Portfolio troubles? Worry no more, caracolita*. I’m here to help! I'm teaching at Illustrator Day this year! The SCBWI SF/SOUTH team has organized a great double event and I really hope to see you there (in person and online): Aug 12, 2023 – Virtual pre-event. "Preparation and Tips for Making a Great Portfolio" with local illustrators Isabella Kung & Diana Toledano. Sep 10, 2023 – In person at Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA. With presentations by illustrators, agents and art directors. Sign up for a one-on-one critique with me! How can I help your portfolio? Well, this is a photo from ..read more

¡Hola! Remember my last post talking about transitions? Well, I got some exciting news... I'm now represented by Deborah Warren at EAST WEST LITERARY AGENCY! One of the questions I get most frequently at children’s book conferences and workshops is "how did you get an agent?". So I'm going to share a little bit of this story now that's fresh in my mind. And I'm going to add some tips for those of you interested in getting an agent. HOW I GOT MY CHILDREN'S BOOK AGENT I left my previous literary agent over a year ago, and I was dreading looking for a new one... Seriously, an agent search is not ..read more

¡Hola! February is my birthday month, and this post is all about me. Ufff. That makes me feel VERY uncomfortable.  Usually when I write this blog, I think about you, my lovely invisible readers, and I try to be of service. – What could I say that is useful to you? – That’s why I’ve been postponing sharing this image (made in 2019!), because this illustration is purely me. So fair warning, I'm about to get reflective here (blame the stars... we Pisces are very introspective). Whenever I meet someone new and say "I'm an illustrator", the usual response is "Wow, such a great profession!". A ..read more

Hola calabacita, do you believe in the power of Fall? I do. I think Autumn always brings big shifts into my life. There is a Fall song my toddler loves: we shake an apple tree as hard as we can until, one by one, all the apples fall. I feel like that tree. A lot of shaking, a lot of old "truths" falling down. And while I'm feeling a little shaken up, I'm also hopeful that letting go will make space for new growth. I can't wait to see how that reflects on my work. Speaking of new things... My book Dressing Up the Stars, written by Jeanne Walker-Harvey, came out a few weeks ago! Very timely, I ..read more

Hay días que se hacen cuesta arriba. Some days are a mountain to climb. UPHILL "Does the road wind up-hill all the way?  Yes, to the very end.  Will the day’s journey take the whole long day?  From morn to night, my friend. ” By Christina Rossetti. How are you, calabacitas? I'm in the middle of making the final artwork for my next picture book. I love how it’s looking (check out the tag #DressingUpTheStars on Instagram) and I'm truly enjoying the work. At the same time, I'm feeling overwhelmed. There is SO MUCH going on at work, at home and in the world. Nothing extraord ..read more

¡Hola, caracola! How are you? I’m looking out at the blooming hydrangeas and I feel hopeful and energized. I got my COVID vaccines a while back, so recently I was able to visit my homeland. I saw my family and friends for the first time in two years! Bringing my baby to Spain for the first time was very special. Also, I’ve been working really hard on my next picture book. And to top it off, next week I’m speaking at a children’s book conference! SCBWI Biannual Oregon Conference June 25th-27th 2021. Via Zoom. Dreams + Work = Magic The SCBWI Biannual Oregon Conference is a fantastic event with ..read more

Hola caracola, As I mentioned in my last post, it’s been hard to celebrate the good things happening in these crazy times. But I’m making an effort to focus on gratitude and joy. So I’m here to share some very good book news! My first book for babies came out in August! ROCKING BED OF DREAMS is a sweet ocean lullaby written by Cari Meister. It’s been published by Little Simon as part as their New Books for Newborns collection. It was a pleasure to illustrate, and I can’t wait to show you more. Sadly I haven’t been able to hold the book in my hands just yet... Covid has made it hard for publis ..read more

Hola caracola, How are you? Honestly, if you asked me that question, I wouldn’t even know how to answer. 2020 has been an absurdly hard and tumultuous year so far. (I wrote a list of anxieties, problems and calamities, but I ended up deleting it… it was too depressing to bear). The funny thing is: tiny wonderful miracles keep happening every day. Despite it all, the sun rises, butterflies flutter, flowers bloom and puppies play. It's difficult to hold onto joy when bad things keep happening. It’s hard to share good news when the people you love are suffering. But I refuse to let everything go ..read more

Hola, ¿cómo estás? I know that is a charged question these days… I hope you are staying home (if you can) and staying safe. I hope you find reasons to smile and keep going despite the fear and uncertainty. We are living through some weird times, but this too shall pass. I am doing okay considering the circumstances. I was very busy this winter: teaching and working on a new book. But then I finished the book (YAY!), the classes I teach got cancelled mid-way (booo!), and all my plans fell through. The coronavirus arrived to California and life slowed down for me. Of course, it’s not what I wa ..read more

Thank you for accompanying me through 2019! The end of the decade feels both meaningful and ordinary… A year ends, a new one begins. It’s nothing new, we’ve done it before. But isn’t it still exciting? As much as I usually love looking back, analyzing and reviewing, I’m feeling the impulse to leap forward. I can’t wait to share with you the books I’m working on (sadly I have to keep them a secret for now). I’m also going to be teaching and speaking at a couple of conferences: 2020 SCBWI Golden Gate Conference, at Asilomar (CA), March 13th – 15th. (One of my favorite conferences for writers ..read more