{"id":826,"date":"2007-08-12T00:58:43","date_gmt":"2007-08-12T06:58:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=826"},"modified":"2007-08-12T12:29:27","modified_gmt":"2007-08-12T18:29:27","slug":"7-imps-7-kicks-23-featuring-g-brian-karas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=826","title":{"rendered":"7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #23: Featuring G. Brian Karas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jules: <\/strong>Can someone just pick me up off the floor please, because I love our image for this Sunday, sent to us by G. Brian Karas<\/a><\/strong>, who just so happens to be one of our favorite illustrators here at 7-Imp. Doesn’t that illustration just make your day? I’m telling you what . . . we love it, and we thank Brian for sending it. This image comes from Today and Today<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, the anthology of haiku by Kobayashi Issa<\/a><\/strong>, which Karas illustrated (released this March by Scholastic<\/a><\/strong>, and reviewed here<\/a><\/strong> by Yours Truly). In fact, this illustration is, hands down, my favorite from the book (which is a bold statement, as the entire book is beautiful), so extra big thanks to Brian for sending it just for our 7 Kicks lists today. And, really, if you haven’t experienced Today and Today<\/em> yet, well . . . go treat yourself. Karas divided the haiku — and the story that those verses and his illustrations tell — into seasons, and this illustration is from the summer spread. I wish I could make it even bigger<\/em> for you, but that’s probably the best we can do here with our blog’s template. Just look<\/em> at that yellow and the texture to that image . . . it’s even more beautiful up close, so don’t miss the book, one of the best poetry anthologies I’ve seen this year. (And, P.S., Elaine<\/a><\/strong> — this pic’s for you!).<\/p>\n

Brian also sent this cover image from his next illustrated book, Big Bad Bunny<\/a><\/strong><\/em> (a Richard Jackson book for Atheneum Books<\/a><\/strong>), written by Franny Billingsley<\/a><\/strong>, author of The Folk Keeper<\/a><\/strong><\/em> (which I have always wanted to read; I’m just eight years behind). Big Bad Bunny<\/em> will be published in ’08. Now, that’s<\/em> a funny cover. We’re looking forward to this book, ’cause did I mention that Eisha and I love G. Brian Karas’ illustrations? (And — as I said in my reviews<\/a><\/strong> of Today and Today<\/em> and Tippy-Tippy-Tippy, Hide!<\/em> — we think the “G” must stand for “ginormously talented”). <\/p>\n

Many thanks to Brian! <\/p>\n

Now, on to our kicks . . . For any new folks: Welcome to our weekly 7 Kicks list, the meeting ground for listing 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. If you’re new, please know that everyone is welcome to leave their lists. <\/p>\n

* * * * * * * eisha’s list * * * * * * *<\/center><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

eisha: <\/strong>Love, love, love the illustration this week. Thanks, Mr. Karas!<\/p>\n

\"I<\/p>\n

1* New nephew pics! Miles is 4 months old. His new activities include trying to sit up, falling over, and giggling about it. He also enjoys reading (see above), and eating rice cereal (which aparently makes him sleepy. Or maybe drunk. See below).<\/p>\n

\"Dude\u2026<\/p>\n

2* Speaking of The Ramones<\/strong><\/a>… the interview that (ahem) Cluck Roosterman of Bottom Shelf Books<\/a><\/strong> did with Punk Farm<\/a><\/strong> (parts one<\/a><\/strong> and two<\/a><\/strong>) made my week. Utterly hilarious. It’s going to be a tough act to follow when PF goes on blog tour this fall. “There was just so much ROCK…”<\/p>\n

\"Balkan<\/a>3* Speaking of music – I heard a song on the radio Saturday afternoon that made me car dance to the point of reckless endangerment. After a bit of research, I found out it was “Gross” by Balkan Beat Box<\/a><\/strong> (featuring Boom Pam<\/a><\/strong>). I am now full-on in love. Their music is the most amazing smash-up of gypsy, klezmer, middle eastern, trance-dance, whatever – I can’t even describe it. But it’s music that makes me want to have the kind of life that, if someone made a movie about it, Balkan Beat Box could do the score.<\/p>\n

4* And adrienne of What Adrienne Thinks About That<\/a><\/strong> (not to be confused with Adrienne of Martinimade<\/a><\/strong>) pointed me<\/a><\/strong> toward another band that I am loving so far: Born Ruffians<\/a><\/strong>. Thanks, adrienne!<\/p>\n

5* B. and I checked out the Ithaca Farmers Market<\/a><\/strong>, which is awesome! We got some yummy bread, and some amazing hard cider from Bellwether<\/a><\/strong>, and ate fried corn fritters and peanut lime noodles from Macro Mama<\/strong><\/a>. <\/strong>Clearly, we’re not afraid of a few carbs.<\/p>\n

6* We got invited to hang out with two of B.’s new fellow faculty peeps. One of those invites was for brunch at the Aurora Inn<\/a><\/strong>, which is lovely, and is apparently co-owned by Pleasant T. Rowland – you know, of Pleasant Company<\/a><\/strong>? The American Girls books\/dolls?<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>7* The bad news: B.’s out of town for the next week-and-a-half. The good news: it’s because he’s designing* the first ever production** of The Mysteries of Harris Burdick<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, a musical*** based on the brilliant, amazing book<\/a><\/strong> by Chris Van Allsburg<\/a><\/strong>. Which I’m totally going to go see on opening night (the 21st) if anyone else happens to be in the Berkshires that day and wants to come along.<\/p>\n

* Well, it’s a workshop production, which means he has no actual budget for a set, so it’s fairly minimal. But whatever set there will be – he’s designing it.<\/p>\n

** There was a staged reading of an earlier version of the show last year, but that’s it.<\/p>\n

*** Okay, I’m not really a musical fan, usually, but this same team created The Burnt Part Boys<\/a><\/strong><\/em> last year, and I really loved it. B. says this show is very adult (as in sophisticated, not nudity – I think), and very good.<\/p>\n

* * * * * * * Jules’ list * * * * * * *<\/center><\/strong><\/p>\n

1). The illustration this week. <\/p>\n

2). The first interview (parts one<\/a><\/strong> and two<\/a><\/strong>) with the Punk Farm gang over at Bottom Shelf Books<\/a><\/strong><\/em> (as Eisha mentioned).<\/p>\n

3). Seeing “The Prestige” — not only was it good, but my husband and I are just now really getting back into the swing of watching movies again and trying to catch up on the Dark Period in which our children were the wee-est and it was so difficult to watch movies. There’s a two- or three-year span there where we missed everything good that came out . . . <\/p>\n

4). Eisha sent me one of those folding book holder thingies that she also got for herself last week; it’s just like this<\/a><\/strong> one. Now, it’ll be much easier to type in excerpts when I’m blabbing about books here at 7-Imp. Thanks, E!<\/p>\n

5). All the folks who kept us informed about the SCBWI conference<\/a><\/strong> — posts like this<\/a><\/strong> and this<\/a><\/strong> and this<\/a><\/strong> and this<\/a><\/strong> and this<\/a><\/strong> . . . and more too numerous to mention. <\/p>\n

It’s not that I can’t find joy in this past week and couldn’t add two more things, but I’m still recovering from a day with two — count them, two<\/em> — migraines one. after. the. other. The funky bright, snake-shaped water spot that obstructed my vision most of the day is gone, but the headache still lingers. So, I’ll stop here (suffice it to say that I’m reading lots of great books, too, but will report on them later, as usual) and look forward to reading everyone else’s lists . . . <\/p>\n

eisha: <\/strong>Oh, geez, Jules, two migraines? That’s just evil. I hope you feel better soon, sugar-britches.<\/p>\n

Jules<\/strong>: Eisha, thanks. And OMIGOD! You better<\/em> report back on that Harris Burdick<\/em> show. I love that book (and, hey, I think you and B. way back forever ago gave me the copy I have today). Plus, I’m thinking: Musical? Hubba-Wha? (in the words of Mo<\/a><\/strong>) . . . So, please do report later. <\/p>\n

How about everyone else? What was kickin’ in your week?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jules: Can someone just pick me up off the floor please, because I love our image for this Sunday, sent to us by G. Brian Karas, who just so happens to be one of our favorite illustrators here at 7-Imp. Doesn’t that illustration just make your day? I’m telling you what . . . we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-826","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-seven-good-things-before-monday"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/826","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=826"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/826\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=826"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=826"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}