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Sally Nurney's avatar

How do I purchase a print of that painting? ~ you are an amazing creator! Yes, be kind to yourself, as you would like to be to Lumi ~ This painting calms me down too ~ brings great peace and trust in the divine - are you offering prints? I love your letters, every one... believe in yourself enough!

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Melanie Lan's avatar

Thank you so much Sally!! That means a lot! ❤️ I have been chipping away slowly at a way to sell prints on my webshop, and hope to have an option to sell prints before the year is over!!

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Lis Scarpace's avatar

I have found that one of the hardest parts of becoming a parent was having to take a step back from all the things I want to make. And it hasn't been a step back permanently but...just for a little while. And for me the hard part was that becoming a parent made my creativity explode in a way that it hadn't before. So how do we do it - make everything we want to make but with way less time? I still haven't figured it out.

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Melanie Lan's avatar

It's so real, artists who have been mothers are so underrepresented in the arts and the most famous female artists in the world (Georgia O'Keeffe, Yayoi Kusama, etc.) were child-free. It's so hard to find the balance between caretaking and taking care of the self.

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Kasey Wagoner's avatar

Your children’s books WILL be amazing 🥰❤️

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Melanie Lan's avatar

Thank you Kasey 🥰🥲

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Emily Wilson's avatar

I love reading your letters Melanie, they bring my joy :) That photo of you is so lovely - you look like a being from one of your paintings, floating in a colourful world. And Lumi appreciating your art is just so so cute!!

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Melanie Lan's avatar

Aw thank you Emily!! ❤️

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sarah hoenicke flores's avatar

I'm a literary novelist, but I'm also writing a children's book at present. I'd be happy to talk about what I've found as I've looked into this newer process, and about how I found my agent team.

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Melanie Lan's avatar

Ahh how cool!!!!! I’d love to hear about your process sometime!!

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sarah hoenicke flores's avatar

I know it's crazy right now as you balance work and family life. Let me know when you feel things slowing, and we can schedule a time.

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Wendy Price's avatar

Sweet Melanie- the feelings you are describing are so common in new mothers with few close family support. I had sever post partum depression after my second child. This will pass. It’s ok to feel down but you are doing amazing and I am so proud of you and Thane. Much love Wendy

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Melanie Lan's avatar

Thank you so much Wendy, I really appreciate your words, kindness, and support ❤️

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Susan Cabael's avatar

Happy to chat with you about children's picture books! My Substack "A Perpetual Work in Progress" is all about my writing journey and includes picture book reviews. While every post includes info about what I did each week related to writing, this one round-up post has links to all the ones from 2024 that focus on the writerly life.

https://susancabael.substack.com/p/writerly-life-recap

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