My debut picture book, “Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse,” sold to Penguin/Dial Books for Young Readers last week. There’s a period at the end of that sentence, though there should probably be 25 exclamation points. But that was last week, and like all human creatures, I’ve adapted to this incredible good news and […]
The Closet Creative Blog
So Much Book Fun!
Friends, Apologies for not blogging while my new website was built (shout-out to the super talented Ilsa Brink for creating this site for me!). Over the past few months, the art for my book was completed (a HUGE shout-out to the amazing Corinna Luyken). The book is now being printed and we are gearing up […]
Lessons on Plot
I’m just back from the Northern Ohio Regional SCBWI Conference, and my brain is teeming with ideas, so much so, that I feel I need the morning to decompress before diving back into writing my middle grade novel. While reviewing notes from the conference this morning, I’m thinking a lot about Newbery-winning author Linda Sue […]
Awesome Basement Re-do Starts with Something I Said I’d Never Do
Oh hey, what are you doing this summer? I’m outlining a new novel for middle graders while renovating our basement.As I’ve mentioned here before, I find that this whole thinking and planning stage of the writing process goes more smoothly if I regularly take time to let my mind just wander while I’m doing something […]
My New Favorite Thing: Little Free Libraries
Little Free Libraries are such amazing things, and I’m so proud to have played a part in bringing one to our elementary school. I cannot tell you how much joy it brings me to stop by the playground with my kids on the weekend and see children peeking eagerly into that box or sitting on […]
Writer’s High
So, it appears I’ve forgotten to post for awhile. In fact, I teased you with a February post just before I attended my first Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Conference in New York, and then I never followed up to tell you how it went, and that was very naughty of me, […]
Taking a Stand
I’m a week away from attending my first Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ (SCBWI) Conference and am feeling nervous and excited. The suitcase is already out. I’ve solicited advice from friends on what to wear, and disregarded it. (Everyone said to dress in black in New York, but I bought a skirt of […]
The Age of Success
I was at a party recently where a friend and I toasted our recent professional successes, when she said “I love the 40s!” She was referring to our ages, not the decade. Since my last post, I had a birthday and turned the calendar to a new year. These events happen on the same magical evening […]
Writing for Children, Message in Mind
I came across a tweet last week about writing for children that said if the writer’s message is to teach a lesson, the writer should throw that book away and start something else. As a new writer of children’s books, I’ve been thinking about that ever since. I think the person is referring to a […]