March 30, 2006
Good News
Lots and lots of good news! First, I received the final cover for HATTIE BIG SKY and it is stunning. Illustrator Jonathan Barkat did a great job of evoking Hattie's physical and emotional landscape. Designer Vikki Sheatsley created wonderful fonts for the title and verso. They are nostalgic yet strong.
ARCs have gone out and I am hearing from some first readers. Bookseller legends, René Kirkpatrick and Chauni Haslett (All for Kids Books and Music, Seattle) have been button-holing everyone. Chauni says, "We love Hattie and we love this book." René called HATTIE BIG SKY "one of the best books about homesteading and bravery our staff has ever read."
The book was also introduced at the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association during a session called "Pick of the Children's Book List" on March 17.
It's always an honor when a fellow writer compliments our books but I was overwhelmed when one of the writers I most admire, Karen Cushman (my favorite title of hers is MATILDA BONE), said, "I gave my heart to the brave and determined Hattie."
I'm going to enjoy every moment up here on cloud 9!
Posted by kirby at 01:57 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
More about my trip to Pearlington
Click here to read a bit about my amazing week in Mississippi.
Posted by kirby at 01:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Due to a big Kirby-caused glitch, the blog was down for awhile. Thanks to my darling future son-in-law, Matt Wyatt, and web designer extraordinaire, Aaron Hedquist, for their help in getting things up and running again.
This is a year of stretching outside my comfort zone. I am learning to be a good marketer of my work (see Hattie Big Sky category), and I am now in training for the 3 Day Walk for the Cure (my husband says I will do anything for a new pair of shoes). I walked 4 miles this morning. Tomorrow I plan to get my 5 miles in by walking to my critique meeting with my friends, Rhonda and Maria. See a picture of me raring to go at my 3 Day personal HQ page.
Another big stretch was spending one week (March 7 -14) in Pearlington, Mississippi helping with Hurricane Katrina clean-up, My friend, Rushie, told me it was going to be a "life-alerting" experience and it was.
I wrote down some of my thoughts shortly after arriving home. You can read them above. If you get the chance to go help, go! So much help is still needed.
Posted by kirby at 01:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack