I’d love to visit your school!
Have a date in mind? Check my availability calendar HERE.
Shanda’s Journey
Visual Texture!
I’m working on the final color art for Lilibet Makes a Friend (written by Kersten Hamilton). Every book I work on teaches me something new about the artist I want to become, and THIS book is telling me to play up the TEXTURE! (Yeah, books speak to me. That’s normal, right?)
So, I’ll follow the lead and give extra love and attention to gritty pencil marks, painterly brush strokes, and stacks on stacks of layered color :)
The right amount of textural touches gives art that … “chef’s kiss.” Your eye moves around it, and it delights you at every angle. Sometimes fast. Sometimes slow. What’s the “right” amount of texture you ask? Beats me! For now, I have to rely on my taste and intuition because I can’t quite articulate/measure it. When I’ve gone too far and over-complicated an image, I get a feeling of overwhelm. The “right” amount of visual busyness is exhilarating yet manageable to take in.
I’m especially drawn to Brian Biggs’ work right now. In my opinion, he’s a texture expert! He appears to have loads of fun doing his work, too. Brian has made over 75 books, but honestly, he’s just now truly on my radar. His art is distinctive and playful yet educated and calculated. The guy knows what he’s doing. He’s honed his craft for years and pivoted when things felt stale (which I learned from this podcast).
From afar, Brian Biggs inspires me to keep going and keep learning. Hey, it might take me 75 books to make my mark in this industry and figure out who I am exactly. If so, I’m 7 books in, 68 to go.
Kids Meet Authors (replay and next event)
Jannie Ho, Bethanie Murguia, and I had a lovely time answering real kids’ questions about reading and creating graphic novels. Enjoy the replay below!
The next event is on November 1st, all about STEM stories! Sign up to join live or to get a replay link.
2 Events for Kids THIS Saturday in person!
I’ll be doing two kids’ events at Alpharetta Public Library this Saturday, Oct. 26th ! Books will be available for purchase/signing after each session.
- 11 am – 12 pm, I’m presenting about Rad Robots, reading my STEM-friendly picture book, DOLL-E 1.0, and teaching kids to draw the robot from the story!
- 2 – 3 pm, I’m presenting Words + Pictures = MAGIC, reading my STEM-friendly picture book, DOLL-E 1.0, and teaching kids to draw like an illustrator!
How Did I Get Published?
I got asked this question several times at the Decatur Book Festival this past weekend. And I have such empathy because I once asked this question too.
Let’s back up to 2006. I was a new high school art teacher, and I wasn’t all that happy. It had nothing to do with the kids, the facility, money, or the administration. It was just me. I felt very stupid, ungrateful, and spoiled, but I was not being fulfilled. I knew deep down it was because my real dream was to make kids books. I even felt like a fraud, telling some of my artsy teen students that it was possible to follow their dreams in a creative field after graduation (when I wasn’t doing the same).
The truth is, having a creative career isn’t a straight line. You don’t typically graduate with a “job” waiting for you like many other careers do. It’s a risky venture of your heart and your finances. This choice isn’t for everyone, but I think you just KNOW if it is … because you just can’t shake it.
If this is you and your dream is to publish children’s books, do these 3 (not so easy) steps:
- Join (SCBWI.org) The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators
- Go to their conferences and practice what you learn
- Expect a long road but an absolutely awesome one with incredible people and adventures
This is exactly what illustrator Michael Austin told me when I cold-emailed him in 2007 and asked, “How does one publish a children’s book?” He simply said to join SCBWI. So I did, and it worked :)
-Shanda
Tags: publishing, traditional publishing
It took three years to publish this book
It takes sooo long for a book to go from deal to release day. I signed the contract to illustrate this book in March of 2019. At that time, we had never heard of covid, and we still wouldn’t be affected by it for another year! And when it did hit the US, I was in the middle of working on this book. The world shut down in March 2020.
It was weird. All of a sudden, I couldn’t get in contact with the publisher. Months and months went by in silence. But I just kept working. I didn’t know what else to do.
Eventually, the publisher reached out and said that Little Red would need to publish later than originally expected, which was fine with me. And here we are!
LITTLE RED AND THE BIG BAD EDITOR releases on Tuesday, Sept 6th! I hope you consider ordering a copy (or two) from my favorite indie bookstores below.
If you order at least two books, Little Shop of Stories will ship for FREE! And with the holidays coming up, consider purchasing 2 copies of LITTLE RED AND THE BIG BAD EDITOR (one for your family and one for your child’s teacher/classroom).
If you fancy SIGNED (by me) copies, then definitely place your order of LITTLE RED AND THE BIG BAD EDITOR with Read It Again Books! Be sure to request that it be “signed by Shanda” in the notes section of the order.
If you’d like to come see me in person (because I sure want to see you) I’ll be at the Decatur Book Festival on October 1st with Little Shop of Stories and then with Read It Again Books for a fun family launch event on October 8th!
Wow, 10 years makes a difference!
It’s so true.
Yesterday, my husband (Ben) texted me the image (below left) and said “You’ve come a long way in 10 years”.
These postcard images were created by the same artist (me) and had the same theme (little red riding hood) with a frizzy red-haired character. The difference is 10 years.
That first image is odd, right? Not very kid friendly and extremely stiff. It humbles me to look back at this, because now I remember what a beginning beginner I was!
Sometimes I forget. But looking back at this reminds me how patient and kind other creators and industry professionals were with me at conferences or other bookish events. They didn’t dismiss me and say “you just don’t get it”. Thankfully, they found tidbits of good in my work and praised those things while also giving me gentle nudges to improve over and over and over again.
My dreams were never crushed, and I’m so grateful for that.
Just 2 weeks until Little Red hits shelves!
Preorder below!
Read It Again Bookstore (Suwanee, GA) Request a “signed by Shanda” copy in the order comments.
Little Shop of Stories (Decatur, GA) Order 2+ books for free shipping!
Book Depository (International)
I invite you and your family to join me at Read It Again Bookstore in Suwanee, GA on Oct 8, 2022, 12-2pm. This in-person event is perfect for Kindergarteners, 1st graders, 2nd graders, and their teachers. We’ll be reading, drawing, coloring, and writing a thank you letter just like Little Red!
Everyone will get a bookmark and stickers, and of course I’d love to sign a book for you or your class :)
Teachers: I’ll be giving away one FREE in-person writing workshop for students! All attending (K-5) teachers will be eligible.
Read It Again Bookstore
3630 peachtree pkwy, suite 314
Suwanee, GA 30024
Thanks so much for reading!
Love, Shanda
A Robot Changed My Life
My new backyard studio shed!
Over my girls’ February break from school, our family worked our tushies off rearranging the rooms in our house. The master bedroom got moved upstairs and my daughters FINALLY got their own rooms downstairs which left me without a workspace. Soooooo…. I got a shed! My husband gets all the credit for this. He gave up his little woodworking space and fixed it up for me! Check it out… |
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My Book Inspired A Makey-Makey Maker!
Photo by Colleen Graves
Photo by Colleen Graves
So many cool things have happened as a result of the writing/publishing of DOLL-E 1.0. I am so humbled to be a part of a circuit of creatives! So many hands touched this book from its conception to birth … critique groups, editors, art directors, publicists, my husband, my kids, my mom, sales departments, educators, librarians, bookstores, etc.!
And now another creative hand has tinkered with this book and made its existence even cooler … a real coder and “maker” … a girl named Colleen Graves! She creates activities and guides for Makey-Makey (that appears multiple times in the illustrations of Doll-E 1.0). So, Colleen was charged up to create an activity guide for creating your own doll or robot from spare parts and a Makey-Makey, then adding words to its database using Scratch! It. Is. RAD!
If you are a STEM or STEAM teacher, I truly hope you check this out and share your creations with us! It’s reading, creating, problem solving, programing, electronics, engineering, and fun all in one! Colleen suggests this project works best with grades 3-6. So without further adieu, here is the guide:
https://labz.makeymakey.com/cwists/preview/1657x
And here is Colleen’s blogpost about the inspiration behind creating the guide:
Making and Literacy Guide for Doll-E 1.0
Doll-E 1.0 selected for B&N National Storytime on 7/28/18!
My first book publication experience has been nothing short of awesome! I am very honored and grateful, because I realize this isn’t the norm. My book has some very hot themes in it … STEM, STEAM, girls in tech, and robotics, so my publisher, Little Brown, has gone above and beyond the call of duty to make sure DOLL-E 1.0 gets in the hands of kids! And one of those awesome efforts led to DOLL-E 1.0 being selected for Barnes and Noble’s National Storytime! This means that on July 28, 2018, EVERY Barnes and Noble IN THE COUNTRY will be reading my book during their 11am Saturday story time! Whaaaa?! There’s even Doll-E activities to follow and a discount on the book if you are a member or a kids club member.
I’ll be involved in this national event at my local B&N in Cumming, GA at The Collection! Please join me this Saturday at 11 am if you can! I’d LOVE to meet some new friends and visit with old friends, read my book to you, show you how to draw some of the characters, and sign some books too!
Here’s the Barnes & Noble blog post about it: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/kids/visit-your-local-bn-saturday-july-28th-at-11am-for-a-storytime-event-featuring-doll-e-1-0/
Special thanks to Shawn Foster and the Little, Brown sales team and to Barnes and Noble!!! Thank you for selecting DOLL-E 1.0 for B&N National Storytime💙🤖💙 I also want to constantly thank my Heavenly Father, my husband- Ben, my girls, my parents, Ben’s parents, my big family, Ben’s big family, my friends and church friends, my agent- Erica, my editor- Andrea, and last but not ever least … my Trail Mix Critique Group and best buds: Colleen, Bonnie, Christi, Shannon, Jaclyn, Vaughan, Tosha, and Kim!
The Little, Brown Picture Book Event!
Before the details of this awesome trip to NYC slips my mind, I wanted to write about it here.
Every year, Little, Brown hosts a Picture Book Event where they invite media, book stores, and librarians, etc. to see original art from their upcoming Spring books. They also get to meet 2 author-illustrators tat are a part of that Spring list. Caldecott Medalist, Sophie Blackall, was the main attraction as she spoke about her beautiful upcoming book HELLO LIGHTHOUSE. And the other author-illustrator was ME! I spoke about myself as a new kid on the block and my debut book, DOLL-E 1.0. (My anxiety meds work well, because I wasn’t nervous!) Let’s just say, the attendees got to know the real Shanda – southern accent, tripping up on several words, a few tears and everything when I shared about my eye struggles. Why not? This is me :)
The space where the event was held was decorated with my characters and Sophie’s too! Each place setting had Doll-E and Lighthouse Valentines, sweet hearts candy, and a magnifying glass to find clues in the presentations. It was the cutest! And I finally got to meet the team I’ve been working remotely with in person: Andrea Spooner (my editor), Hallie Tibbetts (Andrea’s assistant), Jen Keenan (my art director), and Saho Fuji (art director) among others! I felt so welcomed and celebrated. It was a breakfast (and lunch) I’ll never forget, because I know this doesn’t happen to everybody, and it may never feel like this again … but that’s why this blog post is here … to document this wonderful moment in my journey!
Shanda “like panda” slide sketch in my presentation.
Me and Sophie
Office of fun!
Signed my very first book!
Tags: Little Brown BFYR, Sophie Blackall
