Friday, December 02, 2005

hallelujah! hallelujah!

Today I went to NYC to drop off the last few pieces of a picture book I've been working on for a long time, What Could Be Better Than This.

I hand deliver as much of my work as I can now since FedEx lost my last book, and that adds to the stress of a job. Not just the cost of trains and taxis and a good full day of time, but I also can't bear having an editor open up a package of my work in front of me. I always try to pass as a messenger, drop the package and run before I'm caught. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

I've got a ritual of listening to Handle's Hallelujah Chorus as soon as the last art from a book leaves my hand. The moment I left Penguin Putnam's 345 Hudson Street building today I got out my iPod, ran ecstatically back to the subway and celebrated my victory on the wrong train.

Here I am in one of my less attractive moments. This is what illustrating a 32 page picture book does to me. I need a vacation.

5 comments:

Mo'a said...

Well done, congratulations. Very smart of you to deliver the illustrations yourself. I love the photo of you.....the striped stockings and poka dot skirt are wonderful.....you always look beautiful. I guess I will not see you until March....unless we meet early January.

Grace Lin said...

hee hee! "what can be better than this?" works on so many levels.

alvinaling said...

Yay! Congratulations on finishing the book. Can't wait to see it. I hope I'll see you on Sunday!

alvinaling said...

Oh, and I love your outfit--black and white, stripes and polka dots. Hurray!

Linda S. Wingerter said...

Ha! Thanks all for the compliments on my pajamas...