I wrote a book!

Ok, I'm no where near finished, but I've completed the initial draft. I've revised it twice. I've shared it with at least two of my published author friends. I'm so blessed to have friends like Cynthia Leitich Smith and Dianna Aston who enthusiastically offered to read and critique my work. Not as professional/fee critiquers, but as a personal favor to me. Now I'm going to take their feedback, edit and reshape.

I'm entering my manuscript in Lee & Lows New Voices competition. In preparation, I've studied many other picture book biographies. I first visited the public library, but me and Dewey Decimal, and those old IBM-ish PCs just don't get along, so I came home and dug out all the biographies I have in my own library. Not so surprisingly, since I am a big fan of historical fiction and nonfiction, my personal library had plenty of picks to peruse.

My favorite: Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy by Phil Bildner, illustrated by C.F. Payne. I've been a big fan of Payne's illustration work for years, even before he got into children's books. I liked the way this book was told. It is kind of long and wordy, but I like the voice. Bildner uses a conversational style voice with catchy colloquialisms which is the direction I'd like to take my own voice. Read some of the reviews on Amazon.

Here are a list of the books which I have in my own collection. Funny, I've been collecting these books all these years and haven't read nary one of them. Until now.

Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride
by Pam Munoz Ryan, illustrated by Brian Selznick

Houdini
World's Greatest Mystery Man and Escape King
by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Eric Velasquez
I am the biggest lover of magic. I remember having a phone book sized magic book when I was a child. It offered the answers to many magic tricks, but I was a little afraid of the book because it borderlined on the occult.

Wilma Unlimited
How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman
by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by David Diaz
This book came highly recommended to me by author Dianna Aston. "Study and study this book," she advised me.

Martin's Big Words
The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
by Doreen Rappaport
illustrated by Bryan Collier

Salt in his Shoes
Michael Jordan In Pursuit of a Dream
by Deloris Jordan with Roslyn M. Jordan
Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
I love anything illustrated by Kadir Nelson, but funny, I just read this book two weeks ago, and don't remember anything about it.

Duke Ellington
by Andrea Pinkney
illustrated by Brian Pinkney
I love the rhythm of the writing. I want to write like this. Of course, I love Brian's illustrations.

Frida
by Jonah Winter
illustrated by Ana Juan

Home Run
by Robert Burleigh
illustrated by Mike Wimmer
An autobiography of Babe Ruth, however , in my opinion, I think the title of an autobiography should somehow incorporate the person's name, particularly on the cover. The painting of Babe Ruth on the cover is beautiful, but unless I knew what Babe Ruth looks like, I wouldn't have had a clue. I like the way this story is told. It's a sparsely worded poem, but each page features a bubble gum card with more detailed information on Ruth. Creative. Beautifully illustrated.

When Marian Sang
by Pam Munoz Ryan
illustrated by Brian Selznic
A breathtaking book. The illustrations are perfect. This represents more of a wordy picture book, but it is an enjoyable read.

Ella Fitzgerald
The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa
by Andrea Pinkney
illustrated by Brian Pinkney
While I was in the midst of writing an Ella Fitzgerald picture book biography myself, I emailed Andrea with my idea and synopsis of an Ella Fitzgerald biography. Little did I know she and Brian were already under contract to do their own Ella book. I loved theirs.

Lou Gehrig
The Luckiest Man
by David Adler
illustrated by Terry Widener
I studied this book heavily when I illustrated Say Hey! A Song of Willie Mays, so I was thrilled when I moved to Texas and had the opportunity to meet Terry Widener and discuss his process of illustrating this book while sitting on a panel together at the Texas Book Festival.

Satchel Paige
by Lesa Cline Ransome
paintings by James Ransome
It's always been my dream to team up with my wife and write/illustrate a book together. Unless I bend her arms. It. Ain't. Gonna. Happen.

St. Valentine
retold and illustrated by Robert Sabuda

The Babe & I
written by David Adler
illustrated by Terry Widener
Not really a biography, but an interesting story which involves Babe Ruth.