Working on a new sketch

Just thought I'd share since it's been a while since I posted. I'm working on a new sketch for this tongue twister: "Tangerine Tigers take their time to sip tea and eat tarts."  :)

SCBWI Conference and School Visit this week!!

A big weekend for me is approaching! I have a SCBWI ( Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators) Conference this weekend. I am very excited because it has been at least three or even four years since I attended one. The New Jersey Chapter has seemed to have expanded quite a bit because they added a day. The Friday session will be an illustration intensive where I get to meet the art director fro Sterling Publishers. We were preassigned a project where we were given several choices of narratives in which to illustrate from. The story I chose was from a manuscript Sterling will actually be publishing in the near future titled Cecily Beasily. I wanted to do a montage of Cecily doing all sorts of mischievous things. I had a lot of fun with the background, too. It seems to be that getting hands deep in a messy paint splattering fiesta is my new thing. :) I am very excited to see what the other group of illustrators bring to the table and then actually get a chance to look at the work from the actual illustrator from the upcoming title visualized.

Saturday will be a day full of workshops and seminars. It is also a great networking day because we sit and eat lunch with agents, art directors, editors, and others like me in the industry. I will also be showing my portfolio this day to the art director of Simon and Schuster as well as an agent. There will be a portfolio display this year supplied with our business cards so that when people walk by they can view our work and take a card. I was also asked to bring in a print of one of my best pieces for an art contest they will be holding as well. As if this wasn't enough, SCBWI has us coming back Sunday for a few more workshops, another luncheon, and then followed by a book signing where those of us who have been published can sell books to one another. I am very excited and hope to get a lot of feedback, and hopefully some more insight how to better succeed in this industry.

Just when I couldn't think this weekend can get any more exciting I also have a school visit on Tuesday at an elementary school in Jackson, NJ. I get the opportunity to read my book A Bailar!/ Let's Dance! to three first grade classes. After I do the reading I will be showing them how to make their own maracas and teaching them a few salsa steps. I hope to take some pictures of both events and post them to my blog some time next week :)

Barnes and Nobles Book Signing!

I will be doing a signing at Barnes and Nobles in Howell, NJ tomorrow March 15th at 6:00 p.m. I am very excited and hope to see a lot of people there!

Talking to the Students at Rosenower Elementary

Last month, a friend of mine asked if I would come into his school for their reading arts day. This is a day where people come in from all different types of professions and talk to the students about what they do at work every day. They had police officers, fire fighters, seeing eye dogs, and all sorts of interesting career spokesman at the school. I came in and was able to talk to three fifth grade classes and one fourth grade class about being an artist. I told the kids how I had gotten started on my path of being an illustrator. I have done so many different kinds of jobs from being a scenic painter and painting large scale sculptures to recently illustrating a children's book. I explained the process of creating a book and passed around my book dummy. It was just so amazing to see the look on the kids faces and how intrigued they were. My favorite moment was when I asked one class if they had any questions and one freckle faced little boy stuck his hand in the air and asked "Are you related to A Rod?" After smiling and responding a quick "No," I was still asked to sign his baseball cap. This proceeded to a wave of flailing raised hands in which I had to go around the room and sign my autograph to pencil cases, folders, and ripped pieces of looseleaf. It was an amazing day and one I will never forget. The look on their faces is what makes it all worth it, and I love my job.

Great review for A Bailar!

I was happy today to find this review linked to the Barnes and Nobles site.

Children's Literature

You can't help but tap your feet as you read this book. The words make a beat throughout the book and by the time you reach the end you just want to dance. Marita's dad and his salsa band are performing in the park tonight and as she and her mom make their way through the town friends follow along. Reminiscent of a Gloria Estefan song you can feel the rhythm as you read along. Though fun and upbeat it's hardly the story to read when you want to calm the little ones for bed at night. But if you are in the mood for an upbeat fun time that requires no thought whatsoever, this is the book. The illustrations are as lively as the rhythm that urges you to move and the Spanish is so well woven into the story that bilingual readers don't even notice the shift from one language to the other.

Reviewer: Mandy Cruz

I am also very pleased to announce that I will be doing a book signing at the Barnes and Nobles in Howell, NJ Thursday March 15th at 6:00 p.m. Hope to see you all there!!!