World of Ink Presents Illustrator Jessica Love



Today the World of Ink tour brings us our guest, illustrator, Jessica Love, here to talk about her collaboration with author Sands Hetherington in Night Buddies, Impostors, and One Far-Out Flying Machine.

Kai: What age range is your book for?

Jessica: I think it will appeal to 8-10 year olds.

Kai: Can you share a memory of yours or a story of you from when you were within the age range of your target readers?

Jessica: I grew up in the woods, in the middle of the Los Padres National Forest, in Southern California. I was happiest playing imagination games by myself, or drawing. I would sit in my room for hours and hours, illustrating these stories that I would narrate to myself as I drew them. I had a penchant for melodramatic, sweeping tales, and I would often work myself into hysterical tears as my epic tales would reach their apotheosis. I think at the time my dad was reading me The Lord of the Rings, and so it was important for all the stories to be incredibly high stakes. But I actually don't think that's unusual. Make believe, when you're a kid, is absolutely life or death.

Kai: How has life changed for children today than when you were that age?

Jessica: Technology is the obvious answer, I think. I suppose it's simplistic to say it's dulling imaginations, because I don't actually know whether or not that's true, as I don't have kids of my own yet who are within that age range. But I know that the way technology functions in my own life, and I see that there is something so totally absorbing about playing with an iPhone app that holds your focus in a vice-grip without really asking anything of you that is worrisome. I might just be a luddite, but I think the thing that strikes me as dangerous about it is the way it allows people to completely check out of the world around them---walking across the street while texting is the obvious danger, but I think there is a subtler price being paid as well.
 
Kai: How is life still the same?

Jessica: Cheerios remain delicious.

Kai: What was your favorite toy or activity when you were that age?

Jessica: Drawing and reading.

Kai: Finally, I have four kids. Over the years, they’ve attended a lot of birthday parties. I love the idea of building a theme gift around a book. If you were to give a gift basket to a child based on your book, what else would be in the basket besides Night Buddies, Impostors, and One Far-Out Flying Machine?

Jessica: I think it would contain gadgets having to do with spying, adventuring, and night adventures: a flashlight, a magnifying glass, a skeleton key, a laser pointer, binoculars---tools of the midnight kid-detective.

Kai: Sounds like lots of fun! Thank you, Jessica, for visiting with us today.

About the Book: 

For young John Degraffenreidt, lying awake at night is no reason to fret when it brings a bright red crocodile named Crosley out from under his bed. Night Buddies like Crosley promise a big adventure to any kid not sleepy yet--and tonight is no different! Out of bed, and into the city, John starts on a very special Program (Night-Buddies-speak for adventure) with his crocodile friend. Crosley is a unique, wacky character, the only red crocodile in the world for sure, but look-alikes have started popping up all over town, committing crimes, causing confusion, and making Crosley crazy at the sight of them. The imposters must be stopped, and Night Buddies John and Crosley are just the ones to stop them! Stakeouts and wild chases in a fantastic flying machine, far-out schemes to snare the imposters with the help of old friends and new ones, and a never-ending supply of Crusted Crème Fro-Madge frozen yogurt make for one totally super night.

About the Illustrator:

Jessica Love grew up in California, with two artist parents. She studied pintmaking and
drawing at UC Santa Cruz, then went to study acting at The Juilliard School in NYC.
Jessica currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, toggling back and forth between her
work as an actor and her work as an artist.

You can find out more about Sands Hetherington, Jessica Love and the Night Buddies
series World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/bysdkbv

Follow the Night Buddies at
Fan Website: www.nightbuddiesadventures.com
Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/nightbuddies
Twitter: @Night_Buddies
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/nightbuddies2/
GoodReads Author Sands Hetherington
Publisher Website: www.dunebuggypress.com
To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com

Comments

  1. VS GrenierJanuary 31, 2013 at 11:39 AM

    Thank you for hosting and interviewing Jessica Love the Illustrator or the after lights out adventure series...Night Buddies.

    ReplyDelete

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