Early Morning

  • Wake up. Wander.
  • Take your time.
  • Stop.
  • Ponder.
  • Saunter down the road a while.
  • Pause. Wait.
  • Then, navigate a new direction.
  • Never hesitate.
  • Marvel over
  • each
  • and
  • every
  • miraculous
  • moment.

Archive for 'picture books' Category

Dreams, Hard Work, and Good, Good News!

Apr 11th, 2010 by Dianne | 11

Oh so many years ago… I dreamed of writing picture books. I took many many classes at UCLA extension with wonderful writers: Ann Whitford Paul, Kristine O’Connell George, Sonia Levitin, Caroline Arnold, Madeline Comora, Alexis O’Neill, and Barbara Abercrombie. I signed up for more classes – online, this time – with Anastasia Suen, Barbara Seuling, [...]

  • Share/Bookmark
Read full post...

More “Bunny Days” Love

Apr 6th, 2010 by Dianne | 2

A few days ago, I wrote about Bunny Days, Tao Nyeu’s beautiful new picture book. Today, Jules of 7-Imp has posted a terrific interview with Tao Nyeu, complete with loads of illustrations, sketches, and a peek at what’s up next for Tao! Enjoy!

  • Share/Bookmark
Read full post...

Bunny Day LOVE

Mar 30th, 2010 by Dianne | 4

I have a new favorite picture book – BUNNY DAYS by Tao Nyeu.  Here’s why.  Exquisite Illustrations. Gorgeous design. Frameable dust jacket (!). Surprising Text. I’m not an artist and while I *wish* I had the language/vocabulary to talk about BUNNY DAYS in a way that does it justice, I don’t. BUT, what I do have [...]

  • Share/Bookmark
Read full post...

Persistance and Determination = Picture Book Writer

Dec 7th, 2009 by Dianne | 4

Breezing through Facebook tonight, I happened upon a link a friend posted to Upstart Crow Literary .  Agent Michael Stearns has written an excellent piece on Agenting Picture Books v. Agenting Novels. It’s one of the most insightful posts I’ve seen on the subject of picture books – both the art of writing them and [...]

  • Share/Bookmark
Read full post...

Nonfiction that’s fun!

Sep 26th, 2009 by Dianne | 0

So reads the tagline on author/illustrator Meghan McCarthy’s website and I couldn’t agree more. Though I’d skimmed through Strong Man: The Story of Charles Atlas (Alfred A. Knopf, 2007) in the book store soon after it was published, only recently did I pick up a copy to share with my third grade class. Here’s what [...]

  • Share/Bookmark
Read full post...

Winging off the Printed Page

May 16th, 2009 by Dianne | 0

NaPiBoWriWee has come and gone, and while I have to admit that I have not even one completed picture book to show for my efforts, I do have a few new ideas in the works. In the meantime, I’ve been working on a revision of another story, and I think it might finally finally (!) [...]

  • Share/Bookmark
Read full post...

What’s New?: Pi.Bo Day 4

May 4th, 2009 by Dianne | 2

Paula Yoo put out the challenge to write 7 picture books in 7 days and I decided to give it a try.  Oh, I how I wish I hadn’t, because the fact that I’ve got the beginnings of 10 new picture books isn’t much consolation when only one of them is actually far enough along [...]

  • Share/Bookmark
Read full post...

Wanna be a Pi.Bo?

Apr 30th, 2009 by Dianne | 0

I have absolutely positively over-estimated the amount of time I’ll have this week to write new picture books, but I’m going to give it a try anyway! I just put my name in as one of some 75 (so far!) people who are pledging to write 7 new picture book drafts in 7 days. Check [...]

  • Share/Bookmark
Read full post...

Book Woman

Apr 14th, 2009 by Dianne | 0

In spite of the huge number of picture books filling my home and school book shelves, there are some books that I pick up while browsing in the bookstore that I know I simply must buy. That Book Woman by Heather Henson, pictures by David Small, is one such book. This lyrical and deeply moving [...]

  • Share/Bookmark
Read full post...

Picture Book: Art and Craft

Apr 4th, 2009 by Dianne | 0

I’ve added a new page: PICTURE BOOKS:  ART AND CRAFT.  Click here or on the GREEN tab in the banner above and take a look!

  • Share/Bookmark
Read full post...