Tuesday, November 6, 2012

My Big News... I'm An Illustrator!

I'm here to tell you my big news! Yay and finally!

So, I closed my hat shop down last month..
I closed it down with the intent to de-stress my life and work on art.
Just that day I received an exciting phone call... 

The folks from Jolly Fish Press  called me asking if I would be interested in illustrating a book

I said, "Yes, I would love to."
But I was actually dancing around the house,
 jumping up and down trying to contain my excitement.
I did my best to sound calm and professional on the phone.
But after I got off the phone my voice was so high pitched you could barley hear me. 

The book has a wonderfully dark concept to it. 
The book is called Cinderskella 
 Written by Amie Borst
Go check her blog out! 
She is way talented and I'm so excited to be working with her.

Here is a summary on her book. 

Cinderskella

Status: Acquired by Jolly Fish Press. Anticipated publication: October 2013

Cindy might think that being 11 ¾ is pretty awful, but she’s about to find out that there’s nothing worse than having a horrible, terrible curse that turns her into a skeleton at nightfall.

How could anything possibly get worse, right? Wrong! Cindy now has put up with her new step-mother, not to mention her odd behaviors. And forget about getting her biggest crush, Ethan, to notice her. Cindy’s life is as miserable as it gets. But when she learns her skeleton curse allows her to visit her dead mother in the Underworld, she might just be willing to leave it all behind, even if it means putting everyone she loves in danger.



 I've been reading the manuscript and making notes and sketched in my sketchbook. 
I'm enjoying reading the manuscripts and getting into it. 
It's a book for middle schoolers, but it's still so delightful.
I get to do the cover art as well as chapter illustrations and illustrations for the book.

I'm going to be a busy girl for the next few months.
But, a happy girl. 
So, the hat shop will stay closed and my attention and time will be turned to working on my art career.
And now I can check off illustrator on my list of dreams.

This is a 3 part series too, although the books will be different.
I signed the contracts for the Cinderskella books, but we've talked about having me illustrate the other two books in the series over the next few years.

So... yeah! I'm excited! 
The book will be out next October and will be available in stores as well as on Amazon. 
It seems like it's forever away. 
But I've got a lot of work ahead of me. 

I'll be posting updates here!




33 comments:

  1. That's amazing!!!! I'm really happy for you and you'll do it great! :)

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  2. sooooooooo cool! you are perfect for this. can't wait to buy it when it comes out!

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  3. Congrats! That is very exciting and super cool!

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  4. Congratulations, Rachael!! That is HUGE news, and I'm so happy for you! Can't wait to see updates. :)

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  5. Congratulations lady! That is an amazing break for quite the amazing artist!

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  6. so exciting. you are going to do amazing!!

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  7. Sounds like a timely move, where the hat fits and all that!

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  8. Congratulations, that's fantastic!

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  9. So happy for you Rachael. That is definitely big news!

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  10. Yay! Congratulations!!! A new exciting beautiful opportunity arrived just in time!

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  11. Oh my gosh, that's amazing! Congratulations! Can't wait to see the book.

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  12. Congrats! That's amazing news:D I can't wait to see what you'll do!

    blueeyednightowl.blogspot.com/

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  13. Hats off to you girl! Excuse the pun. A lesson for all to follow ones dream....
    Shame my daughter is too old now, sounds like the type of book she would have adored.

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  14. That sounds absolutely amazing! I will definitely be looking forward to this book. Congratulations!

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  15. Congratulations! That is wonderful! To not only be an illustrator but to have them call you and ask you makes it that much better!

    All the best,
    Aubrey

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  16. Such awesome news!!! Yay!! Can't wait to see what you do with this book... :)

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  17. That's so cool! What a fun concept for a book, too! We have a children's book called "Cinderella Skeleton." It's pretty much the Cinderella story but with ghouls instead of princesses. The illustrations are awesome, though! If you need some inspiration, I would check it out.

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  18. So excited to work with you! My announcement goes up tomorrow morning :)

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  19. That is AWESOMEEE!! Get it girl!

    - Amy

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  20. Oh Congratulations - how amazing to get to work on soemthing you feel so passionate about! Let us know when the book is available - will buy for sure :O) ALl Best wishes, Marlene

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  21. Oh. My. Gosh. CONGRATULATIONS!!! This is so huge! You'll be so good at it and the story sounds like it's right up your alley!!!

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  22. Congrats ! It's so great for you !! ;)
    XxX

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  23. Congratulations! I'm a big fan of your work! I don't comment very often but I wish all the luck in this new adventure! It's nice to see you evolving and making things happen!

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  24. You are so talented and your art is amazing. So happy for you and this opportunity :)

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  25. How so very exciting. Congratulations!

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  26. I'm a little lttp, but that is exciting news! Congratulations!

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  27. HUGE congratulations about this, Rachael! Your work is so great and the story sounds like a perfect match for it. I'm so pleased for you! All best!

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  28. That's so exciting! And I'll definitely have to buy the book once it comes out. Even without being illustrated by you, it sounds like a book I would want to read, but with your illustrations in it, it's a must-have!

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  29. That is soooooooooooooo A-Mazing! Super duper congrats!

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