Tales from the Rushmore Kid

Monet Barbeque Cover

There is nothing I hate more than those black barbeque covers.  Especially when they become weather-beaten.  So every year or so, I paint mine.  This year it is Monet's lily pads.  In 5 easy steps you can paint one too!

Caroline Hatton

I have known Caroline Hatton for many years.  She is what I consider a "Brainy."  A pharmacist, Ph.D. chemist, anti-doping sports scientist, French - English translator, children's writer and a tireless  volunteer for the SCBWI.   I am so pleased that the remarkable Caroline Hatton agreed to be interviewed.   

When and why did you start writing for children?

Maybe when I was ten years old, growing up in Paris. I ran out of school library books to read, so I started writing (what must have been awful) novels. Since I spent ample time rereading and admiring my prose, and I was ten, wasn't it writing for children, or at least for one child?

Flat Ethan

If Flat Stanley ever visited your home you will appreciate my new You Tube effort,  The Magical Adventures of Flat Ethan.

John Stewart Memorial

An American Icon passed away earlier this year.  Singer and songwriter, John Stewart, entertained us for generations.  He was part of the Kingston Trio, had a successful solo career, and wrote songs for many other performers.  My husband, Al Coury, had worked with him as part of the Trio and during his solo career.  We were touched to be invited to the private memorial concert held in his honor. Actors,  musicians and artists filled the stage to perform his songs and reminisce about John's remarkable life.  The talented John Stewart will be miss by all.

Bart King

Author Bart King has made a successful writing career with such hit books as The Big Book of Boy Stuff , The Pocket Guide to Mischief and The Big Book of Girl Stuff. I am delighted that Bart King agreed to be interviewed for my blog.

When and why did you start writing for children?

I was afraid of being called out by my students.
As a second-year teacher, I remember surveying my classroom and thinking, “It’s only a matter of time before one of these kids looks up and wonders if the bald guy giving out all the writing assignments has any game of his own.”
 

Cinco de Mayo

Happy

Cinco De Mayo!

Grand Champion Golf Course

Golf courses are built in some bizarre places.  Sometimes when you play you have to watch out for alligators, rattlesnakes or the dead!  This spectacular course in Palm Springs is built in between Indian burial grounds.  If your ball flies into one of these fenced off areas little signs are posted requesting that you do not retrieve it.  Creepy.

Alexis O'Neill - author's visits

My buddy, author, Alexis O'Neill is the queen of school visits. Alexis agreed to give us some tips when visiting a school.

You’re published.  Or soon-to-be-published.  You want to do school visits, but you’re not sure how to get your motor running.  Here are ten tips to help you roar into this exciting part of the children’s book business.

1. CREATE promotional materials.  Make it easy for potential hosts to contact you.  Establish a website and/or a blog.  Produce a brochure and business card.  Make a book trailer and post it on YouTube. 

Sketchbook Art - Skagway

Because it is near the top of the world, Alaska still has a frontier feel.  Most of the towns look like they are right out of the Wild West.  Skagway is one.  The tours basically show you the bars, boarding houses and historic houses of ill repute.
Now, being on the Inside Passage, instead of loggers and miners, it is full of cruises passengers looking for the best deals on souvenirs.

Sherman Alexie

Occasionally I'll come across a book that becomes one of my all time favorites.  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is one. It made me laugh, weep and cheer.  It also won the National Book Award.  I am honored that Sherman Alexie agreed to be interviewed.


When and why did you start writing for children?

Many of my books prior to True Diary have been used successfully in high schools.  So I always knew they were popular.

SCBWI Writer's Day L.A. 2008

I thought I would try my hand at YouTube.  Here's my little slide show of SCBWI L.A.Writer's Day.

Tricia Tusa - illustrator/author

I thought it would be fun this week to interview the author, Jim Averbeck and illustrator, Tricia Tusa ,who collaborated on the just released picture book,  In the Blue Room.  I give you Tricia Tusa.

When and why did you start writing for children?
At the age of five I announced my desire to write and illustrated children's books.  I turned Little Red Riding Hood inside out studying it.

Jim Averbeck

I met author Jim Averbeck at the SCBWI National Conference years ago.  Talented, funny and kind, he was a  blast to hang out with.  He just released his first picture book, In a Blue Room, illustrated by Tricia Tusa. 


I am so happy that Jim agreed to be interviewed.

When and why did you start writing for children?

I served in the Peace Corps in Cameroon from 1990 to 1994.  One night I was in bed in my little house in Mokolo, a mountain village in the northern part of the country.

Yuki Yoshino - Winner L.A. Writers Day

Congrats to my good buddy, author and illustrator, Yuki Yoshino.  Her frolicking story, Eduardo's Chicks, won runner up in the picture book category at this years SCBWI L.A. Writer's Day.  

Sketchbook Art - Villa d'Este

One of the most fabulous hotels in Italy is the Villa d'Este on Lake Como.  Around 1500 it was built by a Cardinal for his private residence. It was owned in succession by a ballerina, a Napoleonic General, an English Queen, without a crown, who renamed it Villa d'Este.  In 1873 it was transformed into a Hotel.  One of the coolest things are the gardens that were built in the 1600.  What's unique are these giant mosaic buildings.  The mosaics aren't out of tile, but made with sea shells.  Lately, the hotel's claim to fame is being a neighbor of George Clooney.

Carolyn Yoder - Editor

Like most children's book authors I have files full of rejection letters. Some broke my heart.  Some pissed me off.  But just a couple encouraged me to continue.  One good rejection letter that I had received was from Calkin Creek editor, Carolyn Yoder.  Even though she did not buy my manuscript on Mount Rushmore, she took the time to write me a two page critique.  I want to thank her publicly for that encouragement. I am thrilled that Carolyn Yoder agreed to be interviewed.

When and why did you become a children’s book editor?

Well, that’s interesting. I was working in Boston, in scholarly publishing, and basically answered an ad for an editor at a small children’s magazine publisher.

Elijah of Buxton

I can't read a Christopher Paul Curtis book without thinking Newbery.  His latest, Elijah of Buxton, won a Newbery Honor this year.  Being a nut for historical fiction, this was a story for me.  It educated me about a free township started by a white minister for runaway slaves in Canada during the 1850s.
   

Ralph Nader and Me

Time to brag.  Last week I was in Washington D.C. with my husband,  Al Coury, who was given a life time achievement award.  Al was in rock-n-roll for 37 years.
He was honored with General John Abazaid at huge banquet with Ambassadors, Congressmen, Senators and other generals. One of my favorite persons was there in attendance.  Mr. Ralph Nader.  Being pushy me  I snapped a photo with him.  I reminded Ralph that he did an interview for my children's literature blog.  He was polite and said he remembered.  It was a thrilling night.
Congrats to my hubby who deserved all the acclaim.

Terry Pierce - Jokes

In honor of April Fools day, I thought I would get my buddy, Terry Pierce, who has written several kid joke books, to give me some of her favorite jokes.  (All clean ones, folks!)

(From Terry) Bonus Joke!!!  "I just thought of this one after I decided on a photo."
      

What did the eager scuba diver say?
       
"I'm just urchin to get into the water!"




 

Columbia Space Shuttle

When I was a member of the Society of Illustrators they had a program that I participated in with the Smithsonian and the Air Force. With a group of illustrators I was flown around country to different bases to do research for the paintings.  It was a fun program and in the end we donated the paintings to the Smithsonian and they had an art show and a dinner for us in D.C. This is my painting on the Space Shuttle, Columbia.

Dan Hanna

Dan Hanna has been a member of my local SCBWI for years.  His first picture book, Pout-Pout Fish, written by Deborah Diesen, just came out. He also has four book trailers on Youtube, 1, 2, 3, 4,  I am so pleased that Dan agreed to be interviewed.


When and why did you start writing for children?

Long ago, when the dotcom wave crashed, the animation
company I worked for capsized and sank into oblivion.
Having saved up some money, I decided to pursue my
long held dream of writing and illustrating a
children's picture book.

Book of a Thousand Days

I love anything written by SHANNON HALE.  I knew, I was in for a treat with her new fantasy tale, BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS.  This story was set in an Asia like Mongolia.  A servant girl, Dashti, swore an oath to her new mistress of one day, Lady Sarren, to stay with her no matter what.  Dashti, is told by Lady Sarren's father, that his daughter was to be locked up in a tower for a 1000 days for her refusal to marry.  Dashti, stood by her oath to serve her new mistress and was bricked up in the prison, to starve, to freeze and to go crazy with wimpy, needy, Lady Sarren.

Bunny the Cat

Bunny is my friend Alexis's white cat. Bunny is so beautiful that years ago she inspired my kitty series.
Bunny always reminded me of a French princess waiting to be served, petted and fed.  When I visited Alexis, it was an honor that Princess Bunny would grace me with her presence.

Susan Vaught

I was handed an advance copy of Susan Vaught's new novel, Fat Girl Manifesto by my local independent book seller. It floor me and I wrote to her right away to ask for an interview.  I am so pleased that Susan Vaught agreed to be interviewed for the blog.

When and why did you start writing for children?

I started writing for children about ten years
ago, spurred by my son's ravenous desire for
fantasy books.

St. Patricks Day

 I've been lucky enough to have visited Ireland.  This is a picture of me as I kissed the Blarney Stone. I had thought about how many people had kissed that slimy rock, so I doused my lips with antibacteria waterless hand soap.  Kissing the Blarney stone is supposed to give you the gift of gab.  If that means being a storyteller...That's me! 

If that means being a chatter box....Well that's me too. Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Okay, I know this book has won every award, including the National Book Award, but I just had to give my two cents.
The Absolutely  True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is great. What a masterpiece Sherman Alexie wrote. The art, by Ellen Forney, wonderfully captures Junior's cartoons. This is one of the best books I have ever read, but have a BIG box of Kleenex ready, the last half of the story nearly broke my heart.

Janet Stoeke

Janet Stoeke is the author of many children's books including the hilarious picture book series about a very entertaining chicken named Minerva Louise.  I am so pleased that Janet agreed to be interviewed for my blog.

When and why did you start writing for children?

I started in 1986, when I entered a contest sponsored by Dutton, and won.

Sketch book Art - Huahine - Society Islands

Traveling through the South Pacific I felt the spirit of Paul Gauguin everywhere.  The color of the foliage, the beauty of women and the crystal blue seas, reminded me of his paintings. Sketch book art is very quick and stealthy. In most countries it is considered rude to even photograph people, so basically I stuck to painting landscape. Parts of this small  island of  Huahine  was so untouched it felt as if Gauguin could come around the corner at any minute.

Jerry Spinelli

Jerry Spinelli is a legend in our business.  Newbery winner, Newbery honor winner, more awards than I could list, he is one entertaining writer.  I personally related to his very successful, Stargirl, about an eccentric girl who secretly wanted to belong. 

I am honored that Jerry Spinelli agreed to an interview.

When and why did you start writing for children?

Frankly, I still haven't begun writing for children. In my mind, I write about them, not for them.

Golf landscapes - Art for cash sake

This is a painting from my golf course series. The big island of Hawaii is home to an active volcano.  The old lava flows made the  golf courses there resemble the surface of the moon.  If you hit a ball into the lava fields, you leave it.  The fields cut up golf balls or any fool who tried to get them.  This painting is featured on my art site and has brought me many commissions.  I guess all golfers want to play on the moon.

Denise Gruska

I just met Denise Gruska last year at the SCBWI National conference, but I was familiar with her fabulous story, The Only Boy in Ballet Class.  It had won a SCBWI writing contest a few years back and was published last fall. She is pretty, funny and a very talented writer.

I am so pleased that Denise agreed to be interviewed.

When and why did you start writing for children?

I was a screenwriter when I got pregnant.  As soon as my son was born, I found myself taking an ever lengthening hiatus from the movie business.

Jeri's stretching tips

More stretching tips from my Yoga instructor, Jeri, that you can do as you sit in front of the computer.

Sit straight in your chair, raise your arms and push with palms out.  Hold for three long breaths.

Tim Gillner - Art Director

I met Tim Gillner at last year at SCBWI Ventura Writer's Day. I was the portfolio coordinator so I brought him talented illustrators all day long.  He also gave a wonderful speech and slide show about his house, Boyds Mills Press.
I am delighted that he agreed to be interviewed.


When and why did you become involved in art directing for children’s books?

I became art director of Boyds Mills Press in 1991. Why, is a little tougher to answer. I had worked in children's publishing for 15 or so years prior to that. I guess it is just the natural progression of my field.

Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum

L.A. is loaded with museums.  Some awe inspiring and some just goofy.  The Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum is both.  Built by the signing cowboy, movie star, Gene Autry, the museums holds his collection of American art, a Hollywood cowboy collections of costumes and such and a rotating gallery of up and coming artist.  Here I am with visiting editor Carolyn Yoder.  I thought she'd get a kick out of a museum that is uniquely L.A.  She is a history buff  and I am happy to say, enjoyed singing Gene's museum.

Valentines Day

When I was a kid, Valentines Day was a popularity contest.
How many one got and who sent them.  Then as an adult it turned into my national holiday to find creative ways to express my affection for my hubby.  This is a sketch for a picture book idea that I was kicking around a few years ago.  "The Valentine Kitty," manuscript is still in a drawer, but the painting I made into a card and gave to my husband from our cats. 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.