Catherine Bailey

Catherine Bailey's blog is an excellent resource for writers and illustrators alike. There are so many great quality resources on this site that it's almost unbelievable. When I first looked (by looked I mean browsed quickly) at this site I was greatly deceived. There are short concise (but very informative) posts and I thought "oh hey there are links". Those links are invaluable for writers, but before you click on them read the posts!  They are informative, witty and just plain fun. You can check out her website here: http://crookedbook.blogspot.ca/

I got a giggle out of reading Catherine's blog. The most current post cracked me up (maybe a little more than it should have). The following post is a great interview with Anna Staniszewski. Catherine starts this interview with asking Anna about her favourite funny word. SPOILER ALERT: It's duck! Makes me wonder if she'd laugh at me... ha, ha, ha. Catherine makes for a wonderful interviewer. She asks the questions that we all really want to know, and allows those she interviews to really shine.

My favourite part of Catherine's blog is the resources she has for writer's and illustrators. She has listings for several publishers on her website. She also gives updates when she finds them about which publishers no longer accept work. Along with this Catherine gives links to blogs and other websites that will help writer's and illustrators on their path to becoming published. I especially love when she gives readers a glimpse into her own life, writing or otherwise.

There are so many layers to Catherine's blog. She does anything from book reviews, to resources all while letting you in to see what her life is like being a children's author. As there are layers to her blog there are to Catherine herself. She has been a professional researcher, a graphic designer and a Cartoon Network intern. All these wonderful things have helped to to create the great blog she has today. I highly recommend you check out her blog!

All the Lovely Forgetfulness

Though the title of this post is about forgetfulness, the truth is I didn't forget. If I had forgotten completely I wouldn't be kicking myself right now for not posting. It was a needed vacation from posting because I had a lot of work to do and little time to do it.

I've been working over the past month to become a financial advisor. I know, I know, what I really want to become is an illustrator, so why take on any other job? The answer of course is money in more ways than one (flexibility is another that this job will offer me). Unfortunately not submitting illustrations makes it impossible to get paid for them. I'm getting close, but even then there is a small chance that I wont be able to make millions in the first couple of months.

Though having money is good, the information that I've been learning lately is invaluable. I'm usually the one dealing with the family finances, so learning about investing, RRSPs, insurance and the like is helpful even if I never end up working (I have a job lined up already, though). In order to for me to start working I have to first pass an exam, which involves an online course and studying (blah).  Today I took the big exam and I hope I passed, because I'm so done with studying. I went to University and even got a degree, but I think I studied less in both HS and University less than the time I put into studying for this exam.

It's basically been the studying that's kept me from drawing and even posting so much. I really hope that I've passed this exam, so I can go back to spending my time drawing! Cross your fingers for me, and if you know a genie, please send him my way!

Ed Emberley's Drawing Books

Usually it's best to stick with one book when doing a book review, but I thought "What the hay, we'll just do them all in one go."  And that's what I did.

Oh, yeah, I haven't done anything yet. Clarification needed? Now that's just asking for too much!

Today I'm going to write about Ed Emberley's massive drawing book collection. I don't take the word massive lightly either! Ed Emberley has created almost every type of drawing book a kid would ever need. There are of course the colour books. From green to orange, red to umm... whatever other colours there were - chances are that Ed Emberley had a book that matched your favourite colour. 

My favourite part about Emberley's books is that almost anyone could do the drawings in these books. Yes, I know I'm an artist and could literally do any of these drawings without help, but I couldn't always! Emberley breaks down each drawing into easy shapes for kids to draw. 

Can you draw a triangle, a circle, a rectangle, and maybe some wavy lines? If your answer is yes, then you can draw anything in these books. Really, that's all there is to it! Want to do a bit more? Then he'll help there too!

The great thing about these books is that this is really the way an artist draws. Make basic shapes (in correct proportion) and connect them together to draw anything that can be imagined. It's a wonderful start to a kid's art education.

One of my favourite books (or was it part of a book?) was the book where there was a face making game. I believe there was dice that was rolled and the roller had to draw a part of a person. The end result was usually a very funny drawing. 

There were so many books that I couldn't tell you half of them! There is a thumbprint book, where you just add details to create your drawings. I loved the large structures that Emberley would add into his big "colour" books - the ships always being my favourites. I always had a special place in my heart for the orange book, but I think it was my favourite colour at the time.  Animals, trains, ships, people, robots and so much more are things a person can learn to draw with these books. Don't know what to draw? Draw the world with Ed Emberley's Drawing Book "Make A World"!  

I love these books so very much, and I hope that those who read this will pick up a copy (they have most new versions at the major booksellers). Even if there are no kids to give this to, it's good to pick up just for personal education. I'm going to make it my personal mission to collect as many of these as I can. Uh, for my son... yeah. Not for me, because I draw already! 

A great big THANK YOU to Ed Emberley for creating these wonderful books!

Why I Failed to Post: A Visual Story

Yesterday I did not forget to post. I was too ill to make a post. I feel bad about this so today I'm making up for it with a visual description of what happened yesterday.


Yesterday

Yesterday my head felt so bad
and all the work was done by dad.

Dad soon turned ill and climbed in bed.                            Closed his eyes, his face filled with dread.   

I said, "I'm sick, please watch him dear." 

He sighed and left the room in fear.

I don't know why he fears our boy.                     He's so dear, sweet and full of joy.

Missing Spring

Missing Spring

All of this cold rain
A bit of fog and some snow
Please come back soon, sun

Evelyn B. Christensen

Today I'm excited to bring you a review of Evelyn B. Christensen's website. Evelyn is different than the other people I've blogged about. Evelyn's site is not only that of a person who writes non-fiction, but educational non-fiction to boot! You can see her website here: http://evelynchristensen.com (but don't click on the link until you've read the review.. unless you just can't wait). Her webpage is packed full of puzzle games, books, resources for writers and "Writing for Children's Magazines" an e-zine that she publishes bi-monthly.

When you enter Evelyn's website you'll notice she's an Award-Winning Author & Puzzle creator. Is her work really award worthy you might ask? Well if it's anything like her website, than yes, yes it is. There is a list of all of Evelyn's books and links to buy them online. Evelyn's two top award-winning books are "Aba-Conundrums" and "Inchamals". 

"Aba-Conundrums" is a neat puzzle book where one can solve puzzles with an abucus (and yes the abucus is included). There is also a dry erase maker so that a child can solve the problems again and again. I loved my abucus as a child and I wish I had a fun game book to go with it!

"Inchimals" comes with 12 wooden blocks, each a different inch in size. Each block has the number of inches of the block and cute animals on each block. The book included has picture adding puzzles so even someone as young as 3 could play. 

Evelyn has not one, but several pages of puzzles for kids to do. There are word searches, logic grid puzzles, math colouring puzzles, and crossword puzzles just to name a few! If your kid has done everything on this site don't despair! Evelyn posts new puzzle pages every week and changes at least four of the activity downloads on her Teacher's/Parent's page every week. And don't forget to buy the books as well!

If the above wasn't enough Evelyn has resources for writers as well. "Writing for Children's Magazines" is an e-zine that Evelyn publishes bi-monthly. The articles submitted for this e-zine are informative and even funny. Evelyn does an excellent job finding great articles for her e-zine. Beyond her magazine there are a whole resource of articles she's written, a list of educational markets for children's writers, and many tips to help a writer on their way.

Please check out Evelyn's fabulous website. Be sure to purchase one of Evelyn's books for a child in your life. These kinds of books make great gifts (I loved getting them as a child) and children learn a lot from these. I know I will be buying some when my son is old enough to not eat his writing utensils. 

I Forgot

I had written these around 10pm tonight while I was waiting for my husband so I could drive him home from work. I was happy because I had been worried I wouldn't have anything to post, and then I forgot to make the post when I got home. I'm going to go to bed tonight and not forget to post in the morning.

I Forgot

I forgot something.
I think it was important.
Maybe not? Oh, well!

I Remembered

I'm so happy now.
I remembered something good!
Forgot what it was.