INSIGHTS and INSPIRATION from AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR LINDSAY BARRETT GEORGE

Lindsay in her Studio

Dear Friends,

Please welcome my friend, the multi-talented Lindsay Barrett George, who offers a glimpse of the inner workings of a creative mind. Her thoughts will delight and inspire you! Now, here's LINDSAY and her writing pearls of wisdom. . . (Details for the book giveaway of Maggie's Ball at the bottom of the post!)

The idea for Maggie’s Ball came from a few sources:

 -- a Popeye sing-along from the 1950’s (follow the bouncing ball)

-- the Sony Bravia TV commercial – where you see thousands of bouncing colored balls
descending down a SF city street
 
--my friend Mary Maxon’s dog – Tobey, now gone – who would drop his favorite ball down the stairs and then catch it… the ball
                  bounced
                               and bounced
                                                  and bounced…
              Tobey loved playing ‘Fetch’, even if by himself

-- and, the fact that my puppy Maggie and I played ‘Fetch’ every day with her yellow ball (lots of bouncing!)

REVIEWS OF MAGGIE'S BALL:  
"A consistent, directional progression of the story, large, easy-to-read type, the challenge of finding the characters and naming the objects and places, and the gentle, sweet ending make Maggie’s adventure a perfect title for young readers, who will want their own pup to play with by tale’s end.” --Kirkus *starred* review

School Library Journal PreS—An eager little dog is looking for someone to play with when her ball bounces down a hill into town. A colorful spread shows the park and four buildings set around it, with many children and adults playing and going about their business. Maggie searches for her ball everywhere, circling the town and looking in all the shop windows. The illustrations are bright and big, as is the minimal text, making the oversize book a winner for preschool storytimes as well as for individual perusings where the ample small details will fascinate children. Eventually, Maggie ends up disconsolately resting near a bench occupied by a girl reading—but wait—is there a yellow ball next to the bench? The little girl asks Maggie to play ball with her, and the pup delightedly complies. The pictures of the dog bursting with joy and happiness when she finds her ball and a friend are priceless.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

Thoughts on Process. . .
There is no intelligent way to talk about the creative process. Great ideas – when they arrive - hang in the air. And ideas don’t come from me, but to me. I collect, store, safe-keep them… I let them simmer and out they pop!

You CANNOT lose faith in the fact that this process--this simmering--will happen - again.
It does …but in it’s own good time.
   
Some thoughtful words for readers/lovers of books for children
. . .Maybe that a picture book is its own ‘thing’… and that every stroke, every word is there because someone  - the author or illustrator – either painted it or wrote it. You start with a bank page and – you want to create an experience for a child, one stroke at a time. One word -- and it has to be the exact right word – one word at a time.

I LOVE making books for children – they are the best audience - and they believe in the magic that lies between the covers of a book. That expectation of something extraordinary that might happen –
when you turn a page… is part of why I love the bookmaking process. And of course, the children…to delight them and to connect with them – that’s the best part.

More about Lindsay and her wonderful picture books:
 Lindsay Barrett George’s books have been picked as Outstanding Science Books for Children,  American Bookseller Pick of the Lists, and have received Children’s Literature Choice Awards. Box Turtle at Long Pond was chosen as a Children’s Book of the Year by the Library of Congress.

Lindsay received the Carolyn Field Award (1989), and the Drexel Award (2007).  Inside Mouse/Outside Mouse was chosen as the first selection in Pennsylvania’s ‘One Book Every Young Child’ initiative.

Lindsay began her career in the children’s book field as a book designer in a New York City publishing house.  She has combined a fine arts background with her graphic design experience to produce books that, hopefully, make the animals she cares about come alive for children.

Lindsay lives with her husband, as well as a sweet mini-Dachshund, a big brown dog, 5 cats, and a very handsome duck in Northeast Pa. For more about Lindsay, her books, and her school visits, check out her website: lindsaybarrettgeorge.com 

The #Giveaway: Lindsay is generously donating a signed copy of Maggie's Ball to one lucky reader, and it can be personalized just for YOU! All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment on the post. Winner will be announced on Saturday, November 21st. Thanks for stopping by!