Illustrations begin!

Just met with my illustrator, Glori Alexander yesterday and discussed illustration options.  This is like the best part to me because it is really all coming together now.  I was surprised when she told me many authors have the text and no idea what they want the book to look like.  I showed up with pictures from the internet, photos I have taken and a whole bunch of ideas.  I can see pretty much the entire book in my head. If they'll just use my ideas and add their own professional improvements, it's going to be great!  I did learn a couple of things...the book will be 6X9 soft cover (portrait style not landscape) and will for sure not be in the stores before Christmas, but I possibly will have them available for personal sale in late November, early December.   I will be able to get hardcover copies for my own distribution, but stores will only have soft back available.  I really hoped for a bigger book, but was told by the publisher the smaller books sell better because of limited space in the bookstores, the cost is lower and they are easy for small hands to hold. That's why they are a publisher and I am not!  I can't wait until Tuesday when my first sketch of the main character will arrive for me to approve!