Happy Valentine's Day.. Late

Eat your heart out....

I actually sent this out to family, friends, and associates on Valentine's Day.  I just forgot to post it here :)  This is Tiki.  He belongs to our cousins down in San Clemente.  He's your typical surfer,  snorting, farting, family dog.  While Tiki is a bit of a terror he is still a dog and I really really want a dog.  I'm telling you, when this deadline is done I'm getting a dog. 

Book Signing at Costco

I'm heading home to the Midwest this week. I'll be signing copies of TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IN WISCONSIN this next Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Middleton, WI Costco from 11am-2pm. (outside Madison) Stop by if you're in the area, I'll be the one shivering in the corner. :)

Spring Promo

NaPiBoWriWee 2011!

It's that time again: NaPiBoWriWee!!  The 2011 National Picture Book Writing Even!  I'm happy to be this year's first guest blogger.   http://paulayoo.com/napi/?p=55  If you haven't signed up, it's not to late to join in. Try your hand at a picture book MS and day. It's a great chance to connect with other writers, learn about the pb format, and get some of those ideas actually down on the page.  See you there.

Being Specific

Having spent eons now on a (still unfinished) illustrated middle grade novel, I can attest to the absolute necessity of proper character development.  Of course everyone knows how important unique characters are.  And everyone who begins to write and/or illustrate thinks they're creating them.  But, thinking and doing are not the same.  Looking at some of my early work, what frustrates me most is the lack of depth and differentiation.  The characters have a bit of spark, but they're not specific enough.  They should have been pushed more. Lots more. So, I've set up an exercise for myself to paint at least two animal portraits a week.  I've started with friends' and family's and may take on others as they come.  Hopefully by the end of the project the specific will be so engrained in my work that I’ll never paint another generic dog again.   

Here's some examples:

Ginger

Silvia

Grandmother Have the Angels Come? In stores.

Grandmother Have the Angles Come? by Denise Vega, is out Feb. 1st

"The affection that pours from the pages is strong and believable" -Publishers Weekly

Little Brown has made coloring sheets available for free download at http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/kids_fun_index.aspx Print and Enjoy!