Grace Lin's Blog, page 96

and there are eight

In the photos, the Pocket Pacys might not look that neatly painted. That is because they are so small! see, shorter than a battery:


Though, honestly, the hardest part was trying to get the website url in it. First I tried to write it by hand, but the it wasn't very legible. And I need people to be able to read the url so that they can find the site! So, I finally made stickers which I am just crossing my fingers will stay affixed.


But, I've made eight Pocket Pacys ready for their new home in France. They travel by cardboard box, first class.

Where will they all end up?

a pacy in the pocket

 
After finishing my novel, I really needed to  let out some steam and do something completely  silly and fun. Our trip to France was in a couple days so there was just enough time to do an extra small project. With some leftover material from our our cupcake decorations I decided to make some Pocket Pacys!


They say you always leave a bit of yourself behind when you travel. Well, I going to leave a little me! Ha ha!

I plan to leave one somewhere every day while we're are in France. I hope that someone else finds it and brings a little cheer in their day. And, if I'm lucky the person will carry it to a new location, take a photo and send it to me which I can post here.  Maybe these Pocket Pacys will travel all over the world!

fortune cookie friday

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries."
-Dalai Lama

Mooncakes!

 Mooncakes from Mon Nam, I recomend the pineapple ones!
Don't forget to order your mooncakes!

I say this not to be bossy, but because I did! Well, I did remember, but I ordered too late and the mooncakes that prefer (the ones above) from ManNom shop didn't come in time for me to bring to France. So, I had to go to Chinatown and pick some up from a bakery shop:



Mooncakes from Chinatown that I packed for France!

I prefer the ones from ManNom shop,because they are lard-free, comparatively healthier and actually kind of prettier. And, it supports a wonderful mentoring program from Asian adoptees as well pleasing your stomach. At least mine will be waiting for me when I get back from Paris!

But you can really get mooncakes from any where to celebrate the Moon Festival--as well as be anywhere. Me, I'm going to be thanking the moon in France! C'est bon!



Thanking the Moon--just imagine the Eiffel Tower in the background! 

booktalk tuesday

Book Talk Tuesday is back! Sorry I've missed the past few weeks of it (been trying to write my own books!) but I've come back right in time to celebrate my Paris trip!

Charlotte in Giverny and Charlotte in Paris written by Joan MacPhail Knight, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

IndieBound Description:
Giverny: It's 1892 and Charlotte is bound for Monet's famous artist colony in Giverny, France, where painters like her father are flocking to learn the new style of painting called Impressionism. In spite of missing her best friend, Charlotte becomes enchanted with France and records her colorful experiences in her journal. She makes new friends, plants a garden, learns to speak French, and even attends the wedding of Monsieur Monet's daughter!

Paris: Charlotte and her family have lived abroad in the famous artist colony in Giverny, France, for a year, when an exciting invitation arrives. The celebrated impressionist Mary Cassatt is having an exhibition in Paris. While in Paris, Charlotte dines at a cafe on the Champs-Elysees, watches a marionette show in the Tuileries gardens and celebrates her birthday at the Eiffel Tower. Illustrated with stunning museum reproductions of works by artists such as Monet, Degas, Cassatt, Renoir and Rodin as well as lovely watercolor collages, this sequel to Charlotte in Giverny also includes biographical sketches of the featured painters. Charlotte's charming scrapbook will leave fans of the first book, art lovers, Francophiles and readers of all ages shouting, "Vive Charlotte!"

My Thoughts:Most people buy tour books and travel guides before they go on a trip. I do that too, but the books that really affect my planning are children's books like these. Somehow it's much more magical. We're going to Giverny & Paris, so I'll see everything that Charlotte saw!

on my desk monday

Recently, I've been enamoured with the work of Francoise Seignobosc, a French-American children's book author/illustrator who died in 1961. I found her work in, at all places, a knitting store (they had this book on display) and I've been slowly collecting her books one at a time (they seem to be all out of print!)



Her work is so charming and so joyful, I just heart it.





It's hard to say how studying her work will influence mine, but I do know one way in which it's influenced my life. The Sasquatch and I have made plans to go to...





Yes, Paris! Since it looks like we are going to stay married, we decided it's time to go on a honeymoon. Oh la la!

C'est finis!

The Sasquatch baked me a blueberry pie in honor of finishing my novel revisions! Yes, the novel is done (for now). I have to ship it off to my editor and await her comments and revise again, of course, but right now I get to take a breather and eat pie!

And just in time, too. There's a little trip the Sasquatch and I have been planning...and also this other blog I occasionally participate in, The Enchanted Inkpot asked me (and the other members) to sum up their current work-in-progress. Here is my summary/teaser for the new novel:

A companion book to "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon," "The Starry River of the Sky" (title still TBD) is also interwoven with Chinese mythology and folktales, this time following an angry chore boy with an unknown past who believes only he has noticed that the moon is missing.

I hope you are intrigued!!

The Moon Festival is coming!

Thanking the Moon, my book about the Moon Festival!

Before I forget,  I wanted to mention that the Moon Festival is coming soon. This year the holiday will be celebrated on September 12th!

Don't forget to make some time to celebrate this very special holiday. Buy some mooncakes, make a bunny lantern and eat some tea eggs. And read my book, Thanking the Moon!

fortune cookie friday

"Fortune and flowers do not last forever."
-Chinese Proverb

on the way to the grocery store

I hope you are talking about my novel!