 |  | Oh happy day - Kirkus Reviews has selected 'A Hatful of Dragons' as one of the BEST BOOKS of 2020 (for Middle Grade ages 7-12). I am speechless. This is a rare and coveted honor. Thank you Kirkus Reviews, my publisher Boyds Mills & Kane, my editor Rebecca Davis, and my agent Rosemary Stimola. :) |
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Woohoo - My book, A Hatful of Dragons, has been selected for the 2021-2020 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List - one of the most distinguished reading lists for kids across the United States! This is a rare and prestigious honor - only 20 books are selected for this list every year, and kids in Texas in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 are asked to read books from this list 'just for fun' - as a way to promote reading and literacy. Last year over 130,000 kids participated in this reading program! Read more about it here: https://txla.org/news/2021-2022-texas-bluebonnet-award-master-list-released/  “The Texas Bluebonnet list is a prestigious list composed of titles from diverse, imaginative and creative authors. The titles on the list offer students in grades 3-6, quality literature that is both fiction and nonfiction to be read for pleasure,” said Jacqui Bridges-Sheppherd, TBA coordinator. “Titles were chosen that allow the books to act as windows into reality and imaginary worlds while offering a view into someone else’s experiences; and mirrors that reflect a reader’s own life or culture while building their identity. This literature also takes the student’s interests in mind and provides positive reviews for parents, teachers and librarians.”
***UPDATE 9/1/20*** The Kickstarter project completed successfully - thank you all for your support! If you missed the Kickstarter and still want to participate - please see this project reprise on IndieGogo: http://igg.me/at/ReaperCoin ------------------ Lil' Reaper Fans - please check out my Lil' Reaper Carpe Diem Kickstarter, running 7/19/20 - 8/20/20 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/artbyvikram/lil-reaper-carpe-diem-art-coins  The City of Renton WA invited me to participate in their 'Dragon Days' celebrations by creating a public art display in a vacant storefront. I decided to highlight some of the dragon art and poems from my book A Hatful of Dragons and created a large sized display 5' high and about 80' long featuring both poetry and art. This video shows it best: The drawings in my book are pretty small, just a few inches max, so I had to redraw the drawings and then add color. These were then sent to a sign printer and printed out as large size window clings, which I then manually installed for the display. Putting up these clings was harder than it looks - not for the faint hearted! I was honored to be invited by the prestigious School Library Journal to take over their Instagram account on 4/24/2020 and present my work and new book to school librarians, teachers, and the general public. The session is now available on Youtube for everyone to watch: Post Launch Update: If you missed the launch event, you can watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/ArtByVikram/videos/667321847413818/  With social distancing in place and all physical venues closed, please join me in an online celebration of my book release!
I will be streaming on Instagram, Facebook and Zoom and you can join in on any of those. Zoom lets you join into the conversation on Video, with FB and Instagram you'll primarily be watching and commenting. I'll be doing the event in 2 parts so hopefully you can join in wherever in the world you are:
To join the event on ZOOM, register in advance for one (or both) of these meetings: Apr 11, 2020 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/uJEsfuGgrT0ttQVtKdIwRajq3i5gYId3Lg Apr 12, 2020 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/vp0vc-6qpzIus_-KtGIskkL-u3K7uQUy0w To join the event on FACEBOOK: Go to my Facebook Art Page https://www.Facebook.com/ArtByVikram at the meeting time and join the LIVE VIDEO To join the event on INSTAGRAM: Go to my Instagram Art Account https://www.Instagram.com/ArtByVikram at the meeting time and watch the LIVE VIDEO Best way to get a reminder is by responding to this facebook event: https://business.facebook.com/events/340006630291846/ There will be poetry reading, book signings, magic tricks, learn how the book was made, see behind the scene pictures.. and plenty more! Kid-friendly and dog-friendly event - bring the kids and dogs to meet the author. The virus sure makes this an interesting time to release a book given the impacts to publishers, printers, distributors, bookstores, and libraries. I probably can't do author appearances for a while so I hope you will join me at this online event.  Oh Coronavirus, why did you have to cancel all my author signing events?!?? But never fear! If I can't sign your book in person I can still sign it for you remotely! If/when you order a copy of my new book of funny poems 'A Hatful of Dragons' just send me a note (through my website or via social media) with your mailing address and whom the book is for, and I will mail you a bookplate label with a personalized message. You simply peel the label and stick it on the inside cover page, and - ta-daa - you have a signed book! Uhm yes I am aware that the cost of a label + mailing will probably exceed my per-book royalty... so I would be ever grateful if you can return the favor, assuming you've enjoyed the book, by spreading some word-of-mouth buzz about the book (tell some friends, give it as gifts, etc) and leaving a positive review somewhere.
I spent 7 months in 2019 working on the a 'Spirit Animals' mural for Stevenson Elementary in Bellevue WA. Each of the 80 animals on this mural was designed by a kid. Click here to read more about this project, see a making-of video, and look closer at all the creature art.  When life gives you TOILET PAPER PANIC .... make ... TOILET PAPER PANIC Art! To commemorate the Great Toilet Paper Panic of 2020, I am making commemorative original art ON TOILET PAPER.  And let me assure you, drawing on TP is NOT EASY - the paper is soft, tears easily, moves under the pen, and absorbs the ink in unpredictable ways. I had to experiment to find the right pen and hand pressure to make this art happen. Here's a little video: The original TP art is available in two, uhm, flavots - regular (1-PLY) and deluxe (2-PLY). Comes mounted on an acid-free board with text. Clck here to order from my etsy store.
Available only while supplies last (i.e. until I run out of TP). Not waterproof or archival. In case of emergency, you can still 'use' this artwork. |
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