When I first started writing the story of Kazmir, I decided on 7 skies, for no other reason than I liked the number. But what were they? Where were they? Like any good design, form follows function, so what do the skies do? As I thought about them, and started drawing them, I came to one conclusion. There could only be Five Skies.
Each Sky reflects one of the Five Elements and has a conscious color that compliments the setting. There. That’s the form follows function part. The Skies have meaning. Next, I had to give them purpose.
initial development sketch for the Five Skies
Valley of The Option Trees – The First Sky
I started with wood. And what better use of wood than a living tree. Although I incorporated 3 gigantic, enormous trees, cause I just can’t do anything halfway. I used to sit for hours in a huge Coral Tree that grew in our yard, so it was easy for me to imagine a world in a tree and what that world would be like. The branches would become the sidewalks and pathways for the bustling creatures that lived there. But it wasn’t enough to just exist. These creatures and their world existed for a reason, and I got to decide what that would be.
Friday was the party at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles in celebration of the end of their 6 week Summer Reading Program. It was incredible!
So my husband, Michael, and I pull up in the parking area, and there’s a sign reserving a parking space for us. We’re off to a great start! Anyone who knows me, knows that parking issues are my pet peeve. Anyway, we were warmly greeted by Dr. Henry Chang, Director of Library Services and Siran Aytayan, Reader Advisor.
Dr. Henry Chang, Gina Vivona, Siran Aytayan
They gave me a wonderful tour around the library. I saw where volunteers come in every morning to record the newspaper, ads, and coupons, making the recordings available by phone for the vision impaired. The library was full of large type books, books on tape, digital books, and books in braille. There were even magazines in braille.
Magazines in braille and Adventures with Kazmir in its cassette holder.
The library has 1.55 million books, and now that we’ve been added, make that 1.55 million + 1! This was their 21st Reading Program and 325 people participated. A few kids read over 90 books during the program!
There were over 100 people packed to hear me read a chapter from Adventures with Kazmir the Flying Camel. I read Chapter 11, Somebody, because kids think it’s funny. The kids listened and then answered questions to win one of 10 amulets that I gave away. Each person also went home with Kazmir on tape.
A great audience.
It was truly an honor and a great joy to participate in this Reading Program. I met Siran at the UCLA Book Faire almost 2 years ago. Some connections are worth holding onto.
Visit the website for your free audiobook, just like these 325 kids and adults received.
Adventures with Kazmir the Flying Camel was added to the permanent library collection at the Braille Institute. How cool is that? Wait, it gets better. They had a summer reading program and Kazmir was on their list. Friday, Kazmir and I will be at their party to celebrate the program and I’m the guest author. We are both very excited to help Braille Institute in their mission to empower visually impaired people to live fulfilling lives.
Be sure to check back, I’ll share the experience and the photos.
In the meantime, download your own free audiobook on Kazmir’s website.
At the beginning of this journey, the beginning of this blog, I’ve shared with you that Tim Burton is my choice as director for my movie about Kazmir. He’s not my only choice as there are some amazing talents out there, but he is my first choice. Although life has come between me and my last entry, visions of Kazmir on the silver screen have continued to push me forward.
In fact, last weekend, my husband and I went to LACMA (that’s Los Angeles County Museum for all you visitors). I’ve been waiting for this show for months – The Art of Tim Burton. Wow! What a show for the senses. The color, the stripes, the music, the costumes. I couldn’t spend nearly as much time as I wanted because the crowd was thick. So until I go back to see it again, I have been spending some intimate time with the big huge book from the show – gingerly turning each page, examining the creations that come out of this man’s mind. And these are just sketches, mere scribbles on napkins and newspapers, each line is perfect, simple, and yet a thousand words are expressed. Oh what this genius could do with Kazmir as the movie. I’m giddy with the thought of Tim Burton breathing life into my creation, taking him farther than I dare to dream. How evil and twisted could Farouk really become? How would the Wish Weaver Spider move on her woven web of wishes? What sights and sounds would exist in the industrial 3rd Sky of the Rain Masters? I just gotta find out. Tim! Call me!
I kicked off my Dream It + Do It : AuthorTour Wednesday in Oceanside at Garrison Elementary. What a great school. Their focus is on the visual and performing arts, so it was really easy to talk to them about the creation of Kazmir and the audiobook. I visited 6 classes ranging from 3rd to 5th grade; 240 students altogether. We talked about where inspiration comes from and how you can have great ideas at any age.
As a class, they listen to the audiobook on CDs that I sent them. They asked questions, such as, “Have you written any other books?”, “Where did you come up with the names for the characters?” and “How long did it take to write the book?” They commented how fun it was to imagine what all the characters looked like and the different voices that were used. Then I asked questions. The right answer won a Kazmir amulet; three were given out to each class.
I left behind a DVD case for each student that had a note to the parent. The note explained how to download their own free copy of the audiobook to keep for their own.
It was a great experience for me and a whole lot of fun. Kamzir and I made some new friends.
Let us know if you’d like us to come to your school.
My focus is to share my story Adventures with Kazmir the Flying Camel with as many people as possible. Like a million other people, I thought it would be really fun to get on Oprah’s book list. I even have Kazmir available as a Kindle eBook and thought this would be appealing to her people. But that woman is hard to reach. In my desperation amid unreturned queries, I made a bet with myself; “I bet it’s easier to reach the President of the United States than it is to reach Oprah.”
About a week later, I was invited to a birthday party at a friend’s house for his daughter. I’m being sociable amongst the kiddies and the parents when I overhear someone say they used to work for the White House. I sauntered over to participate in the conversation. I felt nonchalant, but in reality, I may have knocked down a kid or two in my excitement.
So my new friend and I are talking and I share the audiobook. She calls me from her car one day as she finished the story and said, “You’ve gotta send this to my friend. She works at the White House and will get it to the Obama girls!”
And that friend walked Kazmir into the White House one day at work and handed it to the First Family. From my initial bet to the White House took 4 weeks. I still haven’t heard back from Oprah’s people!
I’m tickled pink! Mrs. Chandler’s 4th grade class read (and listened to) Adventures with Kazmir the Flying Camel as part of their class assignment. All 31 students wrote me thank you letters. Truly the best part of this journey so far!
They had favorite scenes (grammer and spelling left unaltered)
“My favorite part of the story is when they meet the optionators because they were the ones that gave us options,” Melanie.
“My favorite part is the first sky because the Hammer Shnail sounds funny,” Argin
“My favorite part of the book was at the end of the book when Michael-Ann’s father called her his special angel because I think it is so sweet,” Carlee
“It felt like you were in a movie theater,” Eran
They had favorite characters
“My favorite character is Michael-Ann because she was kind to go on a big journey and help people and face her fears,” Miriam
“She was just like many of us in 4th grade,” Mariah
“My favorite character is Farouk because he is evil and awesome and want to become ruler,” Brian
“The opling sounded so cute but helpless and when Michael-Ann helped him it opened my heart,” Olivia
They asked questions
“How do you make such good names?” Jaclyn
“What gave you such good ideas?” Adam
“Who gave you the idea of writing? Did it take a long time to get all the people for it?” Andrea
They gave plugs
“Adventures with Kazmir The Flying Camel The Five Skies is a great story for any one all ages,” Alexa
“I really really enjoyed it, it was interesting it is now my favorite book. I have to tell my friends about your book is too good to not be read,” Valerie
“It is great you got inspired to write this amazing book. I will tell people to read it,” Sienna
They even gave critiques
“I really hope you make a sequel because the book was like a adventure in your mind,” Sarahi
“It was a very adventurous book and shows much detail,” Sal
“The voices matched perfectly and the story matched everything was perfect,” Adam
The best part? On the back of every letter is a drawing. The students drew Kazmir and their favorite characters or their favorite scene. So, so cute.
Parthenon Huxley is a long time friend and all-around amazing person. Put a guitar in his hands and he’ll move the earth from under your feet.
When Michael and I decided to create Kazmir as an audiobook, we thought it was only fitting that the project have a theme song. I mustered up some courage and asked Parthenon if he would consider it. Not that I was afraid he’d say no, but I’ve been a fan of P’s voice and style for years and the thought of having a theme song created by him for lil’ ol’ me was overwhelming.
Parthenon agreed to the project. The only parameter I gave him was that the song had to be titled My Special Angel because of the reference in the story. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’ll just have to download the book for yourself!) Anyway, my mom used to sing me a song with the same title when I was just a girl, so it sort of fit.
In April of 2009, Parthenon shows up at our house to record the song. He’s sitting at our kitchen table working out a few last notes, or whatever genius’ do on their little yellow pads. We go out to the studio to meet the other musicians. He runs down the song, the guys start playing along, Bill Brendle on keys, Tom Witt on bass, and Paul Allen drumming it out on the table, and pow! they got it. I mean, these guys are such pros! They only just heard the song for the very first time. It came together so smoothly. It was truly magical to witness.
Watch the music in the making: Creating the Theme Song
Well, Kazmir didn’t make it on the Grammy ballot. I was looking forward to writing my acceptance speech, but guess it will have to wait for the Oscar’s.
In the meantime, my good friend, Jay Vigon, has been working on the character drawings to be added to the book. Everything he touches is amazing and I’m truly grateful that he’s taken on this endeavor. Here’s just a sneak peak at the evil Farouk in the making.
