In 1984, I was 14 years old, so I can’t say I was one of the sixteen members pictured in the above sketch by Lee J. Ames...although it appears as if I do see, hmmm…could it be Joan Rivers? Perhaps, Goldie Hawn? Maybe Carol Burnett, even - Joyce Brothers?

The question is though – who is it that you see?

I can say though, that I have always had a passion for drawing and in the fourth grade, I won a national competition for 5-A-Day – through the Produce for Better Health Foundation - that incorporated a collection of different fruits and vegetables that I drew having a huge party. I can still remember checking Lee’s books out of the little Catholic Library at Holy Angels School in Newark, Delaware, to come up with the concept behind that picture.  I don’t have the drawing (my Mom never kept it) but I do have the memories of sketching everything from cats and dogs to cars and trees when I was a child.

Of course, as you get older, the adage – “Use it or lose it.” – is absolutely correct. I stopped drawing in my later years of high school, became interested in other hobbies, mostly boys and my drawing skills became non-existent. It wasn’t until the birth of my son, that I began to think back to the joy that drawing gave me.

While reading storybooks to him, I began to reflect upon characters and backgrounds and began sketching again, even if it was only once a month. Pressures such as mortgages and other related bills can sometimes keep you from the hobbies you enjoyed as a youth, as you mostly focus on the responsibilities of adulthood.

Then, our son, Aaron – entered first grade and quite a bit of his homework required him to draw characters to illustrate stories, such as cats and butterflies and dogs. He would say, “I can’t draw a horse Mom!” And I would say, “If you say you can’t, then you won’t!”  I searched online for instructional drawing books that we could learn from, not remembering the authors’ name of the books I worked from as a child. And, I just never quite found what I was looking for.

I did, though, find Lee J. Ames’ Draw 50 explanatory website for his hardcopy of books. Oh, the memories that website brought back while reviewing the Draw 50 Titles and being an e-book junkie, sent Lee an email regarding the possibility of publishing his Children’s storybook, Goldie-Bear and the Three People as well as digitally marketing some of his Draw 50 E-books and, well, the rest is history.

I can’t say it was an easy task to accomplish. It was quite a bit of hard work and many late nights. No pain, no gain – right? At least that is one of my favorite slogans. I blame it on conditioning – you know, how you were brought up.

I have been in marketing and advertising for over 17 years and have always enjoyed working with people and helping them in whatever why I can. Isn’t that they reason we are here?

I am open to answering any questions regarding the Draw 50 series or about following your dreams in general. You can direct them to me at:

Debbie@learntodrawnow.com

I hope that everyone – children of all ages – enjoys working with Lee's e-books. Our goal is to market all of the Draw 50 Titles – 27 total as you read this, but, Lee is working on the 28th Draw 50 Title of the series as I type this – and it will soon be available in soft cover through Doubleday Broadway books – Draw 50 Princesses. Talk about an inspiration, with Lee having a birthday date of January 9th, 1921! Can you imagine?

For what it is worth - Lee J. Ames has certainly been my Prince and I can’t thank him and his wife, Jocelyn enough for their inspiration and cooperation with this project as well as Broadway/Doubleday books, Mark Kistler of Draw3D.com and of course my husband, Jeff and our son – Aaron.!