Friday, August 31, 2007

Meet Happy German Penguin!


I just got word that Penguin has sold the German rights for Blackbringer and Silksinger too. Wheeee!!! That is my first foreign rights sale and I hope there will be many more to come. I love buying children's books when I travel to other countries -- I especially love picture books that are not only in other languages but in other alphabets. Some day I hope to see MY books in exotic, beautiful alphabets, too. The jumping-for-joy German penguin above is by Jim, who is answering to the term "art monkey" today after he did another important drawing for me yesterday, which I will show very soon. We hope there will eventually be a whole tribe of "international happy penguins" to join the one above. Each foreign rights sale, we (my art monkey and I) will add another penguin drawing. When the audio rights are sold (in the works), I envision a Penguin wearing headphones. Ha ha!

Good day to all!

P.S. Today also marks the 9-year anniversary of the day Jim and I met! It was the first day of art school in San Francisco, and early this morning nine years ago, we parked next to each other in the parking lot and then ended up in the same illustration class. . . where we were assigned to draw each other! And here we are now, married, with me begging him to draw me penguins and robots!

9 comments:

Judy Wise said...

Oh Laini, that's just AWESOME!!!! Congratulations.

Anonymous said...

oh Laini, your light just shines brighter and brighter-- I am so grateful that you share it all with us-- so. much. joy!!!!

and creativity-- huzzah!

And, I was thrilled to read below that the Wendell Berry was a helpful suggestion-- tickled pink, actually.

Bisous, bluepoppy

Alex S said...

This is GREAT news because as you know, I never learned to read in English and can only read in German so I still have never read Blackbringer! As soon as it is released I shall go down to my local Frankenfurter bookstore and eat a frankenfurter while I dive into the book-can't wait!
& congrats on your anniversary! I still remember your first letters to Bulgaria after you'd met and how deeply you fell right away and I could just tell this was the (goofy) one for you! (Sure when his Satanmail eventually arrived I had some doubts...actually that just confirmed he was for you!)

harmonyinline said...

Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

How wonderful! I love the sound of dreams coming true.

e_journeys said...

Congratulations on the foreign rights sale, on your anniversary, and on the sale of Goblin Fruit! (I just saw the announcement over at Sunday Scribblings.) Fabulous news! My first book publication is imminent (more info on that is here) so I'm experiencing all the joy and excitement that come with it. Wishing you continued success -- and thanks so much for Sunday Scribblings!

Dalissa McEwen Reeder said...

Congrats! How very exciting! And, the news about Goblin Fruit is exciting, too!

(I like the story of how you met Jim! So serendipitous! Jeff and I met at art school, too... he had spotted me the spring before taking the entrance exam the same time as him... it took us a year to actually meet!)

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! Here's to many, many more Penguins!

Sarah Beth Durst said...

YAY! Congratulations!!!

Cute penguin. Hope there are many more to follow. :)