I can't tell you what I want, I'll know it when I see it...

I have another picture book in the works which is planned to come out middle of next year. On Monday I went to the publishers to check out the illustrator's first sketches and to agree on what we thought was the best way to go. This particular story is essentially a love story. Although the illustrator was keen to produce something that fitted with the images I had in mind I have to admit that the images in my head were pretty vague and I waffled somewhat when we first discussed it. The dominant thing was the emotion of the story. I have always understood how publishers say 'we can't tell you exactly what we want, we'll know when we see it'. This was how I felt about this story. I didn't have a sharp visual idea in mind but I knew I would recognize the right thing when I saw it (which is also something that kind of happens in the story) and when I saw the artist's sketches my heart melted. I don't know how she does it. In a few simple pencil drawings she had captured the emotion I had aimed for with my words. You can never tell how a book is going to go but I for one am very happy with the pictures that will accompany my story in this new book. I hope folk will feel the love for this book the way the characters feel the love inside it. Sweet.