A perfect beginning

We hugged, we kissed, we had desayuno at Silverio’s house and we gulped his incredible tomatillo salsa. In the afternoon we took a precious nap and then watched a movie. It was a great first day of the year.

In Mexico people say that the things you do on the first day will mark what you will be doing the rest of the year. This year I hope to sleep naps once in a while, be with friends, and hug even more.

But the seeds of 2009 were sowed way before the first day. In 2008 I planted many seeds.

Here are some of the happenings in 2008:

In a cold January night I got a call from the American Library Association: My book Los Gatos Black on Halloween, written by Marisa Montes, was announced as the winner of the Pura Belpre Medal. That night, unable to sleep, I watched in my pajamas the live webcast of the ALA award announcements and cheered at the Caldecott winner.

May was Carnaval month! I made my costume while I rode the train between airplane flights and library visits. My silver outfit was finished just in time for the annual celebration. I did SF Carnaval for the first time 12 years ago, joined the group Fogo Na Roupa the day before the parade. I didn’t know how to do the steps so I jumped and skipped down the streets instead. I never left after that.

I had my first experience with middle school promotion dance (not mine, my son’s).

Summer was a time for celebrations! The Pura Belpre Award ceremony took place during the ALA conference. It was here too that I attended the most unforgettable Caldecott and Newberry ceremony ever. At the SCBWI conference I was presented with the Golden Kite Award for the illustrations of Little Night. The next I was off to Mexico…or I would had been, hadn’t I missed my flight. We made it there anyway and my country was still beautiful.

I visited Texas four times this year. At the Tomas Rivera Award Celebrations I received a paper skull filled with letter from Dawson Elementary School. So cool!

I turned forty. Grandma Beetle turned…a-hundred-and-something, I believe. Her birthday party was a blast! It is only a good party if you dance with a skeleton.

By the end of December, and after r much work and some delays, the illustrations for the book My Abuelita, written by Tony Johnston were finished. From creating the three-dimensional characters, taking the photographs with husband, and to applying the digitally details were…well…only two years.

My Revisionaries critic group grew bigger with the addition of our youngest member (the most handsome too)

My family grew smaller without my grandmother and David, my father-in-law.

I met for the first time my editor Neal porter. Lunch was at Ananda, a vegetarian gem in SF. In Anaheim at ALA we played bowling and ate sundaes with librarians

I took a big step and announced I will be taking a break from doing author visits. That seed should give me the time this year to create even more.

I lost mi dog

I found my dog

I made three…no, four videos

I began exercising regularly. I grew biceps again like when I was at school.

I enjoyed the release of my book Just in Case a Trickster Tale and Alphabet Book.

I danced on stage with Café Tacuba (and lots of other chicas bandas).

I created a cover for the SCBWI bulletin.

I took on knitting.

I trained my dog (although she still is an occasional warewitch)

With the help of my brother I made a website.

I made a cat puppet.

I printed four photo books.

Miguelito Martinez and I made a song.

I found my long lost swimming coach. Disappeared for more than 20 years, he came back like the long awaited Quetzalcoatl.

Wall-E was a masterpiece. My favorite movie of the year.

My favorite picture book: A Perfect Season For Dreaming, written by Benjamin Alire Saenz, illsutrated by Esau Andrade Valencia.

Favorite band: Sonex

Favorite album: Lila Down’s Ojo de Culebra

Favorite show: Skins

Favorite Blog: Fuse#8 and Drawn

Favorite video: My First Crush, by Julia Pot

And the last week of the year I reorganized my whole studio closet.

2009, I am ready!