Today was a whirl-wind of excitement! In just a few short hours we all finished putting our books together. The time seemed to just slip by, all of the sudden it was time for critique and I hadn't even stopped for lunch! In the end it was all worth it. I wound up with a very lovely dummy book and a complete story in just five short days. It's kind of spectacular really. All week the instructors are talking about, "Oh I'd work on this for about two months... or that for three months" and we did all that work in less than a week. It's mind-boggling. Here are the first few pages of my book, just to get you all curious.
WHAT WILL CLARENCE DO NEXT?
I spoke with Dave after critique and we had a lovely chat at Heffer's Children's Bookshop this evening. He thought my book was very strong as it is (his wonderful suggestions yesterday certainly helped). Dave suggested I finish out a couple of my spreads in full color and then send it off to some publishers and see what happens. It's so encouraging!
This is Heffer's Children's Bookshop, a whole bookshop dedicated to children's books! It was amazing. It's almost cruel really to put so many aspiring children's illustrators in such a bookshop... I could do some serious damage to my wallet in this store... and I might have. Here are my spoils:
Lob by Linda Newbery. Illustrated by Pam Smy (one of my instructors)
GOBBOLINO the WITCH'S CAT by Ursula Moray Williams. Illustrated by Catherine Rayner (my favorite!)
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr. Illustrated by the author (I must admit I only picked this one up because of the title but after reading the description I was hooked, This choice was not and illustration driven one.
Somehow I didn't walk out with a single picture book even though that is what we were working on all week... oh well.
Tomorrow is the last day. We have a conference in which a wide variety of illustrators and members of the children's book industry will be talking. It should be a very interesting day, with no pressure! Whew!
GOBBOLINO the WITCH'S CAT by Ursula Moray Williams. Illustrated by Catherine Rayner (my favorite!)
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr. Illustrated by the author (I must admit I only picked this one up because of the title but after reading the description I was hooked, This choice was not and illustration driven one.
Somehow I didn't walk out with a single picture book even though that is what we were working on all week... oh well.
Tomorrow is the last day. We have a conference in which a wide variety of illustrators and members of the children's book industry will be talking. It should be a very interesting day, with no pressure! Whew!