New York and chasing my Childhood Dreams

It's been rather quiet over here on my Blog,  but not quiet in my life!  I have some thrilling news to share with you all, a 'secret' I have been keeping to myself for quite some time.  There are times in life when something happens that could so dramatically catch your lifetime dreams that you almost feel too scared to share it in case of breaking the spell!

But then I thought to myself, you have all been by my side through this creative journey since I started out, firstly sewing my Artist Bears, then into the world of Illustration and Embroidery...  So today I am taking a deep breath and sharing my news with you all! The connection with New York will become clear!

As a child I was always creating hand made gifts, cards and I loved to write and draw stories, usually whilst sat outside bare foot in the garden writing about all the wildlife I would see.  At school Art & English were my favourite subjects.  I still vividly remember visiting a friend for Tea and her Mum was a children's book illustrator and I thought to myself what a dream that would be.

Well, during a wonderful trip back to Dorset, amongst the meandering lanes and rolling hills where my Granny had lived.. I got an email out of the blue from a Literary Agent in New York!!!  She had seen my Illustrations online and was asking me, yes me, if I would be interested in writing and illustrating Children's Books!!  Well, first of all I had to pinch myself, then get my fiance to pinch me too, but once I checked out the Agency it became real!  My Granny was always a great believer in my creativity, always saying things like, "one day your creations will be sold on Oxford Street in London" so it seemed even more precious to get this news on this trip, it felt rather like magic to be honest!

So on my Birthday I made the hugely exciting and somewhat knee trembling decision to join Teresa Kietlinski as my Agent at Prospect Agency in NY, America and signed my contract!

On this trip to New York I had hoped to meet up with Teresa, sadly this time it was not meant to be.  But the inspiration in this City was... awesome! Sat silently in the New York Public Library, coming eye to eye with the original Winnie The Pooh Toys surrounded by Children's Books, the way you could always feel part of nature even in such a big city.  I will do another post with more photos if you fancy?

A very important date! Alice in Wonderland Sculpture in Central Park

 New York Public Library complete with clouds in the ceiling!

The Original Toys!

Thoughts of Books all around!

A HUGE amount of work writing and illustrating ideas for Picture Books has gone under the bridge so far, but after many versions I am VERY excited to say that my first Picture Book Story complete with 32 pages has been 'finished' (so far!) and transformed into a pitch to send out to Editors!  Now it gets even more knee trembling as I will wait to hear whether it will be wanted and one day be published!    So I thought whilst I waited patiently, rather nervously, you could wait with me and share in my dream chasing!  

Thanks for being by my side, 

Catherine x