Yes...I realize it's been nearly six months since I've posted on here. This morning I sat with my new "goal's journal" and wrote down the goals I will work on accomplishing this year. One of those goals (as it was for 2011) is to post as least twice a week. We'll see how that works out...
2011 was a very interesting year to say the least. Both in good and bad...personally and professionally. But because I talk mostly shop on this blog, I'll be sticking with my kidlit news.
I wasn't sure how many of my goals I would complete, especially since I had some lofty ones (like getting both of my finished novels sold, HA!). However the smaller ones I did get accomplished have all laid the ground-work for the larger ones I didn't. At least, not yet. ;)
So here are my high points for 2011...
1. Reviewing all my picture book manuscripts and deciding to revise a couple of them into short stories. One of them is now being considered by Sparkle Magazine, and my revision of another is being held at 2 other magazines. Hopefully I'll get some answers this month.
2. Sending CAT to LA for the SCBWI summer conference. It was critiqued by a wonderful editor from Dial. Although it was overwhelming and intense getting all the info of her critique at the time, a HUGE amount of inspiration came to me after the conference to make it better! I have basically been ripping the novel apart, and haven't finished yet. But, the editor would like to see it when I'm finished with my revisions! YAY!
3. Getting involved with the SCBWI Oakland conference that happened in October. I decided to take over one of the major volunteer posts with another gal and had an AMAZING time! Not just because I got a good critique for my other novel with a different editor (which launched me into doing a third set of revisions, ending with me submitting it to 2 editors and an agent who I met in Oakland) but simply because I was in a situation of meeting and visiting established professionals in my field, talking about books and publishing. For 26 hours, I was in heaven...and I still haven't come down off the high.
4. Meeting numerous authors who came through our local indie bookstore (Copperfield's Books)...and making Ally Condie laugh when my daughter and I were giving each other a hard time while she was signing our books.
Thankfully these good times helped me overlook the rejections I received over the year and the unexpected passing of my Grandma in September. But what I have taken away from 2011 is the belief that I am almost there...and that my patience has and will continue to pay off.
I just have to keep believing....
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