final stretch

Spring break is almost over! I’m trying not to panic but there’s grading to be done and my screenplay still isn’t finished. This morning I picked out fonts for my new books and I posted an online ad for a book designer; I’ve got bids from several women, which is nice since almost all the bids for illustration came from men. I need a new website and my illustrators aren’t done, though I saw a cover illustration today that I absolutely love (left, by Mauricio J. Flores). I’m in panic mode and so I finally closed the laptop and went outside. The leaves are opening on the trees and my favorite lemon magnolias will be in bloom in the botanic garden before too long. I’m tempted to watch a Jane Austen film this afternoon but instead I’m going to force myself to work on the screenplay. The one thing I did accomplish last week was a guest post for The Brown Bookshelf. It will be published as part of a series in May but for now I thought I’d share my objectives for this new self-publishing venture:

• To generate culturally relevant stories that center children who have been marginalized, misrepresented, and/or rendered invisible in children’s literature.
• To produce affordable, high-quality books so that families—regardless of income—can build home libraries that will enhance their children’s academic success.
• To produce a steady supply of compelling, diverse stories that will nourish the imagination and excite even reluctant readers.

I’m giving an informal talk tomorrow night about self-publishing; I thought I’d have finished books to share but they’ll have to settle for some finished illustrations instead.