Ninteenth Page Spread in Roz's 2011 Fake Journal

Click on the image to view an enlargement.

Above, the ninteenth page spread in my 2011 fake journal created on April 19. (Note: She scanned one of her pigeon sketches and printed it on Infinity watercolor paper using 4 of the 5 to try out color tests with gouache. The images were perforated and glued into the journal before being painted.)

The text below the images reads:
April 19, 2011  4:40 p.m.
"When I go looking for a new bird species, I'm searching for a mostly lost authenticity, for the remnants of a world now largely overrun by human beings but still beautifully indifferent to us; to glimpse a rare bird somehow persisting in its life of breeding and feeding is an enduringly transcendent delight." Jonathan Franzen, "Farther Away," New Yorker April 18, 2011


For me I have that transcendent delight when I see an invasive species, like pigeons persisting…adapting to the mess man has made. Sure I would love to see always the rare bird, and to know they will survive…but the invasive species also speaks to the power of adaptability and survival urge of nature. And I can be reminded daily!

Eighteenth Page Spread in Roz's 2011 Fake Journal

Click on the image to view an enlargement.

Above, the eighteenth page spread in my 2011 Fake Journal.

Just a quick word of explanation, since the only text on the page is the date and time the page was put together, 4.18.11  3 p.m.

All the portraits on this page were done on scraps of paper and then glued down to a painted background. The paper used on the left is Nostalgie from Hahnemühle and let me tell you it is killer fun to work with Pentel Pocket Brush Pen on that surface! The guy on the right was done on a Rhodia pad that had little dots in a grid. You can see the edges of the sheets because of paint buildup on the edges, if you look at the enlargement. The finch was sketched on Strathmore Mixed Media paper (in their Mixed Media Visual Journals).

Seventeenth Page Spread in Roz's 2011 Fake Journal

Click on the image to view an enlargement.

Above, the seventeenth page spread in my 2011 fake journal. Just a quick word of explanation since the scan doesn't show it—the light green in the background is sparkly! Since the text was written rather small, here it is typed:

4.17.2011
2 p.m. Como

Later, at 6:30 p.m. on our walk, watching Turkey Vultures soar, scratching on the limited lift over the E.R. Flats ridge.


B: Turkey vultures are a pretty  bird.
T: No I think they are an ugly bird.
B: Maybe their face but they have a very pretty wing from underneath.
T: No, not their face. They are a scruffy, ugly bird. You're a ginger who wore a green suit. Stylistically your opinions don't count for much.
B: [uncontrollable laughter, per usual.]

Sixteenth Page Spread in Roz's 2011 Fake Journal

Click on the image to view an enlargement.

Above the sixteenth page spread in my 2011 fake journal. There are little notes scrawled here and there which should be readable when viewing the enlargement, things like "this one." The top left paragraph reads:

April 16, 2011  10 a.m.
Doves + pigeons at Sam's. Killer headache but it's the only time I could get out there. Bill drove and took photos.

Fifteenth Page Spread in Roz's 2011 Fake Journal

Click on the image to view an enlargement.

Above the fifteenth page spread in my 2011 fake journal, it was created on April 15. I think it will all be readable if you click on the enlargement. The sideways text on the right edge of the spread is as follows (just to make things easier for you)

4.15.11  3:30 p.m. I met Dick* today too. He took a vacation day to finish the taxes. *her husband.
We only had time for this quick sketch because we both had so much fun painting Gert. I took some reference photos—we'll get together again to sketch.

Fourteenth Page Spread in Roz's 2011 Fake Journal

Click on the image to view an enlargement.

Above is the fourteenth page spread from my 2011 fake journal. The text and dates are below.

Verso Page:

April 14, 2011  7:30 p.m.
Playing around after watching an episode of "Out of the Wild: Venezuela" (sp?) Thinking about how some of the people who give up aren't the ones you would expect…making a joking point
T: "I'm not a very emotionally sound person…"
B (interrupting): "I love the way it rolls off your tongue."
He repeats it, with clipped tones and clearly ennunciated [sic] syllables. Laughing. Mimicing. [sic]
"It's…you sound like Joan Cusack."
T: "I love how you laugh at my emotional distress and drepression." Smirking, but neither hurt, nor surprised.
B: "It's only because I love you.
[sketch time] 9:37 p.m.

Recto Page:

Marriage, after all, is itself a kind of narrative that you have to make up, develop, vary, and sustain as you go along." David Denby in "End Games: the films of the Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami." New Yorker 3.14.11
Use for Libby Vernon?

10:30 a.m. 4.15.11 too much to do. Too much stress. How can you make a permanent eye tic funny?

Thirteenth Page Spread in Roz's 2011 Fake Journal

Click on the image to view an enlargement.

Above is the 13th page spread in my 2011 fake journal. If you click on the image to view an enlargement you'll be able to read the text. It was created on 4.13.11 at 9:54 p.m.

Twelfth Page Spread in Roz's 2011 Fake Journal

Click on the image to view an enlargement.

Above is the twelfth page spread in my 2011 fake journal. It was created on April 11 (the yellow background portions) and April 12 (the far right fox sketch with color test swatches).

Text on the yellow background portions reads:

[vertically at left] 9:30 p.m. Space after"u" in last line of reviews

[Three columns of text]

April 11. 2011 My Birthday and what a great present in today's mail. The mock up for "That's No Excuse…" I know it's not the final cover, but it's worrisome to see a typo…Makes me nervous that I'm missing others. I'll look at it again tomorrow with fresh eyes. And have Bill look at it. The Real Bill. More cake today. Always a good thing. Lots of phone calls from friends. When I got home from my bike ride (26 mph gusts!) there were 6 calls, each one singing a birthday greeting.

Maybe it's possible to think about a sequel to TNE? If it's a hit, they'd probably go for it. Cats are a pain to draw but this Bill has such a fun personality. And it would be fun to have plush toys.

Text on the back cover (left portion) of the book cover proof stuck to the left page (front cover and spine are readable):

All around him things were falling apart. If Bill didn’t act quickly he was going to end up having a very bad day indeed. What’s a cat to do?

Praise for That’s No Excuse…
“Bill takes multitasking and disaster management to new levels
from which we can all learn. I couldn’t put it down.”
—Tony Hayward, former CEO of BP

“How Bill overcomes the calamity that is “Tuesday, the 10th of May” will have every reader, young and old, rolling on the floor in laughter.”
—Booklist (starred review)

“Not one day goes by when I don’t pray to God that this woman would stop writing books,
and corrupting our children.”
—Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska and current reality TV star (unsolicited endorsement)


Cover illustrations copyright@2010 by Esther Rayde
Cover design by Emma Spark


Mind Factory Books / Dapper Design
Printed in the United States of America


Ages 7 and up
$7.95/ Higher in Canada

Text on the White background and painting on right reads:

Cobalt, Indian Yellow, English Red, All Schmincke gouache, Also Holbein white handy at time
4.12.11  10:08 p.m.

Eleventh Page Spread in Roz's 2011 Fake Journal

Click on the image to view an enlargement.

Above is the 11th page spread in my 2011 fake journal created on April 10. The painted text might be difficult to read so it is typed below:

Verso Page: 
[Along the left edge vertically] life drawing 4-5:30 p.m.
[Bottom] Squint

Recto Page:

The artists sketching were more interesting than the model. No biking today—I believed the weather reports and then when it wasn't raining I'd already talked myself out of it.

(I like this #2 Ruby Satin monogram liner the best. Better than the #4. Buy more.)
4-10-11  10 p.m.

[Along the right edge vertically]

You cannot out smart crazy. Crazy always finds a way.—Jon Stewart.

Tenth Page Spread in Roz's 2011 Fake Journal

Click on the image to view an enlargement.

Above is the 10th page spread in my 2011 fake journal. It was created on April 9, 2011.