Storybook Land & My PB Story...

I have this picture book that I've been working on about a peacock named Parsnip. 
I got the idea while at the zoo with my kids a few months ago.  I was watching the lemurs in their pen antagonizing a peacock who was free to walk around the zoo.  He had been kind of following us around... 

I kept thinking, 'This would be a good story', but I wasn't sure about where to go with it. 

About a week later, as we were driving down this wooded road in Southern New Jersey,  I was still pondering where to go with it when suddenly, a peacock--yes a PEACOCK, crossed the road right in front of us!!  I have witnessess!

 (It turns out that there's a guy with a ton of wooded property on that road who raises exotic birds--this one must have busted out.   But still, a peacock?  Come on...He was running across the road with his feathers back, and his neck bobbing front to back, front to back as he arrived safely on the other side.  It was just a sight to see~)

My husband and I looked at each other in shock for a second, and then he said real calmly, "Now there's something you don't see every day..."  We started cracking up! 

It was totally surreal-- and it gave me the answer I was looking for.  Write the damn peacock book-- NOW!

That's when Parsnip Peacock was born.  Except, my peacock is different.  He's white.  (Like a parsnip is when it's peeled). 

Anyway, I took my manuscript to the NJ SCBWI with me, (I thought I should bring something...) even though I knew it was too long for a picture book...  Well, on my return trip  from the conference, I had ideas swirling around my head about how to fix it with the information I had just gained in Princeton.

I had no sooner arrived home from the conference when we found out about my sister's illness, and I dropped everything.  Including my pal, the peacock.

I keep missing Parsnip, though, and yesterday while on my four-year-old's class trip to a place called Storybook Land (of all names), in Egg Harbor Township N.J., the universe nudged me again. 

Within five minutes of arriving at Storybook Land, I met the dude in the pictures you see here.  I walked up to him, he YAWWWED (loud!) right at me,  fanned open his beautiful, white feathers, and did a spin....I took a couple of pictures and smiled. 

It was the first truly hopeful feeling I've had since we found out Kathy was sick.

Needless to say, I'm not giving up on Parsnip, either...

I'm back!

Well, I'm back.  If some of you were able to read my last post about my sister being sick (before I deleted it), then you will undoubtedly know that we've all been pretty busy, and yes, I slacked off on my blog--sorry!

Since this blog started out with me mentioning the deletion of one of my posts, I'd like to expand on why we delete things we put so much of ourselves into. 

For me, personally, deleting is a common thing.  Since I don't really understand the whole "online posting" end of deleting, I'm not sure if my words actually go away once I hit the delete button.  (If the post about my sister's cancer is still out there, can someone let me know?)

Getting back on point.  Ever since I was a kid, I have destroyed things I've written.  In one of my college classes, a piece that I had written about my being mugged was read by the professor to the class (it was the only one she shared).  Even though she didn't tell anyone who had written it,  I remember my face burning (with embarrassment?  fear?) as I watched everyone listening--really listening--to my words.  When it was over, everyone looked around at each other, trying to figure out who wrote it.
 
She gave it back to me at the end of the class, and when I got home, I burned it in the fireplace.   I've been nuts for a long, long time. 

I guess I need to write about things close to me for some sort of theraputic reason, but I always feel embarrassed later--hence, the deletions...

I'm much more confident with my fictional stuff, though.  I'm finding that it doesn't matter what I write about, banging on the keyboard makes me feel better.  So, I'll try to keep my really personal stuff out, and my huge imagination and opinions in.  

My NJSCBWI Conference Experience...NAME DROPPING ALERT...

I just got home from the NJSCBWI Conference that was held in Princeton, New Jersey.  It was AWESOME!!!!  I had been looking forward to it for months, and the experience just blew me away--Thank you, thank you, thank you to Kathy Temean and everyone else who did their part in putting together this well-oiled-machine for writers & illustrators!!  

Andrew Carnegie would  have called it a "Mastermind" group effort...
I had never been to an SCBWI event before, and I have to say, the experience was so satisfying to me.

It feels like I had the literary equivalent to multiple Thanksgiving dinners, and my brain is stuffed!

I had no idea that I had no idea about so much!  There's a plethora of information swirling around in my head right now.  I think I have to let it settle in a bit before I start processing it all!

It was strange--I kept on seeing people who looked incredibly familiar to me, but I couldn't place where I knew them from--who knows?  Maybe a past life?
What a great feeling, though, to walk amongst complete strangers, knowing that you all share a similar, if not same, passion for your craft. It's just refreshing to hang out with like minded people.
(I'm thinking this must be how Trekkies feel when they do their special "V" shaped finger salute.)

During my workshops, it was a surreal experience to get the perspectives, advice and information from greats like agent Scott Triemel (super-smart & mega savvy),  the intelligent and gracious (consultant) Simone Kaplan, and the brilliant & light-hearted author and child development specialist Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD.

The Author, Agent, Publisher workshop was so fun!  We were able to ride along with author, Kristin Clark-Venuti (Leaving the Bellweathers),  agent Tracey Adams (Adams Literary), and Senior Editor, Regina Griffin, as they took us along the chronological path from submitting a manuscript to getting it published.  The three of them seemed to really like each other, and that was cool to watch.  Those of us who haven't been published yet wonder what it would be like, and since I enjoy living vicariously through other people (one life isn't enough for me!) I was able to get a real feel for what getting that "Big Call" (or email~)would be like...I'll say it again, FUN!

It's almost like the whole procedure follows an arc, much like a book does!  (can you tell I just learned about arcs?)

Since the illustrator's point of view is paramount in a picture book,  I thought it would be valuable for me as a writer to sign up for an illustrator's workshop.  I wanted to learn more about the whole picture book process and I'm so glad I did!  Not only did I get to see some beautiful artwork--I was also able to see practically first hand (thanks to Powerpoint) how Creative Director, Patrick Collins (Henry Holt) finagles every creative aspect in a book, from font to art placement, to sizing and more!  It made me more aware of what I don't need to write, and to trust that the artist's interpretation of my story will only make it better!  That works for me!

I've already put Kathy Temean's workshop advice on media to work on this very blog!  She's absolutely right about getting with the program in today's multimedia marketing.  I'm too embarrassed to tell you what I didn't know before--I'm already navigating better!  I'm still quite new at it--computer literacy isn't something that comes very easily to me, but I'm going to ride this wave in as best as I can without falling off my board!

Kathy  seems to be one of those "catch all" people who can do a multitude of things at once, and handles every task with 110% efficiency.  (the success of this conference can attest to that!)  I think she'll need to sleep for a week after all of this work!

And of course, a big shout out to children's book author, Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen!   If you want honesty (and you should) and advice, she's the person you want to talk to...The information that she gave in her workshop on what does and doesn't work in picture books was fabulous!  It made me understand my manuscript critique so much more...Plus, her cosmic blend of sassy, funny and brilliance makes her workshops so entertaining!

I don't know how I got so lucky with the seating placement at lunch!  On Friday, I somehow ended up at the same table as Anita Nolan, Carolyn Yoder, Kristin Clark-Venuti, and the enchanting keynote speaker and renowned author and poet, David L. Harrison--(one of the pieces he read was so moving, it brought tears to my eyes~) along with illustrator Bruce Arant.  How did I get so lucky?  You know, I truly believe that I would have felt equally blessed at any one of the tables.   On Saturday, we had a few of the same people with some new ones, and Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen joined us.  She's so down-to-earth and approachable that the conversation at the table flowed easily.  Let's face it, it can be awkward breaking bread with complete strangers, so lightening the atmosphere is always a welcome thing~

There were so many more people I wanted to meet, and some day I will--I'm already excited about next years conference!  The national SCBWI conference is coming up, but I don't think I'll be able to make that one--it's in L.A., and well, I'm a bit claustrophobic & flying freaks me out!


The writer in me wants to get busy applying the priceless gems of information I received from the array of workshops I attended...But, alas, the tired old woman in me wants to go to sleep, so it's off to bed with a plan to start fresh again tomorrow! 

Goodnight, friends~Eileen

Here's my latest column...

http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20100512/LIFESTYLE17/5120316/EILEEN-BALESTERI-Make-your-own-version-of-Tastykake Just thought I'd share this link with anybody out there interested in making their own peanut butter Tastykakes at home.
I'm pretty busy today, so I'm going to have to come back a little later to blog 'cause there's much to do! Try the recipe, though...it's easy and GOOD!

My Family...

"Well, that's one fine, joyful lookin' family you got there, m'amm..."

Oh (Baby) Deer!!!

Our neighbor came by and asked if the kids wanted to see this orphaned fawn that came right out of the woods and up to his nephews while they were out doing yard work.

This is the friendliest little fawn I've ever seen! (not that I've seen many wild fawns up close)

He (we've established that it's a boy) came right up to my son, David. I love this shot of these two gentle souls!

We've been trying to find mom, but in the meantime, he's drinking from a bottle, and doing great!

I mentioned before how there are trade offs for living in the country--It's funny how the second I start questioning my choice in moving out here, the universe reminds me with moments like this.

I've been trying to get my house in order for Dave and the kids before I leave on Friday. My goal is to have all the laundry done (yeah right!) and tweak some writing projects I've been working on.

Part of me wishes Dave and the kids could come with me this weekend. I enjoy traveling with them. We just took a 4 day trip together in April. That's where I took the picture of the old barn on the front of my blog. I love history and old architecture. It's inspiring.

That particular house and barn is significant with regard to something I'm working on. I like to put "vision board" images in places that I'll look at frequently. Since I'll be working on this blog daily, I figured it's as good a place as any for it!