"Everything in the world exists in order to end up as a book." - Stéphane Mallarmé
Writing time as been limited this year, though I can’t really complain. My time has been spent being fully present with my family—savoring sweet baby laughs, navigating tumultuous preschooler emotions paired with tremendous growth (hers and mine), finding stolen moments with the hubby between increasing work commitments, and taking our first vacation with kids. Instead of beating myself up for not writing, I have adapted my mindset. Jess Keating tweeted it perfectly: One thing that has changed my creative practice? Learning to love the gap. The gap between where you are and where you want to be. The gap between writing and written. The gap between current status and future success. All of it. Be happy in the gap and keep working. I am learning to love the gap between where I want to be and where I am, between what I want to write and what hasn’t been written. Loving the gap means I am able to be present with my family rather than stress over what I have not written and my unmet goals. In addition to inspirational author tweets, I have stayed connected to the KidLit community through challenges and blogs. And at just the right times, when I needed them most, I got three reminders that I am on the right path. In March, I completed ReFoReMo and won Jen Betton’s TWILIGHT CHANT. Her beautiful illustrations are the perfect complement to Holly Thompson’s lyrical text—and the perfect reminder of being present! The book follows a family’s walk as they take in their natural surroundings and the animals that stir at twilight. An author’s note provides additional information about twilight and crepuscular animals. In April, after a week of bedtime battles, I commented on Tara Lazar’s blog post featuring Cate Berry’s debut picture book PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME. I won, and this lighthearted look at the bedtime struggle reminded me I am not alone. Hilarious text and illustrations made bedtime a hit at our house (along with dropping naptime)! In May, I was reminded to embrace the gap “before” success. I won SOMETIMES YOU FLY and a gorgeous art print from illustrator Jennifer Black Reinhardt at PictureBookBuilders. Beautiful illustrations and text reveal the importance of hard work and the failed attempts necessary to learn, grow, and succeed at various milestones of adolescence. Don’t forget to peek under the dust jacket! Winning these books was a sign I am right where I need to be, even if I am taking another lap around the gap! A big thank you to Jess, Carrie & Kirsti, Jen, Tara, Cate, and Jennifer for the inspiration and support you each provide to the KidLit community and the encouragement your gifts have given me!
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Today is not only my birthday, but also the official launch of my author website. Woohoo! It has been a challenging year - watching my 1-year old learn and grow while figuring out how to be a stay-at-home/work-from-home mom and wife, receiving a diagnosis of two autoimmune diseases and overcoming the resulting anxiety disorder, making significant lifestyle and diet changes requiring a total mindset shift, grieving the loss of my dog, and continually reading and writing and learning throughout it all. The writing communities I am a part of have pushed me to meet my writing goals for the year, including an author website. This has been on my To Do list for at least a year, and I am thrilled that it has finally come to fruition. Having a website is like dressing for the job you want and is a big step forward along my writing path! To celebrate, I am sharing my birthday treat, because I've noticed a certain affinity among KidLit writers...sweets! I've given up refined sugar and gluten (among other things) and haven't had traditional candy, cakes, pastries, etc. since August. The recipe below for Cocoa Buttercups is considered paleo and has no refined sugar. Best of all, it is rich enough that one is completely satisfying, okay, maybe two! RECIPE: COCOA BUTTERCUPS
As the year comes to an end, I look forward to sharing more about my writing goals and accomplishments of 2016, as well as the tremendous support I've received from the KidLit community.
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October 2019
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