McCormack, so you can understand why my St. Patrick's Days have become much more festive and fun. I just thought I'd share a few pieces of St. Patrick's Day art that I did when I worked at American Greetings. Hope you all enjoy being extra green today!

V.G.B.

Jeff and I lost our dear Hank-dog yesterday. He was such a part of our family, and will be missed, but he had 15 long years to sniff the air, stick his nose in the snow and chase squirrels so I think it was a good life for him.

We always called Hank our V.G.B. (very good boy). And he was. Hank went on our first date with us in the park, and even kissed me first. He approved. And so did I, despite his bad breath. We always joke that I would have never been dumb enough to go on a first date hike in the woods without the lure of a friendly dog coming along...who knows, Jeff could have been a psycho-killer but it was obvious from the beginning that Hank was not. What can I say? I am a sucker for dogs, and men with dogs, I guess.

Here's a little photo tribute to our good ole Hank-dog...

show-and-tell

Yesterday was a fun day because 2 boxes of samples arrived (which is rare, so it's crazy to get 2 boxes in one day!). It's always nice to get those surprise packages in the mail and see your work in print. Sometimes you don't even know the product is on the market until your samples arrive.



I have a new pop-up book available now called Dinosaur Days (by Matt Mitter, Reader's Digest Children's Publishing). For some reason, it often doesn't come up if you just type in my name, but you can find the book online here or here. This book is unique in that the pop-up and dimensional elements are made from printed foam pieces.



In addition to my Have You Ever Tickled a Tiger? book coming out at the end of May (Random House), I also have a book called Don't Throw That Away! (by Lara Bergen) coming out in September. It's part of a new imprint called Little Green Books, which is Simon & Schuster's eco-friendly approach to books that I am so excited to be a part of (more info here and here and here). Not only are the materials eco-friendly but the themes are too. I hope to do more projects like this because I think they send a good message to kids and consumers and I like the challenge of creating using recycled paper stocks and other materials. I think it's really fun to just embrace the materials' intrinsic qualities and make the best of them.

AND...here are a few cards that I did for Peaceable Kingdom Press. It's been a good company to start working with and there may be a few more projects to come with them.





So, those are the newest things I can share at the moment. Hope you've enjoyed the show-and-tell!