Christine L. Villa
~INSPIRING TO DREAM, WRITE, AND PUBLISH~
  • Home
  • ABOUT ME
    • AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
  • Purple Cotton Candy Arts Books
    • An Afternoon in Julia’s World
    • Best Friends Never Forget
    • Best Friends Never Forget (Ang Matalik na Kaibigan ay Hindi Nakalilimot)
    • Carlito Pizarras: Hero of the Tarsiers
    • Eskalets
    • Frankie Loves to Burp
    • Mudspots and Candy Sprinkles
    • Our Christmas Lantern
    • Our Christmas Lantern (Ang Aming Parol)
    • The Magic Paintbrush
    • The Three Honeybees
    • Will You Still Love Me? >
      • SPCA Doggy Dash
    • Zoobooloo
    • Zoobooloo: With Filipino Translation
    • Zoololoco (Zoololoco)
  • BLOG
  • EVENTS
  • MEDIA
    • ARTICLES ABOUT MY BOOKS
    • INTERVIEWS
    • BOOK READING VIDEOS
  • SPEAKER SHEET
  • WORKSHOPS
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • POETRY
  • ARTWORK
  • CONTACT

Paws Backyard Wildlife Contest

6/29/2020

0 Comments

 
Since I took a class in alcohol ink art, I have been hooked. I love experimenting with Tim Holtz alcohol ink and finishing my art pieces with doodles! Last month, I was encouraged by a poet friend to join a contest, Paws Backyard Wildlife Art Contest. I was hesitant at first because I'm not good at drawing, but I took the challenge. I thought I had nothing to lose! Why not make some doodles instead? As a creative explorer, I know there are ways to make up for what I'm not good at by applying new things that I've learned from my alcohol ink class, researching some doodles of animals on the internet, and most of all, by adding my own unique touch. 

This is what I came up with. :-)
Picture
With the help of friends and acquaintances, I was able to gather the most votes and won first place in the adult category. I was over the moon!
Picture
My joy was doubled when I found out that my goddaughter won first place in the 3-10 years old category. ​While I received a $150 gift card for my prize, she won an Echo Dot for Kids. 
Picture
​I thought the contest was a cool way to raise funds to support Paws Animal Wildlife and Sactuary's mission--to rescue, rehabilitate, and release orphaned or injured wildlife. 

Today, non-profit organization posted this on Facebook. 
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

My Interview  During the Princess Book Tour

3/16/2020

0 Comments

 
Because of the intermittent rain, the authors' interviews were held inside Carol's Bookstore instead of outdoors. It still turned out a success! I think the interviews were more intimate, the audience attention was more focused, and the responses were more personal. 
Thank you so much to Sunni Harley for featuring me as one of the authors last night. I am also grateful to Dorothy Rice, one of the featured authors, for taking my video. You can watch it here. 
To see some picture from the event, click here. There is a footage of the event, a two-minute video professionally done by Black Zebra Productions. Please head over to this link.
0 Comments

World  Read Aloud Day 2020  at Barrett Ranch Elementary

2/20/2020

0 Comments

 
Last February 6, I was at Barrett Ranch Elementary School for World Read Aloud Day. 
Picture
I was happy to be able to read Zoobooloo: With Filipino Translation to the third graders. 
Picture
For the first time I read my new book Will you Still Love Me? A Puppy Haiku Story. The kindergarten students loved it! One boy hugged me after I read the story. 
Picture
The third classroom I visited was the 1st grade. As usual, I enjoyed all their responses. This event reminded me how much I love book readings at schools. I will try to achieve this goal in 2020 - more book reading events!!!
Picture
0 Comments

Facebook Book Launch of Will You Still Love Me? A Puppy Haiku Story

1/6/2020

0 Comments

 
I noticed that the recent Facebook book launches, both for children's books and poetry books, which I have co-hosted have not been well-attended. I'm not sure why. Maybe because of the following reasons:

1. People don't have time.
2. People are not intrigued anymore because I've already done several in the past.
3. People are bored because I haven't thought of anything fresh to offer.
4. The poets or authors I have selected to publish don't have a big fan base.
5. I just have not found the right people to invite. 

Who knows? We might have chosen the wrong time or day to host the book launch. It's hard to guess. All I can do is keep trying. For my new book, I decided to open a Facebook book page and hosted the book launch for one full week (December 23-January 1).

Picture
​I didn't have to stay glued to the computer every day. I just posted several pictures and videos of the main inspiration of the book - my all-year round bundle of joy, my dog, Haiku. I tried to keep it engaging and entertaining as possible by coming up with three contests. I think that was less stressful for me. Everyone I invited didn't have to stick around or wait for the next posts. Everybody had time to browse and take their time to decide whether they want to just take a peek or participate and come back the next day when they are ready with their contest entries. 

To get an idea of what was going on, you can visit the Facebook Page here:

@willyoustilllovemepuppystory

I had a blast so I hope the guests who participated did too! :-) Here was one of the contests - Post your dog's wackiest costume or most pawsome attire below! The winner of this BEST DOG OUTFIT contest will win a free copy of my book. Here is Haiku showing of all her different outfits to show as examples for the contest. 
Picture
0 Comments

A  Pretty Good Year for Purple Cotton Candy Arts

12/6/2019

0 Comments

 
I'm so grateful that in 2010, Purple Cotton Candy Arts had published 3 children's books, one of which was written by me. I actually finished working on one more children's book by another author, but we are hoping her book will be picked up by a traditional publisher. 
Picture
Amazing Glass House: Haiku Storybook by Susan Beth Furst and my book, Will You Still Love Me? A Puppy Haiku Story just recently participated in the 2019 SCBWI BookStop. It was a wonderful experience for Purple Cotton Candy Arts to be showcased among other children's books. Even before the release of my book, I was able to see whether other people would like it. In the span of 3 weeks or so, I was able to receive some positive comments. 

Purple Cotton Candy Arts is also proud to have two new illustrators from the Philippines. Jiliane Vilches had just collaborated with me on two books while George Franco is currently working on another children's book by Michael H. Lester. 

I am so blessed and I am looking forward to more projects next year! Thank you so much, God Almighty! 

0 Comments

The Missing Eyeballs

10/31/2019

6 Comments

 
,
      “Where could one snatch a pair of eyeballs?” Witch Wanda asked.

      “Eyeballs? What are they for?” Vampire Vanessa answered.

      “I need it to make my grandmother’s Halloween potion.”

      “Have you been to the zoos, parks, or school grounds?”

     “Yup! But no way am I going to pluck the eyeballs of a monkey, a goldfish, or any human being. Here, at the Halloween party, is my last chance to find them.”

       “Come on! Let’s sample the treats!”

       Witch Wanda spotted the monster punch bowl beside the cobweb cookies. Inside the bowl, were creepy frozen eyeballs!
        
       That will do the trick!
​



Submitted as an entry to 

THE 9TH ANNUAL HALLOWEENSIE CONTEST!!!

Follow the link here. 

     
6 Comments

Bagged  Two  Awards at the Sacramento County Fair

5/25/2019

0 Comments

 
Look what I found out today at the Sacramento County Fair? My first two entries in the photography contest won 1st and 3rd place ~ 1st place in the colored photography (animal) category and 3rd place in the black and white photography (animal) category
Picture
0 Comments

Front Page of Asian Journal (May 26, 2019)

4/26/2019

0 Comments

 
I still can't believe it! Thank you, dear Lord, for this wonderful blessing!!!! I'm on the front page of the entertainment section of Asian Journal. So grateful to  Thank you, Ate Fe Quisumbing, for letting me know that it's already out. I just found out that there are 4 editions - Northern California, Southern California, Las Vegas, and New Jersey/New York. This is the Northern California edition. To read the full article, here is the link. https://www.asianjournal.com/…/teaching-kids-a-deeper-appr…/ All articles are the same except for the layout and added pics. ​
Picture

Here are the links for the four editions:
https://issuu.com/asianjournaldigitaledition/docs/042619_-_san_francisco_edition
https://issuu.com/asianjournaldigitaledition/docs/042519_-_las_vegas_edition
https://issuu.com/asianjournaldigitaledition/docs/042419_-_socal_midweek_edition
https://issuu.com/asianjournaldigitaledition/docs/042619_-_new_york___new_jersey

0 Comments

NCPA Book Awards Competition 2019

4/14/2019

0 Comments

 
​Incredibly happy that I won these two awards tonight at the Northern California Publishers and Authors (NCPA) Book Awards banquet. I am so grateful, Lord, for all the wonderful blessings you have given me this year. A big shout out to the whole team of Purple Cotton Candy Arts (Shloka Shankar, Kathrina Iris, and Kathleen Sue Lagamia) and my Filipino translator Angelo Ancheta! I am so fortunate to have you guys!!! Thank you so, so much!!!!
Picture
0 Comments

Birdhouses for the NCPA Book Awards  Banquet

4/13/2019

1 Comment

 
Here are my 12 birdhouses to be used as centerpieces for the Northern California Publishers and Authors (NCPA) book awards banquet. They are actually made of book pages! If you want to learn how to make these, let me know. Maybe I can create a YouTube video?
Picture
1 Comment
<<Previous
Forward>>

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly