BACK FROM MY TRIP TO "EMILY DICKINSON LAND."

I recently returned from "Emily Dickinson Land" where I attended the annual Emily Dickinson International Society conference in Amherst, Massachusetts (thanks to a lovely birthday present from husband Paul).

After unpacking my bag and admiring the wallpaper in my room at the Allen House, I decided walk down Main Street to Emily Dickinson's house.  I hadn't visited in several years.  Eight years ago I took an amazing seminar there as a Mount Holyoke College student.

My excitement grew when I first spotted the house.

I imagined Emily and her huge, shaggy dog, Carlo, traversing this same route on hot summer August afternoons—just like me.

Finally, there it stood.  Just as I remembered it.

I dwell in Possibility -

A fairer House than Prose - 

More numerous of Windows -

Superior - for Doors -

Of Chambers as the Cedars - 

Impregnable of Eye -

And for an Everlasting Roof

The Gambrels of the Sky -

Of Visitors - the fairest -

For Occupation - This -

The spreading wide my narrow Hands

To gather Paradise - 

I strolled around the grounds and admired some of the flowers in "Emily's garden."

          Perhaps you'd like to buy a flower,

But I could never sell -

If you would like to borrow, 

Until the Daffodil!

Unties her yellow bonnet

Beneath the village door,

Until the Bees, from Clover rows

Their Hock, and sherry, draw,

Why, I will lend until just then,

But not an hour more!

I wandered down the path "just wide enough for two who love," that led next door to the Evergreens—the house where Emily's brother, Austin, and his family lived.  

Ah, the stories the Evergreens can tell (subject of another blog)

The next day the conference began in the Alumni House at Amherst College.  Scholars and Emily Dickinson enthusiasts from all over the world engaged in debates on topics ranging from "What do Dickinson's Dashes Signify?" to "Why Didn't Dickinson Publish?"  It was all quite civilized, though the "Emily passion" was palpable throughout the room.

I made some new friends and was reunited with old ones.

I met the delightful Heather Cole who is Assistant Curator of Modern Books and Manuscripts at Harvard's Houghton Library.  She told me that she had explored antique shops for old books when she was a child, so her course in life was set early.  I confessed to Heather that the one time I tried to read Edward Dickinson's letters at her library I couldn't make sense of his scrawly handwriting.  She assured me that learning to transcribe those old letters can be similar to learning a foreign language.

Laurel Langdon, an operating room nurse who lives in Connecticut, wowed us with her knowledge of nineteenth century American literary figures.  From the Peabody sisters to Louisa May Alcott, Laurel, who reads extensively, always had something insightful to say.  Plus, she was loads of fun!

I met two wonderful authors.  Burleigh Muten is a kindergarten teacher and the author of books for both children and adults.   It was exciting to hear about her intriguing new Emily Dickson book (a middle grade novel written in verse) that will be published by Candlewick Press in 2013.  Burleigh is a thoughtful, elegant woman.  I really enjoyed meeting her.

Barbara Dana is an award-winning writer and actor.  In fact,  she is currently playing Emily in The Belle of Amherst, (with Julie Harris's blessing).  Her newest book A Voice of Her Own: Becoming Emily Dickinson is the result of eleven years of research and received numerous accolades including a starred review in Kirkus Review.  I found Barbara to be friendly and accessible. Although her many accomplishments could be described as glamorous, she is modest.  Now, that's an irresistible combination.

Burleigh and Barbara with me

It was wonderful to see Jane Wald and Cindy Dickinson.  When I spent a semester archiving material at the Evergreens I discovered petrified mice in an old box.  I screeched and Jane (who is the Executive Director of the Emily Dickinson Museum) pulled on gloves and calmly removed the offensive rodents.  Wow!

Jane, the fearless, with me

Cindy Dickinson, who is Director of Interpretation and Programming at the Museum, and no relation to Emily (although the poet would have loved to have this fabulous woman in her family) baked me my first Emily Dickinson gingerbread.

Cindy and me on the Evergreen steps

Last, but not least, I was reunited with my friend Martha Ackmann.  Martha, as president of the EDIS, was in charge of this year's conference along with Jane Wald.  She is a talented writer, journalist, speaker, and professor.  In fact, my life was changed after attending her Emily Dickinson Seminar at the Homestead when I was a student at Mount Holyoke.  If it wasn't for Martha, my picture book Emily and Carlo (Charlesbridge) might have never been written.  I can't wait to give her a copy when it's published  next January!

Thank you, Martha!

P.S. Had to add—there was a marvelous banquet Friday night (dessert was Emily Dickinson's delicious coconut cake).  I got to meet Holland Cotter, winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for criticism and art for the New York Times. He presented an eloquent, inspiring keynote speech on "Taking Emily Seriously."  I urge you to read this evocative 2010 tribute from Mr. Cotter, "My Hero, the Outlaw of Amherst."

Part 2: Finally Meeting Shelly Haas—The Artist Who Painted My Words So Beautifully

I recently met  Shelly O. Haas, the talented artist who illustrated our book The Schoolchildren's Blizzard.  (Part 1 of this blog) 

Here's a great post from Shelly, talking about her process and inspiration:

Illustrating a book is like taking a journey to another place or time.  Each journey is different.  I love that in illustration.  When I received the manuscript for The Schoolchildren’s Blizzard I lived in a rural part of Eastern Washington and was finishing illustrations for a separate manuscript. 

 It was a thrill that Marty’s book took place in Nebraska because I was already familiar with the dry climate and open sky with vistas in each direction.

The I Love You Barn was a local place to observe and learn about horse, donkey, goat, chicken, llamas, New Guinea hen, and even prairie dogs at one point.  I like to draw and paint animals from life whenever possible.  During this project I drew goats and Turk-en (cross between Turkey and Chicken).  Chickens in the 19^th century had a different shape than those we see today.  In my research I discovered that Turk-ens are a closer match to what a chicken was in 1888.

My sketch had no chickens in the opener and on page 10.  I added them, working from one Turk-en in a closed shed on the final illustrations.  She had the responsibility of a nest at the time.  I bought my pencils and watercolor into the shed and she became several models on the final painting.  She actually landed on my painting once, but left no mark on my wet painting

The local school was quite helpful to me as well.  The then 4^th and 5^th grade class (Class of 2011) studied prairie life as part of their curriculum—usually later in the school year.  With the school’s permission, I did a presentation for them on prairie life and asked for volunteers to model for me so I could be efficient in my sketches.  Everyone who was present for the presentation returned the next day with permission slips (from their parents) to model.  I directed them through some parts of the story.  I had some elements of costume to help them get into the spirit.  The process was very celebratory.

Each project takes me somewhere new and provides me with the opportunity to work with a variety of characters, subject matter, and place.  By the time the project is done, I feel well traveled and content.

I still illustrate stories at times for books, and other times for wall, or furniture.  

Table top of one of Shelly's illustrated furniture masterpieces

 I live in Connecticut now and  recently traveled to Virginia to take a workshop in neuro-developmental learning.  As an artist and teacher, it is important to find art mediums and practice that best support each student’s learning style and natural ability.

 I know most authors by letter or email, and before last weekend Marty and I had met only on paper.  I knew she lived in Virginia, and contacted her to let her know I had business nearby.  She very graciously invited me to visit and it was lovely to share our processes with each other.

Part 1: FINALLY MEETING THE ARTIST WHO PAINTED MY WORDS SO BEAUTIFULLY

I love pictures in books.  I consider myself extremely fortunate that all my published books feature paintings by wonderful artists.  Producing that kind of book is truly a team effort.  But the two main players on the team (writer and illustrator) rarely meet.

The Schoolchildren's Blizzard was published after a long, agonizing lull in my career.  I had decided to take a break from my writing and try something new.  At age fifty-three I returned to college as an enthusiastic full-time student—enchanted by the all the art, literature, and history I encountered as an American Studies major at Mount Holyoke College.

My first day back at school

 The publishing gods do have a weird sense of timing.  It's hard to believe, but I sold The Schoolchildren's Blizzard right after I registered for my first semester.
I remember when my editor emailed me at school. "Wait until you see Shelly's paintings for the book," she wrote.  "They're beautiful!"

My editor was so right!   Shelly did an amazing job.  I was blown away by her artistry.  But she lived in another state, so I was never able to personally thank her.  

Shelly O. Haas  is an award-winning children’s book illustrator, dedicated teacher, and passionate activist.  Her work has received recognition from the Society of Illustrators, The National Association of Jewish Libraries, and the Jewish Book Council.  Shelly’s illustrations from her book The Magic of Kol Nidre, a Yom Kippur Story by Bruce H. Siegel (Kar Ben, 1998), were chosen for the PBS documentary 18 Voices Sing Kol Nidre that aired in September of 2010.  Throughout the years, Shelly has taught applied arts to children and adults, both privately and in school settings.  She co-created The Artist Project, a nonprofit organization in Detroit and opened an after-school teaching studio for art and dance in Washington State.

Last week, Shelly, who now lives in Connecticut, was in town.  Of course, we couldn't pass up this opportunity to get together.  It was magical. Finally, I could hug her and say, "Thank you, Shelly!"

(Part 2 of this blog)