Where Do Butterflies Go at Night? – 2nd Edition

It’s here! ”Where Do Butterflies Go at Night?” – 2nd Edition is now available. While newly designed and formatted, the book still has the same heartwarming story with the lush and magical illustrations of Stella Maris Mongodi.

Why a 2nd Edition? Due to “Butterflies” first publisher unfortunately closing their doors, my beautiful picture book would disappear or … I could save it. I wanted kids to be able to still read of a child’s rich imagination as to where butterflies went at night, and also how they could help them. I decided to purchase the illustrations and acquired permission to use them to self-publish my book.

The challenge? The dimensions of the original book are not offered by POD publishers. This meant a new size and gave me the opportunity to do a re-design. As a graphic designer and an artist, myself, I was able to re-create “Butterflies” in this gorgeous, new book.

Please consider welcoming “Where Do Butterflies Go at Night?” – 2nd Edition into your home and share the magic with a child, available on Amazon.

How Much Time for Ourselves?

Technically speaking, all our time is for ourselves, but when we ask this question, what is implied is how much time for things we don’t have to or should do. How much time for things that make us happy or give us pleasure? And how do we even know where that line is?

The bottom line is (speaking for myself), I am not getting any younger and there are things that are important to do, even if reading a book is one of them, or sharing time with like-minded people. There is always the reality that an income needs to be made, a house kept up, animals cared for, but what about the rest?

Raised in a society that firmly believes in a strong work ethic (which is fine to a degree), we are also often raised to believe that we should always be busy, “doing something” (meaningful is the implication there), and enjoy our reward at the end of the day or perhaps on the weekend. But what about if we toss our schedule and sit and read a book for a few hours smack dab in the middle of the (work) day? Or write? Or draw? Is that tyranny? Punishable by guilt?

Personally, I’m very tired of the restraints that are so incorporated in our brains that they became our reality. But that’s just the old reality we were raised with. I want to create a new reality. I am ready for the book you see here – it’s about changing everything and the way we perceive it and how we live and how we can heal ourselves. It requires learning, understanding, and focusing in a way that we were never taught, or even knew existed in those formative years. Change.

How much time is really for me? For ourselves? Why not change the equation?

Butterflies and Me – this Sunday – at the Tinicum Arts Festival!

It’s this Sunday!! Stop by the Author’s Tent at the Annual Tinicum Arts Festival, 963 River Road, Erwinna, PA. Books will be available for sale or bring your own to be signed. Ask me anything about my publishing journey … or butterflies!

This is a great 2-day festival of the finest artists and artisans, plus much more. It is located on the PA side of the Delaware, across from Frenchtown in NJ and just a couple miles south. Please check the website for directions* and many other features of the festival.
*There may be a road closure south of Erwinna.

Please stop by and say hello!!

Pick Me!

Here’s Benny! Benny is the hero of one of my picture books, a resourceful little boy who loves evrything about bugs. Above is a cropped part of one of five illustrations that I have submitted for consideration to be included in a children’s book conference in October. I also created a 3-D and digital dummy of another one of my picture books.

All my materials are in, and now I wait till August to see if I have been selected. Seats are limited, but the opportunity to meet for 45 minutes with an editor or agent specifically matched to my talents and abilities, plus other kidlt activities and speakers during the day, is a great one. Here’s hoping …

Come Meet Me at the Tinicum Arts Festival!

Exciting news! I have been invited again to be at the Author’s Table at the annual Tinicum Arts Festival in Erwinna, PA this year! Copies of my children’s book, Where Do Butterflies Go at Night?, will be available to purchase, and I will happily sign them for you.

This is truly one of the best festivals around – an art barn, and hundreds of fine quality artisans, music, food, books (!), and much more. The festival is June 13 and 14, but I will be there Sunday the 14th, from 10 am – noon to sign books. Other authors will be at the Author’s Table both days throughout the day. Please stop by!

For more details – https://tinicumcivicassociation.org/tinicum-arts-festival-temp/