Sticky Love

Christmas Wrap-up

2012-01-20T17:07:00.000-08:00

Vicki got me a few Christmas/Hannukah/Solstice presents, but they didn't stay a surprise (I'm SORRY, already!). As punishment, she insisted I wrap and decorate them with my usual drawings. Can you guess what she got me?

Talked with Sleeping Bear!

2012-01-20T17:02:00.000-08:00

I actually spoke with my Sleeping Bear Press Publisher (Heather Hughes), Editor (Barb McNally) and Art Director (Jennifer Bacheller) on the phone a couple of weeks ago. It was pretty much a telephonic meet and greet, now that the contract has been signed. I chose which format to draw Ozzie and the Art Contest (square) and they've sent me a packet of books and their catalog. Once my new template arrives it'll be time to get down to work on the real art!

No Brainer

2012-01-20T16:50:00.000-08:00

Vicki's been toying with tea lately, so I'm not always sure what to do with the hot water. I prefer coffee, and not just because these stickies adhere to the coffee pot a lot better.

Garden Therapy

2012-01-20T16:47:00.001-08:00

Can't say enough about the benefits of this garden therapy craze – when snow's not covering everything.

Hard As Rocks!

2012-01-20T16:45:00.000-08:00

A little while ago Vicki hopped off a stone wall and bonked her shin on an outcropping. It swelled up and hurt like a (insert thing that hurts here). When she told our friend Gabriella about it in an email, this was her reply.

When the swelling and pain didn't subside, Vicki went to the doctor. During the exam she told the doc what Gabs had said. This guy may have been a good physician, but his sense of humor must have been removed in med school, because he honest to god said this.

We Visited the Kids!

2012-01-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

Last week we flew to St. Louis to see Kyle and Michelle (and our grand dogs, Ruby and Diesel). It snowed that day and it was COLD. We had a great time. Kyle's a natural horseman, who learned from guys who trained with Buck Brannaman (the "horse whisperer"). I got to watch Kyle work a "problem" horse. It was quite amazing watching and listening to him. The horse's owner was very impressed and couldn't believe how nicely her horse behaved. I might have got a little carried away.

Guest Writing Teacher

2012-01-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

I was invited to guest teach for one day of an eight-day "write and publish a children's book" class for middle and high schoolers. It was very fun and the kids were great. Interesting what they really pay attention to and what's just a snore. Luckily, Vicki coached me and gave me the idea for my "hook," – the concept of Max as my muse. They paid attention to that, I'll tell you.

SNOWMAGEDDON!

2012-01-20T16:02:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Times was warning us all to prepare for a massive snowstorm that was going to shut everything down. Our local weather folks are darned accurate about rain, but they don't really know their snow. So most of us were a bit skeptical and when the snow DID come, and not all that impressed – at first.

Vicki's Got A New Job!

2012-01-20T15:19:00.000-08:00

After 26 years as a freelancer, Vicki decided to take a job as a full-time employee! She's now with the Effectiveness Institute, a Bellevue-based human resources consulting and management training company. Since E.I. is all about communication and team processes, she got to interview with just about everybody there, over a long period of time. With so many interviews, it was inevitable that there would be at least one "scheduling malfunction." Vicki learned of it when the boss called, saying he thought the interview had been scheduled earlier that day. I loved Vicki's quick-thinking response.

But she got the job - of course. I was worried about the big change in her schedule and keeping regular work hours, so I made sure she got plenty of sleep before her big first day.

No matter how good you are or how long you've been doing your work, there's always the first day jitters.

And then, after all that, Seattle's big Snowmageddon hit on day two of her job!

She ended up working from home for a few days. There have been some bumpy adjustments.

The snow is melting and Vicki is at the office. My bunny slippers and I miss her and I have promised to learn to use the stove. This is a very exciting start to our new year and I'm so proud of her. Congratulations, Vicki!

Modern Boy Scouts

2011-12-24T13:14:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Scouts can now get merit badges for helping um... people of a certain age with their texting? Well, they should. Maybe then Vicki and I wouldn't have to call each other to ask what our texts were SUPPOSED to say.

Kay Kay's Animal Taxi

2011-12-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

You know the Star of Hope orphanage? (no? click here to see. And what the heck, donate while you're there) You may remember that Kay Kay is a local matatu (taxi van/bus) driver and gifted artist who painted the classroom walls with pictures of animals to help the kids with reading and spelling. This has given me an idea for a picture book featuring the Star of Hope. I've just begun working on the story, but right now it's about Kay Kay picking up the animals in his matatu on the way to the orphanage for a portrait session. Here's my first sketch and a few photos.

Orphanage Director Leonard Muyelele with Kay Kay

Ozzie Update

2011-12-24T12:50:00.001-08:00

After I signed all 6 copies of my book contract and sent it off to Sleeping Bear Press I peppered Agent Anna O with all kinds of questions, most notably, "when can I get STARTED?" She reminded me that "Publishing is the slowest business on earth," and that I need to be patient. PATIENT? Yeah, right.

We're Not Just Pen Pals

2011-12-24T12:44:00.000-08:00

Henry and Gabriella are on an adventure in Arezzo, Italy for nine months, bravely immersing themselves in the Tuscan culture, making friends, working their butts off in olive groves and eating, eating, eating! Their blog has made me buy an Italian phrase book and makes me want to cook up a vat of pasta every day. For a mix of elation and envy, I urge you all to check out their delightful adventures and observations at http://caffelungohbgm.blogspot.com/ But you have to promise me you won't like it better than mine. That goes for you, too, Vicki.

The Best Hosts EVER!

2011-12-24T12:37:00.000-08:00

Lynn and Jim had us to their house for dinner last week. Jim cooked a delicious meal, but halfway through Lynn had a dizzy spell and had to go lie down. Minutes later Jim realized he had to go pick their college son up from the airport, leaving us to finish the meal alone with a stern warning to NOT do the dishes. I hope to make this a regular event.

Leaking Shower

2011-12-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

Our re-grouting project a few weeks back left the shower leaking (at least that's my story). I guess the mold and goo was holding the rubber strip thingie to the bottom of the shower door. We're both waiting (or wading) each other out to see who fixes this one. Update to follow.

The Kenya Well Project

2011-12-24T12:27:00.000-08:00

Still free this New Year's Eve? My friend Susan Pope is part of the Kenya Well Project, raising funds to dig a much-needed well in Bar-Kowino village, Kenya. They've got a New Year's Eve fundraising party that sounds like a blast! Dinner, drinks, music, African dance troupe and childcare. What more could you want? Check out their website at http://kenyawell.com/Kenya_Well_Project/Home.html
And if you already have plans that night, you might want to think about giving some clean water for the holidays. Good luck Susan!

Christmas Cookies

2011-12-24T12:19:00.000-08:00

Our friend Mandy spends countless hours baking and shipping mountains of delicious cookies each year. It might break her heart to know how quickly they get devoured, so keep this one quiet. For some reason Vicki has not thanked me for saving her from all that gluten.

Happy Solstice!

2011-12-24T12:15:00.000-08:00

Belated Solstice Felicitations to you all! I don't know if the Solstice means as much to folks lower in latitude than we in the Great Upper Left Corner, but when it gets dark at 3:30 we tend to crave every extra minute of daylight we get from now on. And hot beverages. Those are good too.

Ozzie and the Art Contest is Gonna Be Published!

2011-12-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

I can finally spill: Sleeping Bear Press has sent me a contract to publish "Ozzie and the Art Contest"!!! My wonderful and amazing Agent Anna Olswanger will be explaining the bigger words of the contract to me tomorrow, but it essentially says final art is due next September and I better get off my butt and start drawing.

Some of you have asked me about how this whole publishing thing works. Well, we're gonna learn about it together. As of right now, I have a completed manuscript (the words) and a 32 page dummy book of mostly rough pencil sketches and a few color pages to show what my final art might look like. I say my manuscript is completed, but Anna O and I went back and forth a few times with edits and I would be surprised if Sleeping Bear didn't have some changes as well. And don't even get me started on how long Ms. O and I went back and forth on the art! So that whole fun and serene process will probably start all over again with Sleeping Bear's editor and art director. But first I gotta sign that contract and get it back to Sleeping Bear so we can get started. I hear that a picture book takes about a year to get published from from the time a contract is signed to printing. We're about to find out. Meanwhile, I want to thank Vicki for, well, everything. I couldn't have even thought about doing this without her love, confidence and support. Thanks to the Seattle University ELP program for getting me started, Peggy King Anderson and the close friends I made in her writing classes, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, my pushy sister Cait, my even pushier friend Tina and the amazing Anna Olswanger. And, of course, Max.

Here are some photos of the dummy (with his book)

Giving Thanks

2011-12-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

I hope everybody had a happy Thanksgiving. This is a beautiful time of year to take stock of all the things, big and small, that we have to be grateful for. Vicki and I are continuing our seasonal tradition of ending our days listing 5 to 10 things that happened that day for which we're grateful. "Each other" usually makes the list, followed by lots and lots of great things, like family and friends like you. I hope you all have stuff for which you are grateful, too. Cheers.

We're Hearing Wedding Bells!

2011-12-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

Kyle (the son) proposed to Michelle over Thanksgiving! He told us he was thinking about it in September when we were in Kenya together. We've had to sit on that secret for almost three months! We heard later that he got down on one knee and proposed with Michelle's grandma Pearl's ring. Many hoots, shouts and tears ensued. And, wait for it – she said yes! We're finally getting a daughter and we couldn't be happier that it's Michelle. Is love great or what? xxoo

What Contract?

2011-12-07T11:56:00.001-08:00

Still pending. Someday all will be revealed. Good thing I'm a lot more patient than Max.

Computer Woes

2011-12-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

Vicki's iBook was giving her trouble: losing contacts, not synching up, etc. So she took it into the Apple Genius Bar, where my beloved Kharim helped her out. Or so we thought. More MobileMe problems followed, requiring THREE HOURS on the phone with Apple Care, sorting out passwords, devices, contacts... And don't EVEN get me started on the whole migration to "the cloud."

Snore B-Gone

2011-12-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

I'm not a real loud snorer, but it's enough, says my sweetie. Those snore strips you stick on your nose really work! Sometimes Vicki says I need the extra strength version, but I'm not sure what she's talking about.

Caulk of the Walk

2011-12-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

Vicki couldn't stand the moldy caulk and grout in the shower for one more day (I can't see it, since I shower without my glasses), so I dug out all the old caulk and started squishing tubes. One bathroom led to another and eventually I had re-caulked all three bathrooms. Well, maybe I tried to. Turns out Vicki is better at it than I am. Good to know for next time.

Air, Anyone?

2011-12-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

I keep going to swim class, but there doesn't seem to be much of an improvement. There's the whole lack of air thing. Coach says you really gotta blow all the air OUT of your lungs to avoid oxygen deprivation. Maybe I am getting better, because he does admit that I blow.

Movie Review: Moneyball

2011-12-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

We're not baseball fans, but love movies about it. Loved "Field of Dreams," "The Natural," "A League of Their Own" and "Bull Durham," so we thought we would love "Moneyball." I mean, Brad Pitt, right? Snore! Apologies to you stats-loving Billy Beane fans.

Why, yes I do!

2011-12-07T11:33:00.001-08:00

Vicki hates shopping for clothes, but somehow she bought a nice, short skirt recently. I say, "More shopping!"

The Ducks Are Back!

2011-12-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

All the recent rains have filled the pond behind our house and the ducks got the memo. They are back with volume!

Cold Snap

2011-12-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

You can tell that it's Autumn when the leaves start to turn and you can tell that it's Winter when there's a snap in the air. Or in your gardening gloved-hands, if you're Vicki.

Class Blowhards

2011-12-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

The longer Vicki teaches, the less blowhards get to her. She'll gently shut them down or ask others to join in the conversation. But sometimes drastic measures are called for.

Star of Hope Potluck

2011-12-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

We had a get together of Education Angels and other strong supporters of the Star of Hope orphanage this weekend. It was great to catch up with everybody and talk about our trip to Kenya in August. Our guest of honor was Leonard himself! (director of the orphanage) via Skype. That's Marsha holding the laptop. When technology works, it's really a blessing, ain't it?. I've got photos of our visit to the orphanage here: http://gallery.me.com/danajsullivan#100152
And a video message from Leonard and his wife Gladwell, along with the kids singing and reciting here: http://youtu.be/s0DuFKF832M
AND, if you would like to know more about this amazing orphanage in Kenya (and spread some holiday cheer, nudge, nudge), check it out here: StarofHopeCentre.org

Update: we are inching our way closer to a non-profit, 501c3 status! We heard that the City of Newcastle (my fair city) is reviewing our application for a business license. I'm going to see what I can do to speed things along.

We're Back From Kenya!

2011-10-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, we've been back for more than a month. Jet lag's a bear, ain't it? I've been very busy, but truthfully I've also been intimidated to write about Kenya and the orphanage.

The trip was amazing and inspiring and also quite hard in many ways: seeing kids hauling water from ditches miles to their homes, the lack of electricity or garbage pickup. There's so much that needs to be done. The Star of Hope orphanage was definitely the high point of the trip. Leonard, the staff and all those beautiful kids were just inspiring and uplifting. The orphanage is a perfect example of what can be accomplished if you have an extraordinary individual leading extraordinary people in a venture that requires so much tenacity, love and heart. (Learn more about the Star of Hope and how you can help at http://starofhopecentre.org/) But Kenya itself is a hard, hard country. To keep this short, I'll just let you know that the traveling party included our friends and fellow Star of Hopesters Selah and Marsha; our son Kyle; Vicki and me. Leonard, the Star of Hope director, traveled with us for our whole two-week Kenyan trip. We spent a few days in Nairobi and Nakuru, where Vicki and I met our two foster kids, Pip and Dinah, then 5 days at the orphanage and another 5 days on Safari in the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Marsha then flew home and the rest of us went to the beach in Zanzibar. Below are a few photos and sketches. A photo album is at http://gallery.me.com/danajsullivan#100089

The kids in their classroom

The kids are so proud of their new sweaters they wear them even when it's hot.

The Star of Hope kids in front of the school room.

A sketch from the balcony of the Green Garden restaurant
in Zanzibar's Stone Town. I traded the owner lunch for it.

Masai in Masai Mara Game Reserve

Kyle trades with the Masai

Kyle shows off his Masai sword and spear at the St. Louis Warrior Dash

The Mind Is Willing, But the Knees Are Weak

2011-10-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

The Bouchards were playing at the Fremont Oktober Fest, so we HAD to go. They were rockin' as usual, but the dance floor was the street, which just isn't very forgiving on your knees (and feet and oy vey). But check 'em out and get on their mailing list because SOME of their dances will have dance floors. We just know it. http://www.bouchardsmusic.net/

Dana Can Do It!

2011-10-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

Shortly after Vicki gave me some advice about spreading myself too thin with volunteer responsibilities (aka: no dinero), we attended a LittleDrops.org meeting where she volunteered me for video duties. LittleDrops is a philanthropic organization that supports orphanages all over Africa and most of their volunteers work for Microsoft, which was having its Giving Campaign in October. They needed a video asking folks to donate (Microsoft matches dollar for dollar, which is fantastic!). I got it done. Check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO8W_H6_Zms
And if any of you work at Microsoft, give LittleDrops some thought. Learn more here: http://www.littledropsorphanagefund.org/

Perceptions and Diversity

2011-10-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

Vic was teaching a class recently and used a reference to Darth Vader, figuring that everybody knows who that bad dude is. Turns out not to be the case. Her class was made up of folks from all over the world (universe?) and Vicki got a bit of a lesson in assumptions herself.

Editor Time

2011-10-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

You know that thing I can't talk about that might involve publishing? Still waiting to hear. Anna O has been supportive and tells me "this is the slowest business in the world" and other published pals tell me, "Oh, this is Editor Time, welcome to Hell." Neat. I'll keep you posted if you keep your fingers crossed.

Gabs Needs a Cell Phone

2011-10-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

Our dear friends Henry and Gabriella have left to live in Arezzo, Italy for 9 months. They've been studying Italian for years, dealt with amazing bureaucracy to get visas and even found a beautiful apartment via the internet. After a grueling flight to Rome (delays, etc), they needed to get hold of their landlord to let them in, but didn't have a phone. Gabs turned to two women on the train to Arezzo and mustered up the phrase, "Scusi, portrei domandarLe una grande cortesia? Dobbiamo fare una telefonata importanta, ma non abbiamo un cellulare. Potremmo prendere in prestito il Suo cellulare?" Of course it worked, she talked to the landlord, they found the apartment and are now are living la dolce vita an hour south of Florence. They've got a blog, which I recommend highly, especially if you like photos and descriptions that make you want to eat your heart out. We really miss H&G, but their blog makes it better. Sort of. Check it out: http://caffelungohbgm.blogspot.com/

Leftovers

2011-10-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

Old habits die hard, so, even though she left me with some delicious chili, I baked a frozen pizza when Vicki was on a recent business trip. I really gotta cut back. Max just doesn't eat as much as he used to.

Not Your Daughter's Jeans

2011-10-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

Vicki was going to use a paycheck to buy some new business clothes, but came back with some very nice new boots and jeans. She was a little worried about being frivolous. Or something. She may have been talking to me...

Power Point Pain in the Patootie

2011-10-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

I was trying to help Vicki with Power Point – we want two different Master Pages within the same presentation – and it was so frustrating that one thing led to another. The big problem was that I was carrying a Mac. Bill said he'd get back to me when he'd figured it out.

Happy Birthday Vicki!

2011-10-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

My Vicki turned 61 on the 19th. I know you're yelling, "Shut UP! She CAN'T be 61!! I also happen to know you're thinking, "But she she looks so much younger that Dana." Well, thanks so much for that. Anyway, we had a wonderful night out to dinner with Michele and Dan and Monica and then went dancing at Highway 99 and then home in time for "Murder She Wrote." Whoo hoo, big night! Send her a birthday note: vdkm@comcast.net. Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

I Won An iPad2!

2011-10-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

Remember that contest I entered to win an iPad? My "I'm Going To Be A Pirate" book/app was the most downloaded by the end of August, so I WON! And that iPad is really very cool, I tell you what. Once I'd been notified I won it was pretty hard waiting for it to arrive. As promised, everybody who downloaded my app can play with my iPad, but you have to come to me. See you soon.

Maybe I'm Not "Published And Listed," But...

2011-10-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

I fixed our washing machine! Yeah, you heard me. The darned thing just stopped. But me and my good friend Google figured out it was the thingie switch on the lid and together we fixed it! And it's still fixed! That's Moishe with me, by the way. He's my favorite Wild Thing.

Rumors of Great News

2011-08-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry, can't say anything yet. Cross your fingers.

"I'm Going To Be A Pirate" Gets a 4-Star Review!

2011-08-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Digital Storytime, an online children's picture book review site, recently reviewed my iTunes app "I'm Going To Be A Pirate" and they LIKED it! You can read the review here, but be forewarned that it DOES contain a spoiler. You may recall that I submitted "Pirate" to a contest being held by TwoBigDads publishing. The app with the most downloads by the end of August (it's coming up) wins an iPad! I can only afford to buy so many of my own books, people.

More good Pirate news: Digital Storytime is holding a Facebook competition with "Pirate" somehow involved. View the details at Digital Storytime's Facebook page. And you can watch my video trailer by clicking here!

"The Day The Dogs Talked" Trailer!

2011-08-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

I recently made a trailer for the book The Day The Dogs Talked, written by Hazard Adams and illustrated by ME. And guess who makes an appearance? Check the trailer out here.

Unwanted Slug Love

2011-08-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

Vicki's been busy with work and traveling a lot lately, so the slugs have been missing her. That may sound odd, but she is their main source of food, when you think about it. And not only from her garden. Did you know that when you cut a slug in half (Yes, she really does. No, I can't watch.) the rest of them converge on the corpse and eat it? Lovely animals.

Northern Lights in Seattle?

2011-08-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

An article in the paper last week suggested the possibility of the Aurora Borealis being visible in the sky that night. Vicki and I have never seen the Northern Lights, so we went to the golf course at midnight (I'm still impressed we were up at midnight!) and wandered around looking up. The clouds had cleared, but, alas, the lights of the city were just too bright. So was the security guard's flashlight. When was the last time YOU were kicked out of a parking lot by a security guard for being out too late? Yeah, we've still got it.

We're Going To Kenya in a Week!

2011-08-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

A big thanks to you generous folks who responded to my request for laptops and video cameras! We have what we need and now just have to figure out the packing. We're getting pretty darned excited to see the orphans of Star of Hope and to FINALLY meet Leonard. We're less excited about meeting the Kenyan mosquitos, especially after our local vermin started telling stories.

Good Dog Vegas

2011-08-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

My good friend Monica is a dog walker (and film festival producer!) who really wants to set me up with a dog when we get back from Kenya. She's been boarding Vegas, a HUGE and very sweet Bernese Mtn dog who obviously belongs to a much taller person than me. Cooled my dog ardor just a bit.

Dancing For the Stars Was a HIT!

2011-07-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who attended and/or volunteered at our Star of Hope fundraiser dance last week or gave from afar. Despite the threatening rain (what the heck, it's only July) and the road construction eliminating all hope of parking (hey, it's Seattle, there's no parking anyway), we had about 170 AMAZINGLY generous people show up, dance the night away and GIVE to the Star of Hope orphanage.

Vicki MAY have had a small meltdown on Friday night when we arrived to start setting up.

Jodi Fleischman of Left Foot Boogie not only told EVERYBODY about our dance, she gave a terrific country swing lesson (despite having me for her partner)

And Mary Lee Lykes of Lykes to Dance, was our head Donation Diva,

exhorting folks to give, give, give (they did!).

The food was delicious. Ribs were donated via Costco and they were grilled to perfection by wonderful volunteers. Chicken (also thanks to Costco) and appetizers were prepared by On Safari. Corey Ebbin of Vitality Chiropractic of Bellevue donated the bucks for the food prep.

Amanda and Dan donated the INCREDIBLE house.

Jim Farmer was our Cosmo Bartender (there! you've made the blog!)

Inna Gringauz of IM Gourmet made a whole army of Napoleons

Theresa Hagen made tubs of beans and bushels of corn bread muffins

Holly and Ron took care of the wine and beer

with help from Matthew Skeel, who also was responsible for connecting us with the Bouchards, who rocked the house! If you want to find out the Bouchards' schedule, click here and sign up for their newsletter.

There are so many people to thank and so many things to be thankful for - like the fact that ALL of our kids now have sponsors for their year of education and that Marsha's birthday cake sold slice after slice for the kids, and on and on, until we raised about $6000 for the kids!

I'm gonna quit now and tell you that you can see more about the orphanage, view the Star of Hope story video AND see photos of the party at the Star of Hope website (click here). Once more: THANK YOU ALL, ASANTE SANA!

Go visit our sponsors and give 'em the business:

click here

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Eco Terrorism

2011-07-25T11:18:00.000-07:00

There's a cell in our neighborhood and they've been targeting Vicki's garden, no surprise. It used to be just Mac the Mole, but he's inducted Warren the Bunny, "Norway" Rat and Sluggo as well. "Norway" leapt out from the compost bin the other day and scared the potting soil out of Vicki. We have plans, but can't reveal them here. Stay tuned.

Oh God, Google Plus

2011-07-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

I was recently invited to join a friend's "circle" on Google Plus (actually, I'm not sure if you're supposed to write "Plus" or use the + sign - that's how NOT suited to this cutting edge social media I am). As most of you who read this blog know, I don't really even know how to use Blogger (that's what THIS blog is made with) or Facebook or ... um, that other tweety thing. So, if any of you can tell me how to invite you all to my circle, you're in!

Juvenile Cat

2011-07-25T10:59:00.000-07:00

I recently met an art director for Becker and Mayer, a local book publishing company, who wanted "cute cat illustrations." I sent her some but her response was that mine were "too juvenile" and she was looking for something more adult. Juvenile? Me?

They're REAL!

2011-07-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

The Days the Dogs Talked, written by Hazard Adams and illustrated by ME are not just on Kindle, but they are REAL BOOKS! I picked up my sample copies last week and think they are just swell! They really did a good job on printing, if I do say so myself. Oh, did you want to buy one too? Well, I suppose you could. Click here to check out both versions. Again, thanks to Diesel the Pomeranian for posing.

The Day The Dogs Talked

2011-07-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

I illustrated a book and it's for sale on Amazon! How cool is that? It's called "The Day The Dogs Talked" by Hazard Adams ("What?" cried sister-in-law Ann, "he taught me critical theory at the UW!"). It's a "Modern fable with many charming illustrations that will delight young and old." You read that? "Charming illustrations!" The cover is a portrait of son Kyle's Pomeranian named Diesel. This is the very first book I've illustrated to be published on Amazon. It's available as an e-reader or paperback and I'm gonna get me some. You can too, right here. (I need reviews, hint, hint). It's published by BookTrope. Stay tuned for a book trailer.

Summer's Finally Here!

2011-07-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

and we couldn't be happier about it. Of course, it's still Seattleopolis, so we've gotten pretty good at discerning the difference between "cloudy with sun breaks" and "early clouds, possible clearing."

A New Summer Treat!

2011-07-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

Vicki's trying to get her latest idea accepted into the Puyallup Fair but they won't call her back.

I Put the OW in Crow Pose

2011-07-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to do the Crow pose in yoga for about a year, with mixed results. I usually put a block in front of my noggin for when I inevitably topple over onto my forehead. But last week we had a yoga sub, Katie, who exhorted us to "suck your junk up into your trunk!" I gotta admit that's not very yoga-like instruction, but it worked! So, suck in your junk, people!

What's That Horrible Smell?

2011-07-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

I THINK this is an update on the rats in our attic. Or in our basement crawlspace. Or in the bathroom wall. Wherever it was coming from, the smell in our bathroom was AWFUL (and no, it wasn't me). After removing the toilet, bleaching the heck out of the floor, crawling around the crawlspace (aptly named!) with a flashlight and plugging up every hole around the house I could find, the smell finally disappeared. I have a suspicion of who got rid of the smell, but we aren't asking any questions, we're just grateful.

what really happened?

I'm Taking a Web Design Class

2011-07-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

and do I feel like stranger in a strange land. I swear sometimes I think Erik is speaking Japanese. But he's an excellent instructor and keeps telling us to "relax, you're just learning a new vocabulary." That vocabulary is called Dreamweaver, and so far it's more of a nightmare. But I'm relaxing.

Seattle Shorts Film Festival

2011-07-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

Do you have a brilliant film that's 30 minutes or shorter? Submit it to the Seattle Shorts Film Festival. My good friend Monica Magee was so inspired by her son Andrew's film that she decided to start her own film fest. Guess who did her logo? Click here to check it out and enter your film today!

It's Pirate 1.1!

2011-07-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

My iPhone app book, "I'm Going to Be a Pirate!" is getting an update, giving it music and a "go back to the beginning" feature. When Matt, my contact from TwoBigDads (they make book apps) wrote to say he had a musician standing by and would I want some music I shouted "Yarrrr!" Then I wondered about this musician standing by. Her name is Helena and she's got two boys who probably love pirates. Thank you Helena! And thank you Matt. Look for your update hitting your device soon. Don't have the app? Check it out here and then click on the "view in iTunes" button (sorry, iPods, iPhones, iPads only).

Getting Ready for Our Fundraiser This Sat!

2011-07-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

Just in case you've been ignoring everything I've sent you for a couple of months (yes, Vicki, I'm talking to you), our big Star of Hope orphanage fundraiser dance is this Saturday night. Jodi Fleischman of Left Foot Boogie will be giving a country swing dance lesson at 7-ish. She's using me as her feeble-minded assistant (I tried to get her to call me Arm Candy, but she just laughed). Now that the weather has finally turned Summerish, we'll be dancing on the roof overlooking Lake Union! Click here for full details. See you there!

Why Zombies Don't Do Yoga

2011-06-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

Well, who can blame them? I worry about this myself.

What To Do While Your Book Is In Submission?

2011-06-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

When last we tuned in to "The Adventures of Dana in Bookland," Agent Anna O. was submitting "Ozzie and the Art Contest" to publishers. So I'm waiting. Which means I have time for graphic design and illustration projects. Yep, lots of time. Hint. Hint. Reasonable rates. Gimme a call.

Play! The Video Game Symphony

2011-06-28T13:26:00.000-07:00

My friend Jan 2000 got us some free tix to the symphony last week. It was a performance of the music from video games, starting with Mario Brothers up to ... um, I forgot the names. I'm not much of a video gamer, but the audience sure was. We have never seen so many young people in the audience before! And they really dug the guest soloist who had just flown in (by eagle) from Lothlorien.

Mind the Gap

2011-06-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

Went back to REI for Africa clothes yesterday (we just don't own any clothes for warm climates, dammit). Vicki normally HATES shopping, but this time she got the best salesman EVER. He understood the importance of AE (ass enhancement) and seconded my vote on this particular blouse. If you're ever at the Seattle REI, ask for Hadley.

Guest Artist

2011-06-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

My friend Mina (age 9) drew this terrific portrait of me a couple of days ago. That's Max I'm petting there. I'm going to ask her if she can teach me to draw.

Garden Pests

2011-06-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

The late, wet spring has not only brought lots of flowers, but lots of unwanted visitors. The next Disney nature film will not be featuring Vicki.

Vicki's Garden

2011-06-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

Somehow this crappy, wet weather is really making Vicki's garden happy.

Happy Birthday Kyle!

2011-06-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

It was Kyle's 26th birthday earlier this month. He was pretty hairy even then. Happy Birthday, Spud!

This is Summer?

2011-06-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, we don't have flooding or tornadoes or tsunamis and I should just quit whining. But darn it all, isn't this supposed to be Summer?

Noises in the Attic

2011-06-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

I confess I didn't believe Vicki when she said she suspected we had chipmunks or rats in our attic. But then I heard some godawful scratching one night while Vicki was in Texas. By the light of day I was feeling braver, so I climbed up in the crawl (and I mean "crawl") space and told those little vermin very sternly to get out. So far so good, but I'll keep you posted.

Ann Patchett at Town Hall

2011-06-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

We recently saw author Ann Patchett speaking at Town Hall, Seattle. I LOVE Bel Canto and knew Patchett could spin a good yarn, but I didn't expect her to be so funny! Her latest book, State of Wonder, is set in the Amazon and she read a riveting passage about a wrestling match with an Anaconda. When asked if her characters ever just take over, she replied, "Nope. I'm driving this bus." Does she ever thinks about them once the book is finished? "Sorry, no. Once the book is done, so am I." I was totally going to ask her if Roxanne ever missed Gen.

Dancing For The Stars - July 16 - You're Invited!

2011-06-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

Just making it official: you are all invited to our fundraiser dance on July 16! It's to benefit the Star of Hope orphanage in Bungoma, Kenya and it promises to be the highlight of July – not only because we have the Bouchards playing and lots of food and drink and fun people, but we have it on good authority that the sun will be out by then just for us! (Remember, the sun is a star and LOVES the Star of Hope).

Details:

Sat. July 16, 7-11:30 p.m.

656 Howe St. Seattle, WA 98109

(across Dexter from the Swedish Club)

click here for a map

Dance to the Bouchards!

give 'em a listen at www.bouchardsmusic.net

$25 will get you in the door, food, drink, fascinating folks, a dance lesson from

Jodi Fleischman of Left Foot Boogie AND roof-top dancing. Really? All that?

BELIEVE IT!

More info about the dance and Star of Hope at

StarOfHopeCentre.org

Our party venue is the AMAZING house of Dan and Amanda Franklin which has a rooftop deck overlooking Lake Union. The offer of their place came pretty much out of the blue and we are just blown away by their generosity.

And of course the Bouchards are going to be rocking the block (hello neighbors!), so we'll have plenty of wine, beer and other pain relievers on hand for me and my knee.

We couldn't be doing this without lots of generous folks like:

Dr. Corey Ebben of Vitality Chiropractic Center

Teresa Carew of On Safari Foods

Sandra Wixon of Sweet Decadence Chocolates

Inna Gringauz of I M Gourmet

Jodi Fleischman of Left Foot Boogie Dance

So, mark your calendars for July 16 and we'll see you at the dance!

What's In A Name? Everything!

2011-05-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

Agent Anna O was finally happy with "Max and the Art Contest" and sent it to Anne Moore at Candlewick, who promptly let us know that we might have a problem with the book's name. It seems David Fricking Weisner, genius writer and illustrator, has a book on the NY Times bestseller list called "Art and Max." My Max suggested putting a hit on Mr. Wiesner, but had to admit that wouldn't really solve anything. So, with a heavy heart, I started searching out new name for my beloved Max.

His Book

My Book

Another Reason To Change HIs Name

2011-05-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

There are a few "inconsistencies" in Max's bio which we are working on.

Introducing... Ozzie!

2011-05-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

So after a couple of weeks of searching for names, bugging friends for help, asking strangers what their dogs were named and then combing Amazon for books with similar titles (curse you, David Wiesner), I came up with Ozzie. It's a fun name and Max was an Australian Cattle Dog, so it fits and Max is happy with it. I made all the changes to the book dummy and sent it off to Anna O. THEN I did a middle school visit to speak to a couple of classes about careers. I showed them a powerpoint presentation of my new book and this sharp-eyed kid, Mario, spotted what neither Anna O nor I had after numerous proof readings: an errant "Max" in the artwork. I rushed home immediately to send Anna a corrected version. Yay Mario!

Sure, We'll Wait

2011-05-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

Anna O thought it best to wait until the BEA (BookExpoAmerica) was over before submitting "Max" - uh, I mean "Ozzie" to publishers. Max wasn't too keen with that decision. Wish us luck.

Check With Vicki First

2011-05-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

Anna O has learned that she and Vicki usually agree on my stuff, either writing or art, so she's started asking me if I've already run it by my "sweeter set of eyes."

We're Going to Africa!

2011-05-29T15:40:00.001-07:00

We bought the airline tickets and got our travel shots, so it's official: we're going to visit the orphanage in Bungoma, Kenya. We leave Aug 22 and return Sept 13. Kyle's coming, since he got us involved in the first place, and so are Selah and Marsha (not their real names unless it's okay with them). We can't wait to meet Leonard (the director of Star of Hope) and see those kids! When we got our shots the very sweet nurse told us it helps to curl our toes. Helps what, exactly?

And Looking Good!

2011-05-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

REI was having a sale, so we shopped there for safari-type clothes. Man, somebody must look good in those nylon zip-off-the-pant-leg-to-make-shorts things, but it sure ain't me.

Let's Put On A Dance!

2011-05-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Many of you have seen my "Save the Date" sticky note, which means that many of you were confused by what the hell my sticky note meant. Okay, let's take it from the top. First, the Star of Hope Orphanage board decided to put on a fund-raising dance.

The planning for that is going very well. We've got a venue, a band and some incredible donations already lined up. Click here to see the dance details.

So, to explain my "Save the Date": many of you thought that I was saving a potato or a rock or even a "floater" from the kid's pool at the Y. No, no. It was a DATE! And I was baptizing it. Oh, forget it. Just come to the dance.

Cute Little Woodland Creatures

2011-05-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Somebody has been creeping into our garden at night and selectively lopping off tulips and daffodils. Somebody who leaves cloven hoof prints. Vicki is not happy. And then she saw the cutest little chipmunk slip into an ever-increasing hole right next to our back door. We're trying to get the point of boundaries and "personal space" across to our woodland neighbors.

Pressure

2011-05-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

Our back patio had grown a nice, silky 2-inch coat of moss that, while beautifully green, was becoming a squishy hazard. So I borrowed the neighbor's pressure washer (thanks McCallums!) and went to town. It wasn't quite as much fun as I thought it would be and I was dripping wet and exhausted pretty quickly. Thank God I couldn't get the thing started again after a short break.

See You in St. Louis

2011-05-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

We visited the "kids" (Kyle and Ellie) two weeks ago in St. Louis. She's an HR lawyer and he's in facilities at the St. Louis Zoo. First, they are in the opposite corner of the state from Joplin, so no tornadoes have been threatening them. They are not just fine, they are fantastic. "The Lou" is really a pretty city, with lots of parks. What did we do? Why, attended our first Roller Derby of course! Vicki picked up a few pointers. We had a great time and it was nice to see that the garden keeps growing even without any sunshine for the 600th day in a row. (not complaining - no tornadoes here either)

Wood Ducks!

2011-05-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Vicki has wanted to see Wood Ducks virtually her whole life and this Spring we spotted a pair in the wetland behind our house! And not only are they Wood Ducks, but they like to perch on our back fence. I would send you a photo, but they are extremely shy and have amazing peripheral vision. Every time I approach the window with a camera, they plop back into the pond. The other morning they woke us up at dark thirty with a really weird quack. Usually no problem, but Vicki was teaching at pop (a web marketing company) that morning and needed her sleep.

Shameless Marketing: Buy My Book!

2011-05-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

This email is blatant commercialism: please download my $1.99 online book, "I'm Going To Be A Pirate," and help me win an iPad. All you need is love in your heart, a couple of bucks, and some sort of Mac device (phone, computer, ipad, etc. Although I believe you PC types can still download from iTunes and view on your PC) Click on this link to buy the book at the iTunes store.
Help me win. Buy a book. Tell your friends. Buy another book. I have until August 27 to win and I'll make you a deal: if I get that iPad I'll let you all play with it. Really.
THANK YOU!

Movie Review: Jane Eyre

2011-05-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

I've never read Jane Eyre, but from the movie I gather it's the grandmother of all young adult chick lit: young, beautiful girl; dark, brooding, filthy rich man; forbidden love and yearning, yearning, yearning. And S-L-O-W-W-W-W-W! I am almost incapable of walking out of a movie, especially when I'm holding Vicki's hand, but I thought I was going to have to gnaw my arm off. I like my version better.

Remember Real Food?

2011-05-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Vicki recently cleaned out her recipe box and found some from her high school home ec. class! Kids, check with your parents about what that was. Old people, remember cooking and/or eating like this?

All Set For the Big Conference

2011-04-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was the big conference for the Northwest chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). I had been helping to plan it, working on my portfolio, clearing my busy schedule, etc. Finally the big day was here and I was about to head to the conference when Vicki called to say her battery was dead. No biggie, I had a little extra time, so drove to her, cleaned off the battery terminals and jumped the battery. It started right up and off she went to the gas station for a new battery. Then I raced to the conference, right on time... to find out I had forgotten my satchel with the laptop and portfolio and, and, and. What a great start. Luckily it was safe at home and Vicki's battery was working.

Critique from Dan Santat

2011-04-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

Dan Santat is an author/illustrator god who was a keynote speaker, workshop leader and all-around inspiration. He also led an illustrator's Master Class where he critiqued work we had sent in earlier. He was pretty easy on my stuff, but he did point out that just about EVERY FRICKIN' PICTURE I had sent in had a character with a big grin and arms straight out like they're gonna hug the living crap out of you. Man, I had never noticed THAT before. (click on the picture and it will grow magically)

All Right, Already!

2011-04-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

So now I'm doing all I can to avoid the hands thing.

Bust a Knee!

2011-04-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Since I'm on the advisory committee for SCBWI (you remember, I'm the scooby snackmeister), I got to go to dinner with the big kids, where the waiters never let the wine glasses get empty. After dinner we went back to the conference hotel where a kick-ass dance party was already in progress. We danced like mad monkeys and closed the place down, but not before I was reminded that my knees are just as old as the rest of me.

Art Consult with Anne Moore

2011-04-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

Anne is the Art Resource Coordinator at Candlewick Press in Boston. She taught two excellent classes for illustrators and gave me a one-on-one portfolio consultation. She gave me some great advice, and not just about dancing with other women. She's even trying to show me how to use twitter. Anne hasn't yet shown me how to link to her tweets from this blog, so you'll have to wait for that.

Dance Consequences

2011-04-20T15:51:00.000-07:00

I considered telling Vicki that I hurt my knee dancing with Chadwick (which I had, but he didn't hurt my knee), but figured that would be, what do you call it? Oh yeah, lying. She actually was very sweet about it, kinda.

Check Out Timothy Travaglini's Blog!

2011-04-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

Tim Travaglini is a big time New York book editor, seller, freelance book pro and he also wears bow ties. That's why his blog is called The Devil Wears Bow Ties. Check out the sketch I drew of him at the conference that he's using on his blog.

And a Big Thanks to Our SCBWI Angels

2011-04-20T15:39:00.000-07:00

Laurie Thompson, Kimberly Baker and Joni Sensel are the Regional Advisors for our Northwest chapter of SCBWI and they seriously kicked ass making this conference the best ever. Many thanks to our Wicked, Witty Women of Words!