Phases

Describe a phase in life that was difficult to say goodbye to.

So many. I don’t love goodbyes, but how could I have lived so much life without closing this door or that?

I once belonged to a artist group. We all had studios in one location. We got along, we supported each other, we went to shows together. There was music, long lunches, comradary. It was a fun time. Lots of productive artistic hours…

I was just saying…

That I needed some writer friends to bounce my query letter off of. I’ve read all the online suggestions. I got my word count down. I sent it through a bot to correct spelling and punctuation, but this feels huge, like I need help!

Where can I find a writers group? Hmmm

Oh wait, silly me. Right under my nose!

You ARE ALL writers! Maybe you won’t care to read this

But we are a big group. Surely one or two may have some feedback for me. Here it is:

Dear Sandra,

I chose you because I trust your opinion and expertise. As an avid reader of everything, I usually agree with you. You know this business better than all of the agents I’ve researched. Plus, you practically live down the street and we both know ——.(my author friend)

Please allow me to introduce you to my latest project.

Query

‘Beatrix Butterfly’ is a bright and colorful picture book that tells the dynamic story of one easy-to-relate-to butterfly named Beatrix.

Her cycle of transformation from egg to caterpillar to butterfly is a true to life, scientific story that is also a metaphor for change. As we follow along, we are all encouraged to breathe with Beatrix as she patiently spends time in each phase.

A friendly introduction to conscious breathing, Beatrix has taught children as young as two, how to ‘Butterfly Breathe’.

I coined this term for a simple breath-to-movement exercise that I learned from a specialized yoga instructor.

Breathing and moving in this conscious way has been shown to calm the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. It has also been used to regulate neurological dysregulation caused by stress.

Beatrix is a butterfly with a mission. I believe that teaching children to take deep, slow, movement-connected breaths when they need to feel calm and confident, gives them a helpful tool to grow up with. My years teaching in different places around the world have convinced me that all children can benefit from this simple practice.

I painted the illustrations for ‘Beatrix Butterfly’ in acrylic. My style has a playful, abstract quality that children seem to be drawn to. Beatrix is a Holly Blue Butterfly. Caterpillars of this species are sometimes pink.

‘Beatrix Butterfly’ follows a self published book called ‘Peaceful Hearts’. Also conscious-breath themed, it explores breathing while feeling emotions, aiming to introduce the concept to teachers, parents and children.

Beatrix suggests that each phase of life is helpful for different reasons.‘Beatrix Butterfly’ has already been enjoyed by many children as I have meandered along this writing journey. Seeing a two year old do the exercise I included at the end of the book, made her parents smile. My theory that anyone can practice conscious breathing, and feel better in doing so, has rung true repeatedly. Parents and teachers have reported positive results from their breathing experiments with children following reading either or both of my picture books.

A third book is being written and illustrated. It will incorporate nature and gratitude into breath-work for a visually beautiful and calmingly enjoyable finale to the trilogy.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVFC4DXT?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_8S5GX5BDHKXMS1BFWY1R&language=en-US

Planning day

Remember planning? I barely do, but on this lovely March morning, I’m quite ready to roll up my sleeves and get out my calendar.

First I’m going to list some of the things that I want to do before I leave for the East.

I want to read my book in a few of my friends classrooms and teach some different age kids how to Butterfly-Breathe. I want to send my query and the PDF of my book to my author friend to be referred to the agent I’ve had my eye on for years. (I read on her website that she was accepting referrals). I want to see Opening Day for Ponyball and also watch my granddaughter perform at the KFP Galla. I want to help my son pack and get ready to move. I want to spend the equinox with my friends who like to celebrate these quarter year marks. I would like my hair cut by my favorite stylist. I would like to start doing the beach stairs again and doing my kettle bell exercises.

Now I’m feeling a little overwhelmed by my own list. I’m intentioning for it all to fall into place perfectly, though some things sound scary and I hope everyone’s schedules coincide. That’s enough of this so called planning for now. I need to walk and probably breathe.

Someone Else

Genetics are crazy. This one looks exactly like I did at seven

If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be, and why?

Future Andie of course! Because I kind of know her.

If I had to spend the day being a completely different person, no matter how cool that person might be, I’d have to waste a chunk of time getting to know too many things, to get up to speed and get into character.

So I choose the person I’m evolving into, because although she’s likely someone else, we have some history together. I’ll have a hand in creating her, and you never know, anything could happen.

Ambitious Project?

Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.

How hard could it be? People do it all the time…

Doesn’t it always start out with thoughts like these?

Of course my biggest project to date is this one. This whole write a book, illustrate a book, story board and format a book, write a query letter, find an agent, publish a book, get an online presence so you can tell people about your book. Good thing I didn’t have a clue about how much effort or how long it might take.

Ignorance is maybe not bliss, but it does get you started. I think I may be at the point of no return now, but initially, it was good to not know.

Now? Well since I’m this far in, since I’ve faced a fear or two and survived, since I do believe in what I’m doing at its core, since I’m still here. I guess I’ll keep going. Today I listened to a seminar about twenty mistakes writers make in their query letters. I guess that is my next focus.

Writing a query letter.making a decent reel. Sharing

This just in…

Today I found out that I’ll be staying in California through March. I’ve been unable to plan more than a day or two ahead since the beginning of January, before that everything revolved atound hospital visits, so this is interesting news. I’m still taking it in. I can maybe make a plan of some sort. I wonder what that will look like.

I wonder how much out of character I have become. It’s been a lot of bouncing around. I’ve had some moments on this journey, some days I feel like I’ve lost track of myself. I’ve had to slow down and remember what I want my life to be about because I believe that I get to at least decide that.

I just listened to some talks about query letter writing and dysregulation. I learned how they’ve found that dysregulating neurological affects can be returned to normal by taking some slow conscious breaths. I love that what my books are introducing to children is being backed up by the scientific community. It’s also interesting that I have so many real life moments to see the breathing work for kids, adults and myself.

The query letter is going to be challenging. I know this. It has to be perfectly executed. No typos obviously, but also compelling and on point. If I don’t manage to nail it, all is lost. If the agent is in any way turned off or not interested enough, my manuscript won’t be looked at, at all. It’s a pretty strong pass or fail.

My mock up has been weeks in the making. I’ve never run into a problem with this printer, but my patience is being stretched. I am a low priority, I guess? I have one other relationship where this has come up recently. It won’t be helpful to let that define my day so I won’t, but it’s feels a little discouraging.

Instead, I will look forward. I have ideas and options to consider, I’ m happy to have some planning to do.

‘Ban’ wagon

If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?

I like that there is an official list of yearly banned words. I just learned this today. No one seems to be policing the ban, so I’m fine for not knowing, (except that I may irritate some people). On the list for each year are words or phases that have become over used according to a group at Duke University. When I read through this years list I could see how saying some things a lot might get on nerves.

For some reason it reminded me of fashion and trends in general. I think we do this. We like, then over-like, then don’t like, then can’t even stand things as they come in and then go out of style. Words, clothes, hair styles, houses, colors, decor, cars, etc. we want it, we don’t want it. It must have something to do with staying current. A fresh new thing that sometimes needs some getting used to, then we love, until we don’t. Then we actually get so tired of hearing or seeing that, we fully reject it.

Who starts these trends? Young people? Cool people. Advertising people? Do I dislike certain trends or words enough to want to erase them permanently?

Here’s the thing. so much is a reinvention of something else. I’ve lived long enough to see things come into style and then go out, only to come back again. I myself am a fan of reinvention, so I won’t vote to get rid of any words or trends permanently. I get tired of words or phrases or styles at times, I can’t bare yellow wall paint for example, but there is always some clever person who will reconfigure and improve upon what is. Besides, did you ever notice, things always disappear before reappearing as something else.

I am not getting on any ‘ban’ wagon for a lot of reasons. I probably don’t believe in banning.

After a small break

I have some things to work on. I realize I have to put my own swing on this because otherwise I might lose my way. I am thankful for all the help and suggestions and ideas.

At the bottom of my blog s I’m going to put a QR code that when clicked on will ask if you want to open. It will then go directly to my first book on Amazon. Eventually there will be one for Beatrix as well. If anyone knows anyone who would enjoy a colorful picture book about breathing and feeling, it’s easy to find with the code.

I figure whatever I can learn on my first book, will make my second and third books better. My forth and fifth will be amazing. I have some ideas of what to also try next.

Blogging has been fun. I enjoy the WordPress community. I like writing. It’s interesting to look back and see my progress. I think I’ll be glad I recorded what I’m doing like this. It’s been a whole journey and it’s far from over.

Continue reading “After a small break”

To Teenage Moi

What advice would you give to your teenage self?

This was a fun prompt to read other responses to.

I’m not sure I have good advice for anyone. I’d probably just say don’t worry, life is long. You are going to make some good choices and some bad choices. You can’t control most things anyway. Do your best, don’t be so hard on yourself, and don’t listen to people’s opinions. Follow good examples. Eat better. Smile. Enjoy being young. You are good just the way you are, stop trying to change to be more like you think people want you to be. It just distracts you from the fun you’d be having being yourself.

In case you are wondering, life never got boring, you did become happily married, the church people didn’t know what they were talking about, your parents were right about a few things, and in the end, you ARE an artist (so stop trying to be something else). Also you are smart and you hang out with people who don’t treat like you aren’t

Relax, it’s all going to be ok, (when if feels like it’s not, just wait a little while).

I do wish I knew a thing or two about breathing