Lin Oliver...NESCBWI Conference in Fitchburg, MA

The New England chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators held its annual conference in Fitchburg, MA, May 13 - 15 (next year it will be held in Springfield, MA). This was the 6th conference I have attended. NESCBWI is a truly amazing society.  In such a competitive industry as publishing is, this society is comprised of wonderfully generous and friendly individuals. I actually crave these conferences because there is so much information and positive energy. This year's conference was filled with wonderful  stories about our beginnings as it was our 25 consecutive conference, and the 40th anniversary of the founding of SCBWI. Our key note speakers included Lin Oliver. Lin is wonderful. She is a hoot, and she is a GREAT story teller. One of the most significant points I have taken home from the conference is a word/concept that Lin Oliver closed her key note speech with: 'Ubuntu'. This is an African word/concept. Loosely translated, this is "a person is a person through other persons."  Google this, check it out. All that makes me an Elementary School Visual Arts Teacher wants to jump up and SING when I think about this concept (you would have to ask a family memebr of mine to know what this means - I am the worst singer on the planet - so this is BIG). Thank you, Lin.

NESCBWI final cover design & conference

The confererence was wonderful! Here is my final cover design.

Bremen Town Musicians - cover 2

May Day

Got back at midnight - short trip to Vermont and Massachusetts. Working in my studio this beautiful May Day. Here is the first version of the Grimm Brothers cover design. I will probably play around with this until the NESCBWI conference in two weeks.