UpComing Blog Things:

1.  One succinct post to answer the repeated question, "How do you write and illustrate a children's book."  I'll tell you, as simply as possible, how I personally completed this process.

2.  How did I come to write this specific story?  Why these particular events?  What inspired the writing, and how did I come to final decisions about characters and situations?

3.  Tips about rhyming.

4.  Total Blog ReVamp.  New purpose and direction.  It's gonna be good.  :)

5.  More art!!

6.  Update on life and what's new.

Friends!!  Is there anything I've forgotten??

In light of the holidays,

here's a watercolor I did when I was a little girl:

Happy Holidays to aaaaallllll,

And to all, much love and good night.

Long Time, No Me!

It's almost been a year since I've posted on my blog!?  Oh boy.

Well, here's breaking the ice!  Just dropping in to say hello, and I'm still alive.

My lunch break just ended though so time to say goobye!!

Goobye!!

*waves hand furiously*

My First School Visit Went Like This...

Such an exhausting day.  Gonna invest in a robot that carries large, lead-heavy boxes of books.  Or a husband.  Thankfully there was Dad.

Morgan, UT - I grew up right beneath that "M."  Ish.

My hometown school - Morgan Elementary - hosted my visit.  I saw teachers I still remember, including my own beloved 1st-grade teacher Mrs. Tyrrell (who made this whole thing possible).

I entered the school office.  "Hi. I'm the visiting author for the day."  Did that just come out of my mouth?

"Oh hi!  Are you ready for your stack of orders?"

I tried on some more confidence. "Yes." I wonder if they believe me.

Blog Tour

1. What are you working on right now?

I have two other children's books currently in the works! Both are centered around learning a skill which enhances emotional health, mainly which oppose codependent behaviors, in a light, humorous, and secret way (you can't tell, you just think it's another great story with a great moral! muaha).  The one I'm most excited about involves learning the importance of taking risks instead of playing it safe all the time according to what our minds assume others want or expect from us.  

2. How does it differ from other works in its genre?

I plan to put my books in child-therapy offices.  They will teach emotional health in an enjoyable NON-preachy way (children smell preachiness from a mile away you know).  And they are pretty darn cute. . . 

3. Why do you write what you do?

Inktober

Apparently it's a thing to draw once every day and post during October!  I've participated on 2 occasions this month so far......... haha.

Here they are!

(my phone takes bad pictures.... and my camera got stolen... and I don't have a scanner)

# 9: GUILT Attacks

Hippo Challenge #9 (read the challenge here)

So does anyone else experience "Guilt Attacks?"  I do!!

First let's talk about Hippo (from my book You Should, You Should for those who are new here).  Let's imagine that before he takes ownership of his individuality and identity, before his grand moment of assertiveness,.... let's imagine how he might have felt earlier in the game had he wanted to say "No, I don't want to do that."  Probably.... guilt.  Unnecessary guilt of course.

Might have gone something like this: