Last night's show and some random thoughts...

Last night's show at the Society was CROWDED... as usual. I wanted to take a picture of the crowd but I'd checked my bag with my camera in it. In usual Meghan fashion, I didn't eat anything all day (all I had in my stomach all day was a cup of tea because my whole day was spent running around like a headless chicken!) and had a few wines while on 3 medications that have orange warning labels all over them that say no alcoholic consumption. Needless to say, I felt kind of sick an hour after. Also in typical fashion I managed to lose my new book contract that my agent had JUST given to me and my keys..., which meant I had to run 2 miles to go home to get my car keys in the cold, dark sketchiness and then run back to the car to drive it home. I, of course, am not supposed to be running. I tend to, without fail, lose things and screw up a lot when I'm under pressure. In fact, the last time I lost my keys a book deadline was also looming. Those keys, I believe, were sadly forgotten on a subway platform. My brain gets so flustered and confused and worked up that it causes me to be forgetful and careless and dare I say stupid. My blood pressure yesterday was 170/105. Yikes! So, if I die of a heart attack soon blame it on the books.

Wait, I DID have a point. I'm a little crazed. I saw Jeanette Winter's illustrations for MAMA at the show. I am particularly interested in Winter's work because she does nonfiction AND she's doing a book on the same topic as me!

Here's her cover for The Tale of Pale Male



If nonfiction doesn't make me nervous enough! Honestly, her title is pretty catchy. Her book also won a prize last night. Mine certainly didn't. She has a name for herself. I'm not sure I do as of yet... unless it's for doing stupid things like losing keys and book contracts and being taller than most people at art openings.

What I was amazed by was the size of Winter’s artwork. It is SO tiny!-- about 2.5 inches or so. My artwork is SO big! What an interesting contrast. The publisher has to blow up her work to print it. What would be absolutely fabulous is if both our books could get into the show next year and if they could hang the pieces side by side. I think that would be fascinating. I can’t wait to read her book because I’m sure she has a very different take on the subject of Pale Male. I know her book is abuot Pale Male's nest removal. I chose not to write about that but will put it in the author's note.

All I can promise is this—My book, I hope, will get to the heart of the story. I’ve watched the PBS movie over and over again and read plenty of articles and Winn's book (My editor read hers several times! She's better than I am!). I know how those birdwatchers felt when they watched the magnificent bird soar above them. I HOPE I can capture the feeling of it all. I HOPE the reader, after reading my book, will want to run right out the door and bird watch for him or herself. That’s my goal.