I'm working on illustrating another book for my publisher, Plum Tree Books. I'm also working on getting this site to look like a proper site. Publication requires readers, obviously. And even more obviously, I can't get attention all on my own. I can't get in my car and travel the country to pitch my novel. …
Author: mapelba
I'm a writer, artist, teacher, mother, wife, daughter, friend, coffee addict... What else? A success, a failure, a mess, a fan, a hater of housework, a lover of dogs, a liberal, an obsessive, and a bunch of other things that probably would never occur to me. I reveal myself in more ways in my writings and art than in any list of adjectives. And whoever you are, I hope most of all that you are a reader.
I can talk to the dead.
Well, not really. And I'm not someone who tries to talk to the dead because I don't think they're listening. But anyway, Plum Tree Books wrote about poetry and death--two things often seen together--and the post suggested trying to write a poem with the title I Can Talk to the Dead. I am not a …
Adding
I'm going to add things here and there. Today I added a page talking a bit about my novel which will be published in October. The look of this site may change a few times too as I figure out what I really want it to be. Thanks as always for reading!
Websites and Housecleaning
I don't know who created this Neil Gaiman meme, but I need it pinned in every room in my house. But once the story ends, it wishes to be read. The story can't hide in a file, right? Anyway, I'm changing a few things around here. Cleaning and polishing. Getting things ready for when my …
Action!
Are you ever too old to play with action figures? Mt action figures started with Charles Dickens. As a joke, I bought a Charles Dickens action figure for a friend, but it turned out she already had Mr. Dickens. Of course, she did. She's his biggest fan. (Other than the Doctor--for you Whovians.) Then I …
Where’s my cancer patient action figure?
I know this ridiculous, but what if the Doctor's companion was a cancer patient. She could run around between chemo treatments and lose her hair. I don't know. It's crazy, but maybe it would be nice to see patients with certain illnesses on film out in the world doing things. And by doing things I …
Home
I grew up in the Florida boondocks. A few feet from my side bedroom window grazed cows. Looking out the back windows of the house, we saw our backyard, more cows, and highway 27. A field of overgrown grass stood between us and our neighbor. Our property, divided in half by the road, extended down …
This Solstice
Today was the summer solstice. A year ago today, we had our housewarming party to celebrate moving into our very first house. A week from today I'll have my fourth chemo treatment (12 more to go after that). Before I'm done with chemo, I'll have another book out that I've illustrated. Soon after I finish …
Father’s Day Is Forever
Whether you had a dream dad, a nightmare dad, an absent dad, or an oddball dad, no matter how you'd describe the man who helped bring about your existence, there is no doubt he shaped you one way or another. Even an absence has an influence. My dad never planned on a being a single …
The Bees Are Disappearing!
Whenever someone mentions bees, I want to shout, "The bees are disappearing!" If you're a Doctor Who fan, you'll understand. But the point now is that I'm illustrating a children's book about bees. I've never drawn bees before, so this is a challenge. This might sound crazy, but most of the time, I don't actually …
Marta Pelrine-Bacon 