{"id":1495,"date":"2008-11-10T00:01:20","date_gmt":"2008-11-10T06:01:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1495"},"modified":"2008-11-10T12:41:58","modified_gmt":"2008-11-10T18:41:58","slug":"seven-questions-over-breakfast-with-brian-lies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=1495","title":{"rendered":"Seven Questions Over Breakfast with Brian Lies"},"content":{"rendered":"

You know what I think of when I think of the art work of author\/illustrator Brian Lies<\/strong><\/a>, pictured here having dinner with his bat buddy from his popular Bats at the Beach<\/strong><\/a><\/em> and brand-new Bats at the Library<\/strong><\/a><\/em> books? I think: precision<\/em>, rich details<\/em>, meticulous<\/em>, and craftmanship<\/em>. And I’m not alone. Writes Publishers Weekly<\/em> about his latest Bats at the Library<\/em>, “the author\/artist outdoes himself: the library-after-dark setting works a magic all its own, taking Lies and his audience to a an intensely personal place,” and Kirkus writes, “{i}n this latest from Lies, it’s all-deservingly-about the artwork. He brings a sure, expressive and transporting hand to this story of a colony of bats paying a nighttime visit to a small-town library.” I mean, just check out this beautiful spread from the book. This is one of several spreads in which we see the bats absorbed in their books-of-choice: “And if we listen, we will hear \/ some distant voices drawing near — \/ louder, louder, louder still, \/ they coax and pull us in, until… \/ everyone—old bat or pup— \/ has been completely swallowed up \/ and lives<\/em> inside a book instead \/ of simply hearing something read”: <\/p>\n

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I only wish this image were bigger so that you could see the craftmanship involved — not to mention the many children’s lit references. (Better yet, you could just go get a copy of the book at your local library or bookstore, and then come back and talk to me about how fabulous the art work is.) <\/p>\n

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As you can see from the bibliography he provided at the bottom of this interview, he’s not new to children’s books, but it was, arguably, with his recent bat books that he garnered a bit more attention in his career as author\/illustrator (you can’t get more popular than Martha Stewart announcing Bats at the Library<\/em> as a “good thing” on the October 29th episode of her show, which apparently she did). But, as adventurous and impish and enjoyable as those two picture books are, don’t forget his other illustrated titles, including Donna M. Bateman’s Deep in the Swamp<\/strong><\/em><\/a> (Charlesbridge) from last year, reviewed here<\/strong><\/a> at 7-Imp. Yes, move over Audubon: Lies’ acrylics are detailed, precise, and—as School Library Journal<\/em> noted—glowing in this one, too. There are a great many more, but let’s get to our breakfast . . . <\/p>\n

And Brian’s 7-Imp breakfast-of-choice this morning? “Two over easy, homefries (crispy), toast (wheat), corned beef hash (also crispy). Usual<\/em> breakfast: yogurt, cereal and fruit, coffee.”<\/font> His fellow mammalian friend up there, the ever-so adorable bat, seems to be having Grasshopper. Ahem. I’ll stick with my coffee and maybe see if I can bum some toast off of Brian. <\/p>\n

Let’s get the basics from Brian while we set the table here for our seven questions over breakfast, and I thank him for stopping by. <\/p>\n

* * * * * * *<\/font><\/center><\/p>\n

7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Are you an illustrator or author\/illustrator?<\/font><\/p>\n

Brian<\/font><\/strong>: I\u2019m lucky enough to be both an author and illustrator. I\u2019ve illustrated twenty-one children\u2019s trade books to-date, four of which I also wrote.<\/p>\n

7-Imp<\/font><\/strong>: Can you list your books-to-date?<\/font><\/p>\n

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Brian<\/font><\/strong>: Best-known listed here; full list and bibliography below {at end of interview}.<\/p>\n