Okay–this is supposed to be my *Year of No Excuses* so I’m not making any. I still have to achieve my writing targets for the year–it’s just that I’m six months behind! Three things happened this month, however, that are helping me get my brain–and my fingers–back where they belong.
First, I accepted an invitation to appear at an Authors Panel at the Sankofa Cultural Arts & Business Center in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. I spoke on a panel with four other authors–I was the only children’s author. The panel’s authors had a variety of publishing experiences–traditional publishing in the adult market, self-published in adult fiction, and self-published and print-on-demand with inspirational books. The audience was engaged, we had a professional journalist as the moderator (CLTV’s Tonya Franciso) and it was great. Thanks to Stacia Crawford for inviting me.
Second, my sis-in-law LD emailed me to ask questions about how to get her children’s story published. So rather than bore her to death in a fifty-page email, we sat down together. It was fun to share with her a lot of the things I’ve learned along the way so she can avoid the really dumb mistakes I made when I started out. And she’s so smart, she had already figured out to join SCBWI! With patience and persistence (things I know she’s good at), I know it’s just a matter of time before we see her in print!
Then, my publisher Albert Whitman invited me to a party during ALA! Before I was published, I always was jealous of people who got invited to publisher parties and now I get to go.
While my mom was in the hospital and rehab, I found it easier to sew in the few blocks of time I had at home so I have some dandy tote bags and purses I’ll be listing on eBay soon! But now it’s time to head back to my picture book and novel. Sometimes you have to feel like a writer to write. Thanks, folks, for helping me get back to work!
