Rozzie Land

Happy Halloween!

Hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween this week!

Robert's Snow- Week 3

 

Robert's Snow is an online auction that benefits Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Over 200 children's book illustrators have created art on individual snowflake-shaped wooden templates.

Please visit these links to see the snowflakes being featured daily this week:

Monday, October 29

• Dan Santat at Writing and Ruminating
• Joanne Friar at The Longstockings
• Alissa Imra Geis at Wild Rose Reader
• Diane Greenseid at Just One More Book!!
• Sean Qualls at Brooklyn Arden

Tuesday, October 30

• Ann Koffsky at Book Buds
• Bill Carman at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Gretel Parker at Finding Wonderland
• Matt Phelan at A Year of Reading
• Stephanie Roth at Writing with a broken tusk

Wednesday, October 31

• Shawna Tenney at Kate's Book Blog
• Adam Rex at Booktopia and Welcome to my Tweendom
• Mo Willems at MotherReader
• Rolandas Kiaulevicius at a wrung sponge

Thursday, November 1

• Karen Lee at sruble's world
• Diana Magnuson at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
• Melissa Iwai at Brooklyn Arden
• Victoria Jamieson at AmoXcalli and Cuentecitos
• Molly Idle at The Shady Glade
• Meghan McCarthy at A Fuse #8 Production

Friday, November 2

• Tracy McGuinness-Kelly at Sam Riddleburger's blog
• Sarah Kahn at Kate's Book Blog
• Sylvia Long at Whimsy Books
• Jeremy Tankard at the excelsior file
• Holli Conger at Please Come Flying

Saturday, November 3

• Susan Miller at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• Ellen Beier at What Adrienne Thinks About That
• Hideko Takahashi at The Silver Lining
• Judith Moffat at Jo's Journal
• Wendell Minor at Wild Rose Reader

Sunday, November 4

• Joy Allen at Check It Out
• Robin Brickman at Greetings from Nowhere
• Lauren Stringer at laurasalas
• Nancy Wallace at In the Pages . . .

Five Things Friday

Here are my five things this week...

1. I want to send a thank you to Sheri for her feature of my Robert's Snow Snowflake on her blog this past Sunday. She went above and beyond the call of duty and also created a cool youtube video.
Speaking of youtube videos...check out the youtube she created that features all the snowflakes that are up for auction. (It's 8 minutes long so grab a nice cup of tea/coffee and enjoy!)

2. Textile artist, Pam of Pamdora tagged me with a meme this week to list 7 odd things about myself. I did a "weird" meme this year that is pretty much the same thing so here is the link. To make it 7 things I'll share my new 'odd' food concoction. Rice pudding and lowfat strawberry yogurt. I love the textures together! You wanted odd, Pam, well there you go!

3. I hope you made it over to  the Cyber Launch Party we hosted at the PBJ's this week. It was a lot of fun and Janee will be announcing the winners of the autographed book drawing today!
We plan on doing this again soon so I'll keep you posted.

4. Work wise...I'm revisiting some story ideas and I'm determined to get BIC and follow through on a new dummybook.  I have a couple circulating thanks to my rep but I need to heed the advice I'm always given and forget about them and work on another!

5. And you know I can't go a week without sharing a puppy picture. Lily finds some of the oddest places to nap!

Happy Friday to all!

Robert's Snow- Elisa Kleven

As kid lit bloggers continue to help raise awareness of the Robert's Snow fundraiser, I am thrilled to introduce you to the ever so talented Elisa Kleven.

This year's snowflake is entitled,"The Paper Princess And Her Friends". (This is Elisa’s third year participating in the Robert’s Snow Fundraiser.)

click to enlarge snowflake

Elisa’s snowflake will be available for bidding Dec. 3rd thru  Dec. 7th. Don’t miss out on being the winning bidder for this treasure and supporting such a wonderful cause!

As an illustrator who works in a collage style, I was over the moon when I found out that I was highlighting Elisa Kleven's snowflake here. Elisa has successfully illustrated over 27 enchanting books with 10 of those being books that she has also written.

A small sampling of Elisa's books

And there are more to come with no surprise why. As soon as you open one of Elisa’s books, you are immediately drawn into a magical world filled with vibrant mixed media collage illustrations that complement her poetic style of writing perfectly.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Elisa about her work and snowflake contribution…

Can you share with us the inspiration behind the design for this year’s snowflake?

This new one is made using ink, acrylics and collage (bits of wool and marbellized paper.)
The Paper Princess herself inspires me.  I admire her fearlessness.  Though she is fragile and easily damaged, she faces life with open arms.  She is constantly in the process of finishing herself and has a lot of fun along the way.  Here she is flying on her friend the bluejay through a blizzard -- heedless of the extreme sogginess or even destruction that may await her -- while her fellow paper creatures cheer her on.

You have had an incredibly successful career as an author/illustrator. What comes first for you, the words or the pictures?

Sometimes I see an image which I have to build a story around -- a lion at the zoo whose tail reminds me of a paintbrush, a beautiful reflection in a puddle  -- and sometimes the story comes from an amorphous collection  of feelings, most of which go back to earliest childhood.  A lot of my stories center on children making things and using their imaginations...the old saying about "writing what you know" definitely applies to what kinds of books I make.  Of course, when I illustrate a book for another author the finished story is right there, which can be easier. I like stretching beyond my own mind and habits and setting illustrations (such as those for ABUELA, by Arthur Dorros) in a location which is less familiar to me.

Please share a typical day with us.

I get up, feed my ever hungry, adorable cats and dog, make coffee, read the paper, greet my awakening family, make breakfast/lunch for my youngest, get kids off to school, catch up on my e-mail, contact my elected representatives about things I feel strongly about, walk my dog , then go to my studio and work for about three hours on whatever I happen to be working on.  I take many months to illustrate a book.  If I'm working on a story, instead of on illustrations, I let myself gaze out at the Golden Gate Bridge and Mt. Tamalpais for a little bit, then knuckle down. When I can't work anymore, I walk dogs again, eat lunch, pet my cats, work for another chunk of time, chat with my kids about their day, and start thinking about what I'm going to make for dinner.  I love my routine and feel grateful for my daily life.

What are you working on now? Upcoming projects?

I am working on a story about the crocodile brothers Ernst and Sol (from ERNST, THE PUDDLE PAIL and WISHING BALL.)

The story takes me back into some imaginary childhood place, which is populated mostly with animals. It will be published in Spring ’08.

And I have just completed the illustrations for a nonfiction book called WISH, by Roseanne Thong, which will be published in Fall '08.

In spring I will be illustrating a text by Thacher Hurd.

With the vast amount of books that you’ve created, do you have a favorite?

I think that the PAPER PRINCESS is my favorite of my books because it touches on many prominent themes in my life.  As a book creator, I relate to the young artist girl in the story, whose paper person blows away before she can give her hair.  Each time I send a book -- a personal, intricate work on paper-- out into the world to be published  I worry that I haven't really finished it,  that I should have done more,  but I reach a point where I have to let it go.  Like the paper princess, books have a way of "finishing themselves" by everyone who encounters them and brings their own reactions to them. The author and illustrator can really only begin the book, as books are an ongoing collaboration between creator and readers.

In addition to identifying with the young paper doll maker, I can also relate to the little bald princess herself because, like her, I lost my mom,  the one  who "made me" when I was very young.  So I went off into the world feeling somehow incomplete and unfinished.

Also, I dedicated the book to my sister Susie, a three time cancer survivor, who was going through chemo as I was creating the book fourteen years ago, and who has lost -- and regained! -- her hair over and again.  (I also dedicated it to my wonderful former editor, Donna Brooks.)

One other thing that makes the PAPER PRINCESS resonate especially strongly with me is that I was the kind of kid who constantly drew and cut out little paper people.  So this book truly grows right out of my childhood.  And finally, now that I'm an adult, I am still making paper people -- and birds and angels and monsters and animals -- in my books.

So this small picture book has big, deep roots in both my childhood and my current life .Thanks for asking about it.  And now I'm off to make more paper characters.

And thank you, Elisa, for taking the time to share so much of yourself with us. You are such an inspiration and I’m sure your artwork and stories will continue to delight readers for years to come.

To learn even more about Elisa, please visit her website where you will find her bio section and Q&A.

http://www.elisakleven.com/ 
http://www.elisakleven.com/aboutelisa.html 
http://www.elisakleven.com/questions.html

Check out more snowflake features today:

Wednesday, October 24

Consie Powell at Becky's Book Reviews

Jimmy Pickering at Shaken & Stirred

Frank Dormer at What Adrienne Thinks About That

Sheila Bailey at Lizjonesbooks

More Snow!- Week 2

Robert's Snow is an online auction that benefits Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Over 200 children's book illustrators have created art on individual snowflake-shaped wooden templates.

Monday, October 22
Mark Teague at The Miss Rumphius Effect
Sharon Vargo at Finding Wonderland
Christopher Demarest at Writing and Ruminating
Rose Mary Berlin at Charlotte's Library
David Macaulay at Here in the Bonny Glen

Tuesday, October 23
Carin Berger at Chasing Ray
Marion Eldridge at Chicken Spaghetti
Sophie Blackall at not your mother's bookclub
Erik Brooks at Bildungsroman
Brian Lies at Greetings from Nowhere

Wednesday, October 24
Elisa Kleven at Rozzie Land
Consie Powell at Becky's Book Reviews
Jimmy Pickering at Shaken & Stirred
Frank Dormer at What Adrienne Thinks About That
Sheila Bailey at Lizjonesbooks

Thursday, October 25
Julia Denos at Interactive Reader
Rebecca Doughty at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Brian Floca at A Fuse #8 Production
Margaret Chodos-Irvine at readergirlz

Friday, October 26
David Ezra Stein at HipWriterMama
Juli Kangas at Sam Riddleburger's blog
Ginger Nielson at Miss O's School Library
Margot Apple at Jo's Journal

Saturday, October 27
Julie Fromme Fortenberry at Your Neighborhood Librarian
Sarah Dillard at The Silver Lining
John Hassett at cynthialord's Journal
Abigail Marble at Please Come Flying

Sunday, October 28
Ashley Wolff at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Barbara Garrison at Brooklyn Arden
Kelly Murphy at ChatRabbit

To view all the 2007 snowflakes click here.

Credit goes to Jen Robinson for creating this linked schedule and to Jules and Eisha (Seven Imp) for organizing this great preview to promote the Robert’s Snow Online Auction for Cancer’s Cure.

Cyber Launch Party!

It's Snowing!!

Robert's Snow is an online auction that benefits Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Over 200 children's book illustrators have created art on individual snowflake-shaped wooden templates.
For the next few weeks, we have the opportunity of learning more about each snowflake's illustrator to prepare for the auction in November.

Please visit these links to see the snowflakes being featured daily this week:

Monday, October 15

• Randy Cecil at ChatRabbit
• Michelle Chang at The Longstockings
• Kevin Hawkes at Cynthia Lord's Journal
• Barbara Lehman at The Excelsior File
• Grace Lin at In the Pages

Tuesday, October 16

• Selina Alko at Brooklyn Arden
• Scott Bakal at Wild Rose Reader
• Alexandra Boiger at Paradise Found
• Paige Keiser at Your Neighborhood Librarian
• Janet Stevens at The Miss Rumphius Effect

Wednesday, October 17

• Rick Chrustowski at laurasalas
• Diane DeGroat at Jama Rattigan's Alphabet Soup
• Ilene Richard at Something Different Every Day
• Brie Spangler at Lectitans
• Don Tate at The Silver Lining

Thursday, October 18

• Brooke Dyer at Bookshelves of Doom
• D.B. Johnson at Lessons from the Tortoise
• Erin Eitter Kono at Sam Riddleburger
• Sherry Rogers at A Life in Books
• Jennifer Thermes at Through the Studio Door

Friday, October 19

• Graeme Base at Just One More Book
• Denise Fleming at MotherReader
• Jeff Mack at AmoXcalli
• Jeff Newman at A Year of Reading
• Ruth Sanderson at Book Moot

Saturday, October 20

• Linas Alsenas at A Wrung Sponge
• Theresa Brandon at The Shady Glade
• Karen Katz at Whimsy Books
• Judy Schachner at Kate's Book Blog
• Sally Vitsky at Shelf Elf: read, write, rave

Sunday, October 21

• Matthew Cordell at Just Like the Nut
• Maxwell Eaton III at Books and Other Thoughts
• Roz Fulcher at Goading the Pen
• Susie Jin at sruble's world
• Susan Mitchell at Check It Out

To view all the 2007 snowflakes click here.

Credit goes to Jen Robinson for creating this linked schedule and to Jules and Eisha (Seven Imp) for organizing this great preview to promote the Robert’s Snow Online Auction for Cancer’s Cure.

Five Things Friday

Friday again...thank goodness. I'm ready to sleep in tomorrow.

1. Every Friday or Saturday night we have a family sleep over in the living room. We usually eat homemade popcorn and watch a movie. Tonight, it's TRANSFORMERS! Fun flick, I'm looking forward to it.

2.Haven't the Robert's Snow snowflake features been fabulous this week? Every morning it's the first place I go when I rev up the Internet. I could spend a small fortune, easily.
Wednesday, October 24th, I'll be featuring Elisa Kleven's snowflake so please come back then and learn all about this fabulous author/illustrator. I'm so excited!

3. Alicia Padron tagged me with a "desktop" meme where we have to share our workspace.Well here's mine. It lives between the kitchen and the living room. It's perfect for me because I'm in the thick of it all and can still be with family while I work. The only drawback is that I can't close a door and hide the mess! And as you've seen in past pictures, it gets pretty messy.

I'll tag the Illustrator's Group Soup and see if they have time to share their workspaces too.

4. Did you notice the books on my art table in the last photos? Those are what we received from the lovely Karma Wilson this week. Here is Emily with her gifties.

Flash on my camera just went kaput so we had to take it outside.

HELLO CALICO is actually mine.teehee! I was runner up in the grown up version of the contest. She sent lovely inscriptions on each and we are two very happy gals. THANK YOU, KARMA. We'll cherish them for years to come.

Be sure to visit Karma's blog and learn about her new up and coming contest!!

5. Lily is officially 4 months old tomorrow! She is growing so fast and is a 5 pounds!! Here she is after a digging spell in the back yard. It's hard to see in the picture but her paws and nose are covered in dirt. 

As always, have a great weekend and see you next week! xo

Five Things Friday

Happy Friday to all! This week has flown by for me, has it you?

Five things...

1. Last week I posted about the wonderful new Karma Wilson blog. This week I'm ecstatic to share that Emily won a signed copy of Karma's new book "Whopper Cake" with this birthday card that she entered inthe contest. Way to go Emily! 

2. Carol Baicker-McKee, the illustrator of the adorable "Cheep!Cheep!" books also has a blog.

I'm thrilled to see that she has a new post up sharing her process and updates on all the exciting books that she is working on. Go check it out. Obviously, I'm a big fan!

3. The busy-busy gals at "seven impossible things" have organized a great blog ring support for the upcoming Robert's Snow Auction.

Starting Monday, each snowflake will be highlighted on a blog to help promote interest in the auction. Please visit daily here at Rozzieland. I'll post the links to each snowflake that is being highlighted for that day. I can't wait to see all the different snowflakes and learn more about them! It's just such an excellent cause and I'm honored to be a part of it this year.

4.Lily is 16 weeks old and doing great accept that I think she has a cold. When she had her shots she didn't skip a beat but has the sneezes and coughs, poor thing. It has to be from the shots don't you think? She likes to nap in my lap while I'm on the computer now...

This week over at the PBJ's, we've been sharing out pet pics. Go take a looksee.

5. I am deadline free right now so you know what I'm going to do today? Take myself to a movie. I love going in the day when it's nice and quiet. I think I'll go see "Michael Clayton". Hope it is as good as they are making it sound in the reviews.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Five Things On Friday

1. I have a stinkin' cold and I'm stinkin' miserable. Obviously I'm in the "feeling sorry for myself" stage.

2. Lily is 15 weeks old. Yesterday I took her to the vet to update her shots. The vet warned that she may be out of it for the next 48 hours. I don't guess Lily heard that because she's still as spunky as ever. Here she is helping with the laundry...

3. This week I learned how to do a "disjointed rollover" thanks to my pal Patty and this little tutorial.
You can see it here. I know I'm way behind the times but humour me, please. =O)

4.While my nan was alive she was an avid collector of owls. Whenever they pop up now, I'm automatically reminded of her. No surprise, then, that I am really loving Lauren Alane's work.

5.One of my fave rave  pb authors has started a blog!  WHOOHOO!
Check Out  Karma Wilson's, "GOOD KARMA".

Happy Friday to you...ACHOO!

Highlights Illustrator Party

This weekend was the annual Illustrator party hosted by Highlight's Magazine. Boy, I wish I could have gone. Hopefully next year!
Blog buddies, Jannie Ho and Liz Dubois, attended and look at the pictures they snapped.

Thank you so much for taking these. You've made my day!

Be sure to check out all the fun Liz and Jannie had at the event!