The month of April was nearly more than I could juggle! Submitting to contests, a big family Disney World Vacation, and my first ever SCBWI Conference were some of the most brightly highlighted in my calendar.
First, I applied for the #PBChat Mentorship program. Boy, did I put my whole heart into that application! And for a while, it seemed all of my eggs were in that basket…
Now that some time has passed, I’ve gotten perspective and feel more “even” about it…
As it’s been through other contests to date, I acknowledge it may not yet be my turn. I’ve begun to notice a trend: people who are winners of contests this year have been participating for several years already… So what separates me from a big win is likely experience and lessons learned via the long road. That’s kind of good, I suppose, but also a little scary.
Just as I was packing for Disney, I was balancing a lot of Presidential duties for my Alpha Gamma Delta Alumnae Chapter. End of year reports and award nominations for our upcoming International Convention…which I will be attending in mid-July! The Big Leagues! I’m equal parts excited and nervous!
Then off to Orlando we went! Magic Kingdom was wonderful, but EPCOT and Hollywood Studios were a disappointment…and mostly Genie+ was to blame. The Star Wars section was the only redeeming element of Hollywood Studios… It was like stepping into another world and it was AWESOME! I blew a big kiss to the Storm Troopers on duty and they were amused, making an announcement to the whole crowd that they should look out for me…the Empire is always watching. I wish we could have entered straight into that section and not had to deal with the remainder of that over-crowded park. Oh well… It will be a while before I’m motivated to visit again.
We returned just before Easter weekend and then the next was devoted to the SCBWI Conference here in Oklahoma City. BOY did I obsess over every last detail preparing for my FIRST CONFERENCE! I had to find the most perfect outfits and my hair and nails had to be just right. NO REGRETS! I went into the event with total confidence and I think I carried myself pretty well. I met new people and made a few industry connections that I plan to capitalize on in the near future.
For me, the most critical and worthwhile presentation was by Tammi Sauer. She gave us an hour on “Writing the Rollicking Read Aloud” and it was *chef’s kiss*
I also adored getting to know Literary Agent Heather Cashman. She had a really calm, lovely demeanor with a true intelligence about her. It was an honor to spend more than half of the day in her company!
I ended April soaking in the effervescent Tara Lazar during her 12x12PB webinar…I became a life-long fan of hers the moment I joined Twitter last September. If you haven’t picked up a copy of her Absurd Words, you’re missing out! I also did some truly critical revising of my Cheese story after my SCBWI Conference critique. It required having a family meeting a we dissected the manuscript, laughing and probably crying a little too, along the way. It was actually SO fun!
THEN, my mom’s boyfriend came all the way from Budapest to visit us, just ahead of my mom’s big move there coming in July. He helped her around the house, preparing for its sale and she squired him about the wondrous state of Oklahoma, wining and dining at all the greats! We joined along on a few of their dining adventures and held a big Meet and Greet for all of our dear friends and our fellow Hungarians in town. I think he was a hit!
All of that to say, I’d be fibbing if I didn’t admit April was a real struggle. Adding things I didn’t mention…like my husband’s broken ankle and our dilapidated rental property I’m trying to prepare for sale – I often felt I was only surviving because I was in a sort of fight or flight mode. My best friend reminded me how bad that is for me… Let’s just say I’m truly relieved to have a much lighter May! Though, I’m sure I’ll find a way to fill my days!
Featured Image: Jemma and I on our first night at Disney, just before our dinner at Chef Mickey’s. Big fun!
My Pilgrimage to Publication and Beyond 