Children's book Submission to first Publisher!

This is the year of finishing projects. I have been working on an off on my first author illustrated children's book. This March...I sent it off for my first submission of the both the story and the illustrations!

I am really proud of my self. It is like birthing a child and carefully...struggling...pushing...waiting...learning...watching it grow..Then suddenly you send your child off to college! They leave your home..not completed but grown up enough to be put out into the world.

The process is to send a dummy book. It is just black and white drawings with the story. You also send a sample of the finished colored illustrations. I sent 2...you can send 3.

Then you wait and wait and wait!!! The publisher I pick is called "Eerdmans Books for Young Readers". I felt they were the best pick for my work. The book that first turned me on to them was called Bridget's Cloak. My story is fantasy, traditional Scandinavian folk tales, Traditional Christmas myths...and mixed with the nativity story. Bridget's Cloak had some very similar qualities. But Bryce Mulligan the author is an amazing poet. My story relies more on humor and pathos..

The publisher asks for you to give them 6 months before you can send it off to another publisher...!!! So I sent it off in a time when I would be very busy with my trip to Europe and not notice the time passing. But really lately I keep checking my mailbox...

I ask you to please pray for FAVOR my little book...I am believing for it to be a blessing to Children everywhere. My little child book must grown up...and be successful.

Once they accept it then will start the next part. Finishing the paintings..23 of them!

All the Illustrations below are by Harald Wiberg

My story features a Tomten/Nissi. My first exposure to a Scandinavian Elf was through the book "The Tomten" illustrated by Harald Wiberg.
It was so magical..and quiet...I loved the illustrations and the snow. I read it on out loud for my little son and put it on a tape for him to have.

To read more about Tomten's & Nissi click here.
And more about Harald Wiberg the illustrator click here.

My story has a little of Santa Claus in it too..
Santa Claus was a very real figure in my life...I grew up in a Danish American family. Santa came to our home on Christmas Eve at 7 pm....the bells would jingle on the door and I would open it and say "HI Santa!"....I never new till I grew up that the Santa I knew was really from the Tomten/Nissi traditions.

As I said above I discovered the book the Tomten when my son was little...
I was so taken with quiet little figure walking around and whispering to the animals. I grew up with my Grandfather (my hero). We had a little ranch in Southern California. A chicken coop, a cow or pig to raise for meat, a little garden, and finally a horse barn with 2 horse and a hay.


I had all the cats I could want or bring home. The little book hit close to me in so many ways.

Santa's Village 1955...(I was 4 years old..)

Up in the mountains near me was the theme park "Santa's Village". ( I first discovered puppets at the puppet theater there...what a magical life I had. ) Can you imagine how it felt to be a little child and touch the north pole..it is very icy..look at whole tree with candy suckers dangling of just for the taking and seeing Santa any time of the year you showed up! Please go to the link it is a very fun place.

(by the way Disneyland opened around the same time and it was just down the street about 30 Min's from my home..no wonder I am so full of dreams..but my Grandfather was a romantic dreamer too and holiday's were a very fantastical time)

So now I wait....and dream

and HOPE!