Illustrator/Author ~ Artist ~ Graphic Designer ~ Mom
When I was in school, instead of doing the assigned work I would flip it over and draw flowers. Drawing was the only time I felt like I was good at something. My Gramma Manley let me hang a gallery of artwork in her big white closet every time I visited. My family would call my synesthesia my "crazy color thing". We didn't know it had a name until I was in my 30s. Now, I am finding out a lot about myself. I want to create stories that show what it is like to have synesthesia, dyslexia, not fitting in, and being loved.
My illustrations are a combination of colored pencils (sometimes crayons) plus digital lighting and illustrating. My stories come from my heart, and I want to share them with the world through traditional publishing. I would also love to illustrate more than just my own works. To help me tell my stories, I read tons of picture books, participate in critique groups, and attend kidlit functions and intensives when I am able.
My favorite picture books with bears are~ BEAR CAME ALONG, BEAR AND CHICKEN, POLAR BEAR IN THE SNOW, SOAKED, and MR. TANNER. Some of my favorite chapter books are The THICKETY series, and A TALE DARK AND GRIMM series. Some of my favorite grown-up books are The DIVINERS series, THE SHINING, and THE FIREMAN.
