Creative summer challenge: Embrace your inner Zonkey

Here's my challenge to you for the summer. Just m@ke art! You gotta check out Zonkey Street.com. It's a site, developed by Critter's creator, Ian Sands. His philosophy is that art is for everyone and need not be only the stuff you see hanging in a gallery. Art should be fun and enjoyed by all.

Here's the way Ian describes it:

"What is Zonkey Art?

Zonkey Art is any art that is public, collaborative and interactive.

Public: Art can be for everybody, not limited to a few people who enter the doors of a gallery. Zonkey art is accessible to anyone.

Collaborative: An artist doesn't have to work alone. Art can be created in pairs, or by small teams or even in large groups.

Interactive: Art doesn't have to be static. Anyone who comes in contact with Zonkey art should be able to add, subtract, move, share, comment, give, take, build, destroy, help, arrange or interact in some way.

Art for Everyone
By Anyone

Have you gotten involved? Create Zonkey Art and post it on
The Art of Zonkey Street Facebook Page!

So . . . you should do this! It's fun! And for writers, it can boost your creativity and help you find your muse. Check out Zonkey Street.com for idea's. (Critter is one of the featured Zonkey projects on the web-site!) But feel free to create your own idea.

Come on! I'm a Zonkey, he's a Zonkey . . . wouldn't you like to be a Zonkey too?

Winner! Winner!

And now, the lucky winners (insert drum roll, disco ball and yodeling monkey here.)

The winner of 10 Ways to Make my Sister Disappear is

Linda Anderson!


The winner of Prada and Prejudice is

Cassandra!


Congratulations. I will contact you via the e-mail addresses that you gave on the entry form.

Yay!!!

It's a 2 book giveaway!

I'm Spring-giddy. The trees are budding, the air is warm, Critter is gaining lots of friends on Facebook and I feeling like giving books away. I have this mental image of me in a white cotton dress, skipping through the forest with a basket full of . . . not flower petals . . . . BOOKS! As I whistle a tune I toss books in the air for all those around me to enjoy.

Back to reality. I'm in my office wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt, I'm sitting on a bed (yes, I have a bed in my office instead of a desk. Gotta problem with that?) and I have a blog instead of a basket. This is as close as it gets.

The books in my spring basket:

Prada and Prejudice, by Mandy Hubbard and Ten Ways to Make My Sister Disappear, by Norma Fox Mazer, were both part of the book pack that I won from Christina Farley. I hate to just let a couple good books collect dust on my shelf, so I'm sharing the love with you.

I'll choose a random winner Next week on Wed. So be sure to come back and see if you are one of the two winners.

Critter's Big Announcement, revealed!

Critter feels that it is now time to reveal his purpose in life. He doesn't want to return to NC to sit at my desk. He's experienced too much. Met so many great people and done so many fabulous things. His little painted eyes have been opened to the perils of this world and he wants to give a little something back. He has decided that after his 18th visit, he will return to NC as planned, but instead of being my desk mascot, he'd rather be auctioned off and the entire winning bid will go to the children at St. Jude.

And that's not all. Critter now has a fanpage on facebook! Please join his fanpage and cheer Critter along.



A little background info re: Critter:


Critter fancies himself to be the mascot of Children's Lit Bloggers. He has visited several Children's authors, illustrators and writers such as: (also listed on my sidebar)

Texas with author PJ Hoover
NC with debut novelist Beth Revis
South Korea with writer Christian Farley
New England with writer Nandini Bajpai
Chicago with writer Kelly Pollark
California with illustrator MG Higgins
Montana with PB author, Rena Jones

Critter has 8 more visits to go. When he returns to me, he will be auctioned off. The full amount of the highest bid will be donated to St. Jude.

I estimate that Critter will return in the Fall of 2010. Until then, we need to get as many people aware of Critter and his cause for St. Jude. The only way to do that is to get as many people to follow Critter's adventures as possible.

Here's how you can help:

1) Follow Critter's Adventures and blog, tweet or FB about Critter.

2) Offer your blog to host a Critter visit.

3) Suggest this fan page to your friends.

shhhhh! This post is top secret! Read at your own peril!

Listen very carefully. This is important. The world as you know it could be at stake depending on how you answer these questions.
1) Do you think that having a talent for breaking things could quite possibly be the best talent ever known to man?

2) Would you risk your life to rescue a bag of sand?

3) Do you think a sword is more high-tech than a gun?


If you answered "NO" to any or all of these questions, I have bad news for you. You are under the control of the Evil Librarians. If you want to know the truth about how your world is under the control of the Evil Librarians, then you must read the memoirs of Alcatraz Smedry. This information is only available because his story is being published as fiction under the title Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians. Alcatraz has been forced to use the pseudonym Brandon Sanderson.

Hurry, read the book before the Evil Librarians discover what this book is REALLY about and all the copies will be pulled off the shelves and destroyed! Hurry! Before it's too late.

The Adventures of Critter Continue (insert dramatic music here)

Critter is going to the Land of Critters to visit the Queen of Critters. Who is that and where is that? You ask. Why. . . None other than Montana to visit the home and blog of Rena Jones the author of Lemur Troops and Critter groups.

Critter is going to have sooooo much fun!

Thanks again to MG for being a fabulous Critter host.

It's time for Critter to move on.

It is now time for Critter to find a new home. Go on over to MG Higgins blog to have a chance for Critter to visit. You. There are still 8 more slots open for Critter's adventures. I can't wait to see where he goes next! :0)

P.S. Today is MG's Birthday, and Critter made her a cake. Isn't he a sweetie? Be sure to give her some B-day wishes.

Critters, Critters everywhere!

In other Critter news, Rena Jones is hosting a book give away on her blog for her book Lemur Troops & Critter Groups. Check out her blog and see how you can win a copy.