<\/p>\n
Jules:<\/font> Welcome to our weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week—whether book-related or not—that happened to you. <\/p>\n It’s the first Sunday of the month, so it’s time to feature a new or student illustrator. Today we welcome Lauren Minco<\/strong><\/a>, an illustrator who balances teaching, freelance illustration, and showing her work in galleries. Here are a few words from Lauren, and how about that mysterious mermaid above?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I currently live in Providence, Rhode Island, after graduating from The Rhode Island School of Design<\/strong><\/a> (RISD) in Illustration. Actually, I thought I was going to study apparel design, but I quickly learned the summer before college that I didn’t really have a knack for it. I stumbled into Illustration, because I liked the endless possibilities and freedom it gave me in the business and art world. I paint with an acrylic\/gouache hybrid and am getting ready for my big Fall promotion campaign.<\/p>\n I do freelance Illustration for various clients (mostly magazines), but I’m very lucky to show my work in galleries and teach Illustration at RISD Pre-College and Montserrat College of Art<\/strong><\/a>. I love working with the next generation of artists and it gets me out of the house, too!<\/p>\n On a more personal note, I love dogs, Disney World, and sushi. All those things came together when I went to Japan last year. I ate tons of wonderful sushi, saw the biggest dog I’ve ever seen (maybe it was a bear? A bear with a leash?), and enjoyed Disney Sea, the best amusement park I’ve ever been to!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Got more Lauren?<\/em> you ask? Yes, we do. Here are two more of her illustrations below. And don’t forget to check out this page<\/strong><\/a> of her site for more art work.<\/p>\n Many thanks to Lauren for stopping by. What do you all think? I’m having trouble even picking a favorite of the three. <\/p>\n 2* I know, I’m starting to get tedious about how awesome my job is, but this week I got to hold a handwritten inventory of his estate written by the Marquis de Lafayette<\/strong><\/a>. Also, I finally saw the manuscript of Charlotte’s Web<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. It’s handwritten in pencil, and the first couple of pages have sketches of Charlotte and the farm. I really, truly almost cried over that.<\/p>\n 3* To celebrate my first new-job paycheck, I went into an awesome little indie music shop<\/strong><\/a>, thinking I’d treat myself to a new CD. Lo and behold, TV on the Radio<\/strong><\/a> has a brand-new album out: Dear Science<\/strong><\/a>. So I got it, and it’s awesome.<\/p>\n 4* That reading by Charles Simic I already told you about<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n 6* Today is my husband’s birthday, and to celebrate I took him out for sushi last night.<\/p>\n 7* And then I took him (along with our friends the Poets Upstairs) to an Andrew Bird<\/strong><\/a> concert.<\/p>\n 1). I really don’t want to be one of those parents who goes on entirely too much about her children…but, people: My daughters keep growing up and growing up (in more ways than just shooting up — lordamercy, my four-year-old looks like she’s six), and I just can’t stop delighting in them. Sometimes I just stare in utter amazement. They’re so fun. And beautiful. And bright. To me. <\/p>\n Part two of this kick: I’m really glad I married someone who, once upon a time, was a scientist. When my oldest asked me why blood is red, all I could think was hemoglobin?<\/em> But I said, “ask your father.” He explained it perfectly to a four-year-old — in detail but in a way that made sense. This he does casually over dinner. And then she asks about electricity, and all I could think was ah crap<\/em>. “Ask your father.” The questions don’t stop: Meteors, the earth’s upper atmosphere, religion (ah HOLY crap<\/em>). Seriously, yeah, I can handle the latter or at least do my best, but the rest? “Ask your father.” See, I’ve said before: He’s the better half. <\/p>\n Part two of this kick: I’m re-reading Octavian<\/strong><\/a><\/em> so that I can start—one day before the year 2020—my ARC of Octavian<\/em> II. Yeah, I’m slowly phasing out review copies, but like hell I’m giving up that<\/em> ARC. <\/p>\n 3). Make way, Traction Man! Mini Grey<\/strong><\/a> will visit 7-Imp this week. I loved reading her interview responses and look forward to sharing them. <\/p>\n 4). I got some great compliments about my work from my co-workers this week. When you work virtually with people all over the country and you have no water cooler over which to meet face-to-face and read body language, those moments are extra important, I think. <\/p>\n 5). My family and I saw some pretty creative scarecrows at Nashville’s lovely botanical gardens<\/strong><\/a> yesterday. It was a beautiful day, trying to be Fall, almost quite made it. And we began with a big ‘ol pancake breakfast at this place<\/strong><\/a>, which is such a beloved Nashville tradition that you know you’ll be in line outside for about an hour, waiting, but it’s worth it. (See! Pancakes, Jama<\/strong><\/a>!) Anyway, at the outdoor exhibit, there were fun, children’s lit-esque scarecrows like these guys, Scary Potter and Scary Poppins:<\/p>\n And there were some lovely and clever things like this rabbit scarecrow and Fairy Myst here, whose skirt is made of recycled cans:<\/p>\n And then there was the best scarecrow of all, and I’m not just saying that ’cause a friend from college made it (artist Alene Day). Isn’t it beautiful?<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![Charlotte\u2019s Web, probably the best American children\u2019s book ever.](http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/charlotte.jpg "\\"Charlotte\u2019s")
1* I LOVE the art this week. <\/p>\n![Andrew Bird, who is awesome.](http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/andrewbird.thumbnail.jpg "\\"Andrew")
5* It was kind of a rainy, dreary week, but this weekend is gorgeous and the leaves are starting to sport their fall colors. I love the cooler temps, too.<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/feed.gif\")
2). The ever-thoughtful Adrienne<\/strong><\/a> got to hear M.T. Anderson<\/strong><\/a> speak, and she sent me, knowing full well my great devotion to his books, an autographed copy of Feed<\/em>. Swoon swoon double swoon. What fun mail that<\/em> was! Thanks again, Adrienne!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/heartsblog.bmp\")
![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/brillanteaward_thumb_thumb1-7401121.jpg\")
6). I’m very late in mentioning these, but Just One More Book!!<\/em><\/a> hearts our blog<\/strong><\/a> and Elaine Magliaro also hearts our blog<\/strong><\/a>, and to them we say thank you and we heart you back, too. And, back at the beginning of September, Cheryl Rainfield nominated us for a Brilliante Weblog Premio Award<\/strong><\/a>, and we thank her as well. We’re probably supposed to do something for each honor, such as nominate further\/pay it forward\/etc., but we’re disorganized sometimes. Do not let our slacker natures be any indication of any type of ingratitude for the shout-outs. (In fact, I’m now wondering if we’ve missed any other nominations. If we skipped someone, we didn’t do it on purpose. Cross our hearts.) Thanks, you guys!<\/p>\n