Margie, The Illustrator, and What's Coming Next for Margie Palatini

Week of March 13—A Chat with Margie Palatini

Thursday, March 17—Margie, the Illustrator, and What’s Coming Next from Margie Palatini

This is the final installment of a four-part conversation with author and illustrator, Margie Palatini.

Rob Sanders: Margie, tell us about your work as an illustrator.

Margie Palatini: Since Good as Goldie and Goldie Is Mad, I hadn't even thought about illustrating one of my own manuscripts. (Although, I did 'channel' Zoey for the drawings in Geek Chic.) But, I've always had a variety of design projects that I've worked on throughout the years, not related to my writing. Then just a while ago I began to experiment more with digital. (As I worked a lot in mixed media and brush and ink, I felt very comfortable working digitally. And it was way less messy. Can't tell you how many rugs I have ruined.)

     I shared some of the art I was doing with my editor, David Gale. He liked what he saw, and gave me the green light on Hogg, Hogg, & Hog. I really loved working on that book and the whole process from start to finish. I hope I will have the opportunity to do a bit more illustration down the road. If you'd like to see more about the art in Hogg, Hogg, & Hog and some of the illustrations that didn't make it into the final spreads, check out the March postings on my blog: www.margiepalatini.wordpress.com. (NOTE: See the trailer for Hogg, Hogg, & Hog at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-MQg71SxXQ.)

RS: What’s next? What are the goals you still want to reach and what can we expect to see from you in the future?

MP: I'm always thinkin', Rob! Right now I've been working on some early chapter book ideas, a couple of illustrated novels, very young picture books, and I am very interested in exploring e-books.

     I have a new picture book coming out this fall, (published by Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins), illustrated by Noah Z. Jones called Stuff. (Edward just has way too much STUFF!) It's timely, funny, and thoughtful. And of course, Noah's illustrations are absolutely delightful. (NOTE: See the teaser for Stuff at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfs1jvQPFjg&feature=related.)

It’s Your Turn!
1. Margie Palatini—great author that she is—has goals and dreams. Do you? Have you written them down? Look back at the posts from the first week in January to find help creating your writing goals and making them come true.