JANES Works Blog

The happenings of JANES Works Company

NEW RELEASE!!

Penny Picklepants     Introducing Penny Picklepants And the Twenty-Pickle Pie, by A.M. Jones. Penny Picklepants, as she is prone to remind everyone and anyone who will listen, is about to start the 6th grade, and that means that she is practically an adult… at least, according to Penny it does. If there are three things that define Penny Picklepants, they are: Shopping, Fashion, Pickles, and, well… more Pickles. After all, Penny is on a quest, a quest to become the youngest professional pickle taster in the history of the family pickle plant. But in order to become the world’s youngest ever professional pickle taster ever, Penny will first need to find a way to save the family pickle plant. Unfortunately, Penny’s plans often have a way of going horribly awry. And you can be sure that this plan will be no exception.  

Doodle Spy is also on Amazon Apps…

Horray! Our latest app, Doodle Spy, was also just released for the Kindle Fire and all Android devices on Amazon Apps: 

Doodle Spy

Look for it on iPad/iPhone and Nook devices very soon. 

Introducing: Penny Picklepants

JANES Works Publishing is very excited to introduce Penny Picklepants, a novel by A.M. Jones. Penny Picklepants has just started the 6th grade and is on a quest to become the youngest pickle taster in the history of the family pickle plant. Unfortunately, Penny’s plans often have a way of going horribly awry. And this plan is no exception. Penny Picklepants, a novel by A.M. Jones, will be released in July 2012.

And there’s a blog:  http://pennypicklepants.tumblr.com/

The blog will track the progress of A.M. Jones’ book and will include lots of great sneak peeks, as well as info about the author and the characters of her book. So head on over and check out the blog, “like” it, “follow” it, and tell everyone you know about Penny Picklepants (pretty please!!!)

JANES Works Publishing is very excited to introduce The Boy and His Bear, by James A. Potter, illustrated by Jason Rushton. The Boy and His Bear is a heartwarming tale about the adventures of a boy and his big, cuddly bear. Follow the adventures of the boy and his bear as they roam about with nary a care, and discover their most favorite things in the whole wide world such as fishing, swimming, having thumb wars, and so much more. The Boy and His Bear will be released in July 2012, by JANES Works Publishing in print and e-book. There may even be an app or two as well. And there’s a blog just for the book here: http://theboyandhisbear.tumblr.com/The blog will track the progress of the book from start to finish and will include lots of great sneak peeks, as well as info about the author and illustrator. So head on over and check out the blog, “like” it, “follow” it, and tell everyone you know about The Boy and His Bear (pretty please!!!)

JANES Works Publishing is very excited to introduce The Boy and His Bear, by James A. Potter, illustrated by Jason Rushton. The Boy and His Bear is a heartwarming tale about the adventures of a boy and his big, cuddly bear. Follow the adventures of the boy and his bear as they roam about with nary a care, and discover their most favorite things in the whole wide world such as fishing, swimming, having thumb wars, and so much more. The Boy and His Bear will be released in July 2012, by JANES Works Publishing in print and e-book. There may even be an app or two as well. 

And there’s a blog just for the book here: http://theboyandhisbear.tumblr.com/

The blog will track the progress of the book from start to finish and will include lots of great sneak peeks, as well as info about the author and illustrator. So head on over and check out the blog, “like” it, “follow” it, and tell everyone you know about The Boy and His Bear (pretty please!!!)

Birthdays… The Circle of Life

(Please sing the following ditty to the birthday song tune, as you sing to yourself…yes to yourself, you are no Lady Gaga,  you may dress like her, meat dress in all but there is only one Lady Gaga and you are not her!)

Happy birthday to me,

Happy birthday to me,

Happy birthday to all those whose birthdays were yesterday,

Happy birthday to me…and to you…and to you as well as the other person that had their birthday on this day….

When you are a kid, your birthday is the most amazing day.  It’s all about you and whatever you want to do.  On that one day, you are truly the center of the universe.  From the minute you wake up to the minute you are forced to bed by your parents because they are tired of treating you like the center of the universe, it is all about you. 

But then a funny thing happens as you start to experience more and more of these self-centered days (hopefully for most it only happens one day a year and not 365 days a year).  You start to get older and start to realize the world doesn’t revolve around you on this annual celebration of your birth.  You start to realize that no matter what day it is, you still have responsibility and people are counting on you to fulfill your responsibilities. 

I guess for me it was when I turned 24 that I suddenly realized this.  I was a mom of a one month old baby and all I wanted for my birthday that year was sleep.  I felt like I wasn’t asking for much, it was even free.  However, much to my chagrin, I didn’t get what I wanted that year.  I had a new born baby that still needed me to feed him, change him, burp him, and make him the center of the universe.  And that is exactly what I did, I made him the center of my universe on my birthday and every day that followed.  Two more boys would come during a course of a few years to throw the balance off of me being the center of the universe on March 27th. 

However, as hard as it was to come to terms of not being the center of all living on March 27th, I realized that it was okay.  I really don’t mind doing dishes on my birthday, I really don’t mind folding 3 loads of laundry on my birthday, I don’t even mind not getting the Hermes Birkin bag that I have been wanting for the last 15 years.  I am fine fulfilling my duties as a mother to my family on my birthday and you know why….because in about 15 years my boys will experience the circle of life!

Older, Fatter, and Grayer

I seem to always make fun of my age.  It makes me feel better when I can laugh at myself and the fact that getting older really is not that enjoyable.  Sure you gain wisdom as well as weight.  Sure you understand the world better as well the law of gravity, if you get my drift.  Sure you see things clearer as well as watching your hair go gray.  A girl, who is 17, asked me why women fight aging so much.  I replied with a “well, your 17 inside and out and it is a strange sensation when your inside age (18 for me….okay more like 15) doesn’t quite match up with your outside age (25 for me…okay more like *BLEEP*).”  She didn’t get it…

But as much as I fight aging and getting older, fatter, and grayer, at least I am getting older, fatter, and grayer.  Today I am going to a childhood friend’s funeral.  She is leaving behind a family of 2 boys and countless of loved ones and friends.  When I think about how I am always making fun of getting older, I have to remind myself that at least I can.  This sweet woman who has passed on no longer can make fun of her aging body; can no longer laugh at gaining weight, no longer worry about her beautiful blonde hair going gray.  She can no longer hug her family; she can no longer do the things that we take advantage of every day.

So why such a somber blog today when I could brighten up my day by listing all the crazy things that happened this weekend?  Well, sometimes you need a somber moment to remember that at least you have another moment.  Another moment to tell the people you love that you love them (including yourself), another moment to do the things you love and another moment to do whatever makes you feel alive.  I think today I will hug my kids a little bit longer; I will kiss my husband a little bit longer, and remind myself that it’s a good thing that I am getting a little bit older, fatter, and grayer. 

The boys viewing Delicate Arch from the Window (Arches National Park). 

The boys viewing Delicate Arch from the Window (Arches National Park).