on the bluebonnet masterlist

Hey, The Year of the Dog is on the Texas Bluebonnet Award 2007-2008 Master List. cool beans!

grace goes to washington

I was in Washington DC this weekend for the Multicultural Children's Book Fair at the Kennedy Center. It was great fun, met neat people and all...but I have to say the highlight of my stay was the hotel room. Last year I traveled so much that I would forget what number room I was staying in. But this room will be remembered. Why? Let me take you on the tour:


First I enter and see a lovely vanity area and bathroom to my left. I forgot to take a picture of the actual bathroom but suffice to say that it is about 2 times bigger than the one I have a home.

Then the nice cushy bed, with the softest throw you can image (like a cloud). There's a sitting area and also an office table with free dsl and refreshments (including chocolate coveredbiscuiti). It's a little bit of a mess because I've already help myself and started to spread.


But the best part is when you turn the corner--there's a kitchen! I've never had a hotel room with a kitchen before. The refrigerator is full size and there's a bottle of sparkling apple cider waiting for me. Gosh, I could make myself at home...and never go back to my real home. Think Robert would notice?

lissy doll version 1

Here's the first prototype of the Lissy Doll. We're going to work on the face to make it more accurate as well as the skin tone and jacket... but VERY EXCITING!!! I especially like how they got her red sneakers right.

cover story

Last May, my friend Justina Chen Headley told me the back story of her cover art for Nothing But the Truth and a few White Lies. The book is about a “hapa”, a half white and half Asian girl, and the publisher was having problems finding an image of a girl that looked hapa-enough for Justina’s taste. Finally, they offered to let her find her own model and help art direct the cover. She found the perfect girl at a coffee shop, set up a photo shoot and voila! One of the most lovely covers I’ve seen.

And I have to admit I was a little envious. The cover of my book was my idea, but suddenly choosing a model and having a photo shoot just seemed so much more glamorous. And fun! I could have a call for entries, maybe a contest…my mind raced with the possibilities.

“Gee,” I said to my editor (who is also Justina’s editor), “I wish I could’ve chosen a model and done a cover like Justina’s.”
“I don’t think that would’ve worked,” she said, “How many girls would want to be on a cover of a book called, “The Year of the Dog?”
“Yeah, you’re right,” I said, “Maybe the next book.”
“But,” she said, “Your next book is called, The Year of the Rat!”

Ah, good point. Sigh.

years go by

Today, as I was drawing I found myself staring at my hands. As I looked at them, slightly chapped, with slight scars and wrinkles, I suddenly realized--these are my mother's hands. Through some alchemy of time, my hands and I have become practical and aged.

And these changes fill me with bittersweet thoughts. I remember once, in my youth, thinking that I wanted to be just like my Mom. She could play the piano, wear lipstick, and buy candy any time she wanted to (though she never did). Adults could do that. I thought they were so lucky.

But surprisingly, adulthood has not been full of the simple pleasures I imagined. I’ve buckled under its pressures and it’s left wrinkles that can never be smoothed. And as I observe the invisible transformation of carefree to careworn, I can’t help but wonder-- when did this happen?

And I realize that this has happened when I wasn't looking, as most important things go. It's the moments I miss, the minutes and seconds I cancel or forget that all add up and become what changes me irreversibly.

Unless you believe those Oil of Olay ads.

yum

But I think this would have been better as cupcakes.

fun things in my inbox

Nothing helps me procrastinate more than e-mailing and blogging. So you know when I blog about e-mails it is procrastination at its paramount.

First I received, this is a photo from a mother whose daughter used Year of the Dog as her school project. For those who know the book, this is the scene where my mother falls asleep standing up during a school assembly and wakes up to a glaring teacher. You can't tell from the photo, but the teacher is holding a sign that says "disobedient children" with my mother's name right underneath. Too cute! It's kind of a thrill to think that students are making dioramas of my book, just like the way I used to from books by the likes of Beverly Cleary.


I also received this from the publisher of the Seven Chinese Sisters. The Worldwide Adoption Services has asked if I would grant permission to create these wooden nesting dolls for their charity. I said yes and hope they are quite successful, though I do find it curious that my work seems to make a lot more money for charity then it does for me. But who am I to complain? And these dolls are really sweet.

memory

This past weekend was my 10 year college reunion. I didn’t go because Robert has an allergic reaction to reunions. Last time we went to a reunion was about 5 years ago for my high school reunion. Robert broke out into hives he was so bored. And, he said, the hives were more interesting than the reunion.

I, however, had a pretty good time. My most unforgettable memory was meeting up with an old acquaintance that used to do all the lighting and tech stuff for the drama club.

“I’m a children’s book author/illustrator, now,” I told him, “What do you do?”
“Oh, I do lighting for shows and movies, that kind of thing,” he said.
“That’s great,” I said, “I can completely see you doing that. What shows have you done?”
“Oh, just some shows,” he said, “You probably haven’t seen any of them.”
“I might have,” I said, “Just name them.”
“Umm,” he said, “Well, I kind of don’t want to tell you.”
“Why?” I said, “Is it porn or something?”
“Well,” he said, “Yes.”
“Oh.”

That conversation pretty much ended in awkward silence. Though, my laughter about it on the car ride home could be heard for miles.

bid!

My February Lanterns painting is NOW on auction. Please BID.

cupcake dreams

I am definitely riding a wave of happiness these days. Even receiving my discouraging royalty statement (which usually sends me into the depths of despair) seems like a just a slight dip into the water. Nowadays, I have been floating on my back, looking at the clouds.

My most recent castle in the sky has been the idea of leaving children's books and opening up a cupcake bakery. No, really--I have it all planned out. My friend Loretta, who is a real chef, would be the culinary expertise, Robert would design the small but quaint store (in the middle of Harvard Square), Ki-Ki and I would do all the logos and murals on the walls and I'd get all the girls to be partners. We'd call it "The Cupcake Garden" and students and tourists would line up along the streets just for our cupcakes. It'd be great, I know it. What do you think?

Ah, I've sold more cupcakes in my dreams than I have books in real life. The dreams are just so much sweeter.

my pet project

I am enjoying my Robert's Snow retirement. It's quite a relief not running a fundraiser. However, I also feel slight pangs of guilt. With Robert doing well, I don't want to forget what got him here.

Which is why I have joined THE PET PROJECT: PICTURE BOOK ART FROM THE HEART.
It's an illustration show and charitable online auction with a unique bent. Each of the 29 illustrators involved have chosen their favorite charity or 'pet project' for their illustration's bidding to benefit. It's kind of like Robert's Snow, but not on snowflakes and only 29 artists who chose their own charity.

So, of course, I have chosen the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as my charity. And, I've chosen what I consider to be my best piece of artwork (above, isn't it pretty? Don't you want it?) from my recent book One Year in Beijing to be the piece sold. It's an original and I hope it goes for big bucks.

The auction opens on eBay on 10/5/06. If you would like to be alerted when the auction opens, enter your email address at The Pet Project Website: http://www.mypetproject.org/

I'm going to the Exhibit opening in Maine, with good friend Anna Alter who has also chosen Dana-Farber as her charity. So if you're in the area, come on by, say hello and place a bid. If you're far away, no problem--just bid away online!

If you think about it, I bet you know someone close you who has had cancer or has been affected by it and here's a chance to help. I don't want to go on and on about it, as I've said it already here during the Robert's Snow event, so suffice to say bidding for my art (and Anna's) is for a GREAT cause.

Opening:
Thursday, October 5, 2006 from 6:00-8:00 PM Zero Station
222 Anderson Street, Portland, Maine
Directions: http://www.zerostation.com/zero2/directions.htm
The Pet Project Website: http://www.mypetproject.org/

good luck

My luck seems to come in waves. Never a smooth balance of good and bad, I seem to be deluged with either sorrow or joy. Now, I am definitely on the upswing, because not only is Robert's health good, my agent gave me some news about my upcoming book Lissy's Friends. It seems that Merrymakers has officially made an offer for the licensing rights and there will be a...

LISSY DOLL!!!

Yes, it's true. That little Asian girl in my painting is going to be made into a plush doll. The book and the doll will be released on the same day, May 17th...which also happens to be my birthday! I think it's a sign. I'm going to have to have a BIG book/birthday party! Who wants to come?

reliving normality

Friday, September 22nd was perhaps the best day of my life so far. Nope, no book deals or winning lottery tickets, but those things are mere nothings. Because, Robert has been declared in remission…and given a three month vacation from treatment, possibly longer.

Our doctor warned us not to get too excited, as his disease is quite persistent; and there’s a high probability that he will have to go back on treatment after 3-6 months. But, after 3 years of the rollercoaster, we’ll take it. It’ll be the first time in 3 years that Robert will not have some kind of toxic chemical running through his body. It’ll be the first time in 3 years that we won’t have to navigate around steroid induced mood swings, curative pain or medicinal fatigue; or be troubled about germs or low blood counts. It’ll be the first time in three years that I can schedule an event without counting the days to his next treatment week or worry about canceling last minute because of an unexpected chemo complication. It’ll be the first time in three years that we’ll be free.

And to be honest, we’re not sure what to do. It’s as if we’ve come out of a cave and our eyes are dazed by the sun. “It’ll be good for you to live a normal life for a little while, “our doctor said. But we don’t remember what normal is.

However, we’re happy to try.

soup days

Whenever I am on a deadline, we eat soup. I reserve a morning cutting up vegetables, throw it in a pot and make a large pot of chicken soup. And that is what we eat. For days. I do this so that I don't have to cook for the rest of the week and am free to forget about meals as I paint and write away. Recently, these soup days have occurred more often than desired by my husband, who says he has nightmares of drowning in soup. I almost feel guilty, but then I remember he is the one that forgot what a saucepan was after we said our wedding vows.

anger leaves me sad

Alvina's recent post about race has made me rather introspective--making me examine the journey to my own professional identity. But this entry that I recently found wipes away my attempts of detached intellectualism and leaves me sad.

forgetting the fragile thread

When Robert is struck by food poisoning,the violent vomiting scares me into hyperactivity. What if? What if? For we have been lulled into complacency, the quiet chemo weeks come and go and we've forgotten what real normalcy is. Because this is our normal--days which pass like pearls on a string that is really a fragile thread that ties us together.

grace and the giant ...

Recently, I've been rereading one of my favorite children's books James and the Giant Peach. Since then, I've had many a giant fruit sighting. Perhaps something is calling me to write...

Grace and the Giant Orange? Don't like that? How about...

Grace and the Giant Strawberry?

Too bad I wasn't able to get a photo of the giant pineapple.

no labor Labor Day

I'm taking the day of work and am goofing around...hence this little quiz, "What's your personality type?" (Thanks, Alvina!). When I was in high school, my history teacher gave us all in depth personality quizzes and then gave us the results the next day. After we each read our results, he asked all who felt that the quiz depicted our personality correctly to raise their hands. Everyone did. Then he told us that he had given us all the exact same analysis--a memorable lesson on interpretations.

You Are An INFJ

The Protector You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity. Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is. You are an excellent listener, with almost infinite patience. You have complex, deep feelings, and you take great care to express them. You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher.

What's Your Personality Type?

quilt square

While I was procrastinating from my real (paying) work, I made this quilt square for a charity group in PA. I like it even though when I showed off the finished product, Ki-Ki said, "You don't know how to quilt, do you?"
"Um, no," I said.
"You can tell," she said.
Oh, well!

bicycle blues

Today my bike got a flat tire and I had to walk it over 2 miles to a bike shop. Suddenly, I have a newfound disgust for the slowness of walking. Especially in the rain.