This month of May started with me finding three four-leaf clovers in two days at home. Yesterday coming back from Memphis I stopped at Mammoth Springs, Arkansas, to give the dog a chance to do what dogs need to do. I found a total of five four-leaf clovers before we got back in the car and left. This morning I found one more! This must be a good omen for a good decade.
The illustrations and cover are finished. The book, Chloe Starcatcher, written by Beverly Crandell based on a story by Chloe Pierce, will be privately published. I will post a few illustrations from the book later.
Today the participants of Jano celebrated with a party. A group of local writers, who liked the idea of writing for one month on a novel of our choice, but didn’t like doing it during the month of November, decided to do it in January. (So instead of Nano, we called ours Jano.) We had participants from coast to coast; not even sure how one of them even found us! Four people actually reached the goal of 50,000 words. But not me. However, I now have a good start on a mystery novel. Prizes were awarded at our celebration party for several things; I tied for “best first page.” Yea! We all enjoyed hearing what everyone has accomplished. This was fun, and the mutual cheerleading encouraged a lot more writing. (Now for Jano 2011)
Sleuths’ Ink, a mystery writers group I belong to, decided to spend a month in which each member (who chose to do so) would write a 50,000 word novel, but not in November when it’s usually done. We chose the “bare” winter month of January. Problem was…I got sick and totally drained of all energy. Took a long time to “come back.” And while I did not reach the 50,000 goal, I got a really good start for a novel that has been just running around in my heard taunting me for a few years. Now to go back to work finishing other projects!
I plan this year to finish the five major writing or writing related projects that I’ve been working on.
One: complete the editing of my biography about the life and times of Maria Sybilla Merian, a woman who captured my heart because she played with caterpillars all of her life, was a very important part of the development of the field of entomology, did her own meticulous research, and became famous. She persevered and did all of this even though everything was stacked against her. What a gal!
Two: finish the illustrations for a children’s book written by Beverly Crandall.
Three: complete the last bit needed for my picture book about Maria Sybilla Merian, and send the dummy book out searching for a publisher.
Four: send out a children’s book I have written about a ghost’s discovery that he is a ghost.
Five: complete the writing of a 50,000 word mystery novel during the month of January, even though I have a slow start right now. : )
I have always loved to draw and paint. In high school I got caught drawing a teacher. I knew I was in big trouble when she took the drawing and left the room. Sure enough, I was soon called out. But what happened astounded me. My schedule of classes had been quickly rearranged and changed to include art! If anyone had told me then that I would teach art for over thirty years, the size of my eyes would’ve outgrown my face — that was so impossible!
Writing crept up on me while I was busy teaching and raising a family. Finally, encouraged by my husband I enrolled in the Institute of Children’s Literature of West Redding, Connecticut. I was amazed at what began to flow from my pen!
As an educator I was always looking for something to enhance the classroom experience, something involving looking at things in a different way — both literally and figuratively. I experimented, researched, and sometimes learned along with my students.
These days I’m painting for myself, currently ocean scenes in watercolor. I also make one-of-a-kind pendants from seashells. I’ve illustrated a children’s book which has been published in Holland. I’ve begun writing again. Currently I am working on two books: a picture book and a fictionalized biography.
