A Writing Retreat in Hawaii
The following is a true story, and I hope you laugh with me. I had been hankering for awhile to get away from everyone and everything to write and illustrate my next book. The opportunity came last February when a long time friend asked me to house sit her cottage in Hawaii. She had been away the last several years taking care of her elderly mother. My friend is an artist herself, and spoke of her beautiful large art desk by the north-facing window, the shelves of art supplies, and the ocean view. She sincerely wanted me to come to her place...
read moreWalnuts and Chocolate
Delicious organic brownies in 5 minutes or less While I don’t consider myself a foodie, I do have my weak spots, and brownies are one of them. When I received this recipe (in an email – I kid you not!) I had all the ingredients on hand, and a friend’s luncheon to make them for. There were six of us, so one tray was the perfect amount (so we could all enjoy seconds, too). These brownies were an instant hit. Last week I made homemade chocolates for a birthday bash, and as yummy as my chocolates are, two of my friends requested I bring...
read moreWhen Books Become Real
Printed versus Digital Reads For me a book becomes real when I can hold it, admire it, and turn the pages. In its digital format it is still elusive to me – like it never quite made it to becoming real. (The stories of Pinocchio and The Velveteen Rabbit come to mind.) I have a large collection of books at home, and I visit libraries and go out to bookstores for recreation. While I am grateful for the digital era, I defend the need for children’s picturebooks and storybooks to be physical, printed books. What about you? Have you...
read moreThe Peaceable Kingdom and The Peaceable Forest
When my editor first proposed the name, The Peaceable Forest, India’s Tale of Kindness to Animals, for my book, I hesitated. “I don’t know. I really like the subtitle, but I’m not so sure about the word Peaceable in the title. It is not a word children will know, and it is not used in modern English. Let me spend a day or two thinking it over and I’ll call you back.” Up until that point, my only encounter with the word ‘peaceable’ had been Edward Hick’s famous painting known as The Peaceable Kingdom. I did a little research....
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