Story Time

Our local librarian and 'Story Time' leader, Sheila, agreed to read my manuscript and give me her notes.  I definitely consider her an expert on reading to children, among other things.  Her story times have packed them in for years.  Here is an article from a couple of years ago, but it remains the same today.
http://richmondconfidential.org/2009/12/24/story-time-for-a-special-season/

She gave me some wonderful pointers for my next set of manuscript revisions and is encouraging me to read it at the library.  She said the kids will let me know if it works.  Yikes!  I suppose part of this business is an ability to do self-promotion and group talks.  I can read a book to a bunch of kids and parents....right?  I've managed to put it off until next week to rework my dummy.  I think it will be much easier to read if I have pictures to go with it.  They will just be black and white sketches, but it's better than nothing.  I expect this experience will allow me to hear some of the things that I can't when just reading to myself.

I really value women/people like Sheila.  It is so important to instill a love of books and learning.  She is someone who has dedicated herself to this task, remembering the dozens of names that pass through the library doors and making each child feel special and welcome.  That is really all it takes with kids.  They don't look for perfection.  They just want connection.  I'll try to remember that as I'm shaking in my boots next week staring into all those little faces.

Copyright Carrie Cartier 2012

Here is a happy little accident that happened while I was playing with some watercolors this week.  She makes me smile.

May 17th Illustrator Event

Tonight I went to a wonderful illustrators' event in Sausalito put on by our local SCBWI chapter featuring Lea Lyon.
http://www.lealyon.com/illustrations.html
Lea does amazing watercolor paintings and has illustrated several published books so far, with more in the works.  She lives not far from me and I hope to take one of her watercolor classes in the future.  She gave a lovely talk covering her path into the world of children's book illustrations focusing on the question of what makes an illustration work.  This was a small event, which allowed for participants to bring a favorite piece along with portfolios to be critiqued or analyzed by the book.  We weren't told until yesterday that this was part of the event, so I had a small freak out and then pulled a favorite line drawing from my files, traced it onto heavier paper using my light board, and started painting.

Copyright Carrie Cartier 2012.

Here is my original line drawing, which was obviously done on a sheet of notebook paper.

Copyright Carrie Cartier 2012.

Here is today's creation.  I used watercolor, some colored pencil, and ink.  I personally liked the original better, but I was encouraged by my fellow illustrators that this was good start.  Perhaps I'll try to redo it again soon and go with a darker background and scratch the silly star notes.  

The best part of this event was how it opened the group up to friendly and helpful conversation about our work.  It became a networking event.... or support group in a way.  I even connected with a couple of women who will be attending the L.A. conference in August.  Our work was all different.  Some people were skilled in digital illustration and had elaborate portfolios.  Several were like me with their book full of sketches.  One older gentleman came in with a simple folder, a few color copies, and one of the most beautiful prints I have ever seen.  His originals are on 1'x2' pieces of masonite, which he said will be left to his children, but he was hoping to sell prints and try his hand at illustration.  AMAZING work!  

Well, I don't want this to get too long.  I'd like to do a little painting before bed.  Sweet dreams all.

This week was exciting.  The Man and Sweet P took off for the mountains for a couple of days leaving me home alone.  WooHoo!  During that time I got down to business. Arrangements for my stay at the SCBWI International Conference in L.A. this August were made and then it was time to get to work creating a children's book.  

The Particulars of Planning and Process

So I have a story/manuscript.  That part came rather quickly.  One day during Sweet P's nap time I turned one of my jotted down notes of inspiration into a story from start to finish.  Don't get me wrong, that has had revisions and will continue to be revised until all the parts fit together.  I have a story though.  Done. Hah!

My dream is to be an Author/Illustrator, so it doesn't end with the story.  Actually, here is where it gets complicated.  Luckily there are some pretty clear rules to follow in the children's book world that help me begin to fill in the blanks without creative overload.  Most children's book are 32 pages long and when books are bound together the paper is generally bound 4 sheets at a time.  If my story goes over that 32 page format, I have to come up with not 4 more pages of pictures and writing, but 16.  That is front, back, left, and right side of each sheet.  Also, within that 32 pages resides the front matter, which involves titles, publishing info, dedications, and those doodley pages that are often out of a different type of paper than the interior.  So to make it short I have about 24, maybe 25 pages to work with here.  A great way to figure out exactly what goes where is by creating a storyboard and what is called a "Dummy Book."   

Here is a link to someone who explains it quite clearly with pictures and all.

http://www.juliehedlund.com/2010/04/01/picture-book-dummies/

My storyboard became more of a story-wall that I could step back and analyze.  Once the geography of everything is understood I begin transferring the information into my dummy.  These thinking tools will be used multiple times as the book evolves.  Here I map out word placement and tackle the logistics of the book.  How does the story sound when read aloud?  How do the forced pauses of page turns effect the flow?  Once the sketching process began, I asked myself if I was being too repetitive in word and picture.  (sound of crumpling paper and begin again)

For this particular book, I want a manuscript that makes sense when read on its own, but I would like the pictures to add dimension.  As a parent who has read the same book dozens of times, it is fun to go off script now and then to point out something else that is happening within the illustrations.

copyright Carrie Cartier 2012- all rights reserved

                                                                                     

Here is a glimpse at my dummy with taped in photocopies of my sketches with words.  I've already found tons of mistakes through this exercise.  This also proves that you don't need phenomenal computer skills to put a dummy together, though as it evolves into a cleaner product I will put more effort into that area for a more professional display.  

Now for the Love part of Paint Draw Love!  This makes me happy!  Writing this blog, telling these stories, drawing these pictures, and reading reading reading all the wonderful tales of and from people who have gone this road before makes me happy.  

For a feel good tale of friendship reciprocated check out last year's Caldecott winner, "A Sick Day for Amos McGee" by Erin and Philip Stead.  I love the colors in this book too.  

http://erinstead.com/books/a-sick-day-for-amos-mcgee/

SUPPORT

This week's entry has taken a turn.  I had planned to get into the nitty-gritty of the format and planning which goes into producing a children's book, but I think that will wait at least another week.  Instead I have decided to focus on something else I believe to be crucial to the creation of anything new.  

I decided to look up the definition of the word support on thefreedictionary.com and came up with so many that I will have to choose a few of my favorites to share. 

sup·port  tr.v.  1. To bear the weight of, especially from below. 2. To hold in position so as to keep from falling, sinking, or slipping. 3. To be capable of bearing; withstand:  4. To keep from weakening or failing; strengthen: 5. To provide for or maintain, by supplying with money or necessities. 6. To furnish corroborating evidence for:  a. To aid the cause, policy, or interests of:  b. To argue in favor of; advocate: . 7. To endure; tolerate: ". 8. To act in a secondary or subordinate role to (a leading performer). Synonyms: support, uphold, back1, advocate, champion

I have been so fortunate that despite a lack experience in this field and that envelope/drawer full of unrealized ideas, I have people in my life who have placed themselves in each of those support roles and are willing to go above and beyond to say and show me that they believe in me and support my dreams.    

My current goal is to prepare for the SCBWI International Conference in Los Angeles this August.  For that, I will be creating a dummy book for one of my manuscripts (I'll tell you about it later) with several finished illustrations and the rest clean line drawings.  I would also like to begin an online portfolio (a must according to my sources) and have a number of promo cards printed to hand out with examples of my work.  

Those are simple sounding tasks that take an incredible amount of time and energy.  Thank you to my daughter's loving father and grandparents who allow me time alone here and there to think about this project knowing that she is not lacking.  Thank you to the friends and family who supply strength when my confidence weakens, to the lovely Linda E. who is making an expensive conference in L.A. possible, to my dear Aunt who flew all the way from Alabama with a handful of her own stories to join me at another conference last fall so that I didn't have to bear the shaking nerves alone, to our local children's librarian, Sheila, who is willing to share her time and expertise, and the list goes on...

This may all sound overly personal, but I want to make a point of recognizing the advocates I have in this venture.  It reminds me that what I am doing is a blessing that can bring joy to many.  It also reminds me to search for ways that I might champion another.  In saying that, I would like to encourage you to check out the writing of a talented young woman and dear friend who will be traveling to L.A. from Vancouver, Canada with me to follow her own dreams and searches for a publisher for her Adventure Fiction novel 'Heaven in the Meat Packing District.'  You may read some of her work at ww.gaiastanding.com/1