First Reading of What Makes a Jingle Ring

LAUNCHPADToday was quite a day! I was given an opportunity to read What Makes a Jingle Ring to children at FriendsFest, an event at Saxapahaw, NC. I thought I was really ready, after having made little cards to hand out with the cover page of my book on one side and my website address on the back. Then about 2 hours beforehand, I tried looking at the iPad outside, to make sure the book was visible, and all that was visible was a reflective screen. So I quickly jumped into fast mode and hoped my ink would hold out on my printer and began to act as my own Big Book printing press! First the photos, changing ink cartridges halfway through, and a sigh of relief as I finished the illustration copies. Next came what I thought would be the simple part, printing the text. How wrong I was! It reminded me of times I’ve tried to take a ‘shortcut’ in the car to get somewhere when I’m almost late…shortcuts seem to add miles and confusion to the mix! Three hours later, I’m still working on the text! Missed the first reading slot, and hit the tail end of the second slot. The few children that were there, were so wonderful and attentive! And they loved guessing what made the jingle ring! And they managed to stay engaged even when I got the text in the wrong order and discovered I was missing a picture! Agggh! self publishing…self printing…hmmm…guess I gotta start somewhere! The best part was one little girl that came by in between reading times. I let her read it on my iPad…silently, and at the end, she very kindly and genuinely said ‘the magic words’! “I really like your book! You did a good job!” Made my day! And also helped me realize that even older elementary age kids can appreciate it.
Another special part of the afternoon for me was seeing students that I had taught years earlier, and remembering all the books I helped them write themselves! Now I get to be cheered on by those very students as I work on my book! We’re all One Big Many! Thank goodness! Now that it’s launched, maybe I’ll earn enough to print some hard copies! 

Have you heard the jingle ring? My book is now available in my Shop!

birdshurrahHURRAY! The little birds are sharing the jingling sound around the world! What Makes A Jingle Ring is now available for sale on this website in my SHOP! Next, the sharing of it will take ONE BIG MANY! So if you like my first book, please share it with as many as you think might also like it! And if you have suggestions or comments about it for me, please share them with ME here on my new website! I’m the lucky learner in this process! Thank you ALL for you support! Enjoy! And please let me hear from you! Meanwhile,…. the next book is brewing…

Little Birds Giving the Drum Roll!!!

birddrumroll

The little birds that keep appearing in my illustrations are practicing their drum rolls and fancy steps to present the opening of a new website and publication of my first online book, “What Makes a Jingle Ring?” This has been quite a practice for me as well, especially the last details! So keep your eyes on the web and listen for any jingles, bird sounds, or mosswhispers, to herald it’s coming! This has been a dream for a good while and I’m grateful for all the bit of ‘lift’ I’ve been given to get this project off the ground! I’m so excited and hope you’ll enjoy what’s coming!

What Makes a Jingle Ring?

JingleTitlePageScreenShot

I will be publishing my book, this weekend! The first version will be in pdf form and available for SALE online. I plan to start with this format first and will look at other publishing options (amazon, apple, print) in the future if people are interested.
This whole process has been a great way for me to start the ball rolling. And now that I’ve begun this journey, I look forward to sharing more stories, learning through the process, and honing my skills of writing and illustrating! Thanks to so many for support along the way! I hope you enjoy my first picture book and I would love any feedback or suggestions.

About the Author

Whoops! Didn’t want this to post in such a large way! Writing About the Author has been so much harder than writing the whole book! Here’s my first attempt! In fact, posting anything while I’m tying up the ‘loose ends’ to this book has seemed very complicated. I’m learning that it’s much easier when I’m ‘in the story’ rather than starting or completing it!

 

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Ann Gordon remembers magical moments as a child: playing at the roots of trees, creating villages carpeted with moss and making little people adorned with their acorn caps. During her 30 years of teaching, what mattered most to her was that children have a chance to experience their own ‘aha moments’ and to explore ways of expressing themselves.

        She and her husband, Alex, live in the country with their two dogs, Francklin and Lacy. They take many meadow walks enjoying symphonies of spring peepers, owls, and crickets in the evenings. They enjoy traveling to explore this incredible world and to keep up with their three children.
Ann spend lots of her days writing, working in her studio, tending her moss creations and developing the Hillock Village in the Meadow. Each day unfolds magical moments of self-discovery, and adds pages to new books being written. For Ann, the process of putting word to print and painting color to paper keeps her forever learning and surprised by the hidden mysteries of creativity.

The End!

Good thing I’m almost done with paintings for this book! These are the last of the colors on this palette. I’ll need to create a fresh palette when I start the next one. Little guy is clearly elated to have discovered the process for making a jingle ring! And the little birds seem thrilled to have figured out how to play hopscotch! Looks like he’s lost ALL the buttons on his vest! Must add them later! Now for last bits of editing and proofreading.

What Makes a Jingle Ring? (possible cover page?)

Either I’ve just really missed this little guy and had to run into him again, or still had feelings of not being complete. Either way, I decided to do two more paintings of him. Here’s the first one and is my idea for the title page…though I may add one or more of the birds.

The End!

Now that I’ve finished expressing this story in words and pictures…what next? For the last few days, I’ve been at loose ends at the end of the evening…what do I do now? do I just ‘go to bed’??? My creative energy is still here…I dabble a little with each painting…adding a detail here or there…wondering whether to repaint a few….add a bird here and there…A young precious family was visiting over the weekend and I read the whole story to the 3-year-old. She was very attentive and eager to discover the jingle as well. Still, I ponder what’s next. There’s still more here for me to sift through my mind…I’m drawn to this painting, page 19. To me, it’s when this little guy has his first epiphany! “It takes a whole pocketful to make a jingle appear!”…it’s ” all those things as one big MANY!” And for me, it took painting ALL those pages, and feeling ALL that support from so many…through wordpress, through Facebook, and just in my ordinary life! And for that, I’m extremely grateful! For having this moment to see pieces come together as one big whole. I’m thankful for the process and all my learnings along the way! So now, why stop? This is it! This wonderful process of laying down the pieces and seeing the whole develop. Thank you little guy! Thank you tree! Thank you birds and all things from button to the key! And mostly thank you to all of you who have urged me on, ‘liked’ commented and fueled the forces to keep me going. I know now, that there are many more trees to climb and symphonies waiting to play their songs! So let’s all keep discovering and singing our songs! Thanks for listening to one of mine!

Mr. Jingle 23

Need to work on his pockets more! And the edges and shadows. This little guy is getting so close to his biggest epiphany! And I’m getting so close to being finished with this first draft! Only one more page! Unless he surprises me!

The day after that, When I start my day…
I’ll wear MORE pockets And see what they say!

Mr. Jingle 22

The baby birds are growing! And so is the sound from his pocket! Only thing is, somehow I hid his pocket in the painting so it’s hard to tell the sound makers are coming from his pocket! Aggh! Most of today was spent trying to figure out how to illustrate the text, and then learning how to make ‘caricature birds’. I’m growing on this one, myself!

At the end of the day…
I’ll always know…
Deep in my pockets
a sound will grow…

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