"Pancakes With Papa"
Pancakes 15 years in the making and they will be delicious!
1999-2000 - The book idea has developed in my mind with the title "Papa's Gone Away"
2001-2002 - First draft is typed...on a 3.5" floppy disk...and left on that disk.
2007-2008 - I found the disk and tried to get the copy off of it (I think). No luck. I
retyped and printed the story again, with the same working title.
retyped and printed the story again, with the same working title.
Fall 2013 - I found the paper copy in a storage tub. WOW! I left it in the tub. Well, I
think. I know that I saw a copy of it, recently in a tub.
think. I know that I saw a copy of it, recently in a tub.
January 2014 - I went to find it. It wasn't where I thought it was. I sat down to re-type
it again. Over and over again. On a laptop. Only my 2 girls were aware of
and had a chance to listen to my book.
March 2014 - I sent the book to Nelson Publishing/Ferne Press for review & waited.
Here's a link: Nelson Publishing/Ferne Press
April 2014 - Mariann Nelson of Nelson called and invited me to our first meeting. It was a
great experience.
great experience.
May 2014 - The meetings have begun. I have a project manager/editor and I have much
input over the creative process and story. This is just the beginning...
June 2014 - The text is complete! I now await submissions from illustrators for the book.
This is the exciting part of the process...putting the pictures in my head into
the hand of another. I can't wait to see what's coming!
July 2014 - This was the MOST exciting month! So far. I was able to review some
submissions from a couple of illustrators. I had really wanted to work with a
man named Rainer, from Austria. I went so far as to order a book of his
written in another language just to view his illustrations. I really liked them.
However, there were some concerns that the subject matter of my book (a
child trying to understand the loss of a grandparent) was difficult and we
didn't want the characters too cartoon-y, but certainly not too serious. Rainer
can have a cartoon-y look, but there was just something about his work that I
liked.
My main character is named Johnny (after my dad), and I really want Johnny to
have baggy pants that are too long. My dad was short, his pants were baggy
and cuffed. Last week I got the call that illustrator submissions were in for Nana, Johnny, and Papa...and our meeting was on Tuesday. Rainer came
through -Johnny had long baggy & cuffed pants. I'm going to show you a
glimpse below. We are now in the stage of getting a contract signed with
him. He will sketch the book in Austria and submit it to us here (Austria, how
cool?) and then I will meet with my project manager Kris and we will go over
the drawings. We'll work together, send them back, and then he will add
color. It's exciting. I can't wait to see more. Bringing the words to life...
August 2014 - The contract with Rainer has been signed! He has started to sketch the book in it's entirety. I cannot wait to see all of the pages. He will complete them in black and white. I will review them. And then he will add color. I have also completed the author bio page, and the dedication page. The dedication page is a piece of my heart. I hope any reader can sense that as well. ♥ More to come soon!
November 2014 - Wow! This is a sneak peek of Johnny and Papa! The main characters of the book. Rainer has completed all illustrations, from black and white to color. It's amazing to me that someone who I have never communicated with personally, can capture what I have as a picture in my head, and put it to paper. This process has been the most exciting for me, and the one I wait on with anticipation. He sent preliminary sketches for approval by me and my project manager and publisher (Kris and Marian). We offered very few suggestions. For example, his first draft ended with a plate of 'pancakes' though they looked like crepes...we had to make an adjustment as he is in Austria (which makes me wonder if they enjoy our version of pancakes)? He is in a final editing stage of all the illustrations then we meet to discuss the text font and cover layout. And then...we go to publish?? It's so close...stay tuned!
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January 2015 - Here's a sneak peek of a variation of the cover design! Rainer simply did a wonderful job! The book is entirely illustrated. Endorsements for the book were required. This was a most exciting experience for me! I was able to send the book to others to preview, and receive feedback. I was anxiously awaiting replies, and received them from those in the field whom I respect and value. I'm so grateful! I completed a dedication page, and a note regarding the reason for writing. Just yesterday, December 31st, I received a note from the publisher that I'll get a final preview of the book by week's end, and will schedule a meeting to sign-off...and it will go to print! It was a wonderful email to end the year, with so much more to come this year! Happy New Year!
February 13, 2015 - The books arrived! My daughter was there to receive the truck as I had to work. No one was allowed to open the boxes, just me. As my school day ended, I rushed home to get into the boxes. Needless to say...I was not disappointed. The books look great! Another irony...they arrived via a trucking company that shares the same name as my grandpa's wife. This is the woman who handed me the guitar pick (a page in the book) after my grandpa passed. So crazy! Now I ship them off to many places. There's many feelings...overwhelmed, excited, and a little sad. It's like the dance is over, the Superbowl has ended. I'll have to start again! :)
June 2014 - The text is complete! I now await submissions from illustrators for the book.
This is the exciting part of the process...putting the pictures in my head into
the hand of another. I can't wait to see what's coming!
July 2014 - This was the MOST exciting month! So far. I was able to review some
submissions from a couple of illustrators. I had really wanted to work with a
man named Rainer, from Austria. I went so far as to order a book of his
written in another language just to view his illustrations. I really liked them.
However, there were some concerns that the subject matter of my book (a
child trying to understand the loss of a grandparent) was difficult and we
didn't want the characters too cartoon-y, but certainly not too serious. Rainer
can have a cartoon-y look, but there was just something about his work that I
liked.
My main character is named Johnny (after my dad), and I really want Johnny to
have baggy pants that are too long. My dad was short, his pants were baggy
and cuffed. Last week I got the call that illustrator submissions were in for Nana, Johnny, and Papa...and our meeting was on Tuesday. Rainer came
through -Johnny had long baggy & cuffed pants. I'm going to show you a
glimpse below. We are now in the stage of getting a contract signed with
him. He will sketch the book in Austria and submit it to us here (Austria, how
cool?) and then I will meet with my project manager Kris and we will go over
the drawings. We'll work together, send them back, and then he will add
color. It's exciting. I can't wait to see more. Bringing the words to life...
August 2014 - The contract with Rainer has been signed! He has started to sketch the book in it's entirety. I cannot wait to see all of the pages. He will complete them in black and white. I will review them. And then he will add color. I have also completed the author bio page, and the dedication page. The dedication page is a piece of my heart. I hope any reader can sense that as well. ♥ More to come soon!
November 2014 - Wow! This is a sneak peek of Johnny and Papa! The main characters of the book. Rainer has completed all illustrations, from black and white to color. It's amazing to me that someone who I have never communicated with personally, can capture what I have as a picture in my head, and put it to paper. This process has been the most exciting for me, and the one I wait on with anticipation. He sent preliminary sketches for approval by me and my project manager and publisher (Kris and Marian). We offered very few suggestions. For example, his first draft ended with a plate of 'pancakes' though they looked like crepes...we had to make an adjustment as he is in Austria (which makes me wonder if they enjoy our version of pancakes)? He is in a final editing stage of all the illustrations then we meet to discuss the text font and cover layout. And then...we go to publish?? It's so close...stay tuned!
January 2015 - Here's a sneak peek of a variation of the cover design! Rainer simply did a wonderful job! The book is entirely illustrated. Endorsements for the book were required. This was a most exciting experience for me! I was able to send the book to others to preview, and receive feedback. I was anxiously awaiting replies, and received them from those in the field whom I respect and value. I'm so grateful! I completed a dedication page, and a note regarding the reason for writing. Just yesterday, December 31st, I received a note from the publisher that I'll get a final preview of the book by week's end, and will schedule a meeting to sign-off...and it will go to print! It was a wonderful email to end the year, with so much more to come this year! Happy New Year!
February 13, 2015 - The books arrived! My daughter was there to receive the truck as I had to work. No one was allowed to open the boxes, just me. As my school day ended, I rushed home to get into the boxes. Needless to say...I was not disappointed. The books look great! Another irony...they arrived via a trucking company that shares the same name as my grandpa's wife. This is the woman who handed me the guitar pick (a page in the book) after my grandpa passed. So crazy! Now I ship them off to many places. There's many feelings...overwhelmed, excited, and a little sad. It's like the dance is over, the Superbowl has ended. I'll have to start again! :)
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