skip to main |
skip to sidebar
We had dinner with Mary Louise Hancock (seated) and Juliana Eades a couple of weeks ago. Mary Louise, now 90 years old, is an important Democratic politico in New Hampshire. PEOPLE magazine wrote in 1988 prior to the New Hampshire presidential primary that a visit with Mary Louise was "an obligatory stop" for Democratic candidates.Juliana is president of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund.www.marylouisehancock.orgwww.communityloanfund.org
Angie in Joy Michalsen's second grade class at Gallimore School in Canton, Michigan wrote:We are reading books. We like your books. We clap.
"CC" from Philadelphia shared her thoughts in the Comments section of the NEW YORK TIMES regarding the October 8, 2010 article "Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children.""Clearly written by someone who has no clue about the sea change that has taken place in children's book publishing since the golden days of GOODNIGHT MOON, Dr. Seuss, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, FROG AND TOAD, STREGA NONA and so many other works of genius. In those days books were developed under the auspices of book editors with backgrounds in literature and art and culture working for book publishers. Now books are developed by marketing departments in divisions of multinational corporations. Editors seldom have much experience in children's literature, education, art or anything cultural, and even if they do have some literacy qualifications they have no power to select what's published. That is left to a committee where most attendees' jobs may depend on whether or not the stories they support sell. Then there are the bazillions spent on giving celebrities, with no professional connection to children, million dollar contracts for pathetic ghost written books with massive promotion, while efforts by real writers are expected to be promoted solely by the unknown author using their own money and what ever connections they can drum up. Personally I know dozens of very talented very committed mid list picture book authors and illustrators who have left the field. Tired of being badly treated and having their books taken out of print after 6 months because of not having met arbitrary sale figures set for that time. And what about almost all the independent specialist children's bookstores with informed staffs who have been driven out of business by special deals arranged with the giant multiple bookstores. There are more than a few reasons for the decline in the sale of picture books."
Nancy Paulsen and her husband, David Friend, visited for a couple of days. Nancy is Tomie's editor (Nancy Paulsen Books at the Penguin Young Readers Group). Tomie and Nancy tweaked the text for STREGA NONA'S GIFT (Fall 2011), and fine-tuned the flap copy. They also worked on the story for his Fall 2012 book.David is an editor for VANITY FAIR, and a writer. He is currently researching and interviewing for his next book project.As we were having dinner last night at Rockwell's at the (New London) Inn, the hostess unwittingly seated Nancy and David's friends from New York, Marianne, Will and John Shearer, next to our table. Will is a freshman at Colby-Sawyer College, and this weekend is Parents' Weekend. Nancy and David and the Shearers had not seen each other for awhile. Small world.www.davidfriend.netwww.johnshearerpicturebook.com
Jennette from Vancouver sent flowers for Tomie's birthday.Since she will be competing later this year for Canadian Fruitcake Queen (judged in Tomie's house), could it be that she sent "birthday" flowers to improve her chances for victory?
Tomie's publisher requested "manly flowers" from the florist for Tomie's birthday. The publisher did not want carnations and balloons sent.Who knew "Baby's Breath" were manly flowers?
Sally (Kimball) Campbell visited this weekend. She was in town to attend her 50th class reunion at Colby-Sawyer College (called Colby Junior College 50 years ago).Tomie and Sally met when Tomie acted in a production at the college in 1959, and Sally, as a student, was on the production crew and lighted the show.Much later, Sally was a schoolteacher and Tomie visited her school.She continues to light up his life.
Photographs of Tomie's "Mercer Room" are featured in the September/October 2010 issue of DESIGN NEW ENGLAND.www.designnewengland.comClick "Current Issue" at top of page.Click "Style: Art House" at left under "Features," ORClick the Art House photograph at the top in the middle of the page.Click the turquoise arrows at the top of the page to see the entire article.
The original artwork for STREGA NONA'S GIFT is being shipped today to the publisher in New York City. Tomie completed the illustrations yesterday. It will be published during the fall of 2011 by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of the Penguin Young Readers Group. Nancy's Fall 2011 list will be her first for Nancy Paulsen Books.It was important that Tomie finish work on the book prior to next week which is known as "Tomie's Birthday WEEK."
We visited the Rockingham Meeting House with Jennette and Ted last week.From the brochure:"The Rockingham Meeting House is the oldest public building in Vermont that still exists in a condition close to its original state. The Meeting House was built between 1787 and 1801 to serve the needs of religious services and civic events in the town of Rockingham..."Much of what stands today is original fabric from the eighteenth century: king-post timber framing, woodworking details of the exterior, many glass panes in the twenty-over-twenty windows, interior plaster work, and most of the material of the 'pig pen' box pews..."The Rockingham Meeting House was designated... a National Historic Landmark on May 16, 2000."Directions:The Rockingham Meeting House is located on Meeting House Road, off Vermont Route 103 - 1 mile from I-91 Southbound, Exit 6, and 1.9 miles from I-91 Northbound, Exit 6.
