It's a New Year.

Starting fresh ...

I recently cleaned all of my watercolor palettes.

You might ask, “Why don’t you clean them right after you use them?”

That is a very good question, and I have a very good answer: There’s still paint on them. Watercolor can be reactivated and used over and over. You don’t just throw it away mamby pamby. That would be wasteful!

But since it’s the beginning of a new year, and I’m going to focus (I really, really am) on illustrating Kai’s Wild Ride, I wanted a fresh start. Clean palettes.

I have several goals for the year, but Kai’s book is at the top of the heap. Another goal is to write a picture book for sweet Ollie-pop and make good progress on The Weathered Vessel, a sequel to The Grace Writers. (For those who asked, there you go. Yes, there is another book coming!)

That seems like a lot. It is. It’s a daunting list. But I already feel like I’ve made good progress.

Cleaning the chaos of mixed paint and mixed thoughts is empowering.

I will be more intentional about which colors I mix on my “Kai’s Wild Ride” palette.

I will be more intentional about where I take my characters in my new manuscript. After publishing The Grace Writers, I have more clarity about what my readers loved, what they want, and how I can surprise them with new twists and turns in the plot.

And as I spend more time with Ollie-pop, I learn what makes him laugh, what he focuses on, and the things he loves to do. The ideas are popping into my mind.

I’m excited to see where all of these projects are in the NEXT New Year.

Stay tuned!