2013 had some big milestones, most notably our daughter’s high school graduation and subsequent entrance into the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon. I did so much anticipatory grieving that the actual transition was easier than I feared. Pictured here at the end of this first semester, it is evident that she is happy.

I hardly had a moment to feather my empty nest before I was off to Boston for school visits and to receive the Horn Book Nonfiction Honor Award for Dreaming Up.

I continued on to NYC to visit publishers and pitch some new projects. This was a fruitful time. I came home to work on sample art at an editor’s request, and am pleased to report that I have a new contract to illustrate a picture book biography of a notable photographer for Christy Ottaviano Books/Holt. 2014 will be a year of further development of writing/illustration projects potentially of interest to other publishers. Doors are open, but I have my work cut out for me to make things happen.