#43 - One Evening with Mayor Dick and Senator Jane - The Illustrations

One Evening with Mayor Dick and Senator Jane brings back the wonderful illustrator and artist Martha Iserman.

Martha has previously illustrated Uncle Jeffrey the Violinist and Aunt Josephine and Her Long Ride.

I first met Martha as a student of mine when I was teaching a botanical illustration class at the Marjorie McNeeley Conservatory, Saint Paul, MN. Martha has since completed a scientific illustration program, has worked at the Smithsonian and is now living in Chicago.

Martha's work for The Book of Bartholomew is really wonderful, fresh and emotive.  As fine a story illustrator as she is, you should check out her amazing and exquisite nature illustrations.  Over the last few years, with each sharing of new work by Martha, my socks have been blown off (I mean this quite literally, and I am getting annoyed at the lint burn marks between my toes).  The detail, the exactness and the overall consistency of her work is breathtaking.  You can check out her science illustrations at her website Big Red Sharks (www.bigredsharks.com).   Although Martha has moved away from the Twin Cities, she will always be a Twin City artist in my heart.  Hopefully one day we will get her back.

Until then, enjoy Martha's fine work in One Evening with Mayor Dick and Senator Jane, published this Friday, May 18, 2012 at The Book of Bartholomew.

Aunt Josephine's Long Ride - PUBLISHED TODAY!!

Aunt Josephine's Long Ride is the ninth story in The Book of Bartholomew.  Aunt Josephine travels to a friend's funeral.  On the return trip, with an old classmate, Aunt Josephine discovers a friend's secret.  The story has a beautiful cover illustration by Martha Iserman.  Songs by the Jerry Rau Band and Gabriella Sweet.


A previous blog entry shares that this story came out of my wondering what the conversation would be like if my old college roommate and myself were traveling for 6 - 8 hours in a car.  Sometimes it is a bit scary to visit old relationships.  In this case, the revisiting was fun.  What was scary was writing a story wherein the two characters are stuck inside a car.  There isn't much action to show in a six hour car ride.  It can become too much dialogue and it can be easy to lose the reader by being far too introspective.  I was very relieved when my editor said that she enjoyed reading the story so much that she forgot to stay in editor mode.

I hope you enjoy this one.  I know I always say it, but it is one of my favorites.
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Aunt Josephine's Long Ride - Illustration

The cover illustration for Aunt Josephine's Long Ride, the ninth story in The Book of Bartholomew, is by Martha Iserman.  It is an ink drawing with watercolor.  The illustration shows Riva, Aunt Josephine's passenger, looking out the window of the car.

Martha also created the illustration for Uncle Jeffrey The Violinist.  (to see the story and Martha's illustration, click on the title).  Martha is constantly amazing me with the work she is posting on her Facebook page and website.  You can check out more of her work at her website www.bigredsharks.com or at her Facebook Page or at Deviant Art where you can purchase prints of her work. You truly will enjoy looking at her work.

Aunt Josephine's Long Ride is to be published on November 30, 2012.