Oh boy oh boy. Here is my FIRST ever business card just in time for the big SCBWI WWA CONFERENCE AND RETREAT! I've been up late and early these last few weeks helping with both events and am a bundle of nerves (public speaking on both Friday and Saturday among other things see below!)

The Retreat for Professional Illustrators takes place all day tomorrow at the Overlake Country Club. Illustrator G Brian Karas and Ellice Lee, a Hyperion designer, will be the stars of the retreat.

Besides a presentation on his illustrating life and process Brian has not one but TWO hands-on workshops on character and setting lined up for us. On the phone he seems like a great guy and I can't wait to meet him!

Ellice (she's very mysterious and I've not chatted with her as much as Brian but I'M SURE she's nice) will give us a one hour presentation on her role as designer/art director for Hyperion and then she'll spend the rest of the day giving private 10 minute portfolio reviews of the 26 participating illustrators (me included!) Other surprises are in store but I'll report on those post-retreat.

Putting aside my bottomload of excuses I will say that I WISH I had gotten more together in time for my portfolio review. A book dummy, or two, would have been nice. Instead I'm bringing in some new art work but no whole dummies and I have decided to let go and make peace with this. Next year will be different, definitely, because I won't be the retreat director and, heck, I might not get in!

Next week I'll be posting my portfolio pieces and Ellice's critiques of them be they positive or gut wrenching.

Saturday at the Meydenbauer Center we have the Conference. Nearly 400 people attending/on faculty. With award-winning author and personal idol or illustrator keynote speakers addressing the entire conference, a number of breakout sessions, portfolio/manuscript consultations and all sorts of fun exciting children's book related things the conference is always a highlight of my year.

There's a rush of energy I get after the event that, once the weeping about being inadequate subsides, fuels my summer.

The Conference will hopefully be less stressful than the Retreat--Saturday my main task is to moderate a panel of illustrators and Ellice. I am not known for being moderate but I just got a haircut so I appear more mainstream than normal.

Other big Saturday events:

Janet Lee Carey will be handing out party invites to her July book launch of The Beast of Noor. I LOVE this book AND I am designing the mini-site for it (art and animation which I am still laboring over with lots of love and affection.) More on the book and the site in the next few weeks!

I'm really looking forward to hearing Tina Headley (even if it is only for 15 minutes) and the D'Amicos speak. More on them in the next few weeks, too: my goal is to post sketches and notes on both my retreat and conference experiences.

AND Logan is in Puppy Palace during all this--he's in Snohomish with my mom and grandmother and their two-year-old Golden Retreiver, Calvin, at his disposal. Also a ginormous grassy yard, tons of toys, liver biscotti AND while I was there they got out the dog kiddie pool. He didn't even notice me leave! That rat fink, I miss him so.

Here comes the retreat and conference! Wish me luck!

Jaime

Holy Mackerel it has been a busy week so far!

Here is the e-vite I made (with Aaron's super help) for a great upcoming event: SPRING INSIDE STORY!

If you are a Northwest teacher, librarian, bookseller or in the local media please come!

An evening full of entertaining authors and illustrators AND wine and cheese! A great opportunity to meet people that care about great books for kids and young adults--this is also the perfect chance to audition local authors and illustrators for speaking or workshop engagements as they present three minutes of the "inside story" behind their latest books.

Please RSVP and if you have more questions check out the FAQs.

It is a big list that promises to be full of surprises and I hope to see you there!

Jaime

Sweet Silly George Shannon has a great new book of poems and riddles perfect for spring. Busy In The Garden has me raring to rake and boogie with some broccoli. My favorite poem would have to be the Zucchini one (forgive me for the lack of formatting--I'm still learning to blog):

Zucchini
meeny
miney
moe.
Plant a seed
and watch it grow.
Eeny
meeny
makes a lot.
Like a magic cooking pot.
Eeny
meeny
munch a lot.
Zucchini every meal-
you've got:
Zucchini bread.
Zucchini spread.
Zucchini casseroles.
Zucchini pies.
Zucchini fries.
Zucchini dinner rolls.
Zucchini juice.
Zucchini mousse.
Zucchini jam and scone.
Zucchini hash
and succotash.
Zucchini
meeny
miney
MOAN.

Moaning aside it makes me hungry for summer and my grandmother's famous Chocolate Chip Zucchini cake.
Apparently in Vermont there is a Zucchini festival that is tons of fun.

The illustrations are fun and joyous, too. Sam Williams's pencil and watercolor spots are full of warmth. His characters remind me of Helen Oxenbury's and a bit of Harry Bliss or early Maurice Sendak--the children are sweet and doughy but with a definite weight--I love a solid child with her feet firmly on the ground.

George is having a book party this Saturday at All For Kids Books in Seattle to celebrate Busy in the Garden. I plan on being there and hope you will come, too!

Logan has a bit of a green eye boogie problem, needed to be microchipped and is preparing to enter doggie daycare once a week. Therefore a visit to the vet was in order.

Vet visit: 10:20 am appointment

10:07 am Cat = Hissy
10:10 am Reception = Perky
10:13 am Old lady = Not Interested
10:14 am Dog = Slightly Inquisitive
10:15 to 10:20 am Child = Slightly Despicable
Said child kept running around the waiting room chair island and everytime he passed by Logan the kid pretended to sniff Logan and tell him straight to his sweet puppy face, "YOU STINK!"
But Logan smells fine to me and if you asked me to pinpoint the REAL stinker it might be someone with a T Rex robot toy...and Logan owns no robots.
7:00 am to 11:00 pm EVERDAY Logan = Perfect Sweetykins
The vet, the lovely Dr. Sherrie Crow and her WSU Vet in Training both said Logan was a Super Sweetie. AND had lovely teeth. And didn't stink in any way.

jaime temairik

Last night I attended our final monthly SCBWI WWA for the season. Kirby Larson, the main session speaker, always brings down the house. Her topic of Voice Lessons was pitch perfect. Kirby, a wit and a wonder, provided no easy answers for finding your character's voice but DID provide a great handout of strategies as well as mention some great picture books, MG readers and YA novels to look to for voice inspiration.

Having read Hattie Big Sky it was thrilling to see Kirby's early writing and pre-writing exercises. Hattie Big Sky is a FANTASTIC debut young adult novel. It won't be out until October 10th but put it on hold at your library or pre-order it from Amazon NOW.

And to give us all hope--Kirby worked on Hattie for four years! Research and development included, yes, but the final product reads as effortless and true as if Hattie had left the manuscript waiting for Kirby in that 1917 Montana claim shack.

Just read it. Inspired by Hattie's grit and gumption you, too, will accomplish things you never thought you had the power or wherewithal to do!

Some of the books Kirby mentioned last night in relation to strong character voice are:

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey
Zelda and Ivey written and illustrated by Laura McGee Kvasnosky
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Chicken Boy by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Lowji Discovers America series by Candace Fleming (Kirby calls series readers the SOAP OPERAS of the children's book world)
Angel Coming by Heather Henson, illustrated by Susan Gaber
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
Are You Going To Be Good? by Cari Best, illustrated by G Brian Karas
and OF COURSE
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

Finally, to combat all your writer jealousy of the above hot titles she recommends reading page 122 in Anne Lamott's Bird By Bird

Keep being inspired! Check out Kirby's gorgeous website complete with writing tips and her blog.

Already a black dog is creeping into my art! Someone was barking at the tv while I was attempting to make an oval shape with pinking shears...really I'm just not very good at using scissors. And this is a rare image of Bebop looking team oriented and not snarky.

I am only on Hour 2 of "Learn Movable Type in 24 Hours" so I was able to make the image a pop-up but I don't know how to make it fit the blog entry to scale and it will have to be cut-off for now. I'm working on learning all about it though!

jaime temairik

Here is our new puppy love. Logan Happypants. There is no sweeter more loving poochiepoo. We've gone for long walks and to the dog park everyday since he got here. He's showered us with kisses and snuggles and just a few bottom toots...Aaron thinks they smell like peanut butter that has died.

Logan is okay with Bebop--they sleep on the bed together but they aren't quite spooning yet.

It is so nice to have a dog friend!

jaime temairik

Sunday night we saw a blowout game--the Sonics stuck it to the Blazers with a landslide victory. And second best to them winning (I know the playoffs aren't in the picture but I am still happy for them) we had AMAZING seats. Two rows behind the Sonics bench. Aaron's company has courtside season tickets and it was incredible to be that close to Jesus Shuttlesworth and sweet baby Luke Ridnour. Earl Watson is my new favorite, too. Super fun game all around.

I'm quite sure I made eye contact with Nick Collison but with my freaky wide excited player-stalkering eyes I don't think I painted quite the pretty picture.

Yay Sonics!