Anything can spark an idea

It's amazing what will give you an idea for writing and illustrating. I just thought I'd share two from today. This morning, as I took my shower, I spied a spider or two on the ceiling above the tub and created a humorous poem about them sliding down the water spout into the hair of the person showering. Later, I was waiting for my kiddo when he was in a school bathroom and saw this. I thought it was pretty precious. Doesn't everyone take off their red rubber boots when they go to the potty?

Sick, ick.

After a beautiful morning with the kids, (walking up Bradbury mountain and having a picnic under the pine trees) my cold is catching up with me. I feel, you'll excuse me, that my nose and ears are cemented shut. Ugh. Not good for working. Maybe I'll write about someone who feels sick.

Rainy sunday dreaming

Thanks to Jo Knowles for giving me this fabulous link to Jarrett J. Krosoczka's blog. If you are involved with children's books, you will want to watch his short video about the ups and downs of trying to publish. It is laugh out loud funny and amazingly well directed and produced. My favorite part is when they keep him waiting and waiting but want his work in a single month. (Definetly go to his website too if you have the time. ) I guess the premiere of the movie was at the LA SCBWI annual conference. I would love to go there sometime, but alas, I am an east coast girl without the means for a west coast ticket. Maybe someday I'll do a workshop there and get to go. After I have a book published that is. Oh hum. Back to work.

Picture book web preview

A fellow critiquer in my on-line picture book group gave me the link to Dottie Enderle's site. Take a look at the book "preview" at the lower left of her page. What a great idea and relatively easy. I'll bet you could do this in imovie by creating a series of stills with fade ins and outs. I just don't know how it would be coded into your website.

Last night, I met with my in-person critique group. We have been in flux for the summer and since the wonderful success of our friend and fellow critiquer Cynthia Lord. Anyway, we worked on getting together a notice for new members, reestablished the structure of our meetings, and scheduled meetings through the rest of the year. I feel that we are all looking to be productive and publish. Perhaps this new energy will be visible in my manuscripts and editors will notice.

Davey and Janet scratch the Seven Year Itch

What a weekend! My family went to Western New York to celebrate our good friends David and Janet. They have been living together happily for seven years and brought friends and family together as Davey's parents are moving from the area and selling their long time home as well. We traveled with my in-laws, five children, my sister-in-law, and her opere in two minivans. (Oh my!) The party was wonderful with crafts, a moon bounce, and extra sitters for the kids, beautiful weather, paraplane rides for whoever wanted them (Davey went to flight school at one point) and a Hawaiian theme. Before they opened the buffet, they called everyone into the tent. Davey asked us all to leave an aisle and he brought an old family friend up from the audience who was a lay preacher. Neither Davey or Janet's parents knew that their children were planning a secret wedding but they were all thrilled. When Janet came out of the house in a white halter dress with a beautiful ankle length hankerchief hem there wasn't a dry eye in the tent. The preachers friend, a local judge, came up and sealed the deal after the bride and groom exchanged spontaneous wonderful vows. I'm getting all choked up just writing about it again. The rest of the night was dance-filled and fun. Congratulations Davey and Janet!

Babybug makes offer on poem

So good news. Babybug has accepted a poem from me. I send them back a yes on their offer, some tearsheets, postcards and a polished sketch for an illustration. I'm hoping this may be my in on the illustration front. Cross your fingers for me. So if anyone was keeping track, that makes four poems to Highlights for Children and two to Babybug. Now if I could just sell a book manuscript...

Summer Blogging

I see that other bloggers are busy this summer too. Some resorting to "reruns" of past blogs. I will give you a quick update on all things Boll.

Small child is taking tap with a "ballet warm-up." According to him, this is not real ballet like his other ballet teacher. He is eager to get back to sweet, patient Miss Elizabeth who is so talented and graceful it makes me want to wiggle into a pink leotard just to take her classes. He is also excited to go get his big boy backpack from LL Bean. His brother got to do the same before he went to Kindergarten.

Large child is finishing up a whole summer of baseball. He is itching for friends and, I think, the start of school. He said to me this morning, "Mom, can you believe I'm going into the second grade?" Hardly, darling, hardly.

Husband is starting up at the Navy tomorrow. He is usually on reserves but is going back on active duty for a six month period. The regular paycheck and health benefits will be great to have. Perhaps it will relieve some stress.

I am trying to relax and enjoy the summer with my children, work more hours at the gym for money (which would usually go to fund my author/illustrator work but is now going to the family), find bits of time to write and draw, and trying not fall asleep at 9 each night.

My list of wishes:
I wish the arts were compensated at a higher level.
I wish child care were free to parents ala Sweden.
I wish my manuscripts would be accepted already. I've had enough of pleasant rejections that tell me how adorable and exciting my ideas are.
I wish health care was free.
I wish editors could get back to writers in a more reasonable time frame.

There's more I'm sure, but that is all for now.