Forward Motion

It's finally coming together. After a year and a half of delays, my first picture book is definitely coming out next spring! It got a quick retitle - now it's called: When It's Six O'clock in San Francisco - A Time Zone Journey Around the World. My publisher even sent me this fall's catalog so I could see what it will look like next spring. I don't have a cover or galleys yet (that's an unbound mock up of the book as it will look when it's done), but as soon as I can I'll post the cover.

My publisher decided that they wanted family photos for the back of the book. Because the book is multicultural and so are both mine and my illustrators families, they thought it would be an interesting footnote. I hemmed a little on that, but finally said that if the illustrator agreed to do it to, then we would. He said yes, so Sunday found us in our backyard with a photographer (thanks Michelle!) and surprisingly cooperative kids (once I took all the gum away). Eighty-nine pictures later, we came up with one I can live with. As it will soon grace the back cover of (hopefully) lots and lots of books, here it is:



Now I only need to come up with an entire website by September 5th so that it can be included in the catalog. As far as I'm concerned, websites are made by magic people, right up there with the telephone and TV, so I'm going to have to go with a pro. Do any of you have things that you love/hate about author websites so that I can include/avoid as necessary?

On this date: In 1962, Marilyn Monroe is found dead.