SCBWI

I joined SCBWI today. I actually feel like a children's writer now, so I figured it was about time. The site is incredibly helpful and full of great stuff. I'm considering doing a manuscript critique exchange through the mail, and maybe even joining a local writer's group. I'd recommend a membership to anyone who writes for children.

Getting into Dodge

You know the expression "Get the Hell out of Dodge"? I have no idea what it means, but I wanna get into Dodge. The Dodge Poetry Festival in Stanhope, New Jersey, that is. As an English major in college, it was the coolest place to be at the end of September, and I always wanted to go, but never got to. This year, Ted Kooser is reading on Sunday! So, naturally, I want to go just to see him. And I've asked Mark to go with me and make a weekend out of it. After the last failed attempt, his time I will meet Ted Kooser, come hell or high water.

In other news: I am working on a short story for middle schoolers about a "sixth grade sleuth" with an over-active imagination. When he notices one of his fellow sixth graders going to the nurse's office every day, all kinds of crazy things run through his mind. Like maybe the kid is an alien getting tested by the nurse for the government. Turns out, his friend is not an alien, but a diabetic who must get his sugar level tested daily before lunch. So the "sixth grade sleuth" must learn a thing or two about diabetes and the mysterious box that is attached to his friend's hip.

And now for the official announcement: My picture book Angeline Jellybean will be published by 4RV Publishing in early 2009!! It still doesn't feel real to me; maybe that's why I haven't told anyone but Mark about it. But I secretely love thinking about my name on a book. This will be my very first book in print! Needless to say, I'm excited but overwhelmed with the thought.

Hehe

We now interrupt this blog for a bit of totally non-professional celebration:

*bounces off the walls with a big silly grin*

Ok, I'm good now. :-)

Angeline

Angeline might have home in a few months! I'll keep you posted.

Question

Are there any good books out there for kids about diabetes? Are any of them NOT self-published? More importantly, WOULD a book like that get published at a traditional publishing house??

Not that I'm saying I have any ideas or anything...

Note to self

Never buy a power cord on E-bay from China. You'll probably accidently buy the wrong one. It's probably not an issue with the power cord anyway.

Another note to self:

Stop coming up with picture book ideas and just start on one already!

About a thesis, jelly beans, Ferris wheels and power cords

I think my thesis needs a title. Maybe it'll make it seem more real to me that I'm writing a publishable book if I name it. I just haven't written a poem with a line or a title yet that has stood out to me as "that's it!"

News: Angeline Jellybean is now out at a publisher. My Ferris wheel article is on its way to Cobblestone magazine. Unfortunately, I forgot to put an SASE in both. :-( We shall wait and see if they get immediately tossed in the slush pile or if I get responses. *crosses fingers*

No news on the power cord yet. I think I'm going through laptop withdrawl. My fingers are itching and I'm bored as ever.

Random semi-Updates

My computer is broken. :-( Something is wrong with the power cord. I'm going to see if it's possible to buy a new cord somewhere online. It's a writer's nightmare, for sure. I'm in the library attempting to work right now but it's not the same.

I couldn't mail my Ferris wheel piece and Angeline Jellybean today, either. Darn lack of big yellow envelopes in my apartment. I must add that to the list of things I need at the store.

In better news, my least favorite place to go on the storymobile wasn't horrible today. We signed up five new kids, and met an amazing young father with a two and a three year old, and he actually reads to his kids and was genuinely interested in books! Woo-hoo! People like that make my position so much less frustrating.

My goal: have something decent written to workshop on Monday!

Baseball Books and New Submissions

I was told by a preschool teacher today that there's also a lack of good baseball books for that age group.

I have Mickey's Baseball Dreams open and I'm pondering a way to spice it up.

Also, I've actually totally completed all of the submission materials for my Ferris wheel piece! Plus, while I was doing that I found the submission stuff for my picture book Angeline Jellybean, which I had totally forgotten about. So, now I have two pieces to ship off ASAP. Wish me luck!

Poetry Finale

So, I got a B in my poetry workshop. . .

I guess that was to be expected. Oh well, at least it was the very last poetry workshop I ever have to take. I can't say as I'll miss them, really. . .

My Niche

As per the lack of quality bug books out there. . . I've decided that bugs should be my niche. I'll be the bug picture book lady. Or at the very least, I should make bugs the next project on my list.

Bug Books

Why are 95% of the bug-related picture books out there crappy??

The exceptions are:

Diary of a Worm
Hey, Little Ant
The Bugliest Bug
Inch By Inch
Clara Caterpillar

I hope there are more that I don't know of. . . I just can't find them. Also, most of the books I listed are way too wordy to be read-aloud books. *sigh*

Going buggy over bugs,

Crystalee

The Good Side of Things

The good thing about being thrown for a loop in the middle of an otherwise normal week-- you have something to write about.

I'm off to attempt to make this situation into a children's story that I can hopefully workshop on Monday. . .