What a delightful surprise to find SWITCH ON, SWITCH OFF (Harper Collins) by Melvin Berger that I illustrated, on the clever and inciteful blog ; - )

http://missrunphiuseffect.blogspot.com/

I did a lot of research for the pictures in this book. Luckily, in Philadelphia I could call on The Franklin Institute Science Museum and Philadelphia Electric Co for help. Particularly challenging was showing how the big generator works. I always understand things better if there are pictures along with text. This book was just the sort of reference I needed, but didn't have.... until I finished the illustrations.

My Mom's wonderful Chinese charms necklace restored at last. When I was little she always let me handle this necklace with its enchanting beads.

So much loving attention eventually loosened the charms from their original chain, but Mom saved the pieces.

As this necklace marks the beginning of my interest in beads, there is some satisfaction in having been able to restore it for my Mom. She was pleased, though now she can only "see" the necklace with her fingers as Retinitis Pigmentosa has stolen her sight.

Write, not quite write

Three quarters of writing is re-working, thinking, dithering, ignoring, re-reading. putting away, starting again, going back, re-working over and over.

My theory: Books happen when the stars and planets are in alignment, rare birds sing and the fates grow so bored torturing me that they look away for an instant ... just long enough for me to score. So far the fates are hanging in there.