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 […]
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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 […]
Obligatory Contemplative Post-Book-Sale Blog Post
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 […]
What To Do When Your Book Is On Submission
My picture book is on submission! What does that mean? Well, this is the phase when you’ve signed with a super duper agent (see previous post), you’ve made any edits to your manuscript that the agent suggests and then the agent submits your book to a list of editors at various publishing houses who he […]