OK, so we're in a new year and I've not blogged in a very long time, but here are some highlights.
- My place in Midvale has been sold (for those of you who have sold a home you know how time consuming it can be), so Logan, Utah is officially home to me and Artwork by Joanna! Coaching Japanese on line for NCVPS continues to be enjoyable and satisfying, particularly during inclement weather, since work is from home on my laptop computer. This winter has had a moderate, but enchanting amount of snow!
- The holidays were lovely. Jordan and Karli spent time here in Logan, Utah, and served as my tree decorating team for the 3rd Christmas season. :-) Jordan and his business partner, Austin Craig, have submitted a TV pilot for review with BYU Broadcasting: fingers crossed, prayers and hopeful pins and needles feelings galore!
- To accompany Twinkle and Luna, I've created several activity/learning pages for a presenting at a National Home School Convention in Logan this summer. As soon as they're scanned and reading to go, they'll be added to my Etsy store. Here's a bad photo of one page. They vary in difficulty from preschool level to elementary level learning appropriate. Questions? I'm always available via email (copy/paste this): artworkbyjoanna@gmail.com
- Twinkle and Luna will soon have a downloadable script and patterns for creating a presentation, which children can perform for classmates, friends and/or parents! They will be scanned and ready to go in my Etsy store by the end of January. If you'd like to add someone to my mailing list or book a presentation for home, a school or organization, please email: artworkbyjoanna@gmail.com
- BTW, the finished Twinkle and Luna books and audio CDs are available (copy/paste the links):
- For the eBook go here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/http://www.lulu.com/shop/j-e-sakura/twinkle-and-luna/ebook/product-22202915.html
- For a musical audio CD with a paperback book visit the Artwork by Joanna Etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/244725775/twinkle-and-luna-book-wcd?ref=shop_home_active_4
- Have the book, but not the CD? The CD alone (which comes with an adhesive envelope) is available here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/245201452/twinkle-and-luna-acc-reading-and-lullaby?ref=listing-shop-header-2
Twinkle and Luna will soon be available in the form of mini films, which include all of the illustrations and the story, either sung or read aloud, as well as a powerpoint. All that's waiting to make these available on Etsy is some tech help! To live is to learn. Stop learning and well, that's not living, is it? If I can get the hang of this, YOU can, too! I post about what's happening on my Artwork by Joanna Facebook page regularly, here: https://www.facebook.com/jesakura/?fref=ts
I'm focusing on how to do all this so I can offer a solid product that I can feel good about. What I've learned about self-publishing is this: the big companies which offer self publishing services do NOT back up, or even see the finished products they send out. The quality of a self-published children's book, for me at least, continues to be "iffy," at best.
So, I've decided to put all of my efforts into digital files. Some, will be downloadable to print out for your child or classroom children's use. Others will download as files for your computer, iPod, etc., which a child can use alone or a parent/educator can utilize in a home/classroom setting. Once the kinks are worked out in this first book, Twinkle and Luna, I can do the same with Flutter Bye and Lady Dot;
...as well as Bunny Birds & Co.
Both stories are already written and each has its own melody. I've quit working 2 jobs at a time, in order focus on this job, and wade through the busy work which stands in the way of bringing each story to life! All of the books will have everything that goes with Twinkle and Luna, but Flutter Bye and Lady Dot will also have a sequel and its own unique features.
I'll do better in 2016, posting about my progress (and my son and daughter-in-law's), and challenge everyone who has a dream to pursue it in 2016 and every week of every year there after!
