Pinkie McCloud and How She Saved Ballooze by Eileen Goldenberg

Eileen Goldenberg has done it again!  This time she has written and illustrated a gorgeously rich and textured children's book, Pinkie McCloud and How She Saved Ballooze.  A confection of poetry, pictures, and prose, Pinkie's story reads like an allegory that kids will understand and love.

Pinkie is a happy girl who happens to have been born a wingbling, a rarity in the land of New Skyland.  Not only that, Pinkie has pink wings, a double rarity!  In her land, everyone is happy, and contented, and good.  Wingblings especially, are kindhearted, and willing, and able to help others.

Alas, Pinkie is told the grim news that the family must move far away to a place called Balloze.  There are no wingblings in this place, and others make fun of Pinkie and consider her a freak.

Eileen's Pinkie Doll

When, however, an evil storm rages through Ballooze, the residents think all is lost.  The only one who doesn't is Pinkie.  She knows what to do. She does it and saves not only the day but the entire town!

Kids and their caregiver readers will love the luscious book, illustrated throughout in rich colors--until the storm appears.  With Eileen's dark and ominous illustrations, one can feel--almost taste--the danger at hand.

This is a book that can be read again and again.  The illustrations call for repetition to be sure one captures every aspect of the  fine artwork.

This blogger would urge you adult readers to acquire this idyll of a book not only for your children, but for your selves as well!

Eileen Goldenberg has been a working artist in the Tampa area for over thirty years. Her paintings and other works are widely collected here and elsewhere.  Her paintings on canvas and board have been commissioned by individuals and organizations and have graced book and magazine covers.

Pinkie McCloud can be purchased through the publisher, Guardian Angel Publishing as well as through Amazon and Barnes and Nobel.com.

Eileen's art can be found at:  http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/eileen-goldenberg.html

Eileen will sign her new book, Pinkie McCloud and How She Saved Ballooze on Monday, May 9 at 4PM at Inkwood Books, 
216 S Armenia Ave
33609-3310 Tampa

Eileen Goldenberg-Illustrator of Children's Book-Rainbow of Friendship

This past week I showcased author Joni Klein-Higger's children's book, Rainbow of Friendship, published by Guardian Angel Publishing.  Today I want to turn to the multi-talented illustrator of the book, Eileen Goldenberg.  Eileen does not only illustrate books but is a sculptor as well as a mosaicist.  Her interview is fascinating.  Enjoy!

  When did you discover your artistic gift?

As far back as I can remember, my two favorite activities were drawing and reading. I loved the classic fairy tale books, and the Oz books, not only for the content but also for the fantastic illustrations. A teacher called my parents in when I was in second grade to show them an illustration I had created and a big deal was made of it. 

At seven I decided I was an artist, and I was determined to make that my career. I definitely got into trouble a few times for drawing when I should have been doing something else. I won a few art competitions in middle and high school and that helped cement the idea in my head. Of course, not having to support myself at that time in my life, little did I know how financially hard it would be! Nobody ever told me the term “starving artist” when I was seven! 

After majoring in Fine Art in college, I realized that it was going to be challenging to pay the bills and had a five year detour working in retail. However, I knew I wasn’t happy and finally I went back to school for graphic design and became an art director for a major organization. I did this until about 1988 when my daughter was born and then slowly built up a career as a fine artist and illustrator.

You are a busy, working artist and author.  How do you organize your day in a studio and at the computer?

Thank you for this question, and for that word organize! I wish I was better at this actually. My studio draws me in each morning and then it’s hard for me to leave. My new strategy is to first spend two hours each day on my computer- and this second career of writing and illustrating in the children’s literature field. Only then will I allow myself to go into my studio. It is a challenge to keep up with commissions and creating work for shows , and still devote the necessary time to this longtime dream of being a successful author-illustrator.

Tell us how you came to illustrate the lovely book, Rainbow of Friendship.

 I’m very grateful to Joni Klein-Higger for suggesting to her publisher that she take a look at my artwork. The publisher was then very open to the idea of having me illustrate Joni’s book, and offered me a contract. I in turn, was very inspired by Joni’s wonderful characters. Joni had a wonderful vision that the characters would be all very different colors and shapes- based on geometric shapes! So that proved a bit of a challenge, but I think the end result is fun and whimsical, and provides an additional learning tool for little ones. I’ve been to readings with Joni and the children are very excited to identify the shapes of the various characters in the book.

Eileen's Stunning Fish 

 What is your next project?

I’m just finishing up the illustrations for Joni’s next book, I have A Voice. These illustrations have a looser, more watercolor style, and I’m really enjoying this process as well. It’s a very touching story, and I think the style suits the subject matter quite well. It will be published by Guardian Angel Publishing and be out later this year. Guardian Angel is also publishing a picture book I both wrote and illustrated, entitled Pinkie McCloud and How She Saved Ballooze.

 Where can you be found socially?

My website is currently being revamped, but will be found by the end of the month hopefully at eileengoldenberg.com. I also have an author illustrator page on Facebook.

Thanks, Nancy, for the opportunity to be interviewed on your wonderful blog. I very much admire you for all your success and appreciate the encouragement I receive from you and our other critique group members. 

Likewise, Eileen, it is always such a pleasure to have such talented artists and authors on this blog!

Rainbow of Friendship: Wonderful New Children's Book by Joni Klein-Higger

It is always such a great pleasure to feature the books of people I know and admire on this blog. So it is with Joni Klein-Higger, the author of the lovely new kids' book, Rainbow of Friendship, published by Guardian Angel Publishing. 

My next blog will feature Rainbow's illustrator, Eileen Goldenberg.

You are a musician and an author, Joni.  How did the two come about, and when did they fuse?

As a girl I was always making up songs and continued doing so throughout my life. Being a children’s book author, however, was much more of a challenge. Unlike songwriting, which came naturally to me, the children’s writing bug “bit me” later in life. It started when I was a Co Girl Scout Troop Leader for my daughter’s troop. Each Girl Scout had to create a book to earn a Literature Badge. We ordered a set of blank books by the dozen. Ten Girl Scouts, twelve books, two Troop Leaders.  The stage was set, and my first book, Rainbow of Friendship, catapulted into motion. That was over fourteen years ago. Needless to say, I’ve done quite a bit of writing and revision since its inception.

 

 Where did you get the idea for Rainbow of Friendship?

When I received my "blank” book at our Girl Scout gathering, I needed to think of an idea, and fast. I looked around at our beautiful troop of girls, each with unique physical and personality traits; each adding their individual gifts to the group as a whole. I found my story.

 Do you think your love of rhyming books come from the musical side of you?  Tell us a bit about that, please. 

Yes, a good rhyming book is very much like a song. Though, I must confess, I often struggle with meter when writing rhyming books – with songwriting, a melody can be stretched to fit my lyric/rhyme. Much to my critique group’s dismay, (“You should try it in prose, Joni!"), I love the fun words, rhymes and rhythms of rhyming picture books and can’t get enough of writing them.

 What’s in store next for your readers?

       Later this year Guardian Angel Publishing will be releasing a picture book I co-wrote with Dr. Flora Zaken-Greenberg, Ph.D. entitled, I HAVE A VOICE. It is the story of a girl who is afraid to speak; with the help of a “feelings doctor”, she discovers ways to overcome her problem. This book is being illustrated, as well, by Eileen Goldenberg (Yay!). Guardian Angel Publishing will also be releasing RED, a children’s musical I co-wrote with Jane Tesh.

And speaking of readers, where socially can they find you?

First, Nancy, I want to thank you for interviewing Eileen and me today. I’m a big fan of yours and am honored to be a part of your blog.  Readers, you can find me at my website, www.joniworld.com, or on Facebook at my Joni Klein-Higger Music and Joni Klein-Higger Author pages.  Please stop by and say, “hi!”

Review of Her Pink Hair by Illustrator/Author Jill Dana

A sensitive new children's book about childhood cancer has been written and illustrated by artist/author, Jill Dana and published by Guardian Angel Publishing. 

Her Pink Hair is a story about two little girls.  The narrator tells the story of her best friend, Stephanie, who has pink hair.  How did she get pink hair?  Stephanie used to have long brown hair then short brown hair.  But she got sick, was very tired and then she had no hair.

The story's text is lovingly written and easy for young readers of ages five to eight.  The illustrations, created by Ms. Dana are made of mixed media clay, done in a mixture of pastel and somewhat brighter colors.

Jill Dana at the Miami SCBWI
Conference, Jan. 2015 

I would heartily recommend this thoughtful book to parents, librarians, and other caregivers of children.  Her topic is a difficult and important one that is well done.  Ms. Dana has achieved a successful marriage of  reality, appropriate prose, and luscious illustrations. 


Jill Dana is an author, illustrator, artist, teacher, and
 filmmaker. She is a certified elementary educator with a Master of Education from FAU. She is an award-winning filmmaker with an MFA in film and television production from USC. She also studied psychology and motion pictures at the University of Miami. The author will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Her Pink Hair to a children’s charitable organization.

Please visit www.jilldanabooks.com

Samantha Bell--Artist for All Seasons

 It is my great pleasure to have as my guest today, Samantha Bell. She is a fine illustrator of children's books, and she works in many media, including watercolor. Sam was the illustrator who brought Bella and Britt to life in the Bella and Britt series, (Guardian Angel Publishing) for which I am eternally grateful!

As every writer of children's books knows, the written word is only half of the book.  Without the illustrator's talents, the book is not a book at all.  The illustrator brings it to life.  Gives it bones upon which to hang the story.  When I think of Britt and Bella, the words I wrote telling their story are not what comes to mind.  Rather, it is the girls themselves--the lovely, spunky, fearless girls that Sam's creative talent brought to the series.

NS  Please tell us about your earliest illustrating. School, even earlier? How did it happen?

SB  My very earliest illustrations were for a story I wrote when I was about seven years old. The story (or stories, rather -- it was a series!) was about the adventures of a cat named Kitty De Dums. I typed them up on half-sheets of paper and added an illustration to every page.

NS  Your illustrations are so lifelike. Do they come from models, your head, both?

SB   I'm all in favor of reference material! :) I find models for the people I illustrate and use reference photos for the other things in the picture. I love using models, because then the children who pose for me can literally see themselves in the books!

My typical process is this: After reading the manuscript, I work out a story board for each page, deciding what will be in each illustration. I do this with little scribbles, and I'm probably the only one who can tell
what the scribbles are supposed to be. From this, though, I know what I'll need for each illustration -- models, animals, objects, etc. -- and then go from there.

NS   What is a typical day like for an illustrator? Do you have a studio?

I'm not a full-time illustrator, but rather a full-time mom, so I don't think I ever have a typical day. With four children at home, my day might go like this: Wake up, work in some illustrating time, get the family up and going, run through the day's activities of schoolwork, appointments ,lessons, errands, housework, and meals (with a little illustrating time squeezed in again), get folks off to bed, and illustrate some more. I have some really good lighting in my studio, so I can work late at night if I need to. And my studio? A tiny room at the front of our house that used to
be the nursery for my youngest. We just call it the "art room", because sometimes my kids work on projects in there too.
 
NS   You illustrate animals so beautifully, too. Do you use some real animals as models?

SB  It's harder for me to work from life when illustrating an animal; that is, unless it's sleeping! So I find or take my own reference photos, coming up with a collection that shows the animal from lots of different angles so I have enough to work from.

 NS  The illustrations you did for the Bella and Britt series are so gorgeous. I feel that I know these girls as well as my own children. I am always amazed at how well you capture their personalities. How do you do it?
SB  It must be my models! When I meet with the girls, I take along my storyboard and tell them what I need them to do. They are so much fun to work with! They "act out" the story as I take a million photographs --they are so patient!

And Speaking of Mermaids..

Isn't she a beauty?  My husband and I came across her on our early morning walk today.  
This mermaid is special.  She was sculpted from the finest white sand Clearwater Beach has to offer. 

Then her beautiful tail was formed by tiny chards of broken shells.  They gleamed in the morning sunlight.  Around her slim waist was a circlet of the finest shells, pink, tan and white. All perfect. 
None broken. 

The mermaid's hair, was made of seaweed, long and thickly applied.  It spilled onto the sugar sand exactly as hair does, still wet from the sea. 

We wondered what artist created her?  Or did a storm deposit a flesh and blood mermaid on the warm sand, and there she turned into sand itself?  Whatever the answer, she is a magical mermaid.  I hope you think so, too.

Pelican Trailer Reviewed at If Books Could Talk Blog

Today we are doing something different on our tour.  Our trailer of One Pelican at a Time will be reviewed at If Books Could Talk.  This is a great blog with a twist!  Have a look.

Our wonderful trailer, commented on by so many people, was made by Kim Chatel, of Blazing Trailers.  She is a talented media artist!  And, I am happy to say, is doing the trailers for my next two books, Sea Turtle Summer, Bella Saves the Beach.  And speaking of talented artists, Samantha Bell, Pelican's illustrator is a marvel.  Take a look at her lovely web site, if you have the chance.