A little parcel arrived in the mail for me the other day...
but not just any parcel...
A SNOWBEAR'S CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN kind of parcel!!!
'cause now it's in paperback...
and not the Scholastic book school edition neither--it's now the SQUARE FISH see you in the stores edition!!!
Which means I get a nice thing on the back with some of my rave reviews posted for all to see. Pretty cool, huh?
And just in case you can't read the fine print:
oh boy, oh boy!
Today I have very good news to share!
Today I sold a book!!! My easter book--only no pig--it's gotta be a rabbit. I guess people only want chicks and rabbits on easter not pigs. I was trying to be different. ah well...So, there are some revisions to do--but holy smokes--I'm an author and illustrator again!!!
I was wondering if that was ever going to happen again~~~well, NOW it's happening! We have yet to discuss the timeframe and my deadline but I imagine we're looking at 2011 here. Now it's going to be a real challenge to keep the holiday decor in the etsy shoppe going and this book. But I don't want to give up the holiday crafting---I hope I can find a way to produce a few things at least.
Now I guess they all will be very limited editions!
Anyhow, tonite we drink champagne! I've waited for this for quite a long time. I feel good.
And luckily I finished up my atcs for Amy's Halloween Swap just in the nick of time! These little buggers took me quite a while to make but I'm happy with the result. Just give me some crepe paper and pipe cleaners and vintage seals and I'm a happy camper. Yes, indeedy.
And I made little trick or treat bags to put them in, with an extra treat or two.
Hopefully I'll catch up on somethings now.
And My boy turns 7 in a few days--there's a lot to celebrate! I can't help but notice the coincidence of 7 btw. And I can't resist ending this post with this image from my first book:
Yep, I guess I still got it.
Allelueia!
;-)
I finally got to see what my book looks like in another language.
Still waiting to hear what the future will bring in that department.......
I've done my part. Finished the sequel. It's ready to be mailed--but first I need a reply about the Easter book--nice to know I have this surprise for my editor waiting in the wings. But now comes the hardest part--waiting for the response. OY! The agony before the ecstasy!
I mean, hopefully there will come some ecstasy--I'm in 4 books deep now.
I mean, it's all about the yin and the yang right?
Just as long as the Waiting Game doesn't turn into the crying game.
I've been dutifully toiling away over here working on the sequel to Snowbear which was requested by my publisher so many years ago and I'm just a spread and a cover away to finishing it up (with a few minor touch-ups) and offering it up to them. WOoHOO! I don't know what's gotten into me lately but I'm eager to get a contract again and it's starting to become painful waiting for it to happen while trying to stay positive and keep moving forward. After this last push, I guess I'll be taking a rest from writing and moving on to some other project that does not involve a pencil and a very big eraser.
Mohair, perhaps? Yes, perhaps. I'll sew away the hours while I wait for the phone to ring with offers. Yes, that will be nice--sewing and stocking the shoppe--after all, Christmas is coming and soon will be here. Time to make stuff for Christmas!
I have to say, his butt is looking a bit cuter in the sequel, so I've decided to let him go pants free a la Donald Duck. Notice Hatu and The Butterfly (in the wrong perspective I know, I'm on it) are making an appearance. And shucks, why the heck not?!!!
It's beginning to look a lot like Easter over here! I got an encouraging email from my editor on my MAURICE manuscript. Looks like if I just come up with a new ending, we just might have a "go" here.
So close...and yet so far. I've turned words & ideas around and inside and out until my brain is numb. I worked on it all day yesterday waiting for the right "click". When you do enough of that; you can't think straight and then you can't tell if it's good stuff or crap. So, I need to walk away. Not for long though, just long enough to recharge my battery.
I'm working on two manuscripts at once now--one minute it's spring and the sun is shining and there are eggs to be colored and the next it's snowing and cold and I hear Christmas Carols. The good news is I'm very happy with the way the SNOWBEAR sequel is coming along.
I'll soon have four manuscripts floating around which is making me fantasize about the possibility of lining up work for the next four years. Wouldn't that be something?
But for right now , I'll settle for one solid YES, we want it. In a wierd way, this is always the way I meant for it to happen. I told myself when I had the kid I would take at least five years off to be with him with no time constraints. The plan was I'd come back with all these manuscripts I had worked on in my leisure time--so I guess I'm right on course. I've got the rest of the summer to get me some bonafide contracts.
While the rest of the USA is barbecuing in the backyard and enjoying the local swimming hole--I've been at my desk all day. Well, after the neighborhood parade anyhow. We lost the balloon and egg toss and our jacuzzi is broken so what's a girl to do?
WORK!!!!!
I've been working on the sequel to SNOWBEAR and it should be the next manuscript on the chopping block in the next month or so. I'm on a roll. It only took a few years to get me going and now I'm not stopping.
Meanwhile, tonight after our dinner, we hope to drag the little one to the fireworks in the hopes he'll tough them out. Usually we have to bail within a minute or two as he is too scared. Fingers crossed we'll get to see them.
Happy 4th!
Set your soul adrift Wild Butterfly
Let your spirit free Wild Butterfly
Moments come and fall to the ground
And slowly fade away
Lift it up
Lift it up up and fly
Lift it up
Lift it up up and fly
Set your course you’ll see Wild Butterfly
Towards the sun, to me Wild Butterfly
Why don’t you go
Fly so far away
I know what you want
I know what you’ll see
I know what you want
I know what you’ll see
Lift it up
Lift it up up and fly
Lift it up
Lift it up up and fly
Today is a good day--today I put another submission in the mail. This one has been in my file cabinet for five, count 'em five years! It was 95% done too--just had to do a little bit of work on it and voila; done!
I guess I just didn't have it in me to work on it at the time. Life did that 180 thing. It was almost a go back then--a possible vehicle for Snowbear~but in the end, they wanted me to change the characters which I always thought was a good idea anyhow. So, here we are with the changes finally--you think five years was too long to wait? Guess we'll see. Chock it up to the The Johnny Factor.
At any rate, it always feels good to toss some seeds into the air to see where they land. Now we can get on with the next best thing. Go, Go, Go.
So all I know about these two elephants is that they are totally diggin' each other. They are so busy doing that, they aren't really talking to me a whole lot.
All I can do right now is spy on them from afar.
Meanwhile the kiddo graduates from kindergarten this week and we've been told to pack tissues as he will be leaving his preschool forever (but we still get a bit o' summer school, thank GOD). I will miss all the security we felt there--public elementary school seems pretty scary in comparison as far as handling the food allergies. I hope summer lasts a good long while.
