Tales from the Rushmore Kid

Word-Pictures for Christmas - Barbara Jean Hicks

On this day before Christmas Eve, I give you some beautiful lines to ponder—not a poem, but the most poetic of prose. For the wonderful text in its entirety, click here. 

from A Child’s Christmas in Wales

by Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)

Years and years ago, when I was a boy, when there were wolves in Wales, and birds the color of red-flannel petticoats whisked past the harp-shaped hills, when we sang and wallowed all night and day in caves that smelt like Sunday afternoons in damp front farmhouse parlors, and we chased, with the jawbones of deacons, the English and the bears, before the motor car, before the wheel, before the duchess-faced horse, when we rode the daft and happy hills bareback, it snowed and it snowed.

Most popular posts 2011- Andrew Karre - Editorial Director - Carolrhoda Books

Andrew Karre was one of my first-page editors at the Santa Barbara Mission retreat this year.  He was smart, funny and had great insights into all the manuscripts. Andrew also is a blogger and gave us some wonderful promotion tips. It was a pleasure to meet Andrew Karre and get an interview for the  blog.

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

I began working on children’s books in 2003 (I think).  I did not set out to work on kids’ books. I wanted to be an editor, but I wasn’t picky about the category initially. Once I started editing and acquiring YA, though, I knew kidlit was my calling. When I moved to a position that allowed me to do picture books, middle grade and YA, I thought I’d gone to heaven.

Most popular posts 2011- Grace Maccarone - Editor/Author - Holiday House

I met Grace Maccarone, editor at Holiday House, at the Santa Barbara Mission retreat in 2011. She was one of my first-page editors. I was struck by her kindess, humor and insight.  I am so pleased that Grace agreed to be interviewed for the blog.

When and why did you become a children’s book editor?
 
Because I love, love, love kids’ books and kids. I began my career in magazines, then shifted over to books. That happened in the mid-eighties.

Erica Silverman - Writing Tip of the Day - Hanukkah Hop!

My good buddy, award winning children's author and librarian Erica Silverman, has come out with a great Hanukkah book this year. Hanukkah Hop is a rollicking, fun story of a family celebrating Hanukkah. It's a great gift for the holidays! Erica agreed to give us the Writing Tip of the Day, using Hanukkah Hop to demonstrate the use of repetition.

Santa in Paradise- Art for Art's Sake

I love to draw Father Christmas. You might say I am Santa obsessed, call him what you'd like--Kris Kringle, Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas or my personal favorite, Sleigh Boy. As he was to most kids, he was my hero, a patron saint who doled out what we really needed...toys and candy. And I still believed in his power of good.

Of course Santa is a workaholic. How else could he run the corporation of Elves R Us?!  But I always wondered what he did with his leisure time. What books did he read?  What toys did he like? And of course, what was his favorite dessert?

This is a quick sketch of Santa on vacation in Tahiti. I think of him having a red and green hut over the water. I bet he uses SPF 50 sunblock. Santa is whiter than white!