I’m at Hollins University for their intensive six-week summer program to finish my last two classes towards my MFA in Children’s Literature. I admit my blog has been the last thing on my mind since I got here 🙂 But, I actually have something to share.

This is from my Picture Book Design class taught by Professor Ruth Sanderson. She is a wonderful artist and has done many picture books and fairy-tales, etc. Her work is incredible.

Our assignment was to do a “concept” story or a ” celebration” story, chose something simple and write about it in 20-200 words. I was winding down the staircases in the building where that classroom is pondering what in the world to write about. Well, by the title I’m sure you’ve guessed what I picked.

This is *very* rough, but I wanted to show it anyway, to let you all know that writing a masterpiece takes many, many, many edits and lots of tears and banging your head against the desk 🙂

So Many Stairs!

So many stairs, too many to count!

What a fun way for us to get about.

 

Rough stone steps.

Cold medal steps.

Smooth marble steps.

Rickety wooden steps.

 

Zoom up to the left; slide down from the right.

Skipping steps two at a time.

Crashing down — bump, bump, thud.

 

Straight stairs climbing up, up, up.

Spiraling stairs swirling down, down, down.

 

Stairs that echo with your steps.

Quiet stairs with carpet.

Stairs that creek in the night.

Stairs that gleam in the sun.

 

Popular stairs in the mall.

Busy stairs in the subway.

Loud stairs in your school.

Important stairs in the museum.

Thoughtful stairs in the library.

Comfortable stairs in your home.