Whoa it's been too long

I fell off the face of the earth.

July?! July 2009?! What have I been doing with myself the last like 9 months? Baby? Nope. Jail time? Definitely not. World travel? YES! My favourite life distraction!

*

So....for October November December I hurled myself across the globe with my backpack and credit card multiples to hike up very vertical hills in Nepal with my partner and the in laws. We did two amazing treks, hiking the Everest trek from Jiri (the classic route in to the region, a 25 day knee crusher), and then swung over to the Helambu region which is a sort of an 'off the beaten trail' type trek which rewards with scenery but finished off my already tender knee caps and such. I have to admit I literally hobbled out of that trek looking like I was about 90! All in all a fantastic time, incredible weather, great experiences, and a filling of my creative batteries.

*

The trip was also very much a cleverly disguised business trip. I had the opportunity to market my book in Kathmandu's tourist shops, meet with some bookstore owners, and also met with my distributor in Nepal, Frances K. from Mera Publications. I think one of my best days ever was dropping off the book to one of the bookstores in Namche Bazaar. One of those moments that I have dreamed about and will always remember.

*

Re-entry after travel is always a little rough, but I just signed another book contract with a Seattle author, and have been in the art cave now for a few weeks pumping out sketches and ideas for her cool little story. Back to the cave I go!

The moment you secretly dream of

Today someone came into the indie bookstore I work at and asked for my book. THIS IS THE BEST FEELING EVER! It has only happened one other time that someone saw my book reviewed and came in looking for it. I get all giddy, declare "that's me! That's my book!" and generally behave like I am about 12 years old, and have just been told that I am winning a pony. Shameless.

*

So many other good things have happened this month. I have found (at last) a distributor for Nepal. My little book will soon be available in Thamel, Kathmandu! Again, the feeling resembles winning of earlier mentioned pony. In June I participated in Canmore's annual artsPeak festival, and had lots of people big and small stomp through my house to look at all my original illustrations and hand painted furniture. It actually forced me to clean my studio, and I found all sorts of things that I have been missing. Glue sticks, library books, journals, an extra cat...

Book Scare

I never get used to presenting myself to a bookstore to introduce my book. My heart beats insanely rumpTHUMPA rumpTHUMPA rumpTHUMPA, I break out in a feverish sweat, I can't swallow, in fact, I can't even see, and now my stomach is making weird swish swash noises.

*

I slid back to my little hometown in Ontario (Stratford/Goderich area) with my book last month. It was oddly emotional, perhaps because this is the land of my childhood. This is where I started illustrating as a little girl. First my mother's grocery lists every week, then filling pad after pad of deliciously white unlined 'BIG JUMBO DRAWs' from Zehr's, and then all of the hundreds of school projects that I managed to incorporate my doodles into.

*

And so my book has gently arrived in Ontario, to the places that made me. Fanfare Books in Stratford is a little independent store that my grandmother used to take my mother to when she was little, and my mother took me to when I was little. It lives with the beloved picture books of my early childhood at the Stratford Public Library. Thank you for feeding my soul so many years ago.

*

to be continued....

Write to Shine oh so fun!

I just recovered from one of the best writing conferences ever! The Banff Elementary School invited me to be a part of their very first 'Write to Shine' young writer's week. They shut the whole school down for a week and brought in authors, writers, songwriters, and illustrators to share our experiences with their students. I was 'guest illustrator', very fun!

The kids were so AWESOME! I had 3 scheduled classes and lots of other little people throughout the day that visited my room. We talked about ideas and imagination, we read, we listened, and most importantly...we illustrated! 

I was astounded at the drawings that my classes came up with. Even the kids that told me that they didn't know how to draw very well came up with really great ideas. There were illustrations that I saw that blew me away. There are a few of you (and you know who you are) that wanted to be an artist or illustrator when they get older! I hope I inspired you to one day live a life filled with paints and brushes and imagination...I know you inspired me to look at the world from your eyes again. Thank you Banff Elementary for an incredible day.

Festival props as creative therapy

I have just had 4 marvelous days! I put away the Quill and Quire, tucked my bookstore mailing lists out of sight and got out all of  my paints and scissors. I made two GIANT props of my book characters, Nupste and Lhotse, for the upcoming Lilac Festival. It felt incredible to feel the paintbrush in my hand again, to have paint spattered up my arms, to create something visual once more. I need more of this, less of the other. I still have a to-do list as big as my credit card debt, but I feel recharged. I feel like an illustrator again. 

*

If I ever end up on a deserted island, all I would need is my glue stick, scissors, paints, and paint brushes. 

indie book girl

So I have been thinking about using my blog to follow this journey of being an indie book girl. In November 2008 I published my first book that I had both written and illustrated (Nuptse and Lhotse in Nepal). The release was awesome, little shy me had to face a packed bookstore and remember to breathe! Afterwards, the creative demons marched along beside me in high step all the way back to the house, taunting and teasing me. Had I thanked everyone I should have? Did I call that person by the right name? Had I sounded silly as I read my children's story to a room full of adults? These were just a few of the voices tumbling washer machine style through my head those first few days. 

*

It is now five months since that wobbly day, yet I still feel so new in this. I think this is a good place to start because the honeymoon of books is over. I have awesome days when I feel so motivated to contact bookstores and sell! sell! sell! myself. And then there are the shadow days. The days where my cartons of books loom over me. As an indie, you need to be confident! and market yourself! and network! and research opportunities! Baaaaaah! 

*

Today, it is snowing. I am not doing ANY of the things I am supposed to be doing. I am wondering if there are other indie book friends out there? A little lost, a little overwhelmed, desperately pretending to be a marketing jedi and feeling creatively crunched.

first day

It's late at night and I am playing with this brand new little blogspot of mine. Almost as fun as a brand new puppy!