My clumsy sketch was made into a colorful image for Illustration Friday using Photoshop.

Last Friday, as soon as I found out the theme, I grabbed a ball-point pen and a piece of paper and started drawing the first thing I laid my eyes on: a little toy hen that resides at my desk. It was an experiment in expressing the theme using my left hand!

Here’s the original sketch:

Note: I am not left-handed. Can you tell?

…we started a new year: Twenty Ten! Yay!

In honor of 20th day of the new year, here are twenty news bits and random observations. (Um, that four month gap since my last post was well worth the wait, right? ;-))

1. My geeky self is thrilled at the speed and beauty of Snow Leopard on my new Mac Mini.

2. Donated to Haiti which suffered a 7.0 quake that caused ten times more devastation than our 7.1 Loma Prieta quake.

3. Purging old stuff from my studio including books.  Making room for more.

4. Went to an amazing SCBWI Cyber Promotions retreat in Santa Barbara. (More to come~cross my heart…)

5. Started up Hula again.

6. Tackling my To Do list with some friendly help.

7. Shifting priorities with a smile.

8. Pleased that Project Runway is back in the Big Apple.

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Aloha!

I’m thrilled to share that I received an early copy of my picture book, CAN YOU CATCH A COQUI FROG (BeachHouse Publishing), written by Vera Arita, and illustrated by yours truly.

Here’s a little taste of the book (from the cover copy):

Can you catch a coqui frog as he’s sitting on a log?
Can you hear him in the night with a croak so high and bright?
Can you see him hop all day in his happy little way?
Can you catch a frog?

These questions and more are posed in a sing-song rhyme that introduces children to some of Hawai‘i’s unique animals—from the tiny yet notorious coqui frog to monk seals to the friendly household gecko.

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Early August, I attended the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Summer Conference in LA. All the fun and excitement took place at the Century Plaza Hyatt hotel. Below, and in the next few posts, I’ll share the highlights of my trip, a few observations and then some..:-)

I decided to modify a version of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus around the time I quit pursuing publishing. That was close to ten years ago. I spent several years prior with a very strong focus on picture books but that gradually gave way to frustration.

The industry was changing. While I was repped at the time, I had a hard time with the change. Externally, things looked all right. Internally, I was at odds with myself. I painted my heart out—pouring all my feelings onto canvas. I took three years off. When I returned, I was able to look at the painting with a “fresh” set of eyes.

Finding Your Path in Kid Lit

Sometimes I’m approached by people who want to write and/or illustrate children’s and YA books. I might sound like a broken record but I always utter the initials: S C B W I. It stands for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

One  thing I did upon returning to children’s books was join the SCBWI. It has been instrumental in helping me reach my goals. I do the work, stay focused, yada, yada. However, the SCBWI provides a ton of resources and helps me make important connections—even now that I’m published. I can’t speak highly enough of it.

Check out the SCBWI here.

Edited to Add: I’m attending the national SCBWI Summer Conference in LA in a few days. Can’t wait! Perhaps I’ll see some of you there? Cheers!

Happenings this Month

The School Visit Front ::   I celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Children’s Book Week with the students of Earhart School of Alameda, CA where I appeard for a full day of assemblies, a family evening presentation and some kinder book readings.

Above photo: Teaching the kids a sitting hula. * Special thanks to Principal Joy Dean and Media Center Teachers, Ana Soria-Kevy and Jeni Marr. I had a fantastic time at your school!

The Internet Scene ::  My interview with editor Tarie Sabido of Into The Wardrobe, a delightful children’s and YA literature blog is up now. This month, Tarie highlights kid lit authors and illustrators who have a unique Asian Pacific connection. She posed some excellent questions that I hope I answered well. FYI, I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning, typing out my answers to the best of my ability ** note: bleary eyes but full heart** I am honored to be part of this month’s festivities. Please check out the interview and blog here.