Red Faced

Talk about humble pie. I sit here, shaking my head, and growling at my own temerity and stupidity.

While in New Zealand in November, 2012, for the premiere of The Hobbit, I met Martin Baynton. I didn't know much about Martin except that he was part of the Jane and the Dragon TV series creation. Now, I've watched Jane for many a year, even before my granddaughter was of the age to appreciate the show, and I loved them. Mostly because Jane knows who she is and fights for herself. 

But I flubbed this opportunity. I blew it. When I met him, I touted my own book. Asked him to look at it. Which he agreed to. 

As I've suggested here before, when I returned home, I started to research him in preparation for sending him my MS for 'Sorrysorrysorry.' 

The man is akin to Maurice Sendak. Honestly. He wrote a truckload of Jane books (for his daughter) and a series about a tractor, Fifty, (for his son). He moved from England to New Zealand and cold-called Sir Richard Taylor. The results of that meeting were the production of Jane for NZ TV. The series is awesome. Jane is a feisty girl who insists that she be trained as a knight. No frilly gowns for her. 

Martin went on to create the WotWots, published by Harper Collins, and turned that into a TV series. Great fun for preschoolers. 

Both productions are syndicated worldwide as of today.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv/8051625/Martin-Bayntons-charmed-life

http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Baynton/e/B001HPJGY8

http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/Writers/Profiles/Baynton,%20Martin

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/parent-child/meet-martin-baynton

http://www.wotwots.com/americas/home/   (There be kids games on this page - arrrgghhh)

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=the+wotwots&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=6689310327&hvpos=1t2&hvexid=&hvnetw=s&hvrand=1019966771625510348&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_4y253pi4td_b

OK - that's enough links!

I will not be cowed by my thoughtlessness. Opportunity comes but once sometimes and I'm very grateful I met Martin. Besides this apology, I plan on giving him a face-to-face apology when I travel to NZ in 2014. I hope.

Again - research is so very important. For every phase of your writing career. Could'a, should'a, would'a. Yes, I could have researched before meeting him. But - better late than never.

Life is complex.