Sweets

When you're on a deadline (I'm a crazed picture book machine right now) you have to appreciate the little breaks and indulgences sweet enough to be a break but not so sweet you lose your stamina. Like jogging in place while you run a marathon.

Below are mine from last week:

Cat










Couture










Cannoli




What are your sweets?

Monte Carlo Baby

Putting the finishing touches on the Audrey book and realized I needed a little 1940's swanky film-set guy in the background of one of the spreads where Audrey's filming "Monte Carlo Baby". So I scribbled him in and here he is freshly scanned. Looks like he might break into a little Astaire soft-shoe and/or vocal number . Are those high-waisted pants or WHAT?

This one goes out to my kid brother.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About Them!

While I'm working, I thought I'd point your attention to some fancy interviews:

Art director/designer/superman at Abrams, Chad Beckerman (also my swell art director on DOTTY) was just interviewed about his job as a book designer, including some of his well-known covers. Check it out! His Mishaps and Misadventures blog is also very informative, revealing a lot of the super secret behind-the- scenes process for the books he's worked on.

Also in news:

Today author and illustrator, Grace Lin, wrote up a great interview of the lovely staff at the close-to-my-heart indie bookstore, Curious George ! If you ever find yourself on the Red Line T one day, take it to the Harvard stop and visit the shop. As soon as you pop out of the T, you'll glance across the street and see cheery windows adorned in children's books and toys. Everything they say in that interview is true: they are expert and wildly learn-ed bookpeople, and they are passionate about which book they put into your hands. Michelle, GM, can make amazing pom pom Mo Willems pigeons (see above). They all are also very silly, which is very important.

I worked at Curious G for 3 years until freelance became too busy. I'm rusty on my book inventory now, but I still know where on the shelves Corduroy and Eloise live. I learned so much during my time there and also met my illustrator buds, Emily and Jess. Now, I like to pop in for much relished visits. Wishing the lovely ladies (and gentlemen) of the "hut" continued success-XO

Deadlines Taste Like Sushi

Deadlines, oh deadlines!...yum, deadlines taste like salmon maki.

I've been pretty good about making dinner during this past month of deadlines because I really love to cook-it's a creative release! Here's one deadline-related recipe I recently tried (Tip: I used diced tomatoes instead of Audrey's preferred romas, so add a cup of water). Still, no matter how you plan your time, you can't avoid those last c-r-a-z-y weeks: solid days/nights of PJ's, buried painting desk, teetering piles of sketches and reference, REALLY bad hair days, missed phone calls (eek– sorry!), anything and everything playing in the background as you've worn out your music (Golden Girls marathons, thanks to Jess) and SUSHI NIGHTS! (from Beni, down the street) I can take the back road behind my house right there...jacket and boots over pj's...no one knows, right?

When I return, I'll reveal some interiors for DOTTY! Be well– See you soon!

*Many thanks to my support, Matt P., who doesn't mind picking up the sushi and looking at my bizarre hairstyles, and to my understanding friends and family and loyal feline.