Sunday, August 26, 2007

Studio JJK has a MySpace

Hello to all of you out there on the MySpace. I just started a page for Studio JJK. I created a page for Punk Farm back in early '05 (www.myspace.com/punkfarm) to promote that book to the non-children's book world and since then, the children's book world is all over MySpace. So I figured it was high time that I create an author page for myself.

You can connect with me and my books over at www.myspace.com/studiojjk.

CWIM

Hey gang-

The latest edition of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market just came out. If you get a chance to pick it up, look for my article. I wrote an entry on effectively promoting your work on the web and I talk about my experience with my own website's evolution over the years. There are a ton of great articles (like the one by my pal Justina Chen Headley) and interviews (like the ones with my homies Mo Willems and Matt Phelan) in the '08 book.



Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Keene State Owl Project

This has been on my list of things to do for quite some time now. Keene State holds a great Children's Literature Festival every year. They also house an impressive amount of original artwork from picture books. In support of that, they asked picture book artists to create an original piece on an owl, the school's mascot. Here is my entry:


Friday, August 17, 2007

Robert's Snow '07

Robert's Snow is back and before you know it, there will be exhibits of the snowflakes and eBay bidding wars! The Dana Farber has the reigns now and it feels a bit odd not meeting with Grace and the gang to plan the parties and details, but it's great to know that the project is able to soldier on! I just finished my snowflake, the paint has just dried. I'll post the front now, but I'm going to wait to reveal the back of the snowflake until Punk Farm on Tour's on sale date gets closer! Here it is - my 2007 Robert's Snow snowflake. Start telling your friends, spread the word and let's make a ton of money for the Dana Farber Cancer Research Institute this year!







The Society of Illustrators

I just got word that Punk Farm on Tour will be included in the Society of Illustarors' "The Original Art" exhibit. This is a huge honor. Especially because - I have been rejected from this show every year that I have had a book published. And some years, I had two books up for consideration!

Every previous year, I waited anxiously to hear about my inclusion in the show, only to find out that others had already heard back weeks earlier. But this year, it completely slipped my mind and I was really taken by surprise when the phone call came in that Punk Farm on Tour made it into the show. With all that has been going on with me (wedding in 6 weeks, moving, deadlines, stress in general) I had completely forgotten about the show.

I've made it to a few of the openings before and I'll look forward to the end of October to make it into the city to see this year's show. And if you're wondering what that's like, imagine all of your favorite illustrators, their friends and family members, editors, art directors, designers and agents in a room about the size of a large hallway, all cramming in to see the art, well at least to hob knob amongst the art.

I am so excited that my work will be there this year and I really can't wait for all of you to see the art in this new book of mine, be it in person at the show or printed in the book!

Monday, August 06, 2007

Simpsonized

I couldn't resist...I stopped by Springfield...


Punk Farm interview on Bottom Shelf Books

Hey everyone-

I decided to let the press speak to Punk Farm. (This could be dangerous - they are loose cannons!) They have a new book coming out, plus a new single, and I thought it high time they get out and do some interviews. They spoke with Cluck Roosterman over at the Bottom Shelf Books Blog. Check it out here - http://bottomshelfbooks.blogspot.com.

This will be the first of many - the gang will be heading out on a full out blog tour this October.

Goodbye, Pac-Man

2002-2007

We had many good years together, but in my new house there just isn't enough room. Besides, the old clunker doesn't work anymore. So I said goodbye to my old trusty 1980 Pac-Man machine.

After some good old fashioned Craigslist bartering, Mr. Pac-Man was put on a pick up truck and taken away. It all happened in slow motion, while Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" played loftily in the background. A montage of power pellets, cherries, Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde...fade to black...and then.....this sound.