One of my favourite, favourite authors in the whole, wide world is Meg Rosoff. I've mentioned here on this blog before. She writes award-winning young adult books (a-ma-zing!) and brilliant picture books. I really couldn't tell you which are more cherished in this household. If you haven't read 'how I live now' might I suggest is as your next book? Don't let the YA status put you off... 'Catcher in the Rye' is YA too.
Anyway, because of these things and the fact that Ms. Rosoff didn't publish her first book until she was 48, she is my inspiration and the one person I would love to meet. Gush, gush, gush. I know... such a love-fest. At least it's not directed at someone like Tom Cruise or Paris Hilton.
Let me be clear that my boys LOVE her too. 'Meet Wild Boars' and especially 'Jumpy Jack and Googily' are some of the most beloved books in this household. In fact, 'Googily' was one of Sam's first words. Hilarious.
So, with all this in mind, I set about creating a homemade Googily doll for the boys. It was a dark, television-less Montana Fall, and it seemed like a logical thing to do. Forget the fact that I'd never made a doll before and that Googily isn't exactly the easiest starting point.
Yeah. Googily is the blue monster.
I won't pretend there was nothing in it for me. My cunning plan was that I would finish the doll (with hopefully some amount of success) and then have a reason to email Ms. Rosoff herself!! (I know this behaviour is dangerously close to the 13 year old girl riding her bike 'casually' by that boy's house...)
So, I worked rather long and hard on Mr. Googily, always after the boys were in bed to keep the project a surprise. I found some fabric to match his little pants and bought a magnetic closure to attach his hat to his head. I won't go into the details of crafting a tiny bowler hat out of felt, but leave it to say it was interesting.
I finished him in time for Christmas, and feeling as though he had turned out well enough, I fired an email off to Ms. Rosoff's literary agent just before Christmas. It was a long shot, especially during the holidays.
Not 24 hours after I wrote the letter I got the most amazing email back from Meg herself. FROM MEG ROSOFF! In my inbox. (Props to the agent who forwarded that so quickly!)
I almost passed out. She was exactly as funny and kind and gracious as I had expected. We have exchanged a few more emails since and I sent her photos of the boys opening their Googily-doll on Christmas morning.
It was such a funny experience from start to finish! He was an awful lot of work, but seeing my boys giggle and email-conversing with my writer-hero was the best compensation one could ever ask for! (Perhaps now would be a good time to say favourite fiction writer so as to stay friends with my husband).
Did I mention we're facebook friends now?! Yup... Meg Rosoff and I are practically pals, y'all.
That is the end of my long tale. I hope you liked it.
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In 2010 news: I've been toying with the idea of entering the crafter-marketplace. I do love making things and the quiet evening hours in Montana really re-awakened that part of my brain. I have a little crafty blog if you care for such things. I'll keep you posted on developments. I've come up with a name and Phil designed me a great logo. (It's still in the works, but I'll show you when it's ready).
Finger's crossed! (It's not lack of inspiration and motivation as much as the fact there's not enough hours in the day.)
Here are a few of the things I made this fall. They were given out to various people at Christmas.
It's amazing what you can get done when you don't have t.v.!
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