SARK - Make Your Creative Dreams Real: A Plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, and People Who Would Really Rather Sleep All Day

A Plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists,
Busy People, and People Who Would Really
Rather Sleep All Day

Sark

A Fireside Book
New York London Toronto Sydney

Jupiter is my big black cat who watches over everything. He is wearing his creative dream hat.

PHOTO CREDITS

Photo of Katie Grant Alden by Jeff Smith

Photo of Vanessa Carlisle by Kristin Hayes

Photo of John Noonan by Sabrina Ward Harrison

Photo of Elissa Rabellino by Katie Horacek

Photo of Andrea Scher by Rikka Zimmerman

Photo of Val Tate by Alan Mathiowetz

Photo of Jennifer Wright by Judy Wright

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Copyright 2004 by SARK

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DESIGNED BY JILL WEBER

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is available

ISBN 0-7432-2921-5

ISBN 0-7432-6924-1(Pbk)

ISBN 978-0-7432-6924-7

eISBN 978-1-4391-0354-8

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Permissions appear on page 278.

This Book is Dedicated To The Grace and Beauty of My God Children and Their Creative Dreams Emily Zoe Vanessa

May All of Our Creative Dreams Heal And Illuminate This Dear World of Ours

I believe that creative dreams saved my life. As a young girl, I was physically and sexually abused by a family member, and my creative dreams were my haven and retreat from those experiences.

My creative dreams fueled me, filled me with wonder, and infused me with certainty that there was something in the world that was good.

I saw one of my first creative dreams come alive in the second grade when I came home from school and announced to my mother:

I think that show-and-tell should be ME every day.

She explained that the other kids needed a chance too. I told her that the other kids wanted me to show and tell every day. I told them about the many things that happened to me on my walk to school. I saw and heard so many things that I wanted to share:

The gooseberry bush you could climb inside and then eat your way out of.

Ducks feet on flat wet rocks in the creek.

The snapping turtle that lived under a large mossy log.

The woman with the big broom and the even bigger cat.

The angry German shepherd in the wire cage at the end of the alley.

The gang of kids down the block who rode in loud, fast cars.

The quiet boy who sat on his front step.

LUCKILY, my teacher saw my enthusiasm and sent me to other grades to do my show-and-tell. My teachers support encouraged me to pay attention to such things and to develop my visionskills I still use in writing my books. I am still paying close attention to my world and sharing it with others.

WHEN I WAS 10, my best friend was 80 years old. His name was Mr. Boggs. His house was my refuge. He and I discussed my creative dreams and he inspired me to tell stories about what I saw in the world.

Mr. Boggs became very ill and went into the hospital. My mother explained that because of his age and health, he probably wouldnt be coming home. I vowed to create something for him every day that he was in the hospital, and sent handmade books, cards, and posters.

He did get out of the hospital, and when he did he said to me, I think you saved my life. No one else called or wrote, and I had to get out to see you.

I immediately started writing my first book, because I thought that if my art and words could affect one person that much, what might happen if I could share them with the world?

A big creative dream was born that summer and it continues to live to this day.

FROM AGES 14 TO 26, I put my creative dreams on hold as I attended school and experimented with hundreds of part-time jobs.

When I was 26, I decided to make my creative dream of living as an artist and writer real. I began by creating art and writing to share with the world. For years, my art and writing was rejected by magazines, newspapers, and publishing companies. Although it must be said that I didnt send it out very often, because I was too busy surviving and crafting new work.