This Life.

This post is dedicated to all women, most especially women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. With love, Karen. 

This Life

Do not be afraid of this life
Of you
The real you
The rushing blood you
The roaring you
Silenced by the mind.
That sound you run from for your whole life
Frightened of its power
The ear-splitting shattering 
All-encompassing
Over-powering
Bone-forming you.
It's been there this whole time
Screaming 
Forgotten 
Waiting. 
Jump into the flooding
The rumbling
Don't dip your toes
Your pinky
Take the leap 
Now.
Your only life as you
The rushing blood you
This life.

(c) 2015 Karen Nordseth Roos 

Special love and thanks to Kristy Q. at Black and Blue Tattoo. 

Friends of SHE IS STILL MAMA: Mother's Day 2015 Update

Dear Friends of SHE IS STILL MAMA,

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are mamas yourselves! I'm happy to update you on the progress of my children's picture book about a young child whose Mama has breast cancer: SHE IS STILL MAMA on CrowdRise.

After the SCBWI writers and illustrators conference, I did another revision of the manuscript, and then let my work on this book take a rest. Perhaps those of you who write, are artists, or who engage in any creative pursuit, will understand the cycles appearing in how I work -- just like a breath, I have a burst of inspiration and energy and then a period of complete letting go. There's no way to realistically stay in that creating mode constantly. It flows like waves. At first, I was nervous about the silence in the pauses. I thought I wasn't working hard enough. But I have since learned to trust and embrace the digestion and integration that needs to take place in an artistic process. Of course, a pause on one manuscript leaves room to work on another and to write brand new stories, but that's a different update!

What's Next?
I want to let you in on a new goal in my publication process. While I made and stand by a firm commitment to seeing SHE IS STILL MAMA in print by choosing self-publication, at the same time I am pursuing representation with a literary agent. If I can get support and visibility in the trade publishing world, SHE IS STILL MAMA will have a much greater reach to families facing breast cancer (and hence, more donations to my chosen non-profit!). So, I am working both sides, and whichever happens first wins! And no matter what, your donations are contributing in a concrete and meaningful way towards this project. Whether to help me distribute, market, and buy art supplies or go directly to the non-profit, every single dollar will make SHE IS STILL MAMA a reality. Of course the ultimate goal is to get this book in the hands of families who need it. I look forward to keeping you posted!

Will you donate to help me reach my goal?

Every single donation (large and small) directly serves to put SHE IS STILL MAMA into the hands of children and their families who need it.

You really can make a difference. Huge thanks to all of you who have donated!

Please consider Donating Now

Want to know more about SHE IS STILL MAMA?

I have decided to self-publish my picture book so that I can give directly to women and men who are living their lives with cancer. From free yoga and art classes, to "Look Good, Feel Better" seminars, workshops for family and consults with nurses, Katz Cancer Center helps real people facing cancer every day. All of their services are free of charge without question, for anyone with cancer, either undergoing treatment or fully recovered.
(http://www.dominicanhospital.org/Medical_Services/Cancer_Care/052801).

SHE IS STILL MAMA is written for the young child (2-6 years old), and provides a unique view into the topic of breast cancer. Very few books approach this subject with young children and yet, there are hundreds of thousands of women diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Since 1999, incidence rates of certain types of breast cancer have increased in younger women (Breast Cancer Facts & Figures, 2009-2010, American Cancer Society). Mothers with breast cancer are in need of targeted support for their young children.

Thank you so much for your ongoing support,

Karen 

Rhyming Picture Book of the Week: Miss Spider's Tea Party

A classic favorite for many years, I've read David Kirk's Miss Spider's Tea Party to my children over and over, and I never tire of it. This is my favorite this week also because its rhythm and meter reminds me of the one I am using for a rhyming picture book of my own! Happy Friday, everyone!

One place to buy Miss Spider's Tea Party

What is #rhypibomo?

Rhyming Picture Book of the Week: It's Only Stanley

I love this book. My kids love this book. I think my dog loves this book. It's out of this world. It's Only Stanley, by Jon Agee.

I love how it was a story before it was a rhyme. I just know it was. I love the ease about it. I love how the first time I read it, I had no idea what was going on (I didn't read the inside flap). I love the sound effects. I love how every time I read it, I find some new detail to feel joy about.

One place to buy It's Only Stanley

Rhyming Picture Book of the Week: Once Upon a Memory

This week's favorite rhyming picture book is Once Upon a Memory, by Nina Laden. I love the mood of this story, as well as the inquiring and thoughtful language. My favorite line in the book is "Does a cake remember it once was grain? Does an ocean remember it once was rain?"A lovely, quiet, poetic story.

One place to buy Once Upon a Memory

Rhyming Picture Book of the Week: Mother Earth and Her Children

Every Friday as part of RhyPiBoMo I will be sharing a rhyming picture book that I read and loved that week. Today I am sharing an adaptation of a beautiful spring book by Sibylle Von Olfers, called Mother Earth and Her Children, A Quilted Fairy Tale. This gorgeous book has been translated into rhyming verse by Jack Zipes, and the illustrations are images from a glorious quilt, sewn by artist Sieglinde Schoen Smith.

The verse is simple and has an ease and lightness that suit the intricate details of the quilt. Special thanks and love to my mother, Helen for sending this book to my littlest on the first day of spring! xo

A Lovely Book Review
Where to buy the book
What is RhyPiBoMo?

Friends of SHE IS STILL MAMA: March 2015 Update

Happy Spring! I am so pleased to update you on the progress of SHE IS STILL MAMA, my not-for-profit children's book about breast cancer. 

I recently returned from a hugely inspiring conference hosted by The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. It was a breakthrough weekend for me -- as illustrator particularly. I decided at the last moment to present my portfolio and I'm so glad I did. I had a chance to come out of my shell and introduce my artwork in front of 100 people. I've never been more nervous! Showing my art is such a vulnerable experience. I also had the opportunity to meet and work with Caldecott Honor Award winning illustrator, E. B. Lewis. I learned so much about illustrating picture books. Authors and illustrators alike are equal storytellers: one tells through the word; the other tells through the pictures.

My current approach to illustrating SHE IS STILL MAMA is working with my daughter's watercolor paintings from kindergarten. Using the watercolor as a starting point, I add layers of chalk pastel to create the scene. Here is a peek at the process!

What's next?

The story text is in excellent shape. I received insightful feedback from my critique group, which I am working on incorporating. I'm also moving forward with illustrations, taking what I learned at the SCBWI Conference and kicking everything up a notch! I now have the confidence to make big strides toward a winning picture book.

Will you donate to help me reach my goal?

Every single donation (large & small) directly serves to put SHE IS STILL MAMA into the hands of children and their families who need it.

You really are making a difference. Huge thanks to all of you who have donated!

https://www.crowdrise.com/sheisstillmamaahand-drawnchildrenspicturebook/fundraiser/karenroos1

Want to know more about SHE IS STILL MAMA?

I have decided to self-publish my picture book so that I can give directly to women and men who are living their lives with cancer. From free yoga and art classes, to "Look Good, Feel Better" seminars, workshops for family and consults with nurses, Katz Cancer Center helps real people facing cancer every day. All of their services are free of charge without question, for anyone with cancer, either undergoing treatment or fully recovered.
(http://www.dominicanhospital.org/Medical_Services/Cancer_Care/052801).

SHE IS STILL MAMA is written for the young child (2-6 years old), and provides a unique view into the topic of breast cancer. Very few books approach this subject with young children and yet, there are hundreds of thousands of women diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Since 1999, incidence rates of certain types of breast cancer have increased in younger women (Breast Cancer Facts & Figures, 2009-2010, American Cancer Society). Mothers with breast cancer are in need of targeted support for their young children.

Tattoo Update

On April 6th, I will get my first tattoo. Over the years, I've been intrigued by tattoos, and even open to them. I just never felt connected to a particular image or symbol that I wanted on my body for the rest of my life. 

Now, I find myself in a position where a tattoo is not only a statement, but a reclaiming, a redefining and a healing of my body and my soul. 

A lot of women (but definitely not all) who have had a mastectomy undergo reconstruction. And one of the things that we have to face is the nipple situation. A reconstructed breast doesn't have a nipple. This is added later, either created by a plastic surgeon or a tattoo artist. There are 3-D nipple tattoos that look quite natural and are very popular. 

For me though, there are a few things going on. First, I have one natural breast and nipple and one reconstructed breast (no nipple). So, it would be challenging to create a symmetrical nipple that has the matching skin tone to my real nipple. But to be honest, I never even got that far. Because I don't feel like my reconstructed breast is a breast at all.

In my mind, I definitely do not need a nipple. It's been almost two years since my mastectomy and reconstruction, and I'm just barely getting reconnected to this part of my body. I'm not sure whether this will ever feel like a breast to me. (So, hint: no nipple tattoo for me.)

My tattoo artist is Kristy Quinones at Black and Blue Tattoo in San Francisco. She is working with my inspirations to create the perfect design for me. The artistic elements are particular to my breast cancer experience, and at the same time transcend that journey and speak to my life as a whole. I can hardly wait. 

* Photo Credits: all photos are from p.ink/personal ink Pinterest boards https://www.pinterest.com/personalink/

Boob Ink

I'm planning my mastectomy tattoo. Some of you might be surprised by this. Here's how it happened. 

I met a lovely friend, a fellow breast cancer survivor who came to look at some shoes I was selling. She didn't buy the shoes, but we found we have some common ground in life. Different shoes but similar path. She recently had her mastectomy tattoo done by a P.ink artist in San Francisco. P.ink stands for Personal Ink and provides tattoo ideas and artist info to breast cancer survivors. https://www.pinterest.com/personalink/

My new friend inspired me to start thinking about a new phase of my healing process. I've gone through surgeries, treatments and they've left their marks on my body. I've had reconstruction of my left breast (although it doesn't feel like a breast anymore to me), and I've sat with it the way it is for over a year. I really don't want to do a nipple construction (see above comment about not feeling like this is a breast), and haven't thought much about body art. Until now. 

I am just starting out in my process. First I looked at bunches of mastectomy tattoos and could easily point out what I don't want. No offense at all to other women's choices. It's so personal. But some of the art and placement just doesn't appeal to me. 

Slowly, images starting coming to me. Things that have special meaning to my particular transformation, ignited by a breast cancer diagnosis. I'm collecting inspirations on my Pinterest board here: http://pinterest.com/karencroos/body-art/

Do you have a tattoo? What inspired you to do body art?