Candy is bound and determined to find out the answer to the mystery. With the help of her camouflage dress and quick thinking she is sure to find the answer. As for the rest of us we will never know because this is an UnBook that will never be at a store near you.

I have just finished reading the first three books in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters& The Titan’s Curse. What a great ride. Great characters and lots of action. I always hear people complaining because there aren’t good “boy” books. Well here they are and they are “girl” friendly as well. All three books are great. I am more excited about the next Percy Jackson book than the next Harry Potter book.

I am excited to announce that my first book, Un-Brella is recommended by The Horn Book, in the category of Fantasy & Science Fiction for Picture Books.

Un-Brella written and illustrated by Scott E. Franson (Roaring Brook)
A little girl’s magical umbrella has the power to reverse the weather under it in this wordless, crisply illustrated exercise in whimsical wish-fulfillment. Grade level: Preschool. 40 pages.

I teach art classes at Brigham Young University-Idaho. It is always a pleasure to have young excited students with their lives ahead of them. All of these students want to know how to make great art. At first they seek for absolute answers. For example, If I do this (fill in the blank) then it will be good art? Those that progress soon begin to discover that making art is a process of discovery, observation and skill.

A conversation that I have with them is about tortillas.

Have any of you ever tasted a tortilla fresh off the stove from a Mexican Grandmother?

Several raise there hands.

It is one of the most delicious things that you will ever taste. I have had this experience and have even asked for the recipe.

Most of the recipes sound like this

Add flour to a bowl.
Add salt until it feels like this.
Add lard until it feels like this.
Add water until it forms a dough like this.

The success of the tortillas is based on previous experience making tortillas. The ingredients are simple but there is art involved in getting the recipe right.

I have equated this to the process of creating a successful design project. As an author searching for a story I think that this also applies. I am currently in the process of making stories but right now most of them have the texture and taste of bad saltine crackers. Someday I hope my stories become delicious tortillas.

Note to Unpublished Authors: Not much really changes. While having a published book is statistically good. One book doesn’t mean that there will be a second one. I have submitted several manuscripts since Un-Brella and they have all be turned down. “We like your artwork and the way you think, we just don’t think you have a story . . . yet”

So here is a little advice to myself: Pay attention if the same comments keep coming up. It is time for me to spend time refining the “art” of storytelling.

I will start by reading and enjoying the process of a story. Paying attention and enjoying the small events and why they are there.

The other day I went to the doctor. As normal I filled out the health history sheet. One of the questions asked about family members that have had cancer. I checked that my grandmother had had cancer.

During the office visit, the doctor said, “What kind of cancer did your grandmother have?”

“Breast cancer,” I responded.

“Which side?” the doctor asked.

“I don’t know.” was my confused response.

At this moment, my wife and doctor begin laughing at me and I have no idea why.

Then my wife said very slowly, “Which side of the family?”