Art

Money Talk (in publishing & in general)

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Hello! I hope this finds you well. This post will cover the taboo topic of money – in fact, I’ll go on at length towards the bottom. But first, let’s start with some fun updates. THANKS TO YOU My deepest gratitude goes out to everyone who bought a copy of Rosa’s Song or borrowed the… Read more »

2020 has been quite a year…

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Hello, all! I hope you’re staying healthy and well as we soldier through these unusual times. And as the end of this crazy year approaches, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you – my friends, family, readers, subscribers and fellow creators — for all your book love for The Paper Kingdom…. Read more »

It’s a HOT summer

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Hello! I hope you’re staying safe, strong, and sane during this time of continued uncertainty. Is it crazy hot where you are? We’ve been having some blistering days (and wildfires) in California. What a nutty summer (and a nutty year). UPDATES These past few months of lockdown have been some of the busiest months in… Read more »

Publication News (Plus a Sneak Peek)

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Hello, lovelies! Hope you had a chocolate-filled Valentine’s Day 🙂 I’m so happy to announce that Candlewick Press has acquired my manuscript, SORA’S SEASHELLS! The deal announcement from Publisher’s Weekly is below. I get to work with brilliant editor Kate Fletcher, who edited Meg Medina’s MERCI SUAREZ CHANGES GEARS — the 2019 Newbery Award-winning novel…. Read more »

Pascal lands a cover on The New Yorker!

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Pascal Campion is the mega talented artist who is illustrating my next picture book, The Paper Kingdom. And…*drum roll*…his illustration is on the cover of The New Yorker!!! I love his nighttime scenes, and this one is so, so beautiful. Check out his interview here. What’s really amazing is that Pascal mentions Jean-Jacques Sempé as… Read more »

Fun Updates

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I have some fun updates to share! THE TURTLE SHIP is currently undergoing the color correction process. That means Colleen (the talented illustrator), Lee & Low (the amazing publisher) and the printing company are collaborating to make sure the colors represented in the book’s images accurately reflect the colors in Colleen’s original artwork. Jessica (our… Read more »

A Fun Glimpse into an Artist’s Process

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I’m happy to reveal the work in progress of Colleen Kong-Savage, the talented artist who is illustrating THE TURTLE SHIP.  I find absolutely fascinating the thought process behind her artistic choices.  For instance, Colleen is working to find a way to contrast the turtle enough to make him pop off the page, instead of blending… Read more »

In Love with Sempé

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I have been in love with the artwork of Jean-Jacques Sempé since I was fifteen, when I read the NICOLAS series (which he illustrated) for a high school French class.  Sempé is known in the U.S. for his iconic New Yorker covers, such as this one: But in his home country of France, his illustrated… Read more »