Ellie McDoodle, Wimpy Girl

My dear friend Ryan Hipp posted here about Ellie: http://www.ryanhipp.com/blogs/diary-wimpy-girl

Ryan's one of those big teddy-bear guys who does both cute and scary with complete finesse. We spent a bit of time together at the Michigan Reading Association conference this past weekend in Detroit.
I encouraged him to get Patricia Polacco's signature in his Author-Illustrator Autograph Book, and he in turn encouraged me to show Patricia the quick sketches I did of her.
This one of Patricia's back is my favorite sketch in the whole sketchjournal:

The whimsy of it inspired me to draw a couple other famous people from the back, too, including Christopher Paul Curtis (who I didn't show a sketch to because I haven't read his books yet. Bought them ages ago but didn't read them yet. I am a slow reader, better suited for picturebooks).

I thought Patricia was very gracious to sign my book and Ryan's. She added this happy note to my second drawing:
Ryan and I are also in a critique group together.
Sometimes this job is solitary and the only friend I have is the character in my head whose adventures are directing my imagination.
Other times this job brings me close to lots of great people who remind me of all that is good in the world.
School visits and teacher/librarian conferences do that -- they're a lot of work to prepare for, but such amazing fun in their process of unfolding, and even more fun as I visit more schools, get to know more teachers and librarians, and then see them again at conferences.
Could this life be any better? I think not. :)

Ellie McDoodle, rising star

As Ellie McDoodle gets better known, I see little Ellie-isms pop up in new places.

Friends tell me of Ellie spotting, finding my books in bookstores, art museums, nature centers and Michigan highway Welcome Centers.
Some kids use Ellie-isms in their everyday language. I've heard "Cheezers!" exclaimed at events. And a dear friend's artist son once told her he was having "an Ellie McDoodle moment."
Kids tell me about their families, using characters as shorthand: "My brother is just like Ben-Ben" or "He's like Er-ick, when Ellie draws him like a monster."
I find it funny, flattering, and sweet.

Likewise, this video.
I didn't make it; it's a fan-fiction video.
Some enterprising kids came up with a script and shot a little movie for a contest on KidsTube.com.
I don't know if they won, but I'm honored by the name of their main character.
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Video Description:

Ellie McDoodle is exploring an ancient bathroom and finds an American Idol Singer whose dreams were ...

Ellie McDoodle is exploring an ancient bathroom and finds an American Idol Singer whose dreams were crushed and a CRAZY lady who has a plastic pinapple husband. Please watch it and comment. No insults. If you don't like it, just don't comment! I hope we win the contest! :) p.s. we will make more vids
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See the video here.
It's silly and fun and the actors show great enthusiasm. If I were grading it, I'd give them an A for Awesome.
Ellie exploring an ancient bathroom, hm. . . Two summers ago at a writer retreat I talked with archeology professor and future famous author Jeannie Mobley about using an archeology theme for a future Ellie book. It could still happen. Probably won't be bathroom-centered, though maybe a pineapple will make an appearance. ;)

Best of luck to all the young filmmakers out there.
Keep reading!

Cheezers! Ellie McDoodle has flair!

Here's a bit of Ellie McDoodle flair, available on Facebook:
Just search for Ellie McDoodle. Or scroll through the books category.
And -- there's more to come! (To me this is big-time excitement)

The pin shows Ellie drawing in her sketchjournal (direct from the cover of book 2) and has the word Cheezers! at her shoulder.
Cheezers is a purely-Ellie word. Nobody else uses it and you won't find it in the dictionary. It's a term of surprise, exasperation or dismay.

And what is flair? It's the goofy pins and ribbons the restaurant staff had to wear in the quirky movie, Office Space.
I can relate; I worked at Burger Chef when I was 16 and we sometimes had to wear flair, though it wasn't called that. There was a pin nametag and a pin for the Mariner, a fish dinner. And the hostess -- the plum position every girl wanted; it required no work, just smiles, and you didn't have to wear a hairnet -- got to wear a cool boating hat.
Working for Burger Chef was okay, but it convinced me I didn't want to go into food service as a career. I'm much happier creating kids' books.

Ellie McDoodle on the web

This is so cool, finding Ellie McDoodle in unexpected places.
Do you subscribe to Google Alerts in your name, and your book's name?
If so, you get surprised with occasional references to your work, like I was with this Detroit News article about kids' lit, mentioning both Ellie books.
If you're not yet a fan of Google Alerts, you will be.
(more hearts here)