Cottage Morning

I took these photos this morning, at the cottage. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly light and air can change a scene completely.

Wish that I could bottle up these moments and take them out whenever I crave serenity.

I'M BORED was reviewed in The New York Times today!!!!

Read David Small's article in The New York Times Sunday Book Review today.

Woohoo! I'M BORED launches in bookstores TODAY!!

Can't believe the day is finally here! It's been two years since a rejection turned into a book contract with Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers to illustrate Michael Ian Black's I'M BORED.

I've updated the I'M BORED In The Wild photo gallery with more reader photos. I invite you all to send in your own photos: here are the guidelines and info about how to submit. Here's a recent photo that my sister-in-law Larkin sent in:

You can find more info about the book, related resources for teachers and librarians, photos, sketches of the book in progress, tips for young writers and illustrators, an I'M BORED In The Wild photo challenge, comics and much more: I'M BORED Scrapbook.

Book trailer music video for I'M BORED

I'm Bored Music Video (inspired by the new picture book from Simon & Schuster BFYR) from debsanderrol on Vimeo.

Thanks SO much for Errol Elumir and his 7-year-old daughter Zoe for all their help in making the video above possible! Find out more about how the video was created in the I'M BORED Scrapbook. Only 11 days until my very first picture book is available in the stores, yaaaaaaaay!!!

Why I'm Learning How To Juggle

So I'm learning how to juggle.

This may sound bizarre, but the reasons I've wanted to learn how to juggle have gradually accumulated over the years. Just recently the number of reasons reached a tip-over point, and I've started to practice on a daily basis. Here are my juggling balls, which I bought from the Higgins Brothers site:

I only practice a few minutes a day, but I'm gradually getting better. Nowadays my goal is to do four tosses in a row. 

But WHY am I learning how to juggle? Here are some of the reasons:

1. Because it's fun to watch other people doing it, so I wanted to try.

2. It's satisfying to see gradual improvement over time with consistent practice. Sounds a bit obvious, I know, but it's something I have total control over and the improvement is measurable. The more I work at it, the better I get. In a weird way, it's therapeutic…I find myself slipping into a zone-out meditative state when I'm juggling -- it's oddly relaxing.

3. It's a bit of an upper body workout, at least for someone like me who spends most of her work day sitting at a computer.

4. I figure knowing how to juggle could be handy for sometimes adding variety to school presentations, especially if the kids are restless. Heck, it could come in handy for presenting to grown-ups when they get restless.

5. It's FUN.

And yes, the last reason is the most important for me. :-)

Many thanks to Markus, Mary, Graham, Sara and Annie for their juggling tips and inspiration.