Hooray!

I know it's been a little quiet in this corner of the blogosphere, but that is because I've been working! Working hard to finish brilliant-agent-suggested-revisions to my picture book dummy. Working hard on mastering perfect imperfection. Working hard to re-imagine (and then re-draw) a character who has had one and only one (frightening) form in my imagination for a very long long time. And it's all awesome. Truly awesome.

But here is an occasion worth interrupting the quiet and hard work:

***I learned today that I have been selected as the recipient of the SCBWI 2010 Don Freeman Memorial Grant in Aid!!***

I applied for this grant back in January, and then kind of forgot about it because I didn't think there was much chance of getting it. This is a grant offered internationally by SCBWI to unpublished illustrators who intend to make picture books the focus of their career.

It's really a very great feeling to get a phone call completely out of the blue telling you you've won something that you never thought you would win. I can totally relate to those Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes winners (and can dream about how it might feel to get that very special call from an award-bearing librarian....). To be recognized among that gazillion other so very talented illustrators striving to do just what I am doing. That is a real thrill. Big huge happy thanks to SCBWI for giving me lots of reasons to keep working hard.

Now, back to work!

Happy Spring!