July 2022

When it comes to newsletters… the truth is, I don’t always read them.
(At least, not right away!) 

That’s my confession. 🙃 It’s about how I’m sending this newsletter of mine to email inboxes all over the place, and I don’t even read all the email newsletters I subscribe to. But seeing them arrive in my inbox is a glance into what folx are up to, and I like knowing where to find info when I need it. 🙂

So, as I reboot this newsletter into something consistent (seasonally with special announcements sprinkled in), I thought now would be a good time to check in with everyone who gets this and make sure that
a.) you’re ok with getting this and
b.) if you’re not interested in my new artist trajectory
(see below), I’m totally OK with you unsubscribing.
Seriously, no hard feelings! You can always find me on my eponymous website: maritzaruizkim.com. 

Long story very short, I’ve turned my attention away from fine art in my studio to work as a children’s book author illustrator. I love what I’m doing now! I’ve finished a picture book manuscript and I’ve sketched out the dummy; next up for that project, I’ll finalize a few art spreads so I can send it out to book industry people. I’ve also written the first few chapters of a graphic novel script for early readers. I finished an early version of that artwork if you want to see it in my blog post about changing to being an artist & writer for kid lit.

I’m in the process of starting a Patreon page. It’s in testing “beta” phase, so starting now for at least the next month, it’s available for public access. You can ignore the subscription prices because I’m figuring that all out 😮, and I’m also still brainstorming what to call various sections & posts.
I’d love your thoughts!

• I want it to be easy to navigate, and I want to post things that are helpful and interesting. I posted a poll to ask what you all think would be good “treats” to offer early patrons. Leave a comment if you have other ideas!

• I came up with a “benefit” for two of the tiers that I’m kinda excited about. It could be a mutually beneficial thing! Sometimes I blank out on “what to draw” and I just need help with art prompts. I want to practice illustration more but my brain fizzles out and I come up blank. So I could take requests from people and if I end up drawing someone’s idea, I could send them a digital copy. Fun, right? It’s like a commission-lite situation: a no pressure thing that helps me out, and if I choose a person's idea to practice with, they get to enjoy it. What do you think? I’d love to know!

Good things worth checking out >

• Eating: the Mexican almond cake above!
  I made this recipe card for you to print out;
  click the image for a link to the PDF :)
  My Peruvian friend baked it last week… yummm. I haven’t made it yet but she says it’s super easy. (From a book titled Baking, UK Parragon Books.)

• Going Places: I did a quick drive to Joshua Tree National Park in March while visiting family nearby. I only had an afternoon. I had to choose between Route 66 memories and the National Park. I went with the NP;
  I needed lots of Joshua Tree references for my picture book.

• Listening: This school girl punk band called The Linda Lindas. Hey, they played in Joshua Tree just before I was there!

• Watching: Amy Tan, Unintented Memoir on Netflix. She says: “I am not the subject matter of mothers and daughters, or Chinese culture, or immigrant experience that most people cite as my domain. I am a writer compelled by a subconscious neediness to know, which is different from a need to know. The latter can be satisfied with information. The former is a perpetual state of uncertainty and a tether to the past.” I met her once.
  I told her I love her writing. 

• Picture Book: This one partly inspired the mood of the one I just wrote >  On a Magical Do-Nothing Day
  by author-illustrator Beatrice Alemagna

• Middle Grade Book: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
  by Kate DiCamillo has the depth and breadth I want for my kid lit prose.

• Graphic Novels (early reader): Apple of My Pie
  by author-illustrator Mika Song is all sweetness & simplicity. Life goals!

• Fiction Read: The Overstory by Richard Powers is what I’m in the middle of reading right now. Wow. I had heard of it before but hesitated coz it’s a Pulitzer Prize book written by a Macarthur Genius author, and I was afraid to feel inadequate when I read it, afraid to discover I am bad at reading. Who knows about me, but: this book! Mind blown.

• Non-Fiction Read: These Precious Days: Essays by Ann Patchett, especially the one about… actually, not just one… all of them.