Happy Birthday, My Pilgrimage to Publication! I’m so proud of you!
I just checked my year of statistics, and I have to say, these efforts haven’t been for naught…at least not in my eyes!
To celebrate, I’m going to reflect a bit on where I am now and what I HAVE achieved in this past year.
Lord, have I picked up a lot along the way – kind of like street smarts!
But mostly, I’m so fortunate as to have made some pretty special friends…some very accomplished friends…prolific, even. And the wisdom I’ve gained from them: PRICELESS! The advice they’ve shared: GOLD! I’m just so thankful and grateful for the SCBWI and all the opportunities it’s given me this past year! I’m about to renew my membership! Take my money – best investment ever!
I am a graduate of The Writing Barn’s Perfecting the Picture Book I and am reading and writing my way through Perfecting the Picture Book II, presently. I’m excited by the enthusiasm of our teacher, Carmen Oliver, who has a new Picture Book coming out very soon! I pre-ordered my copy yesterday!
I’m a member of Bethany Hegedus’ Courage to Create, which is like 12x12PB on steroids! LOL! Membership is open right now for a limited time! If you’re even a little curious, I encourage you to check it out! It’s just the most helpful and meaningful group to be a part of! If you decide to join, please let them know I referred you! Thank you!
One year ago, this very day, I joined Twitter and steadily built an audience of over 1,000 followers. That was sort of a quiet goal of mine. Twitter has brought so much good to my writing life, but some days, it brings sadness too. #iykyk
Also in the past year, I’ve written at least six pretty solid Picture Book manuscripts and widely queried two of them, to date. I attended the virtual Funny Women of KidLit Confab and an in-person SCBWI Spring Conference! Visiting face to face with industry professionals and not having a total freak-out…WIN!
And dang…I’ve bought MORE BOOKS in the last year than in my ENTIRE LIFE, and I’m not even a little sad about it!
Thank you for coming on this pilgrimage with me! I’m sure there’s plenty more to come…
Featured Image: Us a few days ago, on my Daughter’s 8th Birthday, celebrating at Packard’s in Midtown Oklahoma City. She’s so posh! Here’s to Birthday fun!
My Pilgrimage to Publication and Beyond 