Hola

Newly returned from some time in Mexico, where I met a lot of wonderful people, made some freinds and practiced yoga at Elements of the Island. Everyone was patient with my Spanish, the ocean was warm, the seafood was fresh; all part of the restorative process to keep me healthy and creatively productive.
Now I am looking forward to Hawaii, I know that winter is on the wane. We made it!
So time to update . Lets see, I think I signed off in December, so much has happened since then. Had an inspiring holiday, the New Year came, full of promise, peace and electricity.

There is a new addition to our family. Say hello to Fig

Born to a stray Momcat he was my Christmas gift to myself. He is a terrror, ruling the roost with his double paws and his big gold eyes. He sits next to my computer in his African basket which he has now outgrown but doesn't seem to notice. He still climbs in everyday. Spilling out onto his little cat head everytime he nods off. Such a goofball...


The book I was taking to Scholastic was sold. Look for it August 2009. Here is a sneak peek.

next month we are working on the companion book "Ten Little Monsters" My daughter Adrian has the music sewn up, as this series of books include a CD with the song written by both of us, recorded by her. How lucky am I to be working with my daughter and my father?
I am off to NY AGAIN with another book, the Ant and the Grasshopper, a tribute to musicians....here is the ant isn't she gorgeous?
Festival is looming for my theater kids and we are on the home stretch. Look for photos here next month. The other day I received an offer to teach an Adventure Girls workshop in California and I had to stop and laugh. 9 months ago I couldn't give myself away. Personally, professionally, I couldn't give myself away. Sadly that is what I had been doing. It wasn't until I began to truly value myself and my place in the world that change began to manifest. And when it came it was with such a speed and a furious roar that my ears are still ringing, and I thank the universe every morning for all that has been offered to me. The biggest gift has been the ability to receive gracefully. Yay.
A lesson hard learned ladies. Value yourself or no one else can. See you soon with updates on where I've been and where I'm going.
Next post Hawaii....5 women of all ages, adventure girls all. There will definitely be stories to tell. Until then, take chances, be alert for opportunity, and breathe deep.

Hello from the snowy east coast!

This is going to be my attempt catch up before I sign off for awhile. As some of you know, things have changed quite a bit here at Adventure Girls Books. I have taken a hiatus from producing Adventure Girl books. We had several losses here in partners and I was unable to continue creating and producing on my own. I wore myself out on the road and tried to keep things going on my own but I have conceded that I just don't want to do it anymore, this way. Take heart, this does not mean that Adventure Girl books are done- just resting. Like me.
I learned a lot. I learned that if you don't listen when your body tells you to slow down, if you don't listen when your creativity slips away, if you don't learn how to say NO, then you will be made to rest one way or another. I had lost the joy. And if you're not happy doing what you're doing you need to clear things out and take a good look around. I am not advocating quitting anything and I have not quit here, just taking some time away to refresh and renew... "reclaim", someone said to me - and I am.
After months of resting and introspection, I slowly began to bloom again.
During the summer I did some paintings as a way to lift some of the emotions I was dealing with. They are now hanging in a coffee shop/gallery in Boston and are on their way to another gallery then on to merchandising, I have my first order for some t-shirts and who knows where this will end up but it makes me laugh to look at them and apparently they make other people laugh as well and the burden gets a little lighter. In a collaborative effort with my father I began doing much looser, funky illustrations which resulted in two new childrens picture books, ( 6 more on the way!). When I went to NY, in a very serendipitous experience I sold these books to Roaring Brook Press. I am thrilled to be working with this fine publishing house and very happy to have found an editor again, the esteemed Neal Porter.
And in honoring things I love and do well, I have returned most happily to working with the Traip Academy Dramatics Arts group, and my friend Nathan DuClos their intrepid director. We just had our first performance of the year, after the holidays we attempt "Festival" in which area schools compete with 40 minute productions, a fascinating and rewarding endeavor. Whether they like it or not, here are the actors I have the pleasure of working with.
As I approach the new year, I take with me all the new friends I have made and all the things I have learned and I know that the rest of my time here is full of possibility. Someone who left my life this year, wished me success "however I defined that" and I realized in a moment what that meant to me. I have loved well, with an open heart and am loved well in return, and that, to me, is success. The fact that I continue to do work that matters, to me and to others, is icing on the cake. And aren't I lucky? I look forward and see the road stretching out before me, taking me to Hawaii, Ireland, France, back to NY and New Orleans and who knows where else this year? I will sign off for now, but know that I am thinking of all of you and know that I will be back, better, wilder, and more full of life - ready for more adventures. Check back with www.adventuregirlbooks.com which I promise to update after the New Year.

Go out there girls and make a joyful noise...

Update: I just found out that I have a 4 book contract with Roaring Brook Press! I am now off to NY again to meet with Scholastic about 2 more books....looks like a lot of new stuff in 2008. Next it will be time to find a new family for Adventure Girls. Yaaay! Stay warm out there. R.

Hello everyone.

Thanks for all who have asked for an update on where I've been and new projects. I promise that I will post here. right now this Adventure Girl is off to the big city- NY - show off my newest project. New books I have been working on with my father (see links page on website.) I know my website is woefully in need of updating as well, and again I promise I will get to it. I came back from Louisiana to a very busy schedule and it looks like it will stay that way through the holidays, but I will do my best.
On the road again...check back soon.

Back from Louisiana, for all who have been asking, it was a very interesting trip. Made a couple of really good friends, the people were warm and welcoming Adventure Girls Book one was a big hit. I don't have my photos yet so I will post more later.
But an observation- we are all more alike than we are different and when facing adversity we all bear the same burden. How to move forward, how to first survive and then thrive, without it (the thing...) becoming who you are.

Be well everyone - yes I am still percolating with new growth and I will be back with more details.

Well, I've been off this blog for quite awhile. Let's update....last time I wrote I was on my way to an eco island off the coast of South Carolina for a little R&R. What a delight. Quiet, warm and peaceful what more could you ask? An amazing house high in the trees, most luxurious tree house ever! I was able to walk miles and miles of beach every day, never seeing another human being. I encountered lots of wildlife. Early morning walks around the island were peppered with lots of alligator slithering tracks...I chose not to pursue them at night when they roam. There are no cars on the island only whispery little golf carts which enable you to sneak up on them IF you wanted to.
There were a lot of snakes- zillions of birds, wild calls that began at dawn and continued until sunset. Racoons here are very different from those at home. Much thinner and their fur is a deep reddish color,this guy is having oysters for breakfast!
I tussled with the crabs and hoped for a crab dinner but they were far more clever than I and made off with several chicken necks before I gave up. It was lovely to sit silently on a small dock in the marshes and match wits with them though. Sandollars and oysters were plentiful. A great adventure! It would have been wonderful to stay for a month,( I became so attached to the screen porch that I will never live in another house without one...) but my schedule did not allow, so after a very short week I came back to New England and entered a very different phase of my life. I'll tell the story of this new phase in my next post. I am getting ready to hit the road again, off to Louisiana to bring some books to schools and libraries down there areas still devastated by the hurricanes 2 years ago...so I promise to be more active on the blog. Happy adventures to all!
ahhhhh, a book, a porch, and the trees.

I don't usually use this blog for political commentary, however since this issue involves an amazing group of Adventure Girls, here goes.
Cheers to the Rutgers women's championship basketball team! This exemplary team of young women; aspiring doctors, lawyers, and psychologists, among others, and their coach, have this week borne the very public denigration of sexism and racism with a grace and dignity that sets an example for us all.
This event has opened a dialog that swept the country. The man who made the comments, a radio personality, was fired from his job.
I was touched and impressed with the articulate statements made by many, but most specifically the girls coach; Vivian Stringer. That there is a separation between forgiveness and consequence and there is a difference between a single mistake and a pattern of behavior.
" At some point you have to stand up and say enough is enough" said Ms. Stringer.
And we did.
Among my friends, especially those who are artists and musicians, there was a lot of discomfort around the issue of freedom of speech. Here is my opinion: in a democracy we are guaranteed freedom of speech, but we are not guaranteed the right to incite hatred or to oppress. I do not think that by any stretch of the imagination we can describe these men's slurs as artistic expression, social commentary or even social observation. To me this does not fall under freedom of speech. We did not as a government attempt to take away his right to express himself. We, as a people, said we are no longer interested in paying to hear him speak.
To be paid large sums of money to use the federally regulated air ways (subsidized with tax dollars) is a privilege, not a right and there are consequences to all actions. The fact that this man did not recognize as the words came out of his mouth, that he had made a grievous mistake, that he did not stop the other commentator but joined in with comments whose only purpose was to demean and oppress, indicates that he cannot be trusted to censure himself, or to adequately predict the consequences of his own behavior.
The good has come out of these events is the dialog I mentioned. Parents, please talk with your children, daughters and sons. Teachers, please open discussion with your students. The fact that this man is three generations older than the rap artists who also use these same words indicates how pervasive this language has become in our society and I think it frightened us. While these comments were extreme in their carelessness, denigration and oppression, we are all human and therefore capable of being unkind, saying unkind things once in a while. I know I have and it's a good time to look inward and ask how we want to live in the world.
Girls, I will not repeat the words they used because I think it gives them life - I will say we are not those words.
We are daughters, sisters and mothers of all shapes, sizes and colors. We are artists, teachers, doctors and lawyers, nurses, dancers, carpenters, scientists, clerks and librarians, writers, musicians, managers, meter readers, coaches and athletes. We make the world go round. And we have the ability in this country to speak for the girls and women in other countries who can't.
There is a time to stand up and say enough is enough.

Adventure girl goes south-

On the road again...

Here outside my window this April 7th there is snow everywhere and more on the way next week. It's been a long strange winter. 70 degrees in December, 35 degrees today. But hope springs eternal (or is it Spring hopes eternal?) and in a couple of weeks I take to the road and drive down to South Carolina. A small island off the coast of Charleston, in large part a nature preserve, there awaits me a wonderful house up in the trees.

An adventure of the southern kind, I will learn to crab, read good books, eat oysters and take long walks. There are no cars on the island. No laptop, no work. I'll tell you all about it when I return.

The next southern Adventure is of another persuasion. Adventure Girls will be heading down to the hard hit hurricane ravaged Louisiana to do some work getting books to children's libraries, schools and community centers. As you can imagine books did not fare well in flood waters. Many areas have been left behind and we are going to see if we can't help out a little. I do not have the details on this yet but anyone wanting to contribute books can contact me at rebecca@adventuregirlbooks.com I will keep you all informed as I get more details. Keep checking in!
I am working on some new book projects, looks like I may get to work with my oh so talented daughter(absolutely an adventurer) and still plugging away at the next Adventure Girls volume.

In between I will heading out to California, so lots of road time this spring. This summer I will head back to Taos, New Mexico and the Harwood Museum for the Fourth of July workshop. If you're in the area, stop by. The 4th of July parade in Arroyo Seco is worth making a special trip.
Well, wherever you are in the country, spring will come, for those of you who have warm weather already, be grateful. Some of us are still shivering in our long johns waiting for the robins.