HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

As we remember those who have served and those who continue to do so, say a prayer for peace, strength and safety for all.  Thank you for your service!

Prayers also for all of you mourning the loss of loved ones on this Memorial Day holiday.  God Bless!

Adoption Journey/Book Auction

I received this email recently and wanted to share with all of you in case you are interested in donating a book.  I've gotten Amanda's approval to share their letter, and it is their hope that any donated books will also help promote the authors who are willing to donate as well.  She searched Facebook for Children's authors and found my name and website and perhaps some of you have heard from Amanda as well.  If not, this is the email I received.

 

Hello,

We are writing with possibly an unusual request. We are in the process of adopting internationally from Eastern Europe, our third special needs adoption in three years. This adoption is for an older sibling group who has waited a long time for a family.

Adoptions are very expensive so we have had to do many fundraisers to raise the funds needed to bring our children home. We are doing an all-book auction in August and were looking to include some signed copies by the author/artist of popular children’s books for more interest. Any unsold books will be donated to the orphanage when we pick up our children.

Our question is: would you be willing to donate a signed copy of one of your children's books? We are trying to raise the funds needed for our agency expenses and we believe this will help us get much closer to our goal. We would be so grateful and you would be making a huge difference in the lives of two children!

Thank you so much for considering this. You can read more about our adoption journey here and see the son we brought home in 2013 and the daughter we brought home in January 2015:

www.blessingseternal.blogspot.com

 Blessings,

Traver & Amanda Sutton Family

 

I have been in contact with Amanda Sutton and have spent some time on their website.  I will be donating a signed copy of Bedtime Kisses for their auction in hopes of helping in some small way.

 

 

Waiting...

Well, submit I did and now I wait!  While it is hard to know the next part of the process is out of one's hands, there is also a comfort in knowing I've worked hard, created what I hope is a publishable manuscript and am now in the position to move on to the next WIP (until such time as edits are needed, that is).  Which brings me to my question...

To pull out, dust off and tackle something I've already started or start from scratch on something new?  I've had many flashes of scenes, characters and ideas recently that are beginning to form a possible (probable) new manuscript but am not sure the idea is yet fully formed and ready to tackle.  How do you handle those flashes of inspiration and nuggets of idea?  Do you wait until you have a fully formed idea from which to work or do you flesh out ideas as they come and see where it may lead?  I would love to hear what works for you in terms of that exciting new seedling which (hopefully) grows into a new life and story of its own.

At this point, my ideas are like these flashes of color every once in a while, puzzle pieces straggling in that I hope will come together in the mosaic I foresee but am not yet sure if I am "seeing" one manuscript or many.  I've, thus far, only completed picture books and not chapter books so think I need to start with an outline as these ideas and visions come to see where I am with what I have thus far.  Perhaps that will clarify the direction in which I am moving.  I am excited for the challenge ahead and welcome any advice from those of you who are veteran authors in the chapter book and young adult genres.