Marketing The Mutt & the Mustang - and Artists' Charitable Fund

Writing my children's picture book,  The Mutt & the Mustang was easier than marketing it!  However, I'm making good progress. Though this picture book has only been available since the end of June, it is currently in nearly thirty stores plus two distributors have started repping it. Plus, a corporation that buys for several national and state parks has ordered it for park gift shops. Best of all, The American Dog magazine will be featuring it in their fall 2011 issue.

MacDonalds Book Shop is hosting a book signing for the illustrator and myself this Saturday --- Last Friday I enjoyed reading The Mutt & the Mustang to 70 kids at the YMCA who all wished to have a horse riding dog like Kody. The kids especially loved the page of photographs at the end of the book which shows Kody riding "his" horse.

In addition to marketing The Mutt & the Mustang I'm coordinating the annual art auction for The Artists' Charitable Fund, which provides financial assistance to artists in medical crisis. This auction, which is our only fundraiser takes place August 13 in Loveland. Last year, the auction raised $42,000 -- a record I hope we can break this year. So far, getting some great original paintings donated by artists, including Sallie K. Smith, Tamara Simmons, James Biggers and Cathy Goodale.  A long way to go - as the auction needs between 60 and 100 pieces to be successful.

 Artists are asked to donate for so many causes that I hate to ask them for the auction - but at least The Artists' Charitable Fund, which was started 20 years ago by several sculptors is there to help artists.  The Fund has purchased a wheelchair for a sculptor, paid for dental work and eye surgery for painters and a portion of hospital bills for many artists under going cancer treatments.

You've heard of a bee in a bonnet - well, yesterday I had a bee in my blouse. When I was growing up I remember seeing a ton of bees, crickets and butterflies but for the last few years I've rarely seen any - thanks to so many cities and neighborhoods spraying to kill mosquitos and beetles. I made sure the little bee in my blouse flew safely away.