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I love YouTube, but I have been absent from it for some time due to work + lack of down-time to pick up the camera. I took time out of last weekend to embark on a mini project: complete the tags I've had queuing up for the past couple months. Introducing: TAG WEEK! Everyday, for 5-ish days, I released a video, answering questions proposed by the tag creators. This launched Sunday, April 19th, and lasted until Friday, April 24th. So… 6 days. I did record the videos in one "sitting," hence why I'm wearing the same outfit in each post. But give me an A+ for consistency! Sunday, April 19: Unpopular Opinions Book Tag Monday, April 20: Page to Screen Book Tag Tuesday, April 21: Anything but Books Tag Wednesday, April 22: (Belated) Pi Day Tag Thursday, April 23: Drunk Book Tag Friday, April 24: The Book Pusher Tag. This is the first original book tag! If I've learned anything from this experience, it's that I'm WAY

I recently posted on YouTube, 7 books I highly recommend if someone were to be interested in reading something pertaining to current events. The event of the year: Coronavirus. So these books are themed around being in isolation due to illness, pandemic disease, unexplained diseases (or rather weird powers suddenly summoned to change social dynamics), and humans (mostly men) being wiped out without explanation. Naturally, I thought of some additional reads to add to the list. I thought of listing off the books I mentioned in the video, but no, you should go watch my video . I could use the viewership! And while you're there, please subscribe to my channel; I have a lofty goal of meeting the threshold of 1,000 subscribers by the end of the year so that I can monetize my channel. It's a pipe dream, no doubt, as I'm currently sitting just shy of 20 subscribers and I've been pumping out content for 2.5 months. Please do indulge in these novels, both books listed in

A bit of color blocking for a 4-page narrative. Book Pacing workshop by Deborah Freedman and Frank Dormer. And *poof* the New England SCBWI Conference is over. Actually it's been over for about two weeks. I'm still working off the inspired energy I picked up from all the workshops. I miss it, but I know it'll always be in my heart… I took copious notes! Other illustrators working-working-working. I still have a small stack of postcards remaining from the portfolio showcase. Those will be mailed out to select Art Directors later this week. I have to admit I still hold my breath a bit when I'm about to send out postcards. It reminds me of the theme of this year's conference: "Be Brave: Make your mark". Though I've become a lot more confident with showing off my work, it's the ceremonial mailings which throw me. It's been a while since I last sent out any promotions and now I'm trying to build it into a seasonal routine. I'

illustrator-sam.com  -- website update! Gone Conferencing! The website has been updated with a fresh coat of (digital) paint, and new pieces born since the New England SCBWI Conference . Now I'm setting off for the West Coast for the Biggie Conference in Los Angeles. Hope to see some of you there, and for those not attending, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators will be blogging and Tweeting the whole shebang here (blog) and here (twitter feed or follow #LA13SCBWI). I'm ready for some learning!