Ask the Author: Carmela Dutra
Answered Questions (13)
Carmela Dutra
I have always wanted to visit the Misty Mountains and walk among Fangorn Forest.
Carmela Dutra
I have a few books that I hope to tackle before summer is over. The first I am more than half way finished with is Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel, and it's a real page-turner I can hardly put it down! Next is Child of a Hidden Sea by A.M. Dellamonica. Third is Sweet T and the Turtle Team by Cat Michaels.
Carmela Dutra
Hi Lissa!
The ranking I mentioned was due largely to when I had a free download of my first book The Adventures of Lorenzo the Bear Encounter at Jellyfish Cove. The ranking was only for that day, once the free downloaded ended the rankings changed a bit. You can get the rankings information by going to Amazon and look under product description for Amazon Best Sellers Rank: You will see all of the information there.
Hope this helps!
The ranking I mentioned was due largely to when I had a free download of my first book The Adventures of Lorenzo the Bear Encounter at Jellyfish Cove. The ranking was only for that day, once the free downloaded ended the rankings changed a bit. You can get the rankings information by going to Amazon and look under product description for Amazon Best Sellers Rank: You will see all of the information there.
Hope this helps!
Carmela Dutra
Hi J.D. Thank you for the question!
That is a really good question, one I had to think about for a while. When I was in school I took creative writing classes, and I wrote off and on all through school. To be honest though, I don't think I really appreciated it back then the way I do now.
It wasn't until 5 years ago that I really started to dip my toes back into the writing pool so to speak. Once I started back down the road of writing I couldn't step away. It wasn't until I composed roughly 5 different stories that I realized this is a part of me. it's like a slight I cannot turn off, even if I try and suppress it something comes to mind that I have to jot down.
Even though I didn't always write, and turned away from it so to speak; writing never turned away from me.
That is a really good question, one I had to think about for a while. When I was in school I took creative writing classes, and I wrote off and on all through school. To be honest though, I don't think I really appreciated it back then the way I do now.
It wasn't until 5 years ago that I really started to dip my toes back into the writing pool so to speak. Once I started back down the road of writing I couldn't step away. It wasn't until I composed roughly 5 different stories that I realized this is a part of me. it's like a slight I cannot turn off, even if I try and suppress it something comes to mind that I have to jot down.
Even though I didn't always write, and turned away from it so to speak; writing never turned away from me.
Carmela Dutra
Hi Gomee Girl! Thank you for that wonderful compliment! I wouldn't say I have formal training. Yes I took art classes when I was in school, but I guess you could say that part of my brain is stronger? Everyone on my father's side of the family is an artist. So from a young age my father was helping to hone that inborn ability. Honestly I don't remember when I started down the road of art, I just know that I was doodling before I could even write my name, backwards C and all.
Art really is my passion, I live and breath art. I am not an outdoors person (too many allergies and asthma) but take me to an art museum and you have made my day!
Art really is my passion, I live and breath art. I am not an outdoors person (too many allergies and asthma) but take me to an art museum and you have made my day!
Carmela Dutra
Ooo… this can be a tricky one to answer. I feel like this is the age old question which came first, the chicken or the egg? I guess the answer in short would be both. There are times where a simple doodle will inspire the story behind the image.
I try and think about what it is that I want to write. If I want to write about dinosaurs, then I think about which ones I find most fascinating. Then sometimes I work in a combination style, a little writing followed with a little illustrating.
*** SPOILER ALERT! *** There will be an upcoming story where Lorenzo takes an adventure with some dinosaurs.
If I already have written the story first, then I always first reread the page I will be illustrating. I want to make sure the illustrations I create match the context of the story. If the illustration came first, then I look to see if I can make a cohesive story with it. Whatever I do has to flow. It cannot feel forced, or thrown together. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work and I move.
Great questions David! Thank you for keeping me on my toes!
I try and think about what it is that I want to write. If I want to write about dinosaurs, then I think about which ones I find most fascinating. Then sometimes I work in a combination style, a little writing followed with a little illustrating.
*** SPOILER ALERT! *** There will be an upcoming story where Lorenzo takes an adventure with some dinosaurs.
If I already have written the story first, then I always first reread the page I will be illustrating. I want to make sure the illustrations I create match the context of the story. If the illustration came first, then I look to see if I can make a cohesive story with it. Whatever I do has to flow. It cannot feel forced, or thrown together. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work and I move.
Great questions David! Thank you for keeping me on my toes!
Carmela Dutra
Well first off I would like to thank you David, for the lovely compliment you gave me. I appreciated it. I put a lot of time, and detail into each and every one of my illustrations.
That is a great question you asked, each time is different. I would like to say I know how I want each illustration to look, flow, and interact with each other; but I don’t. There have been times when I will have spent all day and night on an illustration just to crumble it and throw it away because I am dissatisfied in some way. Then we have the flip side, where I have no idea how I want something to turn out and then it’s like a happy accident.
I’ll give you an example from my next Lorenzo book, Journey to Honeysuckle Mountain. There is a character who will only appear once, his name is Hank the Hippo. From the moment I wrote that story I knew how Hank needed to look. I had to redraw him several times, in order to make the illustration match what was inside my head.
Sometimes I will sketch several styles of a character before settling on the finished product. I value the input of others around me, so I will and have on many occasions asked for suggestions. I look for what they like, or dislike in a sketch; this also helps me to build in certain areas.
That is a great question you asked, each time is different. I would like to say I know how I want each illustration to look, flow, and interact with each other; but I don’t. There have been times when I will have spent all day and night on an illustration just to crumble it and throw it away because I am dissatisfied in some way. Then we have the flip side, where I have no idea how I want something to turn out and then it’s like a happy accident.
I’ll give you an example from my next Lorenzo book, Journey to Honeysuckle Mountain. There is a character who will only appear once, his name is Hank the Hippo. From the moment I wrote that story I knew how Hank needed to look. I had to redraw him several times, in order to make the illustration match what was inside my head.
Sometimes I will sketch several styles of a character before settling on the finished product. I value the input of others around me, so I will and have on many occasions asked for suggestions. I look for what they like, or dislike in a sketch; this also helps me to build in certain areas.
Carmela Dutra
Honestly, everyday things will spark an idea. For example with my next series I have coming out Little Katie. I saw a picture that had a little girl pulling down a star that said "Reach for the Stars" and that's all it took for Little Katie to be born.
Carmela Dutra
It gets easier, don't give up! Be sure to read too. You have to be willing to take in material if you're going to put out.
Carmela Dutra
Well I must say I enjoy that the commute pretty easy LOL one of the best things for me is that, no matter how much you write you still create something special. There seems to always be a little bit of magic in everything you weave.
Carmela Dutra
i have been currently working on illustrations for my next two stories. One is another Lorenzo book Journey to Honeysuckle Mountain that will be released in the next few months. The other is a new series about a little girl and her puppy, they visit places and teach the reader facts about each place they go.
Carmela Dutra
It's not always easy. As a matter of fact I am still stuck on one story, I have been for a while now! When it hits I do one of a few things. 1. talk it out with my sisters. 2. Set it down and walk away and come back. Either within a few hours or a few days. 3. I'll an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond.
If all else I just have to let it be until something sparks in me to start up again.
If all else I just have to let it be until something sparks in me to start up again.
Carmela Dutra
The story behind Lorenzo is actually a twofold story. When I was little I was afraid of the dark, so my father gave me this bear and told me he would help me sleep at night. I loved him so much and named him the Brave Bear Lorenzo, he had a special place on my bed among all my other stuffed animals. So between Lorenzo and a trusty night light I was able to sleep at night.
A few years back I had been visiting my family in Southern California; as we were saying our goodbyes my niece couldn’t stop crying over the fact that David and I were leaving. I promised her I would send her something special. I decided to send her my precious Lorenzo. I told her how much I loved him when I was her age and then I needed her to take care of him for me; and if she ever felt lonely and missed me to hug him and he’ll hug her back for me.
My nephew asked me one day to write him something to read, something funny that could have pictures too. Well I had no idea what to write about, so I started thinking about what I would like to read if I was a kid. I always loved reading about adventures so I started thinking about what kind of adventures could there be? Who would take these adventures? Then I remembered my Brave Bear Lorenzo and figured what better character than him to have in my stories. That is the story of how Lorenzo the Bear came to life.
A few years back I had been visiting my family in Southern California; as we were saying our goodbyes my niece couldn’t stop crying over the fact that David and I were leaving. I promised her I would send her something special. I decided to send her my precious Lorenzo. I told her how much I loved him when I was her age and then I needed her to take care of him for me; and if she ever felt lonely and missed me to hug him and he’ll hug her back for me.
My nephew asked me one day to write him something to read, something funny that could have pictures too. Well I had no idea what to write about, so I started thinking about what I would like to read if I was a kid. I always loved reading about adventures so I started thinking about what kind of adventures could there be? Who would take these adventures? Then I remembered my Brave Bear Lorenzo and figured what better character than him to have in my stories. That is the story of how Lorenzo the Bear came to life.
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