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June 26, 2008
Shi-Shi Neela
Pardon my spelling, and my dialect as well, I'm sure, but what I'm trying to say is "thank you" to the publisher who brought Hattie Big Sky out in Chinese. I know it's coming out in two Chinese versions, and I have to confess I don't know which one this is, but it makes me very happy nonetheless.
This is another example of the wonders this Iowa orphan has brought to my life. If you haven't heard my story, let me just say this: I worked on HSB for over four years, during a period in which I did not sell one thing. Not one thing. It was my grandmother's push and my own stubbornness that kept me going.
I can tell you about down times because I have surely had them. But, as my dear friend Derek Munson says, "It can't be easy street for our characters, so we shouldn't expect easy street for ourselves."
I've heard from several authors and illustrators in recent days about how publishing sucks. It does, it does. But we can't do a darned thing about that. The only thing we can control -- as my other cherished friend, Brenda Guiberson often reminds me -- is our own work.
So give yourself over to your work. Embrace the whole messy, crazy thing and give it room to shine. If you do, you will one day find yourself published and published well.
I'm living proof!
And that needs no translation.
Posted by kirby at June 26, 2008 10:14 PM