“And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”
― Meister Eckhart
Two months ago from today, I officially completed the last sketch that is featured in Beneath the Lantern’s Glow – and what a two months it has been, my friends.
Life has been a bit on the crazy side in Virginia, but through it all, I’m so grateful for the gift of these last few weeks. Not only has it allowed me to be present with my family and make some seriously great memories, but it’s also given me time to put together my first book of travel sketches, Beneath the Lantern’s Glow.
While the book itself is “going live” today, there are also a few other exciting things happening with it. Because of this, it occurred to me last night that although I thought I was launching a book, in reality I’ve been launching a business. As I shared on Monday, it has been far from easy, but it’s amazing to now step back and think about how much this experience has taught me.
As my brain currently resembles a pinball machine (the fact that I’m leaving for the West Coast tomorrow and attempting to pack for 40 days in a carry-on doesn’t help!), I thought a list might be best for making sure I cover everything I’m excited to announce today.
And then I thought, why not make the list a final countdown to Beneath the Lantern’s Glow? So without further ado, here we go…
10. Notecards
I love how some mistakes turn out: Initially ordering the wrong cardstock ended up inspiring me to design this set of 8 notecards + envelopes ($16 per set) featuring different motifs from four sketches paired with classic quotes about travel. Whether you’re writing from home or spreading a little magic on the road, I hope these notecards will be an excellent way to convey stories of your adventures to family and friends.
9. Greeting cards
Another stationery item in the Etsy shop is this set of 8 custom blank greeting cards + envelopes ($22 per set) that includes two each of four full-scene sketches: ones from Singapore, Japan, Laos, and Cambodia. They are printed on ridiculously beautiful Strathmore cardstock that has a textured feel to it and a deckled edge – it almost seems like you’re holding the original sketch itself.
8. Prints
I know that if I keep saying “I’m excited to announce,” I’m going to lose a serious amount of credibility with you, but my excitement continues with these four limited-edition prints – featuring what you voted on Facebook to be your favorite scenes from Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and Thailand ($35 each).
The sketches are high-quality reproductions on acid-free, 85lb. natural white cardstock and available as 8″ x 10″, but come ready to frame in an 11”x14” matte. (Please note the frame is sadly not included!)
7. New sketching website
Like a growing family comes to that point of needing a bigger house, I realized a couple of weeks ago that it was probably time to establish a website just for my travel sketching – and so I am quite excited to share Serendipity’s Sketchbook with you today! From a list of sketching services I offer to an online storefront featuring the above products, my sketches now have a home of their own on the interweb.
6. Book trailer
Every new book being launched needs its own trailer, right? I figured so and put together this short video to not only welcome visitors to Serendipity’s Sketchbook, but to also help get the word out about Beneath the Lantern’s Glow – I hope you enjoy it! (And if you’re ever looking for an easy way to create beautiful videos, I just stumbled across Animoto and am already in love with it.)
5. A peek inside the book
Sketching products, website, and trailer aside, what I’m honestly most stoked about today is launching the book itself – and to prove it, here’s a sneak peek inside it! Beneath the Lantern’s Glow is 56 pages long and designed as an 8.5” x 8.5” square – a format that I’m hoping will make for a perfect gift.
There are 20 full-scene sketches and accompanying stories…
Travel resources for each country visited…
And a double-page spread dedicated to the fellow sketch artists I serendipitously met along the way (thank you, Kim, for the brilliant idea!).
4. Giveaway
I’m blown away that over sixty people entered the giveaway for two free copies of Beneath the Lantern’s Glow, as well as for a sketchbook and mixed media art set. Today, I’m happy to announce that Brandee and Matilda are the winners! I’ll be sending you both an email to get your address, but in the mean time, thanks so much to everyone who took the time to enter.
3. Thank you!
They say it takes a village (whoever “they” is), and I couldn’t agree more. I’m endlessly grateful to my sister, Brooke Van Groningen, for her design assistance, and to my dear friend Erin Ridley, whose unbeatable editorial eye made sure all my t’s were crossed and I’s dotted in the sketch stories.
I also want to thank my lovely mother, Janell, who has been an indispensable creative consultant over the last few months and graciously put up with the rollercoaster of emotions this experience has sent me on.
And finally, thank you! The support I have received here on the blog for my sketches has truly been a huge factor in launching the business – I can’t wait to tell you about my next sketching trip and continue sharing sketches from that journey with you.
2. Dedication
The last thank you is to the three amazing women that Beneath the Lantern’s Glow is dedicated to: fellow writers and artists Hannah, Jenny, and Kim. You may remember reading about my unofficial writing retreat in Goa earlier this year – as much as I loved the laidback lifestyle and my proximity to the Arabian Sea, what truly made my five weeks there was the creative community I found.
It was with Hannah, Jenny, and Kim that I first worked out the details of Sketching Southeast Asia and Japan, over epic Magic View breakfasts and sunset strawberry daiquiris at Boomshankar, and I could not be more grateful for their wisdom and support…one day we’ll all get back to Goa together!
1. Beneath the Lantern’s Glow – now for sale!
I won’t say much more here, other than that you can now officially purchase Beneath the Lantern’s Glow for $16.99. Head to Amazon to be one of the first to get a copy!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a bottle of champagne to go crack open…
Congratulations Candace ~ You’ve created such a gorgeous collection of goodies –
My book’s on order!!
*chink* to that glass of champagne 😉
Thanks so much, Linda! I know you definitely understand the feeling of finally having a creative product all finished up 🙂 Can’t wait to cross paths with you one day!
Wow, wow, wow!!! I am utterly blown away by how incredible everything looks – I love it all, and it was so wonderful to see you on your video! I am just brimming over with joy and pride at all that you have achieved since those early conversations about your idea while we were still in Goa. And don’t even get me started on your beautiful dedication… I can’t tell you how honoured and moved I am. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart. Enjoy your champagne, it’s so well deserved. Now I’m off to tell everyone I know to buy your book xxx
Thank you so much, my friend – your kind words mean the absolute world to me. It’s been such a crazy process trying to put everything together, but it’s wonderful to finally have it all up – now begins the fun stage of spreading the news about it 🙂 So wish I could come see you guys in Indo while you’re there!
Everything looks incredible and the video was GORGEOUS – congratulations!
Thanks, Alana!! I’d never heard of Animoto before, but I was pretty happy they make it so easy to create such fun videos 🙂 Hope you’re doing well!
Wow wow wow! Im really excited for you – this is like a new stage in your career and life and I cant be more thrilled for you! It’s amazing how much you’ve done in the two months since you finished your last sketch, bravo!
We’re just in the process of printing photos to hang on our walls at home, definitely getting those sketch prints to decorate our home. 😉
On my way to Amazon and Etsy now!
Cheers, Nellie
Thank you, Nellie!! It’s been so fun to watch both our journeys unfold over these last couple of years – from magazines to sketches to books, etc. 🙂 This definitely feels like the next stage in both my career and life itself, and I know I can’t wait to see your own new stage as an author open up as well!
Congrats! What a gorgeous list of very thoughtful products! Hope you continue with with other countries!
Thanks so much, Erin! I so appreciate that 🙂 And I do indeed have a new sketching trip in the works, so I can’t wait to share more details about it with you soon!
So exciting for you!! The products are lovely. I start my Camino in two weeks, and while I’m not much of a sketch artist, hopefully I can capture my own journey through my camera lense.
Thank you, Cat!! I am unbelievably jealous that you’ll be hitting The Way so soon – but also seriously excited for you 🙂 Whether you end up sketching the Camino or capturing it with your camera, I can’t wait to follow along.
Congratulations! Everything looks so fantastic and I’m thrilled for you. Also, thank you for sharing your dreams on this road to your new business… it gives all of us striving towards making our dream life work hope that it can be done!
Thanks so much, Rhonda! That means a lot. And you are absolutely welcome – I know how difficult it is to get a dream off the ground, so I always enjoy sharing about the process here to give others a bit of encouragement 🙂
I’m so happy for you!!! Congratulations on finishing this amazing process. Although it really has only begun.
Thank you, Carmel!! And yes – don’t you love it when beginnings and endings get all convoluted? 🙂
Off to spend some money now…. {I am so proud of you!}
Thank you so much, BabuJ! I’ve really loved putting this together and can’t wait to hear what you think of the book 🙂 Miss you heaps!!
And I, you. I’m so curious as to what you’re doing next!
I will certainly keep you posted!! There’s another sketching trip in the works, but I need to get a few more things lined up before revealing it yet 🙂 I’m so sorry that I still owe you an email, but know that I think of you often and hope island life is treating you well!
Super-glad to see all this unfold! Big big congratulations! 🙂
Thanks so much, Abhi! I really appreciate your kind words. It has definitely been a fun challenge putting it all together – now I hope you enjoy the book 🙂
Congratulations!
You’ve inspired me – once again – to get my finger out and do more with my sketches… And to actually sketch more; something I haven’t been doing for a while. I realise when I see other travel sketches how much I miss having the time to do it. Note to self: do at least one a month.
Can’t wait to seeing the finished product. Heading over to Amazon now 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind words, Linda – it’s wonderful to hear from you here! Sketching has definitely become one of my favorite things to do on a trip now – it really helps me see a place with fresh and focused eyes. I love that you’re setting yourself a sketching goal – and hopefully you might even want to share one or two for the summer’s sketchbook roundup? I’d love to see them 🙂
right now im inspired by YOU! gonna start my own series of sketches! Thank you Candace!
That’s fantastic to hear, Hidir! Can’t wait to see your sketches 🙂