Sunday Chinese School

Welcome to Sunday Chinese School, where we learn a Chinese word (or phrase) a week with my mom!

Today's word is:
eat
chī

fortune cookie friday

"If you sit atop the mountain you can watch the tigers fight."
-Chinese Proverb

there's food in the buses!

Here's my niece with my belated birthday gift to her, a Kikimoto Backpack that was designed by my friend Aaron Meshon (you might remember him from this post):


The Kikimoto Backpack was a big hit! In our imaginary make-believe it became a school bag for pretend school (taught by Mr. Hinklemcdoodle, aka the Sasquatch...I wonder if she would draw the Sasquatch like darpl?) and then a traveling pack for our expedition through the pyramids. I was actually surprised how much she liked it.

"This is my favorite bag," she said, "because there's food in all the buses."

pink cupcakes

I decided a while ago that I was going to start taking better records of my cupcakes, it is my back-up career plan after all. But so far, thanks to career plan #1 working out okay (crossing my fingers that is stays that way!) I have not really done much baking and what I have done hasn't really been photography-worthy. But last weekend's girl weekend with the Blue Rose Girls was a good excuse to take a break from writing and make some pretty cupcakes.


These were a bit inspired by my recent reading of The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan: An Enola Homes Mystery by Nancy Springer. I love those books. This one features the villains throwing a pink tea party, described in gruesome, very pink detail. I admit, even though it was suppose to sound hideous in the book, I kind of liked the idea!

These are gluten-free chocolate ones (Libby is gluten-intolerent) with Martha Stewart's Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting, which I highly recommend. I've always used cream cheese frosting, which I love, but the Swiss Meringue is what really helps give the cupcakes that rounded top (vs the flat top of most my previous cupcakes). I also kept the tradition of using the Teacupcake Holders I received for my birthday long ago!



Aren't they pretty?

on my desk monday

I'm in the middle of writing "Return to Sky" (though the title might change) and had to scrawl out a little map to help me keep things in order. I kept having the shadows fall and the sunset on the wrong side. Also I wanted make sure the geography was working with what I had set up in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Maybe when I finish the third book (now called Needle at Sea Bottom), I can include an elaborate, less-scrawly map!

Sunday Chinese School

Welcome to Sunday Chinese School, where we learn a Chinese word (or phrase) a week with my mom!

Today's word is:
hot
rè

July Kid Review: Fortune Cookie Fortune

This month's Kid Review is of Fortune Cookie Fortunes from the Winchester Thurston School, Pittsburgh, PA:



*If you have a review of one of my books that you would like to share, send it to Gracelin.manager@gmail.com! Multimedia (audio clip, youtube link, etc) is encouraged but not necessary.

fortune cookie friday

"You cannot hook trout? Try digging clams. "
-Chinese Proverb

on the way to the grocery store

I see a bunny! Out for National Rabbit Week, I suppose.

on my desk monday

In all my interviews, I usually say I write the story before I draw the pictures. An exception to this was the cover of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, where I drew my idea for the cover long before the book was done. For "Return to Sky," the same thing is happening. Recently, this image for the cover came into my mind:



We'll see if the image makes it to the final book...when I finish it (about 1/3 left to go, I think).