

I often respond by saying “That’s a big [long, involved, twisty-turny] question” and then begin. But in the future, I am going to direct curious minds to two great resources. The first is a link to a webinar SCBWI-Michigan produced called “Children’s Book Industry 101.” Its a great overview to how the industry works and how to jump into it — all for an hour of your time and $10. Here is the link: https://www.regonline.com/webinars_1578845copy
The second resource is the video below that illustrates the benefits — tangible and intangible — of joining the SCBWI tribe. Check them both out and you’ll be one giant leap ahead. And let me know what you think!
Let me know if I’ll see you there!
Please say hello if you are there!
![]() Our Michigan SCBWI chapter has been busy creating a stellar spring conference for illustrators (and anyone interested in how art influences storytelling). Although I am drawing-challenged, I am particularly excited about the opportunity to learn how art moves story forward. Here’s a link to the registration and more information. Maybe I’ll see you there? May 16th in Dexter, MI.
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It’s not about time management, it’s about energy management.”
— Kat Cole, CEO of Cinnabon
Kat says managing our energy means doing more of the activities that fill up our tanks and less of those that deplete it. For me, that means:
Try this re-framing and let me know how it works for you. But only if that fills your tank…
This has happened before and I wish I could correlate it with an actual amazing thing, but alas, that isn’t the case. Most of my amazing things seem to happen out of the blue. Boom! I open my email and there is the offer for the contract three months after the possibility was dangled. Boom! There is the “yes” on a research grant although I’d had no confirmation that the application was received. Boom! There is the invitiation to speak at a great conference I’d never set my sights on.
But during this current round of feeling like something amazing is about to happen, my view has changed. I’ve realized that events about me are happening without my present knowledge and this could be the cause of the feeling. Really weird, eh?
Maybe a teacher is using A Warm Winter Tail in his classroom and the children enjoy it. Or a conference planner is searching for nonfiction writers and my name pops up (thank you, the wonder of google). Or maybe an editor opened an email with my manuscript that she didn’t know she needed until that moment. Of course, my view is only positive. Because, why not?
This is happening to you, too. Events are being played out about you without your present knowledge. (Only positive events, though.) Because despite living in a transparent world, we don’t know everything about everything that happens — yet. But, the magic is that we are all connected somehow. After five decades on this wonderful planet, I’m pretty sure about this. And that connection causes ripples like wind across a snowcovered field and it also causes tingles on my neck.
Amazing, isn’t it?
“You must leave room for the illustrator” <finger wagging>
But the amazing artist, Floyd Cooper wrote today about his Muse and how he lost and found it again. He said he is most inspired by, “a text that sings, that embraces my imagination and injects it with energy.” That makes sense to me, but when he said,
“Good story inspires great art.”
Raise your hand if you are aware of the We Need Diverse Books campaign. Many of us don’t realize how few books are either published or marketed with characters that represent diverse communities. Here are some sad stats about this:
http://blog.leeandlow.com/2013/06/17/why-hasnt-the-number-of-multicultural-books-increased-in-eighteen-years/
Of course we all want to see ourselves in the books we read. But we also need to see others who are NOT US in the books we read so we can expand our view of what is normal, right, and should be valued.
I’m supporting the Indiegogo campaign (click sidebar to the left for more info). I’m hoping the campaign will result in books both written and published for and about all children.