Light at the End of the Tunnel!!
I have an upcoming event at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta on February 9th. Really looking forward to it! Check out vickimfisher.com for details.
It will be spring before we know it (Butterfly season) and I'm hoping to be a very busy lady with book signing events! My book 2 is scheduled to start production in March. I'm VERY excited about that! Ketzel: What Shape is a Friend? will encourage diversity in friendships. If you're interested, google "resplendent Quetzal" and read about the bird that I based the story on. I'm anxious to get started on the editing process.
I hope all of you enjoyed the holidays.
I'm ready for Spring!!!
Vicki
Exciting Times!
We are getting ready for our Arkansas trip. We will leave here on Tuesday morning headed for Stuttgart, where my husband, Gary was raised. His mother and sister still live there and the rest of his family come in for Thanksgiving. The town is the venue for the world duck calling contest and gumbo cook-off on that Friday and Saturday, and is filled with festivities, with something for almost everyone. It's been our annual tradition for several years now and we always have a great time. My sister, Linda, is going with us this year.
I will be doing a book signing in Stuttgart on that Saturday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 24). We will be at the Coker Hampton Drug Company, which is located down town, in the center of all the festivities. I can't wait to see what kind of camo butterfly patterns Charissa comes up with to paint! Should be lots of fun!
I have some very exciting news. If you haven't already seen it on Facebook, I have just signed a contract for a second book! This one will be called Ketzel: What Shape is a Friend? It is based on the life-cycle of the Guatemalan national bird, the Resplendent Quetzal, which is also on the endangered species list. It promotes diversity in friendship. Of course it won't be out until next fall, but I'm looking forward to working through the publishing process again. Thanks again to Tate Publishing!
Guess that's it for now. Thanks to all of you who have bought books! Please remember to go to Amazon.com, if you have an account, and do a brief book review for me.
Take care, and God bless!
Vicki
TRYING TO KEEP UP!!!
Sooo, I'm struggling here to keep ahead of the game! I'm having to continually think forward to next week, and the next, and next month. I'm not at all used to this kind of pace, so I'm having to slowly adjust. That being said, I LOVE it!!! It is so exciting to see Cambio moving out to new places. I had some fun googling "Cambio The Best Blue Butterfly" and was amazed at all the sites listed. I even found one written in another language!
The book signing at Callaway Gardens was awesome! Saturday was pretty much non-stop and we were exhausted by the end of the day. Sunday was a little quieter, but steady. Charissa's face painting was a big hit, and so much fun! It was great and I hope we get to return one day.
We are looking forward to the September Saturdays event here in Douglasville next weekend. I hope it goes well. Any of you who are in the area, please stop in to see us. We will be in block #8.
I am working on a couple other events, but will wait until they are confirmed to mention them.
Busy! Busy! Busy! Hope I can keep up!
On the other hand, I hope to be so busy that keeping up becomes a real concern!
Love to you all!!!
Vicki
Release Day Tomorrow!!!
I am finally close to being ready for the book signing at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia this weekend. I'm very excited! Charissa will be doing face painting. I'll be sure to take pictures of the event for the website.
On September 29th, we'll be at the September Saturdays Festival at the courthouse in Douglasville. It will be a fun time and I'm looking forward to it. Charissa will paint faces there as well.
I've spoken with Horton's Book Store in Carrollton, Georgia and we are working on an arrangement for a book signing there sometime soon. I'll post it on the website when the date is confirmed.
Thank you all so much for your interest and support. I hope those of you who already have your book, have enjoyed reading it to your little ones--or maybe even just reading it yourselves! Don't forget that you can download the audio version with the instructions on the back page (I'm reading the audio version).
Love to each of you--and keep me in your prayers!
Vicki
Remember to check out my website: vickimfisher.com
CAMBIO HAS ARRIVED!!!
I am spending my time now, trying to prepare for my first book signings. I bought a new pen today--can't wait to use it!! I have the book signing table almost completely set up. I'll be sure to post pictures on the website. I'm talking with Callaway Gardens and The Atlanta Botanical Gardens about events, and they have both expressed a definite interest. I am so hoping it works out.
Wish me luck!
Vicki
Gone to Print!!
The illustrations and the layout phases were quite a process and I'm happy with the results. I actually got to hold the first book in my hand a couple weeks ago! It was a proof copy and I had to look it over very carefully, sign off on it, and send it back. It was very exciting to see it!
Now the marketing phase begins and I've got to learn to sell books! That really makes me nervous. The book won't actually be released for bookstores and online for 90 days. That will be around the 1st of September. It is entirely up to the bookstore as to whether they order them or not, so help me pray that they will be attracted to it. However, I will have access to the books between now and then and will be able to sell them myself at booksignings and events. I will post when I have them and you can order them from me if you want.
Please pray that I'll be able to handle all of this--it seems like so much to take on!
Thank all of you who have been supportive and encouraging! I love you all!!!
Vicki
Cambio - Starting illustration process!
Jason will be working on all the characters and sending the sketches to me for my input. I'm excited to see them all; Spindle the Spider, Amega the ant, Cambio as an egg and as a caterpiller, and the little girl. This is such an exciting part of the process!
When we are both satisfied with the characters, Jason will start on the scenes. He will have to finish all 10 of them this month, so there won't be time for me to see them all. The scenes will be at his discretion and I know he will do a great job.
After he finishes the scenes, it will go into layout where they will arrange it all on the pages. Then to the marketing department.
Hang in there with me, it's getting closer and closer to the end!!!
Love ya!
Vicki
Cambio: I'M SO EXCITED!
I received my manuscript back from the editor today!!!
I was both nervous and excited to see what Hillary had to say about it, and of course how many changes she might have made. I am so pleased and excited that she found little to change; a coma here and there, one sentence broken into two sentences, and that was pretty much it!
As I suspected might be the case, her main concern was that the manuscript is really too long for a kids book. She said she loved the story and didn't want to remove any of it, so she has asked me to go through and cut out any unnecessary words that I can find. I do have a tendency to get a little "wordy" sometimes, so I'm hoping I can find enough to cut without cutting into the story.
She e-mailed the manuscript to me with her changes highlighted and marked. Now, I will go through it and strike through (not delete) any words, phrases, or sentences that I think the story can do without. I will mark all of my changes (without deleting the original) so that she can see exactly what I've done. As she put it, I will check her work and she will check mine. Pretty cool!
I am to finish my changes and return it to her on January 31st. She'll 'clean it up' and send it back to me again. When neither of us have changes to make, I'll have to sign off on it as the final copy.
The thing that meant the absolute most to me was her comment at the bottom of the manuscript: "Vicki, I absolutely loved your story! Great job!"
Here's how the story starts. Hope you like this little snippit!
Love ya!
Vicki
One beautiful spring day, a butterfly placed her tiny egg on a plant near the ocean. She named her little egg Cambio, and he spent his days dreaming of what he would be when he grew up.
Then one day, Spindle the Spider wandered by. “What have we here?” he asked. “It looks like food, and it smells like food. I wonder if it tastes like food.”
Cambio awoke to see Spindle’s huge, hairy legs standing over him and his big, bugged eyes peering down at him. “No!” he cried. “Don’t hurt me! I’m just a little egg!”
"Stop, Spindle!” cried a voice nearby. “Go away and leave him alone!”
Cambio shook with fear while a large red ant jumped between him and Spindle. The ant raised its long, skinny front legs into the air and danced around. Then to Cambio’s amazement, Spindle began to back away!
CAMBIO - Moving Forward!
Last Thursday, the 5th, my new conceptual editor, Hillary Atkinson, contacted me and gave me an outline of what will happen over the next two months. Right now, she is delving into the structure of the manuscript, looking for ways to perhaps improve the flow of the story or its readability. She'll review everything about the story including my working title, Cambio - The Best Blue Butterfly. She will also be looking at things such as plot formation, story arc, and character consistency
Being the expert in publication, Hillary will make suggestions to me for any changes that she feels will make the book more profitable. The manuscript will come to me (with her changes) for approval and I'll have an opportunity to modify those changes, if I feel modifications are needed. I will receive the manuscript from her on the 21st and will need to return it by the 31st. I can't wait to get started!
I am excited and interested to see what Hillary comes up with. It can only help me to learn and grow stronger in my writing skills, and to move Cambio closer to reality!
Thanks yet again for your support!
It means so very much to me.
Vicki
CAMBIO - Officially in Production!
In January, the manuscript will move on to a conceptual editor who will work more in-depth with it and with me, giving special attention to plot formation, character development, dialogue, supported arguments, etc., as well as double-checking punctuation, misspellings, and formatting.
I'm finding this whole process fascinating and am looking forward to experiencing each new step. I hope this is interesting for you as well.
Thank you again for your support! It means so much to me!
My love to you all,
Vicki
