Tick Tock Taylor!

It's very exciting to have 'Tick Tock Taylor' almost on the bookshelves!

This is the chapter book I have been illustrating for Kane and Miller Publishing, author Anastasia Suen and have been BUSTING to tell you about.

Here's the cover ...

This is the first in a series of 4 in the All Star Cheerleaders series and each one will feature a different member of the squad. I loved illustrating Anastasia's work. The inside illustrations are black and white, with tints added in photoshop. The ink work is done with dipping pen - which can lead to some big blots (so you have to start again), but gives a lively and varied line, because once it is done, it is DONE and there is no changing it. Well, except in photoshop of course. I love working in this loose, fun style and although drawing cheerleaders was a challenge at first (being English I know very little about the cheerleading world) I soon got into the swing of it.

Here are a couple of examples of the interior illustrations.

So if you have any little cheerleaders, or wannabee cheerleaders in your life, this is the series for them!

I hope to meet up with Anastasia at ALA next year to promote the books.

I will be starting on number two in the series shortly and I can't wait!

So for now it's bye bye from Tick Tock Taylor

And give me a W give me a B!
Tata from The Wacky Brit
aka
Hazel Mitchell

Oh ... I can't resist ... this is the teeny TINY squad ....

Win a Max Pack!

This week I got a lovely package in the post - a whole heap of goodies that accompany the children's motivational book 'Why Am I Here?'. I illustrated and did the layout for the book in 2009 for Simon and Schuster bestselling author Matthew Kelly.

Author of several NY Times bestselling motivational books for adults and top class motivational speaker, this is Matthew's first book for children, published by his own publishing company: Beacon Publishing. Matthew is head of a phenomenal organization and the book itself has sold thousands already. To go along with the book his foundation has developed a whole teaching pack, including dolls, lesson plans, posters ... and I worked on the design  and layout of everything you see in the photo ... including the packing boxes and hang tags on Max the doll. It was great fun, and even more fun to see it all together like this ... I feel quite proud!

So here's how you can win a goodie bag ... please be a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this post and you will be in the draw to win one of three packs including the book. Max the doll, pencils, badge, fridge magnet and a couple of other goodies! Good luck.

Other goings on in the life of The Wacky Brit ... next weekend on my way to the NE SCBWI conference in Fitchburg. Going to be entering the poster showcase again (last year I won 2 places, I am not expecting to replicate that though!). Here's my entry (this year we had to recreate a landmark children's book cover)
If your going, come say hello :-)

Meanwhile, working my way through the finals for the 'Hidden New Jersey' book for Charlesbridge Publishing. I love it when I get to the colouring stage, that's the most fun. The deadline is mid June so It's coming up shortly.

And in between I am putting together the school project for the local elementary school 4th grade that they have illustrated and written (it's about The Seasons in Maine).

So - heck it's been busy. Trying to stick to a good routine of bed early and up early. A bit like being a long distance runner .. pacing oneself.

Right I'm off - hope you will enter the competition!

Toodles
Hazel
aka The Wacky Brit

Lot's of book on the bedside table ... too many to mention right now.

Spring is Sprung

At last - birds, grass, decent temperatures. Things are looking UP in Maine. Put the fence up over on the big field (in winter the snowmobile path goes across it) and turned out our horses. There was galloping and bucking and BIG farts. (They do that when they are happy). Me, I just do the galloping and bucking bit.

Last weekend I trotted off to Boston with some girl friends. We had a blast, the sun shone and it was 50 or so degrees. Even the daffs were flowering! Stayed at a lovely little hotel (John Jeffries House on Beacon Hill.) It was good to get away from the studio, see some sights and people, eat (too much) at nice restaurants and browse in galleries. One of the fun things is getting on the DownEaster Train in Portland and cruising to Boston North Station. Nice not to drive, kick back and relax, have a drink ;-).

Saturday night we went to the Opera House and saw Mary Poppins, the Broadway cast. Just stunning! Great set, singing and an escape from reality. I particularly enjoyed the sets, which were very illustrative and made to work like a doll's house. Of course Disney always but on a great show, love' em or hate 'em. Well I loved it and took some inspiration from it.

More inspiration on Sunday - Boston Museum of Fine Arts. One afternoon is far too little time to do it properly - and viewing fatigue sets in after a while. It was good to sit and contemplate amongst old masters, the paintings old friends from books and posters, from essays written at college and lectures received. So I mused among the Impressionists and spent a while with John Singer Sargent and his beautiful brushwork. Roamed in the Egyptian room and pootled in the new Art of the Americas wing. Totally missed the musical instruments and costume though. Rats.

And in breathing the atmosphere it reminds you that this is still just paint on canvas, one brush stroke, one observation at a time. Take that home and recall that what you do is not so much different.

Meanwhile back in my real life ... still trying to throw off the kidney stone episode with has left me pretty exhausted. I am deep in to the compositions for 'Hidden New Jersey' for Charlesbridge. There is a lot of detail and research for each spread ... they are packed cock-a-hoop full of history. Hopefully I can share them here soon. There's a lot of work to do before then though!

Good news also this week - 'How to Talk to an Autistic Kid' goes on sale from Free Spirit Publishing. I received my copy and it looks fab! You can buy it now on Amazon If you have a child who is in contact with an Autistic child, perhaps at school, or just to educate them that an Autistic child acts a little differently but is highly intelligent, this is a great book. Also if your feeling generous, purchase a copy for your school or library. If you would like a signed copy, please let me know and I will try to arrange it.

Lastly, really pleased to find out that Corinna Elementary School (about 10 miles from me in Maine) has received a grant enabling me to work with 4th graders in the next several weeks to produce a book. Hopefully we will publish through Lulu and put it on Amazon ... watch out for that! More chances to spend $$!

I hope Spring is with you now where ever you are and you are looking forward to a beautiful year.

Ta Ta For Now

Hazel
aka
The Wacky Brit

On the bedside table -
Writing Magic - Gail Carson Levine
When I Grow Up - Al Yankovic and Wes Hargis