The March Hare Arrives!

Are you mad? Am I mad? We’re ALL mad here….. That’s my ode to Alice in Wonderland and the March Hare, but also to the madness of March. I have been prepping for an art show while also getting ready to move, and boy am I feeling loopy! To relieve some stress, however, I’ve been running Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathons. Having never watched the show before, I’m thoroughly enjoying it. I adore all the outfits and sass. Gosh, I miss the 90’s.

As much as I’d like to be in a park with all this late February sunshine, I am in my office gluing and organizing for the art show at the Library. This is a little dream of mine that’s finally come true. Since I was a kid, I LOVED looking at the art that was exhibited each month around the Napa Library. This March, I get to install my original paintings from SOMETIMES IT’S BRIGHT, the book I published last year, pretty much in time for its 1 year “book birthday”. Hooooray!

If you’re in the Napa area, please feel free to join! You can register for this event via this link. The Napa Bookmine will have books for sale at the reception, I’ll be signing copies, doing a reading, and sharing some hand painted bookmarks for those in attendance. It’ll be my FIRST in person event since this book came out during the pandemic. I look forward to sharing SOMETIMES IT’S BRIGHT and celebrating creativity with my community.

The unglamorous side of having an art show. I bought inexpensive frames (because honestly you could spend thousands of dollars on frames no joke) so I have to glue d-rings for some wires. My sounds track is Lake Street Drive, and I’m fueled by….um, no coffee these days. I’m fueled by “sheer will.”

I haven’t been able to work on my picture book dummy and paintings all month But after next week the extra art show prep work will be done-zo. I’m also moving out of this studio in April, so I’m trying to relish the time I have left here! It’s been a wonderful space to occupy for over a year. My new rental home has a studio space in the garden, and although I’m sad to leave this adorable space, I’m so grateful to move into the new studio and be able to pull some weeds on my lunch breaks.

Wishing you a wonderful March, and I’ll see you on the flip side!

Back to basics

If you've followed my posts for a while, you know that I'm always trying to get away from the internet so to speak. I did meet my husband online, so thanks world wide web!, but otherwise what was my quiet, sacred painting life pre-2013, morphed into an array of screens, text messages, and endless emails. (2013 is the year I got a smart phone). The internet also opened up work opportunities for me, so I am grateful for that, but my body would say differently. It would remark- "whaddaya doing here? I was having fun and you made it all stressy."

Even when I was young I had a similar impulse about the net. I recall my mom getting AOL for us when I was about 10 years old. I was enamored by the Nikelodeon chatroom. a/s/l? I met cyber bullies and super sexual beings that pretended to be all kinds of ages and genders. It was the wild west and I quickly found that it was a little too wild for me. My intuition set off an alarm. My sister got into building web pages, but I went back to wandering around outside on my bike.

I had adventures though, and I found inspiration outside. I have good memories from this time. I watched people, took notes, found hidden trails, made picnics, did painting projects, and sang songs to myself. I enjoyed my chidhood, and I guess we're all here, trying to live a life we enjoy. So I look back to that time and what I used to do, as a roadmap for getting from technical chaos to inner peace.

This new year, I am going to do that thing that lots of minimalist people do, so it's not special. I'm quitting social media. I will still send out newletters and write blog posts, two things I used to do more of and really enjoyed, but stopped when social media seems to be more "efficient".

I'm also establishing my scared painting practice, and a sacred writing practice, which means to me that I must be quiet and not aim to produce anything in principle. I am wokring on some new books, and hopefully they will see the light of day, but they deserve to be cooked in my creative writing womb for a while, methinks?

This impulsive but necesary move was inspired by a few things- Cal Newport's book, Digital Minimalism, which I read severals months ago but at that time I didn't have the guts to step away from tech enough to be with myself. I was also inspired by Flow, by Csikszentmihalyi, which I read several years ago almost entirely at the gym. Both of these books talk about the importance of undistracted, concentrated time, where we can find our depths of creativity and delight. I've had a hard time finding this as podcasts are so easy to pop on while I work, text messages flood in, and emails never stop. My bad habits are too easy to foster, hence my attempt to break their spell once more.

Lastly, I was influenced by a women's circle, which creates a sacred space for everyone involved. I've found this to be an exptrememly healing presence in my life, and I can't help but want more of this undistracted, sacred time.

But, what is sacred? A friend told me that nothing is sacred anymore, but I don't beleive that. I think the sacred is created upon will, and it is a place of full presence with yourself and the divine. It's accessible to everyone. I would like to see more "sacred spaces" rather than "safe spaces". I don't think sacred has to be pretty, or religious, or even fun. But it can be sexy, delicious, midevil, and liberating. I'm aiming to transition into sacred time with my screens and learn how to love them in a new way. But first...

...Back to basics.

In Pursuit of Persimmon

I remember the first time I saw a persimmon tree. It wasn't that long ago, actually! Maybe five years?

I was on a walk with a friend in Mountain View, CA on a brisk December morning, and I saw these bright orange globes dangling on an otherwise barren tree. The stark contrast of the fruit against the cool grey sky was stunning. "What are those?!" I said to my friend. She scoffed at me like I was a goof and said, "Persimmons, Annie. You've never seen them before?" I hadn't! We grabbed one that was haning over the sidewalk, and when I tried the gooey, sweet, almost nutty bite of 'simmon goodness, I fell in love.

As these orange fruits have graced us with their presence once again, my pal Eveline suggested we make a bread with them. I googled some recipes that were both vegan (for my friend and my husband) and paleo (for me), and luckily I found one that looked delicious and full of whole ingredients.

We substituted the egg for a flax egg and otherwise followed the recipe from Bakerita to a "Tee." I turned out moist, cakey, not too sweet, nutty and textured perfectly with all the chunks of walnuts and pecans that we used. It tasted like Winter and warmed our hearts AND bellies.

The best part was baking with a sweet friend and eating the bread together with our husbands. In Holland, they have a wonderful work for this simple and intimate moment of comfort with others: Gezelligheid.

Earlier in the week I went on a walk at a new park in the hills surrounding my city. It was quiet out there and I felt a different kind of closeness. It was a kind of solitude and reverie, and I felt near to my own heart. If the Dutch have a word for this, I wish I knew!

Expanding The Spacious Tarot

Hey guys! I've been quiet on here, working diligently on the new expansion pack for The Spacious Tarot with Carrie Mallon. We knew we wanted to stay in the "Spacious World", and when Carrie thought of this old Minchiante deck that has an additional 22 cards, we both felt that exciting burst of butterflies!

We've been working on these cards for over a year now and we are finally close to printing them!

Right now we are finalizing the last two cards, and I'm laying out the guidebook. I recently stopped freelancing (it's been good) and I'm devoting my time to either my work wth fly.io, or the Spacious Tarot. Carrie is no longer having to ship all these decks, and we are thoroughly enjoying the focus and creativity.

Back to Expansion...

This oracle-like deck has 12 Zodiac signs, four Values, and the four Elements. It's a very grounded deck, and you can draw a card daily as a practice, add it to your tarot deck, etc. It will feel and look like the Spacious Tarot, but--fun fact-- I am illustrating it in Procreate this time rather than Photoshop. I think it'll have a slightly different feel but much richer over all.

We are making updates on when this project will be out via Instagram, so please hang with us over there!

Carrie posted this recent photo from when we got together last month in Salt Lake City. (Note the little kitty face in the lower left corner) I don't have any pets, but she has four of them, so it was a pleasure seeing her, her partner, and so so so many soft snuggles with all the animals.

Have a creative rest of your month and Happy Halloween!

-Annie

Storytime!

I did a virtual storytime, art project, and Q & A with the Napa Bookmine. It's about 30 minutes long, and full of some great questions. We even did a show and tell with the drawings that we made. Naomi hosts, which is great, because she created the wonderful place that is the bookmine. I used to work there off and on and had the BEST time, met the coolest people, and can't thank the universe enough for such a wonderful community space. I hope you enjoy this storytime!

Traditional Publishing, what does it look like?

The last 10 years I read lots of blog posts about traditional publishing, and even went to many, I mean MANY, conferences about it, but no one really explained what the publishing process would look like when it happened. Today I want to share what the experience was like for me. It's an interesting one that requires lots of patience and attention to detail, and I think it applies to most traditionally published book projects. So, here we go!

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When I was starting out, I knew that the first step was to find an agent. Why? Because agents have GREAT connections with publishers, and it's how the pub world works. Agents work through your book ideas and know the market well. They can give you feedback before anything is sent out to publishers. They also know who might like your pitch the best. They are valuable and a great partner!

That said, you can also go forth unagented. Perhaps, keep the door open in case an agent reaches out to you. This section below will share what the next steps looked like in case you want to do the legwork on your own. :)

Getting the dummy book or manuscript ready:

I like to think of a book as a song. What can you do to make a song shine? Add a stronger base line? Better vocals? Higher beats per minute. Stories can be similar, so be open to adjusting elements to make it stronger.

Get lots of feedback from a critique group or clever friends. Check out other books at the library and compare your story with them. Does it have the same punch? Does the artwork pop enough? Even if you love your story, try to put yourself in the perspective of someone else, reading it for the first time. Are they seeing what you see?

Make a list of publishers you would LOVE to see publish your book:

Go to the bookstore or Library and see who is publishing the books you love, and books that are similar in tone or look to your book. Your agent will also know which publishers would work best for your book, and can also share a list. Keep this list on hand for the future- it's a very hand resource.

Send out the book idea to editors:

Editors will work with authors directly on their book projects. They also know the industry well, and have a keen eye for detail and tone. You will end up working a LOT with your editor, and it can be such a lovely relationship.

They might ask for a revision before accepting the book. It's up to you to take their advice as valuable and make the changes before they put out an offer.

An editor will make an offer to publish your book by sending a contract which will include publishing rights, copies printed, advance payment and royalties, and more details about the future of the book when it's in print. You can choose to accept the offer or look for another publisher. You'll want to consider how you'd get on the with editor, and if the offer works for you. It's best to go into the deal feeling good about your contract and the team you'll be working with.

Working with yout publishing team:

Often you'll accept the offer and have a deadline set for publication. That date can be years in the future- perhaps 2-3 years. This is normal, since publishers will have a list of books they are producing, and want plenty of time to create and market the book before it's released.

You'll work with an arti director, perhaps more than the editor depending on the proeject, and mainly the editor. Both of them are in charge of making the book the BEST it can be!

They might ask you to make more changes to the dummy or manuscript, and you will work on the structure and sketches for a while until they shine.

Creating the Final Art

If you're an illustrator, you will finally move on to the final art stage. This can be a very fun stage, and it's nice to give updates to your editor. Because you have very clear sketches in your developed dummy book the final art stage will be very stratforward.

If you plan on working traditionally, sometimes you will send the final art to your publisher. I opted to photograph the watercolors with a professional company in San Francisco and pay my own $$. I might not do this next time, but I really do like being able to edit it digitally.

The editor and art director might has for final changes, even after the artwork is finished. Sometimes a color is off or the drawing changed slightly. They will send you PDFs of the book as a final product, and it's SO FUN TO SEE! Quite magical, really.

Make sure you take process photos so you can share in the future!

Final Stages:

At some point, all of your "work" will be finished. But they will need some assets from you soon to prepare for the release in the future. It would be helpful to get some new photos around this time and start thinking about how you'll promote it. You could start sharing the process on social media or through emails using the process photos you took. You'll have time before the release, but it's helpful to start sharing early so folks can be prepared for the release day. Anticipation can be fun and get people excited to see the book when they've heard about it for a while before coming out. It's tryly like welcoming a little book baby into the world. :)

Marketing:

Your marketing team will get in touch with you and ask for some assets like photos, a book trailer, bio, etc. You might have to provide most of these things on your own, so I would prepare to take time and create some awesome marketing tools. A couple videos sharing the book process, or even a fun little book trailer is so helpful for engaging your audience. You can share these links in emails to your network, and so can your publisher! Vidoes are a great way to share details about your book, and they can be done on a smart phone.

Make a list of your favorite book stores and let them know you have a book coming out in the near future. See if they'd like to book an event or order some copies. Share the book with your community of friends, family, libraries, and through social media if you like. Plan a cool event in your community to share the book with some kids!

Making a book is cool:

You might self publish, epublish, or find a traditional publisher, but I find the best and most important part about making a book is sharing it with the people you love. That's the goal, right? To make a kid smile or laugh or discover something new.

In Closing...

If you have any questions or want some encouragment, please contact me. It can be a long process but YOU CAN DO IT!!

Love, Annie

February News

Hi all! It’s been a good February- a little overwhelming, but very good. I haven’t posted here about what I’m working on in a loooooooong time, so I thought I’d tell ya.

Carrie and I started working on some new cards to accompany The Spacious Tarot . We are making about 20 cards that can be used with the current deck, or on their own as oracle cards. It’s a blast to create with her again, and to elaborate on the world that we created in the deck. It’s such a dreamy, vibrant world. Sometimes I sit in it, and the images will come without having to “design” anything. It’s truly a magical place to work in.

I’m also working on a new picture book with my agent, Andrea, and sharing it with some publishers. We’ve gotten great feedback, but everyone has passed. It seems that most people think the story is a little flimsy when it comes to one specific aspect, so I’m going to dig back into it and see if we can find someone to publish it soon. I really want to share the story!

And…..SOMETIMES IT’S BRIGHT is coming out April 6th! I have a couple events that I’m doing, but I’m very interested in doing more. The only thing is…. they are virtual. Honestly, I’m intimidated. I think the in person connection is something that’s so special, you can trust it. So a virtual event is automatically an “unknown” for me. There must be some major perks to doing it over Zoom, though. Some tech perks, and the fact that ANYONE can join. That’s pretty darn cool!

I have some half finished paintings in my studio, which I hope to get around to. I took an oil painting class in late 2019 and I’ve been meaning to break out the oils again now that I have my own studio space. That’ll be my goal for next week!

Beyond that, I have some great client work, and I’m also making weekly comics on my Patreon page. I love doing these so much. It’s almost like journaling, where you let something flow through you and play with an idea for a while. It’s very different from design. I don’t filter myself too much with the comics, which I hope people enjoy, but even for my own therapy and enjoyment, the filterless approach is so gooooood.

This is what my week looked like when I started drinking coffee again. More comics like these on my Patreon page!

Continuing to winter. Still not doing much social media this month which is helping me unwind. We all need time and space. Lots of space! Space to breath and let everything flow and rest. Spring is going to be busy- on top of the book, I also have my wedding in May! So I’m wintering all the way right now.

LOVE TO YOU ALL.!!

Annie