I made this last night and thought you might want to try it. There’s nothing like good smells and a full tummy to help you write. (No, I was not procrastinating! smile.)

Peel and slice up two pears and two apples. Place in the bottom of a greased 8×8 square baking pan. Sprinkle with a sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to taste. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of Lemon Juice and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Stir this up right in the pan. Top with your favorite granola and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the fruit is nice and soft.
Enjoy as a breakfast treat with vanilla yogurt or as a dessert with vanilla ice cream. Yum.

The other evening I was reading my most recent novel attempt to my husband who is great and very honest and he says, “Hasn’t this been done a lot before?” And in my head I’m thinking you know he’s probably right and if I fuss at him he won’t agree to hear my work anymore. And in my heart and what, of course, comes out of my mouth is something about how I am writing what I know and this is what I know and that my characters are different from those other characters… But even as I say it I feel that it is a pretty lame defense. I apologize and tell him he’s probably right, and set aside the notebook. What I need to do is pick up the notebook again and just write some more. I can’t help but think that my experiences were unique and wonderful and deserve to be written about. I just need to hit on the unique and forget about what everyone else does.

I’m trying not to journal so much and to spend my writing time working on my projects. But then I miss you all and your comments because they make me feel connected to you and your successes and waiting and rejections. Hey… just like me. I think it is time for an agent.

 As you may have heard, Nancy Pelosi is hoping to start off big with her “100 Hours Agenda.” It’s a bunch of progressive proposals, including cutting oil subsidies to invest in clean energy, getting cheaper prescription drugs for seniors, and raising the minimum wage.

 Naturally, the big drug companies, oil companies, and business lobbies are fighting hard to stop her.

 MoveOn has started a petition to Congress so we can show our representatives we’re ready for some real progress, and they should act quickly to pass the 100 Hours Agenda.

 Plus, the total signature count and some of our comments will be read out loud on the floor of Congress during the debate — so the more we get, the louder our voice will be. You can join me in signing today at:

http://pol.moveon.org/100hours

 Thanks!

Did a lot of drawing today. Here’s a puppy trying to get at something out the window. What do you think it is?

I’ve never really shared this before, but… These are my designs for “The Phoenix Towers.” Right after 9/11 I designed these buildings to replace the Twin Towers. “Two curving wing-like structures, white, with windows to reflect the city lights,” is what I wrote on the bottom. The arrow points to a strip of window running down the edge of the building and says, “Glass for elevator shaft. Glass elevator allows views of the city. Goes to observation deck.” The inset is an interior shot and says, “In between towers, glass covered atrium. Marble floor (white) etched with names of the dead, in cocentric circles. Center, eternal flame in water.”

I wish I could have submitted the idea to someone because the monstrosity they’ve designed seems like a tower of Babel. Trying to reach higher into the sky in order to prove that we can touch the face of God first. Sometimes beauty and peace are more appropriate than might, and money.

Here are last year’s resolutions (This is a great idea Tami!)

1) clean and organize studio Did this, but it is ongoing.
2) try to do morning writing pages at least three times a week I have to admit that this is still not my habit. But I can say that I either wrote or drew each day. My sketch book carrying was more habitual and there have been times that people in my family have requested (rather impolitely) that I stop drawing and come back to Earth.
3) send program brochures to schools and libraries This was not very successful. Even though I included a self-address stamped postcard, I did not hear back from folks that I sent the brochures too. I have made some personal connections with teachers who have passed on my information to other educators. The most important thing was designing the programs and the promotional materials. Now I have brochures and the information is on the web.
4) sign up for one course that will help me move me forward on one project this spring I took a children’s illustration class during the summer. The best part of it was breaking through the “I don’t have time” excuse. But it took some doing. My fabulous sister came up from DC to be with my kids while I worked on my art from 9-5 each day. Wow! That time was really amazing.
5) keep on submitting and getting rejected. There’s got to be a contract out there for me. I’m submitting more and more and the rejections are getting more personal. Maybe 2007.

In addition to these things, I’m pleased to say that I got out two illustration mailings, showed my portfolio at the Spring NESCBWI Portfolio  Showcase, and the Fall Folio Feast, joined an on-line picturebook crit group, had a great time at my writing schmoozes, entered two contests (one illo and one writing), switched to Live Journal, applied for a SCBWI grant, and purchased an on-line portfolio with Portfolios.com. Click here to see it.

The goals haven’t changed much for 2007:
1. Three illustration mailings this year.
2. Continue to draw and write regularly. Update online portfolio monthly.
3. Continue to submit manuscripts. Try to make the turn around time shorter. (Sometimes I sit on manuscripts instead of sending them out the next day.) Is that contract out there?
4. Apply for non-fiction SCBWI grant
5. Play with novel ideas this year.
6. Take painting class.
7. Get a day job.

A Merry Christmas animation for all of us dreaming of snow. (Not by me.)  Click here.

“A ski sled!” yelled E. “A polar flyer, awesome,” said I. We all looked outside. Warm sunshine streamed in the sliding doors. washing out the Christmass tree lights. I squinted at the grass lawn.  “Well,” I said, “we could always jump in the car and go try to find some snow.” But we didn’t. We opened gifts and hugged and ate and hugged some more. The hugging is my favorite part of Christmas. Later in the day the boys went outside with their father to learn to shoot their bow and arrows (from Santa, argh!) and then we went for a wonderful hike in a local state park.

Incidently, when we got to the top of the mountain, there was an older man (60’s?) taking digital photographs. He photographed my kids a few times as they played on the rocks and I asked how he was going to use the photos. “They’re for my personal use,” he responded gruffly. “I didn’t take any of you.”
    “Yes,” I said, “but you took photos of my children.”
    “Do you want me to delete them?” he asked.
    “No,” I said trying to stay light and kind. “But I am an artist who often sketches others and I often ask first. You can’t be too careful these days,” I explained.
    “I guess so,” he said.

Was I overly protective? Should I have had him delete them. Personal use? What is that? I suppose I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t planning on putting them on the web but he didn’t really say he wouldn’t either. Anyway, if parents ask me about my sketching, I always have a card handy, I let them see the sketches (which usually don’t look like their kids anyway) and ask them to take a look at my website. His response didn’t satisfy me.

Back to Christmas. I’m so excited about my gift to my husband. I got him seasons tickets to the Maine State Music Theater our only professional musical theater in town. He was thrilled. Now we have to wait for summer to enjoy the gift.

I’m so impressed by all of you who are able to stay on task with writing and creating art this time of year. My artistic energy has been going into wrapping presents and finishing Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince. (Finished today.) Question: Isn’t it odd that Harry has been able to face challenge after challenge by himself  in the past books. He solves problems, figures out magical stuff, and succeeds, just as he should in a MG/YA book. Then in book 6, he needs Dumbledore (an adult, albeit very cool one) to get through the cave challenge. What do you think?

Still hoping to hear about SCBWI grant, board book, and Errand Day picture book. Resending two non-fiction pieces on Tuesday when my kids get a day in Vacation Camp!