Moss Whispers

I’m trying to find ways to support myself while I write. Here’s my thought process: I could sell some of my little paintings but I’d rather keep the originals until I find a good way to publish hard copies, at least of “What Makes a Jingle Ring.” So I took a break from the Hillock character development time to play around with some miniature paintings of pieces of some of my book illustrations. This is just a little frame I had, and I used pretty cheap paper, but I just wanted to see how it might work to make some small paintings. I’m open to any suggestions. 

Most of my visits to The Hillock are in the daytime, between dawn and twilight. So I don’t see any Twig People that are down on the ground exploring and going on various adventures. Yet when I look up, I can see hints that they are there, waiting for their time on earth from twilight to dawn. It’s hard to see their heads but their ‘limbs’ are pretty clearly visible. The only movement I see is rhythmic swaying with the breezes.

I’m wondering if the Twig People will show up as characters in the stories of The Hillock as well? I’m feeling very impatient and eager to know how this story and the characters will evolve!   I also wonder if I should come to The Hillock at night and see what’s happening then? At around twilight, I DO hear a couple of owls talking through the darkening skies. Hmmm… 

I’m making this the last page for now. . Later I might turn the ‘at twilight’ into its own page at another time.  Now to let this book sit for awhile and then I’ll come back to it.

Whew! The all made it home! And here’s my biggest block about this story. The two main characters are NOT the ones who resolve the problem. An outsider does!  The Old North Wind. Somehow I feel the reader gets cheated since the main characters don’t solve their own problem! Hence, this, plus too much rhyme, are my two reasons for wanting to rewrite this whole story. Oh, well, there are a few more issues I have with this story. Once this first try is finished, I’ll give it a shelf break and come back to it later. As for me, I’m going to catch a few ‘winks’.

This illustration is the other half of the tree on the previous page. I would need to work these two pages to be a double spread with the text divided between the two pages, to make the words match the illustrations.  I also need to work on making it clearer as to which twig character is talking or being described. Clear to me that there’s lots of work to do on the text and the storyline. Then I think the illustration will have more detail and relevance. Just need to get them back on their branches before dawn! Whew!

I’m realizing that I am becoming more and more uncomfortable with two things about this story. One is the rhyming text and the other is the resolution of the main conflict. At this point, I think I will continue with the last few pages and then come back to it with a rewrite in prose.

As I push to finish this first adventure of  the Twigs at Twilight, I am learning so much as I go along. I need to break away from the rhyming texts on my next story and trust that I can switch to prose. Also, I need to let go of pushing to post a painting each time with the writing. This causes me to rush through, just because I’m trying to pack in a lot in a short amount of time.  I do find merit in writing and painting with an end point in mind. There’s so much to learn all at once!

Getting back into painting has been very challenging!  Two things I learned: don’t cut myself with a serrated kitchen knife right before I start to paint! 2. After taking a month off from painting, perhaps it would be better to start with a fresh palatte of paint! These colors look a little washed out! AND it’s good to get back at it. Now to go to bed before dawn!

I’m still working on my drawings of crickets making music just before dawn and of Big Twig who is struggling with his choice of whether or not to leap back to his branch or to keep searching for Lacey Leaf and Little Twig. Getting ‘inertia going’ is very fatiguing!

So here is the next progression in the drawings.

Been through many a dusk to dawn, since I’ve posted anymore of the adventures of the Twigs at Twilight! Wonder if they just didn’t make it back to their branches before Dawn of Day and they are frozen somewhere on the earth? The suspense is too too much with me every day! I thought tonight was when they would reappear, but I’ve been stuck on cricket research and when they cease their sounds for the night. Also learning how to capture them with my pencil in their last musical movements before dawn. So for now, all I have are a few doodles and dads and my pillow is waiting after a long day! Sleep well!