And the Winner is...

I'm sure every kid lit author and illustrator is posting this so I'll be brief. Here is a link to the 2014 ALA Winners:

http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2014/01/american-library-association-announces-2014-youth-media-award-winners

Congratulations!

Owlkids

In my relentless* quest to bring you publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts, I present: Owlkids. Their website explains: "Owlkids Books is currently looking for graphic novels, activity, non-fiction, and picture book manuscripts." This is a Canadian publisher. For more, visit:

http://www.owlkidsbooks.com/Submissions.aspx

*Relentless in the way that I'd rather do this than fold laundry

Well Hello There

I had a nice surprise arrive in the mail yesterday: 

Author copies of my latest poem / publication. 

Of course now my daughter wants a puppy...

Good Advice

Also, I like to think that chalk came up with this on his own. 

Like, it was late, and chalk was bored / couldn't sleep, and the sign said 

something super lame about oil changes and so chalk wrote this instead.

Hachai

According to their website: "Children’s books play a vital role in every Jewish home, classroom and library. Hachai Publishing is dedicated to producing high quality children’s literature with Jewish themes. Our books promote universal values such as sharing, kindness and charity, and teach Jewish history and tradition. We feature the work of exciting new authors and artists to create books that you and your child can enjoy over and over again."

http://hachai.com

Mildly related sidebar: My four year old daughter asked if we could carve our Christmas tree into a dreidel. Her request is under review.

Christmas Book Advent Calendar

How cute is this idea? I totally stole it from my friend Denise. 

As described on the http://www.instructables.com website: "The Christmas book advent calendar is a collection of 24 Christmas books to read each day during advent. Select books based on your family's age and interest… Once you've made your book selections, you could wrap them up and open one each night during advent. You could display them on a shelf or mantle, or choose to collect them in a special basket."

You mean I get to buy picture books AND a special basket? I'm so in. 

All Broken Up

This past weekend I learned about kintsugi, the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold tinted resin. Right then I had a deep-person moment. Like, Gandhi deep.

I am the bowl.

I have cracks – many from writing-related rejections. Rejections have shredded my confidence, confirmed my worst fears, and sent me spiraling down into three-day Nutella binges*. And you know what? I am better for them. My drafts are cleaner, my characters are richer, and my heart is stronger. So march on baby writers. Be the bowl.








(* I actually don't mind the Nutella part)