Hey there...been a while since I posted anything but that doesn't mean nothing has been happening. Quite the contrary. Another book is just about ready to send off to the publisher! Yep, you heard right! It's another children's book, by a local author, about a little boy named M
atthew who doesn't always feel nice in a perfect little town of seemingly perfect people surrounded by beautiful snow covered mountains. The story is about his journey to find out why he has these feelings with the help of a kind stranger he meets one Sunday morning. The whole tale has somewhat of an old fashioned feel but is still relevant in that this is a feeling I think a lot of kids struggle with today. I truly enjoyed bringing this wonderful story to life on paper and i can't wait to see it in book form! Here is one illustration. It is of Matthew, dejected because he still has not found what he is looking for. I'll keep you posted on what's happening... =)

IT'S HERE!!!

The long awaited day is finally here!! Johnny Green and the Little Green Man is published!!! You can get your own copy of it by either contacting me or the author or you can order it at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com in the very near future. One note about the book is that it was endorsed by a lady named Anne Masters who was very involved in the recycling scene in Roanoke, VA. Regrettably she died right before the book was released. We'd like to thank her for all her efforts and hard work. She left a great work for all of us to continue.

I am so excited to bring you this news. Things have been so busy but that's a good thing. I have lots more books on the drawing board and will updating you all as I am working on them.

This is a quote from my absolute favorite children's book author/illustrator:
"I believe that children in this country need a more robust literary diet than they are getting.... It does not hurt them to read about good and evil, love and hate, life and death. Nor do I think they should read only about things that they understand.... a man’s reach should exceed his grasp. So should a child’s. For myself, I will never talk down to—or draw down to—children."
~ Barbara Cooney

I could not have said it any better. She is one of my heros and one I identify with very much. She was also a self taught artist who illustrated from her home where she raised her four children which is what I dream of one day doing also. Two of my favorite books of her's as a child were Miss Rumphius and Roxaboxen.

Hi! I'd like you to meet someone who I've gotten to know quite well. His name is Johnny Green. He's a pretty nice guy. He learned an important lesson recently about taking better care of the Earth he lives on after meeting a strange little green man who has a very interesting diet the other day. If you'd like to get to know him better you can go to his own blog @ johnnygreenandthelittlegreenman.blogspot or the website about the book that tells his story @ suzantylerdecker.com.

He says it was very nice meeting you by the way...

My First Book

Written by: Debra Royale Bassett

"Listening to my Family Symphony,

my heart sings a song!

How could anything be more special, I wonder?

I'm glad I belong!"

These are the words of the little girl in this book who realizes how special her family is to her.

The author is a licensed Kindermusik Educator, so she knows all about music and young children. She specializes in helping parents get involved alongside their children in the music she teaches them. That is exactly what this story is about, music and family, intertwined to make a lovely read for the child as well as perhaps the Grandma, Grandpa, or parent who may be reading it to them. Filled with lively, bright pictures and sing song lyrics, it seems to delight every child I have read it to. My hope is that everyone will have as much fun reading it as I did illustrating it.

Elizabeth Drew once said, "The test of literature is, I suppose, whether we live more intensely for the reading of it." That is exactly the goal of the book Johnny Green and the Little Green Man. We, meaning author and me, hope that everyone who reads this poignant and needful story will be encouraged to live "more intensely" for the cause of taking better care of our green Earth. You can find out more about it @ johnnygreenandthelittlegreenman.blogspot.com or at the website suzantylerdecker.com Go Green!! :)