Birthday Giveaway!!!

It's my Birthday, It's my Birthday! All cards and gifts can be left on the back porch... Hahahahahah. Actually, to celebrate my birthday this month I am giving a gift to each of you with a chance to win one of 5 signed copies of "Millicent and the Faraway Moon" Here's how it works:

Anytime between when you get my newsletter and 12 noon next Friday (Feb.17, the day I came into the world)

"Like" my page RisingStarArt on Facebook and leave the comment "wonderfully made"

For two extra chances to win: Follow this blog and leave a comment explaining what it means to be "wonderfully made"

For yet another chance: Follow me on twitter (Cowgirl1959) and leave the hashtag #wonderfully made.

Thats 4 chances to win if you do them all! Or you can always just do one or two. Its up to you!

I will then take all the names and put them into a cereal bowl and have my husband pick 5 winners and post them to my Blog, FB page and Twitter account by 3 or 4 pm on Friday.

Children's Book 35% off for International Book Giving Day

February 14 is not only Valentines Day but International Book Giving Day. The mission of International Book Giving Day is to get new, used, or borrowed books in the hands of as many kids as possible. Click on the link to be taken to a blog post with more information and ideas for giving books to kids at home and abroad.

In an effort to support this project, I will be discounting "Millicent and the Faraway Moon" by 35% ! in my etsy shop on Feb. 14 only. Use the code "giveabook" at the checkout for your discount. I will sign it and if you want it sent to someone other than yourself make a note on your order. Even if you don't have kids, think about one for your church library, a doctors office, daycare center etc. Leave it anonymously! Committing a random act of kindness leaves you with the warm fuzzies inside! Even if you don't get one of my books I hope you will participate by giving another new or used book :0)We need to keep our kids reading!

Don't Let Anyone Hold you Back from Your Dreams!

Do you have a story brewing inside of you? Have you always dreamed of writing your story and seeing it in print? Is it there, alive, in your mind, with no place to go? If you are walking around , dreaming of the day that you will write it, or if you have it written and are dreaming of that day when a publisher is magically going to show up at your door and make you the next J.K. Rowling, we need to talk. Not to be negative, but someone online said something like, "It's so hard to get published. Like less than 5%. And it seems like you need to be published first to get published -- it's catch-22." It's not impossible, but very difficult, and requires persistence,perseverance and most of all-patience. That's something I ran out of a couple of years ago when I decided to take matters into my own hands and self publish, "Millicent and the Faraway Moon." Granted, I didn't shop my manuscript around too much, as I am a rather impatient person and when I have an idea for something, I want to see it happen.

So I began looking into self publishing. I looked through many self publishing company sites and at that time the one that appealed to me the most, was Lulu.com because I could create my book without a big giant upfront investment and since I had the needed skills to create my picture book, I took matters into my own hands.

I have to say that it as a labor of love, as it does take a good investment of time to go this route, but once it was done, I had the satisfaction of holding something that I created from start to finish and in my hands and had had compete control over it. What resulted, was a 40 page softcover picture book for kids, ages 4-9 and something that I was very proud of.

I took my book and sold it mostly at art shows where I was already selling my paintings, but I have also done book signings, school visits, and book fairs. By the time I had sold about 300 copies, I decided that the book had enough of a track record to invest in a hard cover printing which I did last year. My sales continue to flourish and I am proud to share the uplifting story of my blue cow Millicent as she tackles her self esteem issues.

I also look forward to sharing what I have learned on my self publishing journey in 2 workshops that I am offering at the Newark Arts Alliance in Newark De. on Oct. 3 from 6:30 - 8:30 and on Dec. 5 from 6:30-8:30. If interested, you should register for one or the other at the Newark Arts Alliance website . This is a link to the program pdf.

If you are someone like me who likes to take control over their own creative life and destiny- I hope to meet you at one of my workshops. If you live too far away or can't join me for any reason, please feel free to comment or contact me if I can help you with specific questions :0)

Double Art/Author Night

I had a wonderful time last week at Petey Possums Hangout in Oxford, Pa.. Its an adorable little children's bookstore on the corner of Rte. 472 and Old Baltimore Pike. I had a reading with the children, signed copies of "Millicent and the Faraway Moon" and answered questions about being an artist and author from 6-8 pm.

From 5-6 I enjoyed the company of my fellow artists and patrons at the Opening of the Oxford Artists Connection members show where I displayed 4 of my paintings. I wanted to show that i do other things beside the cow paintings so my people on the couch paintings took up their place on the wall right along side them. It was a very nice show with lots of variety from the other artists. It was also very well attended.