One can accomplish when one wakes up at 4:45. I teach aerobics on Mondays and Fridays at this time anyway so I’m trying to make it a regular thing to get in extra drawing and writing time. This morning I woke up after having this realistic dream where the character I played in the dream gave and incredible speech to a teacher who was being a jerk. I opened my eyes, looked at the clock– 4:46 bolted up and started the first chapter of a new novel. Hmmm… you may wonder what has happened to novels #1, and #2. Well, novel one has been completed twice and has been in the proverbial drawer for a while. It is time to take it out and do a serious book altering, life altering revision. (Maybe not today.) Novel two is on chapter three, and this one now has an amazing first chapter. Well, it was amazing to write.

I made lunches and got my children off to school. Then I took my incredibly stinky dog, Sam, to a new grooming and self-service dogwashing business called Unleashed that opened up in Topsham, Maine. The self-service dog wash is on a sliding scale depending on the size of your dog. I have a big dog and paid $16. It was completely worth it to use their professional doggie showers that are waist high, their shampoos, ear, teeth, and eye wipes, nail clippers, and tornado-like blowers that atomize the water and blow away fur and dead skin. Noone will recongnize the new and improve non-stinky Sam. He is soooo clean.

Don’t miss this link. (First seen on the Laurie Halse Anderson site) What a way to live!

This is a redraw of a drawing I made when I was about 5 or 6 and at my Mother’s office. I drew it on an index card in hot pink highlighter. I think she still has it somewhere. I think of it often when I say to my own kids, “Hush, Mommy’s on the phone now.” Oh the angst of it all.

I am alive and well and have been drawing regularly. Found some great sketching at the Botanic Gardens in DC (lovely orchids) and on the subways. I also saw the Library of Congress exhibit Cartooning in America. I’ll post more when I am home and can scan in some sketches and paintings. Right-on toartistq  for sketching every day. It is a noble but difficult pursuit that often takes a lot effort and tenacity.

This one’s for you Tami!

Shopanna

Snow is coming? Think summer and beach! Visit Shopanna.

On Thursday at 9 am my children and I board a plane to visit with my parents for a week. The problem is snow, or the forecast of snow, 12-18 inches of it. I’m doing everything I can to try and make things go smoothly: take dog to kennel early, check in with snow plow friend and make sure he knows I need to leave at 5 am Thursday, get the car checked out today for fluids, tire pressure etc.  I know that it will be a day of delays but if we can just travel safely I’ll be happy. I am a nervous flyer and you really can’t be with kids. I put on the everything-is-all-set-just-fine face but really my belly aches and I’m taking deep cleansing breaths. Keep me in your thoughts.

Oops, ask Mom for those cookies first!
(click for larger version)

So my hubby is tucked in bed and getting ready to leave tomorrow  with the Navy. No, he will not be in harm’s way, no, he will not be gone for months and months and he has a specific date to come home so I’m not worried. For this I should thank my luck stars and I do. However, I do not want him to leave. Whenever he does, we get a big snow storm or something in the house breaks (knock on wood). Mostly, I miss him and it is hard to be alone with the kids for two weeks. I know, poor me, blah, blah, sob, sob. But there you have it. Here is the bright side. 1) I will go see my parents for the second week as it is also winter break week and 2) I will write and draw in the evenings as we will not need “catch up” time. I don’t feel very bright yet. Hmmm…

Bad, very bad. I signed up for JacketFlap when J.Bell posted something on the NESCBWI listserve and I just spent a good long time, okay hour(s?) finding friends and setting up “MY” jacketflap. Good G-d. There are plenty of dog fur piles to be vacuumed, clothes to be washed, a small boy to be loved on (he’s doing Perler Beads right now) and lots and lots to write an draw. Why, Anna? Why, why, why. With you all as my witness, I do solemnly swear to only check JacketFlap once in a while.

The Fall and Rise of Illustration is an Interview with Charles Hively of 3×3 Magazine. Anyone interested in illustration and the enormous competitive nature of the field right now may want to read it. I’m looking forward to winter  break. I’m going to visit my parents with the boys. Ready for some TLC myself. I’ve been working on an image that is starting to bug me. I’d love some feedback on composition, color, value, drawing, line… any help would be great. Take a look.