Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted
~ Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963
You can say anything you want, yessir, but it's the words that sing, they soar and descend...I bow to them...I love them, I cling to them, I run them down, I bite into them, I melt them down...I love words so much...The unexpected ones...The ones I wait for greedily or stalk until, suddenly they drop...
~Pablo Neruda
I hope some animal never bores a hole in my head and lays its eggs in my brain, because later you might think you're having a good idea but it's just eggs hatching
Join me for the opening reception of Ka 'Ike o ka Moana: The Knowledge of the Ocean, an educational and artistic exhibit to raise ocean awareness, on Thursday, May 31, 4:30-6pm at the Honolulu Hale Courtyard.
My contribution to the show is an illustration of the endemic lanternsharks of Hawai’i.
Etmopterus villosus, the Hawaiian Lanternshark, was discovered in 1905 and is endemic to Molokai at depths of 1300-3000 feet. Only a few specimens have been found of this little-known shark.
Etmopterus villosus, 1905, from The deep-sea fishes of the Hawaiian Islands Gilbert, Charles Henry, 1859-1928; Jordan, David Starr, 1851-1931.
Etmopterus lailae, with its distinctive, large snout, is known from three specimens in the Bishop Museum’s fish collection. For years it was misidentified as Etmopterus lucifer, a species found in Japanese waters. Last year there was excitement in the scientific community when the specimens were reexamined and recognized as a newly discovered Hawaiian species.
It was a challenge and a joy to research images of desiccated specimens and imagine what these rare sharks look like in their natural environment, and to extrapolate from the anatomy of related species. And the beauty of illustrating them digitally allows me to revise as I receive input from biologists. I'll post my illustration after the close of the show.
My mother taught us love, faith, and humility. She taught us that wealth is measured not by the car you drive or the house you live in, but in the faith you keep, the friends you meet, and the family you love.
By those standards, she was wealthy beyond measure. And she was equally generous, sometimes to a fault. What little she had, she shared. Even if it meant that she had to do without.
Growing up, we didn’t have the latest toys, but Mom made sure we never skimped on books. She splurged on a set of World Book Encyclopedias for us. I spent hours leafing through the gilt-edged pages. Beginning with A for ancient Anatolia, I trekked through the gardens of Babylonia, immersed myself in Cleopatra’s man troubles, and explored the ziggurats of Mesopotamia—all in a single afternoon.
Mom was an avid reader, burning through Harlequin romances at all hours of the day. When she came to live with me, she lamented that she couldn’t find any good Indian romances. I thought she was referring to books like "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri. But she was referring to "Comanche Moon" and "Sweet Prairie Passion."
I said to her, “Mom, they don’t publish Indian romances anymore because they’re culturally insensitive.”
But she persisted, so I introduced her to Goodreads and Amazon.com.Today, my Amazon account is still cluttered with embarrassing suggestions like, “If you enjoyed reading 'Cheyenne Captive,' you’ll love 'Savage Ecstasy.' ” It’s a sweet reminder of Mom.
She didn’t pass on to me her love for romance novels, but she did pass on a love for reading. She bought me a subscription to Parent Magazine’s Book-of-the-Month Club, and took me on frequent excursions to the Kapahulu library. After the library, we’d catch the bus to Ala Moana for Woolworth’s fried chicken and roast beef sandwiches, and browse through tin toys and Japanese teacups at Hotei-Ya.
Mom was also quite a trooper. In the summer, Dad would take my brothers frog hunting. They’d bring home a five-gallon bucket filled with croaking bullfrogs and empty it into the bathtub. All night long, I was kept awake by the wet slapping of frogs jumping against the sides of the tub, trying to escape.
The next morning, Dad would skin and clean the frogs. He stretched the skins over empty peach cans and dried them in the sun so that we each had our own little frog drum. And then Mom would bread and fry the frogs for dinner. As I said, she was quite the trooper.
She was also quite the foodie. She loved going holoholo with Auntie Ida, Auntie Ruth, and later, with her best friend Jean. She never gave up on trying to get me to eat chicken feet and hundred-year-old eggs.
As a know-it-all teenager, I rolled my eyes at her chicken feet cravings. I also rolled my eyes at her simple needs, and foolishly mistook them for a lack of ambition. I didn’t see how she put OUR dreams above her own. She put aside her business degree to take care of us at home, and later, to work as a school custodian.
It was only after I had children of my own that I saw the sacrifices she made. Because of her, I refused to allow anyone except family care for my children. When we lived in Boston, I made my husband Ric give away our front row tickets to Miss Saigon because I wouldn’t let his classmate babysit.
Cosmo, Popo always reminisced about how she would take your tiny hand and walk you from her Date Street apartment to Stadium Park. She would mimic your squeaky voice asking her, “Popo, can we go to McDonalds?”
Bob, Popo always talked about what a smart, kind, and well-spoken young man you are—and a snappy dresser, too! She was always trying to bring food home for the two of you, no matter how full our refrigerator was.
And Mom adored our bulldog, Roxy. Even though I reprimanded her, she was constantly sneaking lup cheong to the dog. It’s no wonder that Roxy watched over her and sometimes slept with her.
Mommy, your coming to live with me was the best thing. We had our challenges, but, boy, did we have fun.
And we had plans. I was supposed to ask you about growing up with Popo and Eng, and all your brothers and sisters—and I was supposed to write it down. I wanted more time. I wanted to go holoholo with you. Eat dim sum. Go to Red Lobster. And bring you home one last time.
But you had family waiting for you above. So you did what you do best. You brought together your family, here on earth, and guided us through love and faith.
It’s because of you that we are strong. It’s because of you that we are so united.
Mommy, do you remember our last day together? I came into your hospital room, ready to spend the night. I kissed your cheek and said, “Mommy, today is my birthday! You brought me into this world 55 years ago and you’re the best mom ever! We’re going to miss you, but we’ll all be okay.”
And two hours later, you slipped away. You were fearless, you were beautiful, and you were free. It was a blessed gift, that on the day that I was born, you were born into another realm. You couldn’t have written a better ending to a story.
Best of all, I got to kiss you many times over those last few days. I marveled at how soft and smooth your cheeks were and wondered, “Why did it take me 55 years to kiss you?” But at least I got to kiss you.
And I still talk to you. At stop lights. At home. In the middle of the night. In times of doubt, I will learn to summon your voice. Your love. Your acceptance. You were always so supportive. You were my biggest fan. Because of you, I gave away all my books to the nurses and doctors.
And when I’m hardest on myself, you will remind me.
That wealth is measured in the faith you keep, the friends you meet, and the family you love.
And I will find comfort remembering the softness of your cheek.
Thank you for teaching me how to live and how to die.
Thank you for being our mother.
The Endangered Ark is a group
exhibition to celebrate and support the
endangered species of Hawai’i through art
and community action. Taking place at
alternative gallery space, Ark of the
Unicorns, it will feature the work of eight
Hawai’i based artists. Inspired by the
recent political climate that has shown to
be subversive to conservation goals, and
specifically, the Endangered Species Act
(ESA). The show will feature original work
depicting the endangered and extinct
species of Hawai’i and concepts
surrounding endangerment.
The Endangered Ark sets itself apart from
other exhibits about endangered species
with an interactive component that invites
visitors to write on postcards about why
they value endangered species protections.
Postcards will be hung on a wall in the
gallery and, after the closing party, they will
be mailed off to relevant legislators and
allies. 30% of proceeds from work sold will
benefit Kaua’i Forest Bird Recovery Project
to support on-the-ground efforts for
endangered bird conservation.
For more information, please contact
Kayleigh Chalkowski
(kchalkowski@gmail.com) or Nanci Amaka
(nanciamaka@gmail.com). See further
updates about the show on Instagram
@theendangeredark or on Facebook at
facebook.com/theendangeredark
Illustrating 'Alae 'Ula or Hawaiian Moorhen for the Endangered Ark show
Just playing...Procreate illustration of an Asp Turtle or Aspidochelone, from medieval bestiaries. #illustration #illustrationchallenge #kidlit #medieval #bestiary #art #procreate
Halloween is around the corner. What better time is there to learn about Hawaii's only endemic land mammal, the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat or ʻōpeʻapeʻa?
I haven't been sticking to my goal of one a day, but I have been sticking to working as quickly as possible and finishing each illustration in a single sitting.
The Roxy illustration challenge continues! One of my favorite poses, a combo of "What did I do?" + "Talk to the Butt." #illustration
Here's the video of my process...
And once again, here's my dainty princess. That face says it all...she's clearly embarrassed by my sophomoric attempt to familiarize myself with a new medium.
I started off calling this "The Roxy Challenge." My goal was to loosen up each day with a quick sketch of my bulldog, Roxy. She's funny, she's flatulent, and she sleeps 20 hours a day (mostly under my drafting table)--the perfect model for a children's book illustrator!
However, Roxy wanted no part of that modeling nonsense. She scratched. She fidgeted. She licked her toes. And she insisted on critiquing my work, nosing through all of my sketchbooks before finally resting her chin on my iPad.
Taking my "studio assistant" Roxy for a walk, I thought it would be great to mount a GoPro to capture Kailua Beach from a bulldog's perspective...if anything, as inspiration for a new children's book character.
My obsession with butterflies goes beyond origami...I do raise monarch butterflies at my home in Hawaii, using crownflower as a food source for the larva and lantana to attract adults. I'll write more about what goes on during metamorphosis on my Origami Page.
Talk story, learn more about writing and illustrating for children, stock up on your summer reading, or have books autographed for your favorite reader. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Friends of the Library. Spread the word!
Book signing schedule:
SATURDAY, JUNE 18
Sue Cowing, 9 a.m. - 12 noon
Christin Lozano, 9 a.m. - 12 noon
David Estes, 12 noon - 5 p.m.
Alina Niemi, 12 noon - 5 p.m.
Leslie Hayashi and Tammy Yee, all day
SUNDAY, JUNE 19
Sandi Takayama, 9 a.m. - 12 noon
Alina Niemi, 12 noon - 4 p.m.
Christopher Caravalho, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Leslie Hayashi and Tammy Yee, all day
My introduction to writing and illustrating children's books was Uri Shulevitz's guide, Writing With Pictures--I still have it on my bookshelf--and the thought of attending an SCBWI conference terrified me. I came away from my first conference overstimulated and overwhelmed, but also energized and inspired. Through the years, I've learned that there is no better way to meet other author and illustrators, develop your writing and illustrating, and learn from the best in the industry.
So if you happen to be in Hawaii this March, join us for our 2016 SCBWI Hawaii Conference:
Smooth Sailing in the Sea of Children’s Book Publishing
March 18 – 19, William S. Richardson Law School, University of Hawaii at Manoa
with
DAN SANTAT, Author-Illustrator, 2015 Caldecott Medal Recipient
SUZIE TOWNSEND, Agent
NAOMI LONG EAGLESON, Editor
KIRSTEN CARLSON, Local Author-Illustrator
Featuring workshops and breakout sessions for authors and illustrators, First Pages/First Look Critique Panel, industry tips and more.
If you would like to attend Dan Santat's Friday workshop, Art School in One Day, contact hawaii@scbwi.org.
FACULTY BIOS:
DAN SANTAT, Author-Illustrator, 2015 Caldecott Medal Recipient
Dan has been a proud member of the SCBWI since 2001. He has since published over fifty books for children, which include the Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot series by Dav Pilkey, Oh No! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World) by Mac Barnett which won the Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators, and the New York Times best-selling book, Because I'm Your Dad by Ahmet Zappa. Dan has also the author of the graphic novel, Sidekicks, which has won numerous state book awards, and is the current recipient of the 2015 Randolph Caldecott Medal for his book, The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend. He is also the creator of the Disney animated series, The Replacements. Visit him at www.dantat.com.
SUZIE TOWNSEND, Director of Literary Services & Literary Agent, New Leaf Literary & Media
Suzie represents all brands of children's and adult fiction. She is
actively looking to build her list. In adult, she's specifically looking
for new adult, romance (all subgenres), fantasy (urban fantasy, science
fiction, steampunk, epic fantasy) and crime fiction (mysteries,
thrillers). In Childrens' she loves YA (all subgenres) and is dying to
find great Middle Grade projects. Suzie loves strong characters and
voice driven stories that break out of the typical tropes of their
genres. For more info on her clients and projects: http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/sztownsend81/. Follow her on twitter (https://twitter.com/sztownsend81).
NAOMI LONG EAGLESON, Editor
Naomi Long Eagleson is the founder of The Artful Editor, a book editing
company based in Los Angeles. She helps writers improve and polish
their manuscripts for publication. She has an MFA from the Iowa Writers'
Workshop and has worked as an assistant editor at Manoa Journal and
as a manuscript reviewer at Mutual Publishing. She has edited over a
hundred books, including children’s books and young adult fiction. www.artfuleditor.com
KIRSTEN CARLSON, Author-Illustrator
Kirsten’s background in biology, scientific illustration and graphic
design lend themselves well to interpreting stories about nature for
children. In addition to picture books, her work as an
author/illustrator has also appeared in periodicals, including National Geographic and Phycologia. She
won the First Place Award for Realistic Portfolio at the 2003 and 2004
SCBWI Conferences. Kirsten is the Illustrator Coordinator for SCBWI
Hawaii, and a past Regional Advisor for SCBWI Germany+Austria.www.kirstencarlson.net
Interested in writing and illustrating children's books? SCBWI Hawaii is presenting several events that might be of interest to authors, illustrators, educators and librarians:
THE ART OF CREATING CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Free art exhibit and panel discussion at the Hawaii State Library Adult Reading Room
FREE PANEL DISCUSSION: SAT., FEBRUARY 27, 2-4 p.m. https://hawaii.scbwi.org/events/so-you-want-to-write-a-childrens-book-2/
Join us for a free discussion on getting started in writing and illustrating for children, and meet our panelists, authors and author-illustrators James Rumford, Scott Goto, Sue Cowing, Chris Caravalho and Vera Arita.
ART EXHIBIT: FEBRUARY 11 - MARCH 30 https://hawaii.scbwi.org/events/art-exhibit-the-art-of-creating-childrens-books/
What does it take to create a children's book? View the notes, rough sketches and final children's book artwork of SCBWI authors and illustrators. Featuring the work of Chris Caravalho, Kirsten Carlson, Sue Cowing, Scott Goto, Leslie Hayashi, Mariko Merritt, Elizabeth Oh, Esther Szegedy and Tammy Yee.
Join us for storytelling, crafts, book talks and book signing! Meet some of the authors and illustrators from the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) at Barnes & Noble, Ala Moana Center, on November 21, 2015, from 11:30 am-1:30pm. Booksigning from 1:30-2:30pm.
We work diligently at our craft, but what about the business side of
writing and illustrating? The Texas Chapter of SCBWI is hosting a
webinar this Tuesday, November 10 to help you structure your writing and
illustrating business, keep records, and understand sales tax and
deductions. The fee is only $10 for SCBWI members--one of the many reasons to renew your membership or join!
A revealing interview by author Ian McEwan (Atonement):
“I don't feel
confident at all. No I don't. Sometimes I pick up some work I finished
fifteen years ago and think, am I as good as that now? Could I do that
again? No, I think you'll find most writers are not confident they can
just turn out books...There's a great difference between that all that
public world of prizes and interviews and public readings and the
private world of the closed door, and the hiss of silence--and here we
are again, and what can you make come out of this of silence. And you
can't relax about it, you can't be certain that you can do it again."
So, fellow nerds, what's with this video circulating on Facebook and Youtube?
First of all, these are not spiders. They are harvestmen or daddy-longlegs. For those of you who remember the ol' mnemonic device for taxonomy, King Philip Can Order Fresh Green Salad (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus and Species), these critters, like spiders, scorpions and ticks, are in the class Arachnida. However, harvestmen belong to their own order, Opiliones.
So what's the difference?
Harvestmen have a single cephalothorax and a single pair of eyes. True spiders have a narrow "waist" that creates two segments, the cephalothorax and abdomen.
Harvestmen have a single pair of eyes. True spiders most commonly have eight eyes, however they can have no eyes, or as many as 12 eyes.
Harvestmen are nonvenomous.
Harvestmen have no spinnerets, so they do not spin webs.
Harvestmen are older than spiders--the oldest fossil, from Scotland, is at least 400 million years old. True spiders are about 300 million years old.
Harvestmen are omnivores--they eat dead stuff, bird droppings, fungus and small arthropods and slugs.
Finally, the question every one is asking. WHY DO THEY DO THIS? They mass for defensive purposes, and to keep themselves warm. Harvestmen possess a pair of stinky glands called ozopores; when they mass, the combined smell can be quite disturbing. Swarming also makes them appear larger. When disturbed, the entire throng will sometimes bob and sway--a truly unsettling effect.
Video step-by-step directions for folding patterns from my new book, "Easy Butterfly Origami" featuring 30 bold full-color patterns designed to accurately portray the dorsal and ventral sides of some of the most beautiful butterflies from around the world!
Fun facts about behavior and distribution accompany each butterfly model!
From the vivid green Cairns Birdwing to the striped Tiger Swallowtail and the Blood Red Glider, these beautiful butterflies feature a kaleidoscopic array of colors and patterns. Includes simple instructions for folding, and perforated pages for easy removal.
Many butterflies have iridescent patterns on the top, and drab undersides for camouflage while they rest with their wings folded up. The origami patterns in this book are specially designed to highlight the diversity of species--when folded, the models accurately portray the variation in the insects' top and bottom views.
Each butterfly model is accompanied by fun facts about behavior and distribution. For example, did you know that the Mountain Alcon Blue butterfly tricks ants into feeding and protecting its caterpillars? Other caterpillars, like the Moth Butterfly, are carnivorous and feed on ant larvae and pupae.
The 68th Annual Friends of the Library Book Sale starts this weekend on Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21 at McKinley High School! Authors and illustrators from SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) will be selling and signing their brand new children's books and art work in the blue tent in front of the the cafeteria. A portion of sales will be going to support Friends of the Library of Hawaii.
The FLH Book Sale is an island tradition that attracts over 20,000 readers of all ages and backgrounds and features bargains and a selection of titles to rival any bookstore. Stock up on your summer reading, or just stop by to say hello!
Saturday, May 16, 2015, 2:00-4:00pm
So You Want To Write A Children's Book?
At the Hawaii State Library, 478 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96813
Are you working on a picture book, an early chapter book fiction,
middle grade fiction, young adult fiction, poetry or non-fiction? Join
us for a free discussion for beginners on what you should know about
writing and illustrating for children. Hear how voice, language and
content are affected by stages of childhood development and learn about
various categories of children's books, so you can develop a sense of who your target audience.
Presented by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
(SCBWI), featuring Leslie Hayashi, Sue Cowing, Kirsten Carlson, Nancy
Reynolds and Tammy Yee.
SCBWI-HAWAII (Society of Children's Book Writer's and Illustrators)
2015 ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN HONOLULU, HAWAII
MARCH 6-7
This year's annual craft workshop
and conference will feature three special guests: authors Susan
Fletcher and Sarah Ellis, and Associate Editor Kat Brzozowski. The
optional craft workshop, led by Susan and Sarah, will help you hone your
skills in plotting. The full-day conference will feature breakout
sessions by Susan, Sarah and Kat, first-page critiques, optional
manuscript and portfolio critiques by professionals, and ample
networking opportunities. Space is limited, so sign up now!
Date/Time
Date(s) - 01/10/2015 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Location Aina Haina Public Library
5246 Kalanianaole Hwy - Honolulu, Hawaii 96821
Tuition Non-Members $50; SCBWI Members $25 CONTACT hawaii@scbwi.org FOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION Advance registration required.
Limited Seating.
Interested in writing nonfiction or historical fiction for children and young adults? Tracy Barrett, an award-winning author of numerous books and magazine articles for young readers, will be holding a writer's workshop on January 10, 2015 at the Aina Haina Public Library. The workshop will be a combination of lecture/presentation and participant involvement.
Tracy holds a Bachelor's Degree with honors in Classics-Archaeology
from Brown University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Italian
Literature from the University of California, Berkeley. She taught at
Vanderbilt University for twenty-eight years. Her scholarly interests in
the ancient and medieval worlds overlap in her fiction and nonfiction
works.
A grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to study
medieval women writers led to the writing of her award-winning young-adult
novel, Anna of Byzantium(Delacorte). Her most recent publications are
Dark of the Moon (Harcourt) a YA retelling of the myth of the minotaur,
King of Ithaka, a YA novel based on Homer's Odyssey; the popular
middle-grade series The Sherlock Files (both Henry Holt) and The
Stepsister’s Tale (Harlequin Teen, 2014) which received starred reviews
from both Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus and was a PW Book of the Week.
Mahalo to the keiki at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Pearl City! It was fun sharing my books and art with eager students. And special thanks to all the aspiring artists who drew pictures from my books!
Lee & Low's New Voices Award writing contest is now open for submissions! The deadline is September 30, 2014, so get those manuscripts in ASAP. The New Voices Award is one way to help new authors of color break into publishing.
Posts
Bookmark and Share
