Around the World Blog Hop

I was invited to participate in the Around the World Blog Hop by fabric artisan Carol  of Carol R. Eaton Designs. Carol creates amazing hand-dyed, stamped, painted, and stenciled fabrics that she sells online and at regional events. Her blog is a source of inspiration and step-by-step instructions for many fabric techniques.  

I am thrilled to introduce two artists that I have invited to participate in the Around the World Blog Hop: Ruth Anne Olson and Michael Scaramuzzino.

Ruth Anne Olson a friend and member of SAQA-CT. Ruth Anne creates textile art, quilts and home accessories with an eye for subtle color change and fabric. She frequently uses hand-dyed cottons. And did I mention that she is a mathematician too? Visit her blog at http://www.ruthanneolson.blogspot.com

Michael Scaramuzzino is an amazing young professional illustrator and 3-d digital modeler who will stun you with his designs. Originally from Connecticut, he now lives in Massachusetts and has a B.F.A. from the Monstserrat College of Art. Michael illustrated the cover to Moth at the Window. Visit his website and blog at http://www.michael-scaramuzzino.com

 Q&A
1. What am I working on?

Today I am organizing myself for a Moth book signing this Saturday, October 18th at Bank Square Books in Mystic, CT http://www.banksquarebooks.com. 

I am also writing a proposal for a second book that I would like to pitch to small publisher.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Moth at the Window is of higher quality than many self-published books. It looks just like a book you might order from Random House.  I used an editor review and edit the text before it ever went to print. Also, the publisher, Xlibris, also did a phenomenal job formatting the text and choosing the font for the cover. I self-published because I did not want to spend time pitching the book to publishers.

Moth at the Window is also a multi-genre book. This is unusual since most books are in a single category: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc. Moth combines poetry, stories, and tidbits of history.

You might  enjoy the website http://www.MothAtTheWindow.com

3. Why do I write/create what I do?

I write about what I know. I like stories about people and the times they lived in. I enjoy trying to understand a person’s perspective in light of the historical events occurring around them. I am fascinated by ordinary people’s lives.

4. How does my writing/creating process work?

I prefer to write in the morning. I find that it is easier to formulate my sentences then. However, since I have the alarm set for 4:20 a.m. on weekdays and a long commute to my day job my writing I can rarely indulge myself. Instead, I write in the evening, after dinner, and on the weekends. And rainy days are the best!

Book Signing at the Woodbridge Town Library

I want to thank everyone who came out to the Woodbridge Library on September 16th to make my first book reading/signing such a success!  Here are some of the photos from the evening.

Betsy and Hout

Displaying the Suffield Bicennenial t-shirt

Chatting with friends

Some of the attendees

G.W. Clayton and Crest

Recently a cousin told me that Doc Clayton was one of the first dentists in Sullivan County to begin recommending Crest toothpaste to his patients. It was 1956.

Around that time Proctor and Gamble had just completed the first clinical trial that proved that the addition of fluoride to toothpaste (Crest) was effective in preventing cavities! Here is an advertisement from those days.

The Details in the Art of Michael Scaramuzzino

Take a look at the cover illustration of Moth at the Window. Pick up your copy or if look at the image online (http://www.MothAtTheWindow.com)

The moth is stunning. It was created by Michael Scaramuzzino, a professional artist, in Massachusetts. Michael is a graduate of the Montserrat College of Art in Beverly. He is passionate about pen-and- ink illustration and 3-D modeling. 

The moth was created with pen-and- ink and watercolor. First Michael draws the image in pencil. Although some artists freely sketch at this point, Michael tends to incorporate significant detail in this phase. Then he uses a Micron permanent marker to trace over the pencil lines and add additional detail to the illustration. In the final phase, Michael uses dry pan watercolors to ink the final work.

This is an example of Michael's pen-and-ink work for Astral Parasites, an exhibit at the Montserrat Gallery in 2013. Notice the incredible detail.

See more of Michael's work at    http://www.michael-scaramuzzino.com

Mark your calendar for Woodbridge

I am kicking off the book tour for Moth at the Window at the Woodbridge Town Library on Tuesday, September 16th at 7:00 p.m.  I will be reading some poetry, telling a few stories, and showing a few pictures. There will also be a raffle for a free giveaway. I hope to see you there!

Winners Announced for "Moth at the Window"

Over 640 individuals entered the Goodreads book give-away for Moth at the Window.
Congratulations to the following 10 readers!

• Daryl M - Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Antoinette L - Cerritos, CA
• April T - Overland Park, KS
• Cassi M - Riverhead, NY
• Tressa W - Lansing, MI
• Crystal L - Hamilton, Ontario
• Daniel M - Weymouth, MA
• Phyllis E - Blythewood, SC
• Cyntia B - Moreno Valley, CA
• Diane W - Dayton, OH

Book Tour

The first stop on the Book Tour is the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association tent in the 

CONNECTICUT BUILDING 

at the BIG E in Springfield, MA September 12-28.

I will be signing books there
Friday, Sept 12th from 4-7pm
and
Sunday, Sept 14 from 10am-1pm

Drop by and say hello!