The Power of Rosemary

This weekend I attended the 2012 New England Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Conference in Springfield, MA. I was totally surprised (and humbled) to be this year's recipient of the Rosemary Frye Award. What is that, you are wondering? A Google search will come up empty. Oh, you will find many Rosemary or Rose Mary Fry's but none were the inspiration for this award.

It all started one Friday night, several years ago, at the very same conference. A group of us had an impromptu dinner at the hotel restaurant and got to playing with our leftover fries. Soon, the rosemary and edible orchid garnishes were fashioned into a crown and the Rosemary Fry award was born. Due to the perishable nature of its components, the award has been replaced with a stuffed bunny and journal to record what Rosemary has meant to each of her guardians.

The initial recipient was a fellow writer in need of something special in her life. The following year she passed it on to another deserving writer, and so it has passed from year-to-year, from one deserving guardian to the next. Sometimes it's given to someone in need of inspiration, or someone who's paid their dues in hope that their dreams come to fruition, and for others it's a celebration of their success. There is no criteria for winning, no applications or nominations, no SCBWI official presentation, no editor or agent attending the ceremony. Only writers celebrating writers. And that' the power of Rosemary.

Illustration Friday — Midsummer Night

This is a self-promo piece I did a few years back.

Art Exhibit at Holderness Library

My artwork is currently being featured at the Holderness Library on Route 3 in Holderness, NH. Stop by and visit if you can. Included is at least one piece from each of my books, a few pieces for children magazines and other less seen pieces like the piece below. This is a quaint library and worth the visit even when my art isn't being displayed. Check their website for hours and directions.

Illustration Friday — Flying

This was created for Keene State College's Festival Gallery Collection Owl Project. It can be seen at Rhodes Hall on campus. It's called "Flying Lessons."

A Recent School Visit

Last week I visited the children at Tuftonboro Central School. As the crow flies, Tuftonboro is maybe 10 miles away, but when you have to drive all around Lake Winnipesaukee to get there, it takes about an hour. It was a nice fall day and well worth the time.

Here's why: after driving for an hour, drinking my super-large-soda-with-ice-and-a-straw that accompanies me on every long drive (89¢ @ Irving stations!), my first stop is always the restroom. No surprise there. But what surprised me when I exited the bathroom was what I saw— Those clever little second graders had created beautiful artwork based on my book, Good Morning Garden. I loved them all! They were wonderfully expressive, energetic and full of life. Thank you for that wonderful tribute. Here is just a sampling. I'm sorry I couldn't include them all.

I would have love to have taken them all home! Of course, I saw lots of other great art there as well—self-portraits, collages, cartoons, etc. Thank you Tuftonboro Central School for inviting me and for keeping art alive in your school. Your children were bright, inquisitive, charming and engaging.

"Meet the Illustrators" Show at Hampstead Public Library

My artwork will be shown among nine other children's book illustrators at the Hampstead Public Library in Hampstead, NH through the months of July and August. My illustration medium is sculpted paper, and one piece from each of my illustrated books will be represented there.

On Saturday June 27 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, there will be an exhibition open house. The illustrators will be there to meet and chat, and sign books. A limited number of books will be available for purchase.

Displaying artists, besides myself, are Mary Newell DePalma (Nutcracker Doll,) Vicky Enright (It's a Beautiful Day,) Marty Kelley (Summer Stinks!), Barbara Johansen Newman (Tex and Sugar: A Big City Kitty Ditty), Ginger Nielson (The Adventures of Cali), Susan Paradis (Snow Princess), Ilene Richard (Let My People Go), Andy J. Smith (Stink Bug Saves the Day,) and Susan Spellman (Mabel Takes a Paddle).

More info, and directions at:http://www.hampstead.lib.nh.us/meet-the-illustrators.asp

Hope to see you all there! (Okay, I'll settle for one or two.)

On Writing and Genealogy: Shaking the Family Tree

I recently sold several articles to SCBWI (Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) for their Bulletin, on using genealogy when writing. The most recent, Keeping Those Characters in Line, appeared in the January/February 2009 issue. If you're a member of SCBWI, you can log in to their website and read it. In it, I discuss how organized genealogists are, and how they have a form for everything. I list my favorites and how to download them for free. But I should warn you that using those forms may lead to a new hobby—genealogy! Then you'll have write your whole family history, because truth can be stranger than fiction!

Apparently someone at the Redlines and Deadlines blog liked it, and posted the links. Redlines and Deadlines is written by the editors at Ellora's Cave Romantica Publishers. I found a lot good advice on writing, editing, submitting, etc. But children's writers be forewarned! There's a lot of frank discussion about writing erotic scenes! LOL

Other articles in the series are Using Genealogical Resources for Research (SCBWI Bulletin, March/April 2008) which discusses historical research, and Watch Out For Those Falling Nuts (SCBWI Bulletin, forthcoming, TBA) about interviewing family members as a resource for your writing.

I cannot say enough about SCBWI. If you are an aspiring children's writer or ilustrator, do consider joining. Their publications are informative, and their conferences are first-rate.