TWO Months until TOO MUCH!

1. Countdown to TOO MUCH! And just like that, a book I had an idea for about a decade ago will be in stores in two months! TOO MUCH! NOT ENOUGH! has been getting some excellent press. You can read reviews on Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, University of Manitoba (I really loved their review), and Story Monsters Ink. I was also recently interviewed on Boston Voyager where I talk about my winding journey to become an author/illustrator. I'll be blogging quite a bit more in the next two months - sharing sketches and videos about the making of TOO MUCH! Stay tuned!

2. In today's mail I've been squirreling away swag for just this moment. I'm finally sending out these boxes to independent bookstores across the US. If you are a bookstore owner, send me an email and I'll make one up just for you! Some of you will get a Moe box, some will get a Peanut box, and just one of you will get a Moe AND Peanut box! But who!

3. My To-Be-Read Mountain I've been incredibly busy at this time of year for the past few years. Which inevitably leads to a huge pile of books I desperately WANT to read but have no time for. I dream of a book vacation and until then will humbly share most of these books with the kids who are burning through books at a fierce rate. Also, there are a dozen books I want to add to this pile but I am barely restraining myself (Mary's Monster by Lita Judge will land there soon, I know it.)

4. Father's Day Shopping If you follow me on social media, you'll notice I've shared IT'S GREAT BEING A DAD quite a bit in advance of Father's Day. I had so much fun creating the illustrations for this book, and it's a little uncomfortable for me to hawk books aggressively but I really think more families need this book! You still have time to order from uh, that place with prime shipping and have something for Dad to cuddle up with on Sunday morning while you finish making breakfast (or getting dressed to go out!) ***But if you live near Exeter, Water Street Bookstore has a few copies left AND a million other awesome books - I dare you to leave with just one. I know I can't do it.

5. But I'm listening! Don't feel too sad for my lack of reading time. I am plowing through a lot through my ears while I work. Recent audiobooks I've enjoyed: Wild, The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, and have just started Genuine Fraud. For podcasts I've burned through a ton of Hollywood Crime Scene (my new fav!) peppered with weekly listens to Westworld with Jay, Jack & Mike, Wait, Wait, and How I Built This.

Friday Five: Off to Springfield edition

1. NESCBWI 2017, Here I come! I've been blogging about the annual New England SCBWI conference for a really long time. I attended for a really long time (since 2003, my last was in 2013). Polishing up my portfolio, bringing new art for contests, meeting editors for critiques, scaring away my introvert so I could meet new peers, and sitting through workshop after workshop. A few years back I decided to take a break. I was still working hard on writing and illustrating, but I just couldn't do it. All those years of trying without the success I wanted had taken a toll. I was bitter and didn't want to spread that around. I didn't feel like it was a good investment of my money, time, or spirit. So I took a break. And another. And another. So I'm thrilled to return this year, with a fresh portfolio, a book I illustrated in the bookstore, and no other pressures. I'm excited to see old friends, make some new ones and absorb some great peer knowledge. 

2. A star! Publishers Weekly reviewed IT'S GREAT BEING A DAD - it's a great review AND it's a starred review. I hope this helps the book land in more readers hands. Congratulations to Dan Bar-el and Tundra Books!

3. Jumping for Joy, still. It's been tough to juggle promotion for DAD with work on final art for TOO MUCH! NOT ENOUGH! I just adore these rascals and can't wait to share the whole book with the world (Summer 2018!). In the meantime, here's a sneak peek. Shhhh!

4. Release the monkeys! So cool to get the May 2017 Highlights Magazine and see my monkey illustrations. Thanks, as always, to Patrick Greenish for seeing my weird work then finding more suitable assignments for me!

5. The Leftovers. Whatever you do, don't expect me to call/text on Sunday nights. Season 3 of The Leftovers requires all of my attention. It's like what happens to all of you Game of Thrones and Walking Dead fans, except WAY less people watch this (why? you are missing the BEST show ever...minus most of season one...)

February Five

1. 2017: The Year of the Viking Cats! Thanks to a fun sketch date with my friend Vita Lane, I managed to extract an idea for a postcard. And thanks to Storystorm from Tara Lazar, I have a story brewing about these characters.

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2. My Funny Valentine I had fun coming up with illustrations for these Valentine's jokes in the February issue of Spider Magazine, out now. It makes me wish I had a little pig to hog and kiss!

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3. 100day project, part deux I decided to pick up where I left off with my Gluten Free themed 100 Day Project. The secret to a mini pancake party, by the way, is a cheap, plastic squeeze bottle. Fill it up with batter and get your hot griddle ready. This was my favorite food to bring to the preschool potluck picnic - I never brought home a single pancake!

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4. Fall 2017 Children's Sneak Previews So fun to see Small in Publishers Weekly's preview. And an extra bonus to be in such nice company, including my good friend Tracy Bishop, illustrating Snowball Moon. I actually *just* received F&Gs for Small and am trying not to freak out with excitement!

5. Week 5, Still Alive I've been spending a lot of time making exercise a real ritual in my life, and thanks to Betty Rocker I think I'm there. She has super positive vibe and the short HIIT routines are perfect for my schedule. I did her 30 day challenge last year and picked up her 90 day program to keep on track. This is my second time through the program, having dropped it when I got the flu last October. I finally made it to the same place where I got the flu, week 5, and where it also gets REALLY hard. I'm determined to make it all the way to week 12. And as a bonus, I should be finishing final artwork for Too Much, Not Enough around the same time.