in progress

o I have been hard at work the interior illustrations of my new novel "Where the Mountain meets the Moon." It's a Chinese folktale-inspired fantasy, so I want the art to have an Asian traditional feel. But the novel is not a classic retelling or historical story, so I want the illustrations to traditionally inspired, but not reproductions.

The chapter headers are drawn in the style of chinese papercuts. There is still no word on whether interior will be color (cross your fingers!) but if it is these will be red on white:

And, if color does get approved (double-cross your fingers!) there will be 9 full page color interiors. I chose 9 because it is a Chinese lucky number symbolizing forever/everlasting---and I want this book to everlasting for the readers as well as in print forever! I have been looking at cloisonne and the art on Chinese vases and dinnerware as inspiration for these pieces:


Only about 20 more chapter headers and 1 more full page interior to go. Then I get to paint, hopefully (triple cross your fingers for the color interior!).

fait accompli

It's been a long road, or least it has felt like it, of my bathroom looking like this:

But now, it looks like this!


Yippeee! I am especially happy with my new shower curtain (which is ironically the least expensive transforming item).

generation

My older sister Lissy, on her 5th birthday:
Her daughter, Lily, on her 5th birthday:

hoping for happily ever after

So instead of working diligently on the illustrations for my new novel, I am in Upstate NY making pink princess cupcakes:
for my niece's birthday party:
I had slight twinges of guilt leaving my studio as I do NEED to get this book done but my niece only turns five once and, honestly, I couldn't take the bathroom renovation anymore. There is only so long I can stand stand the dust, loud noises, and looking at this:


But before I fled, I did do this:
The gold paint is not reproducing well in the photo, but I think the cover might be done. I'm not sure, I'm letting it sit and when I come back I'll decide if it's finished. If I'm lucky, when I get back the bathroom will decide it's finished as well.

five-year-old wisdom

Niece: Why is there a rainbow?
Me: When the sun is shining and it rains, sometimes it makes a rainbow.
Niece: So there's a rainbow when the sky is crying because it's happy.

no excuses

There are more times than I like to admit that I look at my past work with twinges of regret. While flaws due to talent, or rather lack of, are disheartening they are in a way more acceptable than the ones that cause me to shake my head. "If I had only been less distracted, had more time," I think to myself, "that book would've have been so much better."

And those are laments I refuse to have about my next book. At New Year's, one of my resolutions was to make my new novel the best work I've ever done.

So I am doing my best to sway the scale in my desired direction. I'm pulling out all the stops for this book, from the writing to the cover (which I am now working on, photo), I am taking pains as I have never been able to before. If time, focus, passion (and possibly production values--crossing my fingers for some really great features, including color illos on the inside) can do it, my book should be an object of person pride--something that epitomizes the best I could possibly do. Or at least something that doesn’t make me cringe.

MEME

Alvina tagged me for this, so here i go...

The rules of the meme get posted at the beginning. Each person answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the blogger then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What were you doing five years ago?
Getting these bookshelves built:


What are five things on your to-do list for today (not in any particular order)?
1. goto to the gym
2. start painting the cover for my new novel
3. call dell to fix my computer (again)
4. write an outline/proposal for "Year Of The Tiger"
5. buy a sleeping beauty cake mold so I can make a princess cake for my niece's birthday

What are five snacks you enjoy?
1. candied ginger
2. blackberries
3. cherries
4. fuji apples
5. snap pea crisps

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
1. donate to cancer research
2. make a series of grants for aspiring artists, awarding the first to any of my talented friends who are struggling
3. get or build a nice house with a yard
4. open a cupcake bakery/children's bookstore/art gallery/theatre
5. take time off to learn how to cake decorate, taiko drum, and ride a vespa

What are five of your bad habits?
1. eating while reading and vice versa
2. internet shopping
3. speaking really fast
4. avoiding confrontation
5. getting lost and being late

What are five places where you have lived?
1. New Hartford, NY
2. Providence, RI
3. Somerville, MA
4. Westwood, CA
5. Montreal, Canada

What are five jobs you’ve had?
1. giftware designer (making t-shirts that said "World's Best Dad")
2. children's book specialist (which is to say, just a bookseller) at Curious George Goes to Wordsworth Bookstore
3. beer menu designer
4. worker at a fast food place called "China Gourmet"
5. b/w photography teaching assistant for RISD Continuing Ed.

Let's see, I tag, um...anyone else who reads this.