I also met with an agent for a critique and got great feedback for needed edits for my novel.
It's so great to get some much-needed motivation for resuming my writing and my goal of getting traditionally published.
Woot!
I'm so happy to be back in person at an SCBWI conference! Last night I had my traditional first-night chocolate martini in the hotel bar.
I also met with an agent for a critique and got great feedback for needed edits for my novel. It's so great to get some much-needed motivation for resuming my writing and my goal of getting traditionally published. Woot!
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Why haven't I posted in a while? It's because I moved back to my tiny hometown of Paoli, Indiana! My time has been consumed with my new job, joining the board of three non-profits, planning an arts festival, and more. Who knew my life here would be busier than when I lived in Las Vegas!!!
I hope to get back to writing soon. I have gone to the SCBWI annual summer conference many times (in LA), but now that the conferences are virtual, I am able to "go" to the NYC winter conference this year. It begins this afternoon. Woot!
After sending my latest book out to agents, I received a few critiques and made some changes to the start of my book. Shout out to Steven Salpeter of Curtis Brown and Beth Phelan of Gallt & Zacker for such thorough feedback. If any of you ever need great feedback and have the opportunity to pick their brains, I highly suggest them!
By the way, my drawing above is what I drew this month in my 2020 Currently journal, available by clicking here. I already purchased mine for 2021! This year I had planned to go to LA for the annual SCBWI conference. But alas...pandemic.
After a summer of free weekly webinars with well-known members of the writing community, this past weekend, SCBWI produced their annual conference online. The conference was great! Four days of panels, conversations, and keynotes, interspersed with yoga breaks! And Lin Oliver began and ended the conference in her usual welcoming style, making me miss hanging out at the conference,but thankful she was able to bring it to me. The LA conference always fills me up to the brim with inspiration, motivation, and confidence. I was able to get a hit of that this weekend. Thanks, SCBWI! It was a small but mighty group that gathered on December 8 for a bit of holiday fun, food, and of course, a writing exercise. Author Axie Oh led us in a small workshop, and then we had a book exchange.
The Las Vegas Book Festival seemed to be a bit smaller this year, but it was still good. I zipped down there to catch a few speakers...Jarrett Krosoczka and my friend Daria Peoples-Riley. They had many authors there for signings, plus panels and even free books.
This month, Nevada SCBWI hosted a webinar with Adria Goetz of Martin Literary. I was fortunate enough to attend in my own backyard, while hummingbirds buzzed around me. The weather has been in the 60's in Las Vegas! Crazy!
Adria's topic was query letters, a topic of which I am revisiting now that I am almost ready to begin submitting my middle grade novel instead of picture books. There was a long Q&A at the end, which was nice. Webinars are an awesome way to get your questions answered! Thanks to Adria and NV SCBWI! The first weekend in May, Nevada SCBWI hosted its Pitch Perfect Conference in Las Vegas. In the photo above, attendees practice pitching to agents and editors. If you are currently submitting your manuscripts, or if you are almost ready to do so, I highly recommend this conference!
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