Evangeline...

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    Tuesday, April 20, 2010

    Not Impressed, Mom


    So last week I was thinking I was pretty cool stuff for being the author, ok co-author, of a real, live children’s book. Mom and I got an email from our publisher with the initial sketches for our second picture book, The Dragon and the Turtle go on Safari (WaterBrook, January 2011.) We were also asked to go through the text and come up with six more illustration ideas. So we printed the pages we had, arranged them on the floor, and I literally crawled through the story with a pair of scissors and a pen. It was so fun!

    Mom and I love our illustrator, Vincent Nguyen. He has really brought Roger the Turtle and Padraig the Dragon to life. There is nothing like seeing a character that existed in your imagination suddenly on the page with expression and personality and LIFE. It’s awesome!

    I was in the middle of this creative high when Chunky came home with the dinosaur book his kindergarten class wrote and illustrated. We were supposed to read the book together then write a note on the last couple of pages about our family’s impressions of the book.

    I offered to endorse the dinosaur book.

    Chunky said, “What’s endorse?”

    I explained that when someone writes a book, they look for other authors to endorse it or say it’s really good. I told him that his grandmother and I were real authors and thus qualified to say that the kindergarten dinosaur book was really good.

    “So, do you want Mommy to endorse your book?” I asked again.

    Chunky thought a minute then said, “No. I want Willie (the dog) to say she really liked it.”

    There you have it. The opinion of the family pet out-ranks mine. Which begs the question, how do I earn my son’s approval—aside from serving chicken nuggets and mac ‘n cheese at every meal?

    I’m not sure, but I will try again this weekend when I dress up as a pirate and throw an epic birthday party for my soon-to-be six-year-old. If that doesn’t do it, I’m not sure what will.

    Any ideas?

    6 comments:

    Kelley said...

    LOL! That is a great story.
    Congratz on the book =)

    Daphne said...

    When does the book release??

    Unknown said...

    Oh, don't sweat it. You'll be back in his good graces in about....15 years when he realizes just how right mom was after all. LOL! I don't look forward to when my daughter starts talking and *I* drop off the ornate pedestal of perfection I use now for showcasing my awesome "mom-skills". :)

    Looking forward to the picture book. Maybe one day Stu and I will write some about the Dragon and the Princess.

    Beth K. Vogt said...

    Tell him your endorsement will include a special mention of him.
    ;o)

    Evangeline Denmark said...

    The Dragon and the Turtle comes out August 10 of this year. Daphne your boys are the pefect age for it!

    Cher'ley said...

    I'm laughing so hard. I read this to my husband too. But to kindergarten and first graders a dog's opinion is very important.