Thursday, June 26, 2008

Saying goodbye to a van

a van. I almost cried as my 12 year-old van was towed off the drive way today. It is just a van but man... no it is not just a van. This has been thru the mill...a thunk, a tow and new transmission, scads of new batteries and memories of me waiting for AAA and the happy battery man. Hitting a deer on our way home from Vermont (those damn hunters), a blown air conditioner and hot summer with fresh air and wind-blown hair. Two rear enders but a strong non-dent-able bumper..."is everyone all right? Yeah, everyone except the car behind us!" A car accident with a thunderstorm and heavy rain and three kids balling forever while we waited for the damn cop to appear...and two appearances by me in court and I represented myself and I WON!! HA HA. Oh, and the carpooling, and Charlotte learning how to drive and me holding on to the seat so hard I though my circulation would quit... and my breathing, as well.

But the tree smashing this van was the last straw..I suppose.

So I get all choked up over something so stupid (I mean we could have been IN that car when the tree fell on it. The deer could have gone through the windshield and impaled us. The transmission could have dropped mid-highway, Triple AAA might have been unavailable in this neighborhood, I could have lost the case. But this van took all the heat (we did last year,too)and finally succumbed to the weight of a tree. 

This van held more than people. There is a story here. I hope I have illustrated it.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Gotta take a test drive on

my husband. Not necessarily a no-no, either.  My toughest critic...in more ways than one. Gottschalk gots the thumbs up..finally. It helps to have a fellow musical being to evaluate the rhythms and onomatopoeic sounds I used in this biography. And he said what I believe. That if "I just read the manuscript and didn't read it as it would appear in the dummy with the illustrations, I wouldn't get the full effect. But now it does, and the way you've handled the writing works. If this doesn't sell it is no reflection on the writing, dummy or art." 

Gotta believe this. 

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

You say tornado...I say today no!!

Tornado

today no!

Afraid so

those winds blow

Let's call the whole thing awful.



A tree falls in Montclair. On my car and over my front lawn. The power goes out. My backyard looks Third World for all the electrical wires entangled, and strewn with various straggly limbs and stumps. No power, no school, severe internet withdrawl. Who cares about this week's food supply melting in the fridge. We want internet and we want it now.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

While it is fresh

Conference recollections:

Firstly, it is again the hottest day on record in NJ, and I could not sleep a wink last night.

The day started with intros from the panel.

But my biggest bit of news is that I was matched with an agent rather than the editor I asked for which turned out to be just fine. They win awards...lots of awards.

The session from Holt on how the editor and art director work together was so well done. What they really brought out tho, was how MARKETING intervenes.

My critique with the CD was JUST what I expected. He LOVED my biography art and dummy. Then he asked who I was having my ms critique with and I told him the agent.

Then he told me my art for Gaudi was too late. They are already doing a pb/bio on him. Grrrr.

Then I met with the agent. She was SOOOO nice and loved my folio. She assesed it and told what pieces were my strengths. She told me that it is European (and she said you won't know what that means...but I think I do). She said your work is not HC but more like Roaring Brook (but they are agented....and I'm not...yet...) She said your work is special and that is why it is hard to place you right away...but it should lead to developing you as a unique voice. And that is just what I want ...I just am getting impatient as I see so many generic illustrators get job after job. Oh, and she gave me great and constructive critique on my gargoyle. I really like her. She was genuine and her face lit up when she saw my art (you can't fake that).

She wants to see my biography and asked how my crit went with the CD.

But another wonderful thing is I had lunch across from Ted at FB. This young engaging Ted. He is so funny and cool and told me all these tidbits about the books he'd acquired and why. I must say I like those kind of books but I don't write them unless they are for fiveish. I asked him how to query FB with what I do, and he did... so I will. He said to choose your fave Pb and mention others. I just wish I knew what that was.


What I do know is if I get agented, not all of what I have done or will do will get represented...unless I am extremely lucky.

And I see revisions of sugerplums dancing for the agents.