Promoting "The Eskalets"

     To promote The Eskalets for the first time, I launched a poetry birthday fest on Facebook called Write me a Birthday Poem. I requested family, friends, acquaintances, and would-be friends, to write me a short poem - haiku, senryu, tanka, or any five line poetry. At the end of the event, I sent a video to the top three winners and two special awardees. 

     Here's the link to the birthday event on Facebook  

     https://www.facebook.com/events/704682542937953/

     Here's the link to the results posted on my Blossom Rain blog

     http://blossomrain.blogspot.com/2014/08/results-of-write-me-birthday-poem.html

     It made me felt good knowing that most of them have already viewed it and enjoyed it so much. 

"The Eskalets" Project

     PHOTO ENHANCEMENT -Early this year, I spent so many nights until the wee hours of the morning trying out different digital effects to improve the photos I took of the American robins. Remember, I had a Canon camera with only 4 megapixels that time. I also took pictures through the glass window of my bedroom so it somehow affected the sharpness of my photos. Those grueling hours paid off because I have accomplished what I had been wishing the photos would look like.

     See a sample of one of the photos.

     VIDEO SHAKES -  I really regret not using a tripod that time. My late husband and I actually had three tripods in the apartment where we used to live yet neither one of us thought that it was necessary. Initially, I didn't plan on sharing the videos. So why bother? It was also just going to be in the way of whatever space we had left in our small bedroom.
     Thank goodness I found a free software download, VideoPad Video Editor. I was able to use one of its effects, specifically the stabilizer which minimized some of the shakiness of my video clips. The only problem I had was, once it was coverted, it wouldn't upload to the current software I was using to make the dvd. I had to fine one that was compatible to it. Luckily, Windows Movie Maker, a free software online, supported the converted files. 

    MUSICAL BACKGROUND - How I wished I could just use the 4 piano arrangements that I had originally used for my video. They perfectly set the right mood for every part of the story. The thing was, I needed to have the license to use them which was impossible since I didn't know the titles and the names of the composers. I thought the best thing to do was to find a composer/musician who would allow me to use their old compositions or would come up with new ones for me.
     I searched the internet and found a a young music student from Taiwan who was willing to give it a try. She worked on it from February to May. I gave her at least a couple of extensions within that frame of time, but when she finally presented two compositions (it had to be 4), they didn't jibe with my video project. They didn't capture stir any emotion inside me.
    Totally frustrated, I surfed the internet one more time. Just when I was about to give up, I found this website - oDesk.  It's a global online work platform that allows clients to hire and work with freelancers. Why not give it a try? After corresponding with a few freelancers, I ended up requesting a Filipino composer/instrumentalist to work with me. His name is Mark A. Galang. He requested for a month to do the job after we skyped. Exactly on my birthday, July 31, he submitted his work. I was more than pleased, not only because he did a great job but also because he agreed to work on a commission basis.
     If you want to check out Mark A Galang's porfolio, go to this link. You might need to hire him in the future.

     DVD FOLDER AND DISC - I checked out a long list of companies that made cd/dvd jackets or sleeves, but they are too pricey for me. I have to order in big volumes. Good thing, I thought about Etsy and I cherry-picked Terri to do a customized folder and disc for me. Here is my first order of 25 sets.

     PLASTIC BAG - Of course, I need something to protect my beautiful folders and discs when I ship them to my buyers. So I surfed again in the internet. As usual, I found companies that demanded a high quantity of order. It was an ordeal to find the right size. I almost settled with a bigger size until finally, like a gift from heaven, it popped out from Clear Envelopes' website. And guess what? The minimum order was 1 for a set of 25 pieces. Hooray!

Writing Projects for This Year

     Since I've already updated you with all my published works for the past two years and a half, now I'm going to share with your my writing projects for this year. From 2011, I've been more focused on short form poetry such as haiku and tanka. I'm still going to keep on writing and submitting them for publication, but this year, I'll make sure that I find time to pursue what I've already started which is writing for children.

So here were the goals that I listed down in January 2014:

1) A new improved version of The Eskalets -  In 2008, I wrote a children's story in dvd format. This was inspired by the photos and video clips that I took of the six American robins by my window's apartment in 2007. To improve this dvd, I have to 
   a. improve the quality of the photos (taken from a Canon camera with only 4 megapix) by using digital art
   b. find a way to minimize the shakes in my video clips
   c. find a musician who would do the music background

2) The Magic Paintbrush as a picture book or easy reader book
   a. find an illustrator
   b. revised it to make it appropriate for a book with illustrations
   c. find an editor to check typos, grammatical errors, etc.

3) Update this blog
4) Set up a new website to promote myself as a children's book author
5) Research on whether to self-publish or not to self-publish

I need to add this one:
6) Non-children's journal - to put up the very first haiga (haiku and art) journal that I've been dreaming about for some time. 

     Do you think I'm expecting too much of myself this year? Wait till you read my next posts and find out if I've achieved at least half of my goals. :-)