Friday, January 30, 2009

like Alice...

I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it. I've been cleaning out stuff in my studio, and found all kinds of projects - mostly promos that I intended to send, but didn't finish. Why? Because I wanted my website up & running before sending them, but couldn't finish the site! I want to do it myself, but I get stuck deciding how I want it to look, and how I want it to function.
Even if I hired someone to do it for me, I'd STILL have to decide those things.

So I tell myself, it doesn't matter, just do it, and then you could always change it.

Did I listen?

Um...not yet anyway!

No Mush Today

No Mush Today was written by Sally Derby and published by Lee and Low Books. Click the links to learn more.




See Anastasia Suen's page
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7 Impossible Things
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Blog tour: Big A little a

Blog tour: Lori Calabrese
Review by M Lavora Perry
No Mush Today in the News
Postcards

The Art of No Mush Today

I'm honored to be part of a gallery exhibit at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, MA!

From February 3 to March 6, paintings from my newest children's book NO MUSH TODAY will be on exhibit in the board room at the Admissions building. The watercolor paintings are available for purchase.

It's on February 3rd 6-8pm. There will be an artist gallery talk, reception, and refreshments.

If you can make it, I'd love to see you there.

For more information, click http://www.socialweb.net/Events/88017.lasso

Monday, January 26, 2009

Coretta Scott King Award Winners!

Beautiful! Congratulations to everyone - I hope I can someday have ALL of these books on my shelf.

Yayy, Shadra!

My friend and fellow illustrator, Shadra Strickland, has been awarded the John Steptoe Award for New Talent from the ALA for her title BIRD!

I can't wait to hear about all the other winners for this year...

Way to go, Shadra! She is truly Living the Dream!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

28 Days Later 2009!


The Brown Bookshelf Announces '09 Spotlight Roster

Yayy! I'll be spotlighted on Feb. 3rd, the same day as the opening reception at Quinsigamond Community College. Art from NO MUSH TODAY will be on exhibit! I'll post more details on the QCC show soon. Meanwhile...


Here's the full roster:

Feb1: Sharon Draper - November Blues (Atheneum, 2007)
Feb 2: Crystal Hubbard - The Last Black King of the Kentucky Derby:
The Story of Jimmy Winkfield (Lee & Low Books, 2008)
Feb 3: Nicole Tadgell (Ill.) - No Mush Today (Lee & Low Books, 2008)
Feb 4: Tia Williams - Sixteen Candles (Hyperion, 2008)
Feb 5: Julius Lester - Guardian (Amistad, 2008)
Feb 6: Philana Marie Boles - Little Divas (Amistad, 2005)
Feb 7: Zetta Elliott - Bird (Lee & Low Books, 2008)
Feb 8: Angela Johnson - Lily Brown's Paintings (Orchard Books, 2007)
Feb 9: Pat Cummings - Harvey Moon, Museum Boy (HarperCollins, 2008)
Feb 10: Floyd Cooper (Ill.) - Becoming Billie Holiday ( Wordsong,
2008 ); Willie and the All-Stars (Philomel, 2008)
Feb 11: Tanita S. Davis - A La Carte (Knopf, 2008)
Feb 12: Derrick Barnes - Ruby and the Booker Boys #4: Ruby Flips for
Attention (Scholastic, 2009)
Feb 13: Brenda Woods - My Name is Sally Little Song (Putnam, 2006)
Feb 14: Greg Foley (Ill.) - Don't Worry Bear (Viking, 2008); Good
Luck Bear (Viking, 2009); Willoughby and the Lion (HarperCollins,
2009)
Feb 15: Joyce Hansen - African Princess: The Amazing Lives of
Africa's Royal Women (Hyperion, 2004)
Feb 16: Vaunda Micheaux Nelson - Juneteenth (Millbrook Press, 2005)
Feb 17: London Ladd (Ill.) - March On!: The Day My Brother Martin
Changed The World (Scholastic, 2008)
Feb 18: Marilyn Nelson - Freedom Business: Including a Narrative of
the Life & Adventures of Venture (Front Street, 2008)
Feb 19: Andrea Davis Pinkney - Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired
a Nation (Amistad, 2008)
Feb 20: Deborah Gregory - Catwalk (Delacorte, 2008)
Feb 21: Evelyn Coleman - Freedom Train (Margaret K. McElderry, 2008)
Feb 22: Jacqueline Woodson - Peace, Locomotion (Putnam, 2009)
Feb 23: Lesa Cline-Ransome - Helen Keller: The World in Her Heart
(HarperCollins, 2008)
Feb 24: Cornelius Van Wright (Ill.) - Princess Grace (Dial, 2008)
Feb 25: Sherri Winston - The Kayla Chronicles (Little, Brown, 2008)
Feb 26: Shelia P. Moses - Joseph (Margaret K. McElderry, 2008)
Feb 27: Monalisa DeGross - Donovan's Double Trouble (Amistad, 2007)
Feb 28: Monica McKayhan - Jaded (Kimani, 2008); The Pledge (Kimani,
2008)

Today

When I heard someone say that they never thought they'd see this in their lifetime, I felt a bit puzzled and almost...amazed.

I think of Star Trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5, and so many other shows where the future is shown with leaders of many colors.

So I'm not surprised I'm seeing the first black american president in my lifetime.

Monday, January 05, 2009

Post-holiday blahs....

Now that the holidays and the travelling are all over, I can get back to the artwork, right? Right? Tell that to my sluggish hands. I'm feeling pretty blah at the moment.

I'm at that stage that many artists get to...everything I do looks crappy, all my ideas aren't good enough....why should I try? This too, shall passs.

Maybe I just need a little chocolate. :)

Mock CSKs at Black Threads!

Black Threads in Children's Literature

This is a neat place where folks are discussing the upcoming Coretta Scott King awards!