Dog on a Blog (with a Storybook Ending!)

Everyone has a story to tell... sometimes you need to tell it yourself. However, if you only speak "dog" you need someone else to tell it for you. This is what PET TALES is: The stories of art studio pets living their best lives with their creative owners in the studio and on the road. 

Click the image box to get the full story in What Women Create Magazine's Pet Tales! Biscuit's story is from Summer 2023 edition.

And now for some work-in-progress! Here's illustrations from three books, all very different stories and in various stages of development. 

The image below is from "Bumblebee, Bumblebee." The author I'm working with unexpectedly lost a baby last year. She's developing this touching and hopeful story to help other families going through the same trauma. You can find more through the Share Program which provides information, education and resources for bereaved parents and siblings.

Nancy Oswald and I continue to tweak "Wilma's Worm". We've submitted to a few publishers and gotten feedback which we take to heart. Writing and illustrating a book, revising, submitting is a long process. As Wilma's character and story evolve we love her a little more through her journey.

Here is a super fun, new picture book that's very near and dear to my heart. It's in the beginning stages and as you might guess is about an Alphabet Garden. I'll tell you more as we get further into the project.

I'm excited to be a part of Fort Collins Nursery's first ever Storytime and Crafts event on July 15!  A wonderful group featuring seven local children's books authors and illustrators will be on-site to read their fabulous stories. We'll gather on the outdoor patio, nestled along the banks of Dry Creek and the Cache la Poudre River surrounded by beautiful plants, trees and wildlife. 

It's a FREE event that also features fun crafts, activities and door prizes for kids and their families. Signed books will be for sale by The Crowded Bookshelf.

Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and well-behaved pets are welcome. You might even meet my pup, Biscuit there! That's the life of an art studio pet.

Click on the graphic for the full line up of presenters and details coming up for Storytime at Fort Collins Nursery.

Thanks so much for checking out my blog. I have more events coming this summer. Follow me on Instagram where I'll post about them. 

Storytime and Crafts at The Bookies Bookstore in Denver, 10:30 on July 11

Storytime in the Dome at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery at 10am on July 19 where we'll read "The Prairie that Nature Built" by Marybeth Lorbiecki. Afterwards we'll head downstairs to the live black footed ferret exhibit with conservationist Kim Fraser. Did you know black footed ferrets were considered extinct until they were "rediscovered" in 1981? Kim will tell us about that and lots more. In the meantime check out The BFF website!

Storytime and Crafts in the Park at the Wandering Jellyfish in Niwot, 11am on July 22

Storytime and Crafts at Second Star to the Right Books in Denver, 10am on August 3

A second FCMoD Storytime in the Dome presentation on August 16th reading "If You Love Honey" by Martha Sullivan

And finally, looking forward to "A Journey To St. Thomas: Tales for Our Time" by Josiah Hatch book launch party at New Terrain Brewing on Nomember 8. Fulcrum Publishing is hosting the event and they know how to have a good time!

Happy Summer!

Cathy

This, That, and the Other Thing

I've been a loyal follower of Miss Marple's Musings since her blog began in 2011. Joanna Marple travels the world exploring children's books that focus on nature, cultural diversity and storytelling at it's best. It was an honor to have her review Baby on Board which just came out this spring and also include me in her illustrator interviews.

Miss Marple's Musings, A young adult and children's author celebrating the natural and cultural diversity in our world

Below is I Spy Blackberry Pie, a book I'm writing as well as illustrating and will be submitting to publishers and agents soon. It's creative nonfiction - reads as a story while being based on facts. The facts are our five senses - sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. I got the idea while emailing with my best friend, Ginny. We've known each other since we were four years old and many of our happiest memories revolve around food. Why do we have such vivid memories of being in my grandmother's kitchen, waiting five more minutes for that pie to come out of the oven? That was 50 years ago while I hardly remember what I ate last night. Did food taste better when we little? Which lead to googling about kid's taste buds... and on from there. So far it's coming together pretty well. We'll soon find out what the publishing world thinks.

Black and white rough layout with type in PDF

Full color artwork to show style

Very messy, early storyboard and more refined layout in Indesign

Here are some photos from Storytime in the Dome at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery where I'm a volunteer. Desiree with Photography by Desiree came to my studio as well as the museum and took photos for an article that will be in Where Women Create Business summer edition. 

We read Pitter and Patter with a packed house on the 35 ft digital dome screen!
This is such a fun story time experience. Ben, the Digital Dome Manager animates the page turns, adds sound effects and makes the book big and wonderful. 

Super cute kids making Rain Cloud craft that ties in with the book. Sarah, the Early Childhood and Special Learning Lead at the museum develops the activities and makes story time all come together.

Detail of Pitter and Patter's Rain Cloud activity- cotton ball clouds!

And this came in today's mail - two acknowledgments for Over on the Farm. It received Bronze Medal for Alphabet/Counting books and also was chosen by the International Literacy Association's Teachers' Choice Winner 2017.

Over on the Farm gets some love!

You can click on the images to enlarge them.
Thanks for taking a look!
Cathy