My Children’s Books

It seems like it was just yesterday. I wrote a children’s book called a Tiny Fish Tale and also illustrated it using my iPad. It was published on StoryChimes through the Apple App Store. I was thrilled! It was followed by another book called The Four Promises. It was also made in to an app. A third book followed called My Trip to Washington DC - All by Myself. By that time I decided to self publish all of them on Amazon. All three stories are about my two grandsons. They are now 18 and 19 years old! I keep copies of the books in our foyer. Now that we live in northern Virginia the condo building put up a small book case on the first floor for people to donate books for others to read. So yesterday I took two of my three books and placed them on the shelf - since someone had mentioned they could use some children’s books for their grandchildren. I don’t know if anyone will actually take them and read them, but since I had the extra copies I thought I would put them to better use. My husband really loves the fish story. I like them all equally well because they all have a different storyline appropriate for a young child - a tiny fish in need of help; promises to keep; and an exciting trip to Washington DC. I still can’t believe I created them! 

iPad Five Year Anniversary - What A Difference It Has Made - For Me!

I can't believe it's been five years since the iPad changed my life! Since that April day in 2010, so much has happened because of it. I waited by the door for it to be delivered and things have never been the same. I had a feeling about it like no other gadget before it. Now I have three iPads - the first one is now my husband's - and the other two are used exclusively for all my art - and maybe a few games! I downloaded Sketch book Pro and my love for art was reignited. It started with doodles and sketches, and became three children's books - as apps in the Apple Store published by StoryChimes, a New Yorker Eustace Tilley win, self published children's books on Amazon, and commissioned pet portraits from all over the US, Canada, Australia, and Puerto Rico. I even have a "gallery wall" at the Wagtime Shop on Capitol Hill. Along with all the art is the social media that ties it all together - this blog about living in the Capitol City, Facebook business page, tumblr, Pinterest boards, krrb ads, my etsy shop, twitter, a Wordpress personal website, and the most recent Rebelmouse that pulls a lot of it in to one place. The iPad makes it so much easier to coordinate all of these things. It has become my mobile studio - which is a lot cleaner and neater than watercolor and pastels - that I take with me whenever we are out of town. Yes, some of this could have been done without the iPad, but not to the same degree. Thanks Steve Jobs for having the vision. Happy Anniversary IPad!