Picture Book Summit 2022

Well it’s been a week (or nearly) since Picture Book Summit 2022. It was my second experience with this one-day online summit where we spent nearly 10 hours listening to real time sessions with authors, editors, and others who love all things picture book. The highlight of the day, or the keynote, was Kate DiCamillo. What an amazing listen! My take-aways from the whole, intensive, mind-boggling day can be summed up in 1 word- continue.

This past year, I’ve decided to “continue” several times- after my critique groups have found flaws in every draft of stories I hold near to my heart, after rejection upon rejection, after I’ve spent hours away from my family holed up writing in my closet/laundry room/office, only to feel more discouraged than ever by the end of another day.

Than Kate spoke. And I’m continuing…

Ho! Ho! Ho! The 11th Annual Holiday Contest Is HERE!!!

Here is my entry into Susanna Leonard Hill’s fabulous contest:

Go Green for Christmas

“Due Monday- Go Green for Christmas contest entries,” said Mrs. Denton. “First place is fifty-dollars. Recycled materials only.”

“Fifty bucks?” Jake shouted. “I’ll take it!” Everyone laughed.

“Psst! Sam!” Jake whispered. He held a note.

“Not now, Jake,” Sam said.

Jake wasn’t the best listener: his note flew onto Sam’s desk.

“My house. Tomorrow morning. To create the WINNER!”

“I …work for my mom on Saturdays.”

“I’ll be there!” Alex said.

“Sam, breakfast!” Mom said.

“Do I have to help you collect garbage today?”

“Yes. Junking is how I get supplies.”

“Most artists buy supplies, Mom,” Sam said.

“I’m not most artists. I’m The Junk Lady- ‘Making Garbage Artfully Useful.’”

“Look at that!” Mom said fifteen minutes later. Her pick-up truck was soon filled with construction cones.

Mom turned left. “Doesn’t Jake live on this street?”

Sam crouched down. Maybe Jake wouldn’t notice him.

“There’s your friend now.”

Alex stood in Jake’s driveway.

Jake burst out of his house.

“You made it!” Jake said.

Alex snickered. “Your mom collects garbage?”

“Uh…yeah,” Sam said.

“Go ahead, Sam.” Mom said. “I’ll manage alone today.”

Mom hit the gas. A cone fell off the truck and landed straight up. Jake threw the basketball to Alex.

Alex missed.

Sam ducked. The ball settled on the cone.

“Wow!” Alex said.

“It’s a…funky Christmas tree,” Sam said.

Jake opened the recycling bin. “Just needs decorations.”

“Being The Junk Lady’s son is pretty great,” Sam said Monday, as the principal placed a blue ribbon on the tree.

Starting Somewhere

I’m actually doing this! Being new to this whole blogging thing, of course I’m a bit nervous. My friend Rich who is also a free lance writer blogged for years. Do you think I ever read a single post? Nope, and I should have, being that Rich has read every word of what I’ve sent him by way of critique. Now that I’ve taken my own free lance writing to a new level (writing at least an hour a day, more on weekends, attending a lot of webinars and online events for writers, joining a critique group and submitting, submitting, submitting, and getting more rejections than I’d like to admit), I finally buckled down and began this blog. Starting somewhere feels pretty darn good!