Putting the Pen to the Paper and Feet to the Ground

Happy New Fantastic Year of the Dragon 2012 to all.

Hatchling Dragon Illustraton by Lori Taylor

Time to blog again, oh how time flies! 2012--the Year of the Dragon. A year filled with luck and energy. Dragons are the doers of the world and don't sit and wait for things to happen, they make things happen!

I don't know about you but here is my Dragon Bucket List for 2012:

1. Apply for the Isle Royale Artist-in-Residence Program so I can get good stuff for Holly Wild Book 4.
2. Outfit myself and train and get fitter--er--fit for backpacking Isle Royale.
3. Use less 'em' dashes in my writing for 2012.
4. Stay focused on my books in 2012. Working on Holly Wild Book 2 and Book 3 is in the mental, as well as the notebook, works. Less art shows, more family fests.
5. Get out more, do more, learn more, see more, experience more--draw more. Oops, there goes an em dash! Pencil on the go this year.

OK, I guess that's a good start and not too much or overwhelming. I have to get the dragon-share of this done before my daughter gives birth to grandchild number two this August. Grandma may be running into the hospital with muddy hiking boots.

I've been working out and hiking--without a pack on for now. That comes next month. Right now I am waking up my knees and letting them know they have serious work to do. Also, I'm excited about Big Agnes and Lulu who will be going with me on my journeys this summer. They sound like barroom bouncers but in actuality they are my tent and sleeping bag.

I have been promoting Holly Wild and have classes coming up in February http://www.pinckneyschools.org/community-education/winter-brochure (that was on my list by I crossed it off ten minutes ago)--but who am I kidding--that's a full time, never ending job. I also revamped my website, another to do that got done!

THINGS TO DO and SEE! This weekend we are running up to Tawas to look for Snowy Owls. I also hear tell that there is a Great Gray Owl in Essex County, Ontario. Day trip!

When we get back there is an Illustration Exhibit at Kendall College in Grand Rapids and I still hope to get to the Great Lakes Zoological Society's new home on Jackson Road in Ann Arbor http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/GreatLakesZoo sometime this month to see their reptiles and amphibians. WHEW!

Sounds like the Year of the Dragon is going to keep me on my toes! What does your 2012 Dragon Bucket List Look like?

Rahhrr! Good Health & Good Energy!
Lori

PiBoIdMo Almost Over!

What a busy month for me! PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month), my birthday, going to Detroit for the Thanksgiving Day parade and general life around the Bear Track Studio den. PiBoIdMo was a blast and it all comes to a close tomorrow. I gathered many new and fresh ideas for future possible picture books. Here are a few:

The first colorful picture book character that came to mind was our new kitten who adopted us. Oskar Wilde Kat. OK, drawing him was like drawing a droplet of water bouncing on a hot skillet. Then I read about from PiBoIdMo folk how kittens and bunnies are overused in story land so I went on in my search for new, fun story characters. Ideas began to trickle in and then tumble in like crashing waves.

Nov. 11, 2011 "Pinky" Porcupine

One such idea stemmed from my birthday celebration when I spent the day with my granddaughter and son at Rain Forest Cafe at the Great Lakes Crossing.

Fortunately my granddaughter, Kyah, is full of songs and stories and made the day memorable. It began with her singing every verse of "I Got the Joy, Joy, Joy Down in my Heart..." and ended with ice cream at McDonald's because the mall had closed all of its ice cream stores and was far too crowded for our likes.

When I bought Kyah a blue-striped plush top hat with hot pink fur trim (snazzy, right?) it made her little six-year old going on seven day. She had been enumerating her first grade woes of not making many friends at her school. Ouch! That hurt my grandma heart. And so when she asked for the hat--what's a grandmother to do? She was wild with excitement and wore the too big hat in the mall making people smile at her. BINGO! Story gotten! Now I hate to use my lil grandpup's problems as a story but these are real big deals to kids her age and older. So I went home and sketched some scenes from our big, day out. I liked the idea of making us porcupines--one of my favorite animals that I've had a few run-ins with. Before I even wrote a single word the images came to mind. The hat, the day, the song.

Then along came Thanksgiving. It got me to thinking about being grateful and giving back. November was becoming an emotional month for me for many reasons and now was the time to be thankful for everybody and everything I have in my life and for who I am. So out popped, Pickles Possum.

Nov. 22, 2011 "Pickles Possum" is in the Pits

This time Pickles got more character development perhaps because the character was closer to home--me. I drew pages and pages and wrote words and dialogue and pretty soon a story was being born.

As the days went by I noticed things more, especially after reading PiBoIdMo emails and posts from other authors. From settings to unusual characters my mind raced. Which is why I haven't slept well in a month from my brain racing like the engine of a race car. Besides designing new creative art pieces for work I was doing this picture book challenge, writing the Holly Wild and prepping for an art show we are headed to on Friday--in the snow.

So I went for a short walk at Howell Nature Center in their Wild Wonders park and took photos of critters like opossum, coyote and beaver. Then went back the next day to draw the porcupine.

She and I had a nice chat on that warm day. Each of regarding the other. She hummed to me and I hummed back as I sketched. I must have bored her though as she yawned and stretched and turned her back to me. But then she looked back and gave me a nice profile. Porkies have an unusual face and oddly human eye and appearance as if she were wrapped in her quilt decorated with quills. After our session I left with sketchbook in hand to visit the flying squirrel. OK, so you can't actually draw a flying squirrel--he actually was like a drop of water on a hot skillet. Cute fellers they are.

So the month of story ideas nearly over has brought new settings;  Detroit, and weird characters; mosquito larva. Stories are buzzing in my mind and will boil over at some point--but for now I have them on paper--as sketches.

PiBoIdMo, NaNoWriMo and AnFaMigMo--OH MY!

"I'm doing PiBoIdMo starting next week," I excitedly told Lisa (BarTraStuWoGir--Bear Track Studio Wood Girl) at breakfast. She smiled weakly into her weakly weak coffee.
"I thought you were already doing NaNoWriMo. Is this new acronym an ancient art form of self-defense?"
"AHA! PiBoIdMo stands for Picture Book Idea Month," I shouted. "NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, that's different. See, I can write Holly Wild Book 2 in one month and get picture book ideas and short stories for magazines at the same time. Let things jump out at me and sketch and write notes about them."

I merrily made my way up the hill to scoop the chicken coop when it occurred to me that last month was AnFaMigMo--Annual Fall Migration Month. All month long I noticed migratory action of many species of animals preparing to head south for the winter. There were the late-leaving Monarch butterflies flitting in a line (only thing to sip on was that noxious invasive Spotted Knapweed to keep them on their journey). Noisy cranes, geese and tree frogs. Hummingbirds long gone, but snakes were still moving to and fro looking for their wintering hibernacula (many roadkills spotted on these). But the most fascinating migration I witnessed was last weekend in TC Traverse City and Empire, home of the great SLBD--Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Marie (BarTraStuBirGir--Bear Track Studio Bird Girl) and I (BarTraStuNuClo--Bear Track Studio Nut Clown) had spent the week in TC painting a mural at the Boardman River Nature Center and planned to do a little kayaking on Saturday with family coming to town. A nice break after a looong week.

http://natureiscalling.org/river-wall-mural-at-the-boardman-river-nature-center/

We had heard that Chinook and Coho salmon by the thousands had already been harvested and many more were still in the rivers. So we got to see some in the Boardman River whilst perusing the autumnal harvest of fruits and flowers at the Farmers Market. The mix of delicious fruit and dead fish was interesting.

But Wow! What a fish! I'd never seen such a large, colorful and hideous-looking fish. And to think that we were going to kayak among them on the Platte River in the SLBD--Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park was an extra treat--especially since my daughter who has a big fish aversion had not yet arrived to the said kayking rendevous place. (Oh, this would be a treat once she realized she would be surrounded by them.) She pointed out one smallish salmon when we entered the river. I chuckled. Just you wait girlfriend...heheh.

Once on the river, schools of the large shiny hook-jawed torpedoes shot past us--and move they did--you could hear a slightly audible "swish-swish-swish" as they passed. Some leaped from the water and the water was black with them at the Fish-Thingy-Ladder-Tower-Gate. (see photo)

"Yes, my love, that is exactly where I shall flip my kayak. Yes, down there with the salmon."

This spectacle of finned and gilled nature made my daughter anxious. It also kept her in her kayak. But, not so with my son-in-law, Matt. He felt he must join the salmon on their run and promptly took a river swim after tipping his yak among them.

It was a quick bonding moment. One he will never forget. Tipping into a river in summer is shocking. But in the FALL, with chilled water, not so fun. Fortunately for him my menopausal ways found me with many layers of clothes packed into my yak. He dressed in the prickly brush on shore in a variety of clothes while the others emptied his yak. He did look like a wild man emerging from the bush after two months on the river. In my fleece shirt, jacket, and water shoes; his wife's "beaver fur hat" and socks, and BarTraStuWoGir's pants (she was wearing long johns beneath them for those of you concerned--she did look like an elf when we got out of the water at the end of the trip).

So where is all of this going? PiBoIdMo and NaNoWriMo? Ummm, notice, experience, write, record, sketch and photograph the events happening around you so you have something to share.

Life in layers (keeps you warm).

The Book is Born!

Yay! Hooplah! Celebration!

Holly Wild came home this week. What a long journey it has been for that kid--and me--and Bear Track Press!

A list of thank yous go out to Marie Rust and Lisa Ramlow--Team Taylor!

Thanks to Karin Fish--for fielding all of my InDesign questions--

and teaching me about 'em' dashes--and stuff.

To Kathleen Dougherty--thanks times ten. She has taught me much in the

nature realm for the last almost 30 years!

To my SCBWI Critter Crit group for looking over my ms. and

giving their helpful crit--times two!

Thanks to all!

So before I head off to Mackinac Island this weekend for the annual SCBWI-MI Fall Conference for Illustration Boot Camp, I've made sure that I've gotten all my ducks in a row. Holly's book has special buttons on my website to order books and here on my blog. She also has a Kid's Page with cool stuff for kids of all ages and her own Facebook page to keep you informed.

 And there will be school/libraryprograms, book signings and more in the future!

And you can bet Holly will have something to say about Mackinac Island in the future!

HOLY CREEPS! It's A Go with HOLLY WILD!

HOLY CREEPS! Holly H. Wild is ready to go--to press that is! As we speak, her story, her games, her activities and her words are rolling along the press. In fact, she will be showing her face to the world as of next week! So there's STILL a LOT more to do to get ready for bringing her home. We at Bear Track Press are all so excited, but no one more than me.

Just who is HOLLY H. WILD?  She's a cross between Raggedy Ann and Charlie Brown with a hint of Peppermint Patty and Lil Orphan Annie thrown in. OK, so maybe not, but she kinda looks like a combo of all of those. Holly is her own kid, with her own style! A tough and tumble, redheaded geek in hiking boots and hat who likes snakes and is ready to take on the world.

She's HOLLY H. WILD and she's awesome, times ten! She's fearless, brave, creative, bright, loyal and curious and--OK, she's a bit stubborn and clutsy, but that's because she is in a hurry to see the world and tell it to others. It's a dang good thing she has a Team like Tierra and Sierra Hills to keep her on track.

Holly may trip and fall, but she always get back up.

These last few months, weeks, and years of writing, revisions, illustrations and redoes, copyrights, ISBN and Library of Congress numbers and bar codes and setting up the files of the hundreds of illustrations is cause for CELEBRATION! Whew! To give you an idea, when we started writing Holly's story, Kenny was seven inches long and now he is five feet long! It's about time Holly comes to life! It's about time to celebrate her Wild appearance.

What does Holly have to say about all of this?
"Get UP, get OUT and get Wild!"



WATCH for Holly's arrival next week by following and liking her on Facebook. She will have her own page and fun stuff for kids to do. Kids can follow Holly and can become a GeEK (Geo Explorer Kid) and learn more about the nature world. Watch for Holly's fun promotional stuff, too.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Holly-Wild/174022782675624

HOLLY WILD:  Bamboozled on Beaver Island will be available for $12.99 at www.loritaylorart.com or Bear Track Press: http://www.beartrackstudiosllc.com/bear_track_press.html.

Birthing HOLLY WILD!

Lots of possiblilites here. Decisions, decisions!

This will be the last post before I get Holly published. Let me just say what a lo-o-ong journey it has been. A much longer labor and delivery than both of my own kids put together!

So I am putting together a scrap book of the beginnings of Holly Wild (and I'm sure that there are more in notebooks from way back). It was fun to gather these up, like putting together a baby book for Holly--which is more than what I did for my own children's baby books. Sorry kids.

But in order to develop a character and know her well and draw her with ease it takes at least 100 or more sketches and then at least 100 more times ten. Easy peasey right? Enjoy my trot down memory lane!

EEKS! Too cute--too clean.

Sketch pads, note paper, bank slips, stationery,
receipts--all held Holly Wild concepts.

Lots of paper and COFFEE!

HOLY CREEPS! A breakthrough! I was sick at the time of the coffe stain sketch when I saw patterns in the chimney bricks. It simplified Holly's look. This is the very beginning of the Holly Wild look, but she NEEDS to be more lovable.

AHA! Holly is lovable and perfect. But wait--she is too young.
Back to the drawing board.

HOLLY H. WILD 8-20-11

I can understand Holly's look as I feel the same way. We are both ready for her to be a hit and get into print. Besides Kenny was seven inches when we started this and now he is five feet long.

So back to work. There are files to be wrangled and ISBN numbers and copyrights to be wrassled. The next time I write I hope it's to say, BUY the BOOK!

Critters and Pets and Holly, Oh, My!

As the deadline for Holly Wild is looming ever closer, I've been sketching, scribbling, and drawing and redrawing on paper and in Photoshop to get this book put together. So before my hand fell off, I took a break from the routine yesterday to go to the Detroit zoo with my daughter, her husband and my granddaughter, Kyah, who was visiting them.

Even though we did the zoo early because of the heat, we still got hot and found ourselves scouting about for the next blue water fountain to cool off. But the best cooling came from visiting the Dinosauria exhibit in the shady woods. As we gladly stepped back through the mists of time (enjoyed by everyone from 1 to 91) we entered the forest of giant, ancient herps! We had a fun time moaning and roaring at the animated rubber dinosaurs and posing in front of them. It made me think of some giant herps introduced in the Holly Wild book.

Gigantic toads on Beaver Island the size of squirrels!

Willy-Nilly, a small rodent pet.

Beaver Island is much like a Jurassic Park--only not with herps the size of T-Rex--but amphibians and reptiles. Giant toads and larger than average snakes have been discovered there in the last few years.

Castor canadensis, a modern day beaver.

Speaking of giant critters, we got to see a Capybara at the zoo. They must've been hot too, because they hit the beach and dove in the water. After the Capybara, our modern day beaver is next in line as the largest rodent. However, our acient beaver relatives would dwarf them both. Those bad boys were once the size of our Michigan black bears and roamed the shores in search of soft foods, not trees. 



As we walked along we got to visit the Bush Dogs. They are tiny little scrappers that look like shaved wolverines with stubby black tails. These lil fellers had a well-traveled grassy trail in their enclosure and were running their route when we spied a small rabbit eating clover near a stump in the their pen.

We wondered how long the bunny had been in there and how long it would be until the bush dogs discovered the critter. If their sense of smell and hunger was like Hunter, the hound in Holly Wild, it wouldn't be too long. Yikes! Run bunny, run.

Queenie, a not so wild dog.

It also got me thinking about how poodles were once used as hunting dogs and are now the size of rabbits and get dressed up in sweaters.

Of course we did visit the Herp House at the zoo.
Inside, we ogled the variety of snakes, turtles, and lizards
--from big gators to a dwarf caiman.

So after three hours at the zoo, four Ibuprofen, two quarts of water and a good night's sleep, I'm back in the chair working on the book today--just to get ready to hit the road north tomorrow in search of BEARS!

And did I mention that I forgot my camera at my daughter's house and I will have to DRAW the bears and wildlife we see?! Better rest my hand up again.