Sunday, June 29, 2014
Mermaid of the Moment by George Courage
This was a Christmas present my husband George created for me a few years ago. He used a plain basswood box, drew in pencil and then painted in acrylic. The mermaid design was inspired by a free Dover Publications download.
I love the organic, art nouveau feel of the design with the plants and leaf motif trailing off the edges.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
The First Swim of Summer
Walden Pond State Reservation |
What better day to take a dip than the first day of summer? And...I got to use the new beach towel my friend Kalila gave me for my birthday, adorned with four cute mermaids.
It's not that I'm particularly good at it. I never swam competitively in high school or college. It's just that the feeling of weightlessness is so relaxing.
It feels like it's not just my body that's weightless, but my soul as well. I often feel bogged down by worries, cares, and fears, but in the water I'm nine years old again. The years are stripped away and it's just little me, playing in the wide pond, embraced by it's cool, enveloping touch. The water holds me and I am uplifted with it, buoyed by hope and a thousand more summer days.
Several years ago, I dreamed I was a mermaid. I remember swimming in shallow, greenish water, light filtering through in wavy, dappled rays. Smooth plants glanced my sides and tail, and rocks hunkered below me on the floor of the brackish inlet I traveled. Breathing underwater, I inhaled and felt the liquid enter my nostrils, and then down into my lungs without resistance.
There was no effort at all. It was all so easy.
Monday, June 16, 2014
My Writing Process - Pyewackett of Salem
Last week, children's writer Sophia Mallonee linked to The Daily Mermaid from her post on The Red Door Blog. This week I'm sharing my process and projects.
What am I working on
now?
I’m working on several different picture book manuscripts
right now. In particular this year, I’m focusing on a story called Pyewackett
of Salem/Pyewackett Sets Sail. It’s the story of a ship’s cat on the merchant
vessel, the Friendship of Salem, and a cabin boy named Thomas, taking their
first voyage to sea together.
I wrote the story with my husband George Courage who is an illustrator and graphic designer. We put together a dummy of the book and two sample illustrations and submitted it to three publishers so far. We're getting ready to send it out to another publisher this week.
How does my work
differ from others of the genre?
This story differs from other picture books because it’s
based on a historical time period and therefore required a bit of research for
both the story and illustrations. Having a ship's cat on a merchant vessel was a common practice during the late 1700's, early 1800's. While I couldn't confirm for sure that the Friendship had a ship's cat, it's fairly likely. So, in writing the story I wanted to imagine what it may have been like for a ship's cat and a cabin boy's first sea voyage. We wanted to make the story as historically
accurate as possible while still making it fun and engaging for children.
Another thing that makes this story different is that people can visit the ship where the story takes place. A full-size replica of the Friendship of Salem is docked at Derby Wharf and is part of the nine acre National Maritime Historic Site in Salem's waterfront.
Since we live in Salem it’s been pretty easy to walk downtown to the Visitor’s Center to talk with the park rangers who give tours of the Friendship, visit the Peabody Essex Museum, and to find books and resources about Salem’s maritime history.
Why do I write what I
do?
I write picture books because I love the form. I love how words and pictures blend together to create a magical experience for children. I also love picture books because they’re one form of writing that’s almost always read aloud, so there’s a certain aspect of performance to reading them. I have a background in theatre and oral interpretation, so I have a deep-held love for the spoken word. There’s a unique thing that happens between an audience and a performer, and I feel that reading picture books captures part of that.
I wrote this particular story to tell about an aspect of Salem’s history with which people might not be as familiar. Most people know about the Witch Trials of 1692, and what a tragic event that was, but there is more to Salem’s history. I chose to tell the story of a ship’s cat because I love cats, and it’s an interesting entry point into the history of this period.
How does your writing
process work?
I keep a small journal in my purse and by my bed in order to
record any ideas or interesting dreams I have.
Dreams are great for ideas or for brainstorming new stories. I sometimes feel like I’m the most creative when I’m asleep. Sometimes I get really funny, kooky ideas that would be great for picture books. Other times I have really scary, fearful dreams. Not that I would use those in a picture book per se, but it’s always interesting to analyze them, and they could become a motivation behind a picture book character.
I also like to visit and explore museums, gardens, reservations, and historic homes in and around the area where I live, and when I travel. The journal in my purse is perfect for visiting these kinds of places. Inspiration for a new story can happen anywhere.
Dreams are great for ideas or for brainstorming new stories. I sometimes feel like I’m the most creative when I’m asleep. Sometimes I get really funny, kooky ideas that would be great for picture books. Other times I have really scary, fearful dreams. Not that I would use those in a picture book per se, but it’s always interesting to analyze them, and they could become a motivation behind a picture book character.
I also like to visit and explore museums, gardens, reservations, and historic homes in and around the area where I live, and when I travel. The journal in my purse is perfect for visiting these kinds of places. Inspiration for a new story can happen anywhere.
As far as making time to write, I work full-time during the
week, so I write mostly on the weekend. I’ll sit down on Saturdays in the late-morning
or Sunday afternoon to hash out an idea I have, make revisions, or write a blog
post.
Thanks for reading! Next I'll be passing the blog tour baton to illustrator Nancy Meyers.
Nancy Meyers, whose mother was a watercolor artist, grew up
surrounded by paints, pastels, crayons, and colored pencils. She continued to
study art throughout high school and college. After working more than 20
years as a designer and art director, she began writing and illustrating
for children's publishing. She has illustrated over a dozen books for
children, and her doodle books (Buster Books, London) have been translated into
six languages. Nancy endures the world's most absurd weather extremes
living in Minnesota with her husband, two daughters, and one
not-so-well-behaved dog.
See more of Nancy’s work at nancydrewit.wordpress.com.
See more of Nancy’s work at nancydrewit.wordpress.com.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Mermaid of the Moment by Anna Chouinard
This mermaid doll was created by my friend Anna Chouinard, a talented artist who creates dolls, intricate bead-work jewelry, and sculpture.
The shelf siren was fashioned from fabric, wire and paint and was sold at Nightingale Arts. To see more of Anna's work visit Nightingale Arts of Salem at 124 Boston Street in Salem, MA or online.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Mermaid of the Moment by Abigail Halpin
This lovely mermaid scene is by illustrator Abigail Halpin. Abigail has illustrated many children's books, including Bella's Rules from Dial Books for Young Readers and Mia's Boiling Point: #10 Cupcake Diaries from Simon Spotlight.
I met Abigail at the NESCBWI conference in May. We bonded over our shared affection for cat-eye glasses and of course, mermaids.
To see more of Abigail's work, visit her site, Theo Design or her blog.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Mermaid of the Moment: Neverland's Sea Sirens
Still from Peter Pan, 1924, directed by Herbert Brenon. |
“Peter was not with them for the moment, and they felt rather lonely up there by themselves. He could go so much faster than they that he would suddenly shoot out of sight, to have some adventure in which they had no share.
He would come down laughing over something fearfully funny he had been saying to a star, but he had already forgotten what it was, or he would come up with mermaid scales still sticking to him, and yet not be able to to say for certain what had been happening.
It was really rather irritating to children who had never seen a mermaid.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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