on my desk monday

Oh my goodness, it's a book!

Yes, it's the third Ling and Ting book!! Even as I'm hard at work on the fourth book, I am so  thrill about this third one! I completely ♥ Ling and Ting: Twice as Silly! I'm hoping to do some fun things to celebrate its release, which isn't until November....so stay tuned!

fortune cookie friday

"You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back."
- Chinese Proverb

this week in our garden

Pulling carrots is great fun:

But not as much fun as eating the tomatoes!

hoping for hollywood

Just in case you missed it in my fall newsletter (please sign up to be on the mailing list!):

NYT bestselling author Grace Lin's Newbery Honor WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, an Asian 'Wizard of Oz'-like adventure about a young girl on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon has been optioned to Original Force, LTD with Penney Finkelman Cox and Sandra Rabins producing and screenwriter Robert Reece attached to pen the adaptation, the deal was brokered by Rebecca Sherman at Writers House and Jason Dravis of Monteiro Rose Dravis Agency, Inc. on behalf of Lin.

Does that mean there's going to be a Where the Mountain Meet the Moon movie?!?

Well, not exactly.

From what I understand, selling a movie option is akin to getting a lottery ticket. Lots of options are bought, very few movies are really made. So, the chances are still pretty slim that there will be a movie.

However, selling the option does mean there IS a chance, right?  So, why not think about the most important question...What would I wear to the premiere?

idea for this photo completely stolen from Barbara O'Connor who will actually really have a movie to get dressed up for!

I'm leaning towards the red. What do you think?

on my desk monday

So tomorrow is the Autumn Equinox, which means summer is officially over.  Since June, I've had this nice list of summer goals pinned to my bulletin board:

Notice how none of them are crossed off? Didn't do finish any of them. Oops. I guess I shouldn't have put "finish novel" first.

fortune cookie friday

"What you cannot avoid, welcome."
- Chinese Proverb

this week in our garden

There are more red tomatoes to pick:

And something new...

Yes, it's a carrot!

it was more recognizable after we washed it

and it's tasty:

Let's pull some more!

Wait, something's not quite right...

She's still confused why it's an onion

Still, good pickings!

my newsletter!

My monthly newsletter is out today!

read the whole thing HERE and then please sign up!

I took the summer off to retool the content, so now it's not just about me (which I know can get boring) but will now feature author friends I think my readers will be interested in, monthly book giveaways and in the future (hopefully) articles, book recommendations and more! Feel free to take a look, I have some big news in there! And if you like it,  please sign up for it and get it delivered straight in your inbox (as well as be eligible for the book giveaways and other upcoming newsletter goodies)!

on my desk monday

I usually don't do any drawing until all the writing is done, but this time I had an image in my head that I wanted to get down before I forgot:

Maybe it'll morph itself into the cover of the book!

fortune cookie friday

"A good teacher is better than a barrowful of books."
- Chinese Proverb

this week in our garden

Guess what's ripe?

Can't hide from Rain Dragon!

Yum!

on my desk monday

I've had to switch gears from my novel and start work on the 4th Ling & Ting book!

Ling and Ting:Together in All Weather on my desk

It's been tough to stop the total immersion into the novel,  juggling has never been my strong point (which is why my production since Rain Dragon has been pretty abysmal) and I worry that having dual projects on my plate will make the quality of both books suffer.

But, my good friend Libby tells me that  famous graduate programs encourage their writing students to take painting or drawing class as it was believed doing so would help their work. A right brain/left brain theory, I'm told.

And t Ling and Ting:Together in All Weather (completely mapped out) on my bulletin board!

Crossing my fingers that it's true!

fortune cookie friday

"Learning is a weightless treasure you always carry easy."
- Chinese Proverb

this week in our garden

I used to think theAsian tradition of carving jade into shapes of vegetables was rather silly but now I am beginning to understand.  For few things are lovelier than the round, smooth, lustre of thriving peas...and eating them:

And, here come the tomatoes:

on my desk monday

There are two versions of Dim Sum for Everyone! on my desk! Why? Because it just came out in board book (and I had to compare).

It looks great!! I have to say, just like the baby board book edition of Bringing in the New Year, I think I might like it better as a board book than a picture book.  I know Rain Dragon does: