Blue & Moo Goo

Blue & Moo Goo

Why not, I said to myself. Become a famous writer, how hard could it be. I think I’ll start with writing Picture Books; I like to draw. I can see myself now, sitting in the children’s cove at Barnes & Noble, coffee in one hand, my favorite pen in the other. Little rosy-cheeked prince and princesses waiting in line to get their favorite book signed, well, at least favorite for now. Only one nose picker today, not bad. I had just read to them for storytime, and not one of them fell asleep. They were engaged; it is a good day.

That was several years ago I had this vision. I sent a copy of a children’s story to several publishers. Not one bite. I did, however, get a positive note from one of them. They told me that it was good, but they couldn’t publish it at that time. So I moved on. I said to myself, "someday, I will publish this myself." That day has not arrived just yet. The dream is still there, waiting. I know it’s good. It’s poetic; that is my forte. I am a poet, and I know it.

Illustrations are a bitch! (Oh, and I was kidding earlier, writing is hard!) I love to draw cute little drawings. One’s with stillness. But when I try and apply movement, I’m stumped, still, like a stump. I could draw that. It’s the flying, feeding, and fetching I have trouble with. My story has action; it moves and flows. The characters don’t just stand there looking pretty. They are living life in a fly-by kind of way. I wish they were still, in hindsight. This glorious, beautifully poetic story would be out there, with chubby sticky little hands holding it, loving it, if so. “Maybe you should get an illustrator,” my husband suggests. But then it wouldn’t be mine. It’s a picture book, that is the point of it, right? Pictures. Also, I am an artist, kind of. I’m really good at copying things. But when I’m working from a clean slate, it just doesn’t pop for me. I love mixed media because it’s not only about the drawing. The masterpiece comes to life with layers of composition. That I can do. But that is not Blue & Moo Goo. See for yourself.

Blue & Moo Goo

Moo Goo: What tootle-loo did you do Blue?

Blue: I tweedle-tweet flew further than you!

Note: Blue and Moo Goo begin a competition.

Moo Goo: Further than me fiddle-dee did she?

Blue: Flew higher than you, Moo Goo, did too!

Moo Goo: I Moo Goo can chirp louder than Blue!

Blue: How fiddle-dee can that really be?

Moo Goo: My beak-ie-beak is why squeak,

Squeaks louder than who?, well that’s you Blue!

Blue: I Blue too, can nest better than you,

Nest high in a tree, fiddle-dee, that’s me!

Moo Goo: You nest like the best Moo Goo does agree,

You do it twiggy-twig, leafy-leaf, beau-tif-fully!

Note: This is where Moo Goo falls for Blue, he sees her beautiful nest.

Moo Goo: But Blue do you think, and agree with me,

Moo Goo gathers food for the babies to be, gathers seeds, little seeds, and some worms you see,

Juicy worms, squiggly worms, wiggly fun for me?!

Blue: Yes, says Blue, I too do agree,

I nest like the best of the mommies to be,

And you Moo Goo, gathers food we see,

Yummy food, tasty food, for our family to be!

Note: This is where Blue falls for Moo Goo, she imagines him gathering food for her and her future babies.

Moo Goo: It’s true-oh Blue, you like me too-

You dream, tweedle-dee, of a future with me-

Little tweets, tiny chirps, loving mouths open wide-

Until then Blue, come fly by my side!

Note: This is where Blue and Moo Goo dream about a family and a life together.

So…

Blue, Moo Goo, and all their birdie friends,

Fly high in the sky, in a twirl and then,

They squawk and they squeak from morning till night,

It’s a tweedle-tweet,

fiddle-dee,

toot-a-loo sight!

Note: Closing scene with baby birds in a tree chirping, Blue and Moo Goo and friends twirling all around squawking and squeaking happily ever after.

The End

By: Kimberly Paulus

Copyright 2008 Kimberly Paulus

See? Movement, lots of it. And wow, 2008, it’s been a while. Question to self, why did I create a manuscript version? Did I already see it becoming a play or movie? Confidence, I like it!

This is the story I wish was read to me as a child, with beautifully illustrated charm. My inner child wants it to still become a reality. It could have been read to Sophia, my daughter. She was born in 2010. But she is 11 now and way past the picture book phase. Perhaps a new goal, grand-babies. I might have a fighting chance of this possibility. That gives me at least 10-20 more years to finish. I like those odds. In the meantime, if anyone that is reading this sparks a fire under this derriere, wants to see it finished, maybe wants to publish it, I think I could swing those colored pencils into motion!

* The Power Of Persuasion + The Burn Of The Butt=Dreams Of Blu & Moo Goo Come True.

By, Kimberly Paulus