Here's why I had to cancel my SCBWI Summer Conference Los Angeles trip at the last minute

Yeah, well. Since I have to miss the SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles this year, I figure I may as well get a comic strip out of it. 

I discovered that the antibiotic drops I was taking for pink eye made them much worse RIGHT before I was supposed to leave for LA. So I had a choice: to go anyway, or to cancel and see a doctor instead, just in case there was a more serious condition or at the very least to get other medication. I opted for the latter.

I'm relieved it's just pink eye and nothing serious, but a bit frustrated with timing.

For those who are curious, My Life In A Nutshell is my semi-autobiographic comic strip, infrequently updated and with wildly varying art throughout. I think of this strip as a combination of self-therapy and my creative petri dish. 

Where Are My Books? At Book City Danforth!

To Torontonians: If you're in the Danforth/Greektown area and happen to pass Book City on 348 Danforth Ave, DO check out my window. I never had my own window before. :-)

With Mike and June at Book City Danforth

I have two book contracts with Random House Children's Books!

Thrilled to announce: I'll be illustrating two picture books for Random House Children's, written by Scored YA author Lauren McLaughlin. Details here.

BOOK NEWS! I'm illustrating two books for Harpercollins!! And some thanks...

I'm pleased to announce that I'm going to be illustrating the new RUBY ROSE series by Rob Sanders for Harpercollins. The first is titled RUBY ROSE ON HER TOES, and is tentatively scheduled to come out in 2014.

I'm feeling so grateful to the people who have supported and encouraged me during my publication journey. I'll be writing more about many of them but right now, I'd like to once again thank Justin Chanda and Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. Justin was the first editor/publisher to believe in me enough to offer me a book contract (I'M BORED), and other exciting opportunities have come my way as a result.

Morning Drawing: It's Going To Be A Good Day

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday. Thanks for all the birthday wishes on my Facebook Wall and by email! :-)