tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13018598577182739992024-03-27T19:54:33.299-04:00WRITING TEAZURS WITH ANGIE AZURI'm your personal writing cheerleader! Welcome and step into a world of literary wonders as we delve into captivating interviews with accomplished authors and industry professionals. Discover the art of crafting tales that deeply resonate with young minds and learn the secrets to creating impactful children's literature. Need an extra cheer or a pep talk? Find me at angieazur.com, where I'm always ready to lead a 'Give me a 'W'! Give me an 'R'!' chant for your writing success!"
Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.comBlogger488125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-26776652655157948082024-03-06T15:04:00.019-05:002024-03-06T19:28:08.875-05:00Interview with Amie Darnell Specht & Shannon Hitchcock ~ Dancing in the Storm<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6E3Zim36eg75xRt9N_rb-zwvMLsztLVK-_OJQP8Dau68W-peqi6EXMBLkOzWXeS2xPRKuytoobH1SAteXZ-BiQjwOzQbzh6pfrnJMG2_IW_MN2sjvK7ROBDQ3XwFFybxq2ep-raz8UXxgx3WapBo2um9H_K6W91DGTkLRejaWDW47MxjL_A3m590HXc/s430/dancing-in-the-storm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="283" height="471" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6E3Zim36eg75xRt9N_rb-zwvMLsztLVK-_OJQP8Dau68W-peqi6EXMBLkOzWXeS2xPRKuytoobH1SAteXZ-BiQjwOzQbzh6pfrnJMG2_IW_MN2sjvK7ROBDQ3XwFFybxq2ep-raz8UXxgx3WapBo2um9H_K6W91DGTkLRejaWDW47MxjL_A3m590HXc/w311-h471/dancing-in-the-storm.jpg" width="311" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Hello, Writers and Creatives of all genres.</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Today, I find myself deeply inspired by this amazing interview featuring the remarkable collaboration between debut author, Amie Darnell Specht and the experienced and talented author, Shannon Hitchcock. Together, they have woven a poignant narrative into their latest book, inviting readers into the life of a child diagnosed with a rare disability. This story is a testament to resilience and hope, offering a window into the journey of embracing a new reality with courage and an open heart.
Having had the privilege of attending Shannon and Amie's book launch in Asheville, NC, alongside their wonderful friends and family, I was touched by the warmth and community spirit present. The event was not only a celebration of their literary achievement but also an educational experience about Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, or FOP. Witnessing Amie's strength and the joyous way she approaches her extraordinary life left me profoundly moved. I am thrilled to host them on Teazurs Blogspot, and I hope their story will inspire and uplift you as much as it has me.</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Amie, given your journey with FOP, what inspired you to embark on writing a book? </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span>Most people have never heard of FOP, so opportunities to <span style="color: red;">spread the word</span> about it excited me. When Shannon reached out, there was no hesitation.</span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>What are your hopes for the readers of <span style="color: #e06666;">Dancing in the Storm</span> in terms of the lessons they might take away from your story?</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span><span>We all are going through something, so </span><span style="color: #ffa400;">try to help</span><span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">other people</span> get through whatever their something is.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>What was it like for you to collaborate with author Shannon Hitchcock, and how did you two find one another?</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>She was amazing to collaborate with.</b></span> She made it so easy. We met because Shannon knew my parents.</span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Your parents have shown remarkable support for your endeavors. What valuable lessons have you learned from their example, and what advice would you offer to other parents based on your experiences?</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span><span> </span><span>My parents always </span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">let me just be a kid</span><span> and tried to support me. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #45818e;">I feel it’s important for parents to remember </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #45818e;">that despite illness or disabilities, their child wants to </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #45818e;">participate in activities </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #45818e;">like their peers.</span> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are a lot of opportunities for disabled kids these days, so let your kid experience life! <span style="color: #674ea7;">They will only get to be a kid once! </span></span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgouJUfJw_Q_BXYajW9g5tx50mj9P1J1A4HPOIk-bjrzieO7WNLJwQmYwiP3s99yRMwySC_iuygEvbnN93JzO9st7-p7q98qMrQ7pfiHQ1H__YtQPC-Na4Aq-W5hzu8hnLEbDHf6WKMrWgIMLhPKNbT7GaUviul0AFUAmZsD6y7VKvN5q6T2UVtYNZJTAk/s360/Amie-holding-Charlyze-with-husband-Matt-and-stepchildren-Ashley-and-Greg.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="360" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgouJUfJw_Q_BXYajW9g5tx50mj9P1J1A4HPOIk-bjrzieO7WNLJwQmYwiP3s99yRMwySC_iuygEvbnN93JzO9st7-p7q98qMrQ7pfiHQ1H__YtQPC-Na4Aq-W5hzu8hnLEbDHf6WKMrWgIMLhPKNbT7GaUviul0AFUAmZsD6y7VKvN5q6T2UVtYNZJTAk/w400-h283/Amie-holding-Charlyze-with-husband-Matt-and-stepchildren-Ashley-and-Greg.webp" width="400" /></a></b></span></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></b></span></span></p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Your positive outlook on life shines through in both your personal experiences and in Kate's character in the book. If you could offer one piece of advice to readers facing their own challenges, what would it be?</b></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span>That we are <span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>stronger</b></span> than whatever problem we are having at the moment, and we will get through it!</span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>You have some amazing friends by your side. What would you like others to know about becoming friends with someone with a disorder like FOP? What can friends do that really helps?</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: red;">Talk to people who are different.</span> Get to know them, and don’t treat a disabled friend any differently just because they are disabled.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Imagine you could swap lives with any fictional character for a week. Who would you choose and why?</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-weight: 400;"> </span>I always wanted to be a lawyer as a high school student, so <span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>Elle Woods</b></span>. I love Legally Blonde and her personality is so different from mine. I think it would be fun!</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What's the most unique or fascinating hobby you've explored? I recall from the recent book launch that you've dabbled in various activities. </span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"> </span>The most unique is these <span style="color: #f1c232;">juggling-type sticks</span> I got at a Renaissance Faire. They were so fun, and you could do tricks with them. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEqxmNFlmBRBYns88-zfJQ3qcwZnSohQjIJSFdW3Pgw_N7VgPBehrr-Xw4RDOBXFHnEv7quKrS4tiHTWd2kv8s3C8CVdfGBBBLfEczyjFYZWmuhCEaYOz080EFDbLWkm2Q9PqHmcpQ7v6XdJAyXbhICUEXPRlMWceKRTCYCg63KyASgW-I0sPLZBH1NU/s736/R.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="736" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEqxmNFlmBRBYns88-zfJQ3qcwZnSohQjIJSFdW3Pgw_N7VgPBehrr-Xw4RDOBXFHnEv7quKrS4tiHTWd2kv8s3C8CVdfGBBBLfEczyjFYZWmuhCEaYOz080EFDbLWkm2Q9PqHmcpQ7v6XdJAyXbhICUEXPRlMWceKRTCYCg63KyASgW-I0sPLZBH1NU/w271-h271/R.jpg" width="271" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I have no idea where they ended up, though. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I also <span style="color: #6aa84f;">crochet</span>, <span style="color: #45818e;">diamond paint</span>, <span style="color: #3d85c6;">paint by numbers</span>, and <span style="color: #674ea7;">play games on the PC and Twitch</span>. I have also recently started learning <span style="color: #ff00fe;">French</span> again and next will be <span style="color: red;">Spanish</span>. I started learning <span style="color: #ffa400;">coding</span> a few years ago to learn HTML and other languages.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>How do you balance your passion for gaming with your advocacy work for FOP awareness, and do you find any crossover between these two aspects of your life?</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span>I stream on <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>Twitch</b></span>, (though I have had to take some time off due to illness), and I <span style="color: #6aa84f;">use it as a platform</span> for learning about FOP. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">On Twitch, I am very open about FOP, so my community will ask questions and I answer. I do fundraisers for FOP and sometimes just days of Q&A. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I share other resources too, like the trailer for a documentary about FOP called "Tin Soldiers." </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">You can watch it at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="https://www.tinsoldiers.org/" target="_blank">https://www.tinsoldiers.org</a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>If you could have dinner with any three authors, living or dead, who would they be and why?</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span>My favorite author is <span style="color: #45818e;">Nicholas Sparks</span>, absolutely love his books. I still need to read a lot of his newer books, though.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Frank McCourt</span> – I read his book as a freshman in high school and couldn’t put it down. I would love to meet him and learn more about him.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Shel Silverstein</span> – I grew up with his poems and can still recite one today. His poems were so fun to us as kids.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>What was the most challenging aspect of incorporating your personal experiences with FOP into the story, and how did you overcome it?</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span>I had no problem sharing my experiences, but I had a bit of a problem deciding which ones to share and how we would make them unique to Kate. I was diagnosed at 4 ½, so I had a different <span style="color: #ff00fe;">middle school experience</span> than Kate has in the book.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FqDs6ZxaTeqT-jCDmrMDvggMmP5mqqHVjll27H52TVIqxk2xJIlhpuqpLyfj9sBKn680eOeI2JqSyN1oMsxQ07b72ClFN_F8Y7SaDkvdiQn823byxkvT1dRhfBavBQpCKBpd63O6DsB9RU2q_gK4usHiwQ-kiIM2kKRksIXWTiKAQR41ULiJMux9TmI/s320/IMG_2677.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FqDs6ZxaTeqT-jCDmrMDvggMmP5mqqHVjll27H52TVIqxk2xJIlhpuqpLyfj9sBKn680eOeI2JqSyN1oMsxQ07b72ClFN_F8Y7SaDkvdiQn823byxkvT1dRhfBavBQpCKBpd63O6DsB9RU2q_gK4usHiwQ-kiIM2kKRksIXWTiKAQR41ULiJMux9TmI/s1600/IMG_2677.JPG" width="240" /></a></b></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Dancing in the Storm</span> sheds light on a rare genetic disorder that many readers may not be familiar with. What can my readers do to help raise awareness?</b></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span>They can go to <a href="http://IFOPA.org" target="_blank">IFOPA.org</a> and learn more about it and host fundraisers in their communities!</span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Can you share a particularly memorable moment from your writing journey with Shannon?</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span><span>When she asked for my story, I thought it was </span><span style="color: red;">ordinary</span><span>, but she felt it was <span style="color: #ffa400;">a great one to tell.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>What message or feeling do you hope readers will take away from your book?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span>That we can overcome challenges! <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>And you are strong!</b></span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen - what one sentence would you shout? </b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span>At about 11 years old, we had just moved to a different state. My mom and brother were being made fun of, and my dad had long drives to and from work. One day, we were at the dinner table, and they were complaining. I banged my fist on the table and said, </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">“Stop complaining! </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">This is where we live, </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">and we just have to learn to deal with it!” </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span>I would probably shout something like that but add in that we need to learn to </span><span style="color: #45818e;">accept everyone!</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>What would you like kids to know that might help them in their life, especially when they are going through tougher times?</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span> </span>Don’t be shy and <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>reach out to someone!</b></span> A teacher, school counselor, friend, or family!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Thank you, Amie, for providing such a profound and enlightening overview of your debut publication, sharing with us not only the essence of the narrative but also the journey and passion that led to its creation. Your insights truly illuminate the depth and dedication behind this book. </b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Now, we turn our attention to Shannon, a distinguished and accomplished author within the realm of children's literature. Shannon's reputation precedes her as a brilliant and inventive storyteller whose contributions to KidLit fiction have captivated young readers. </b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Let's dive right in...</b></span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><b style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shannon, your journey as a reader began with the patient guidance of Mrs. Pauline Porter. How old were you then? How did those early experiences shape your view of literature and storytelling?</span></b><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">
I was six-years-old when Mrs. Porter, our newly integrated school’s first African-American teacher, taught me to read. Because </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">I was a struggling reader</span><span style="font-size: large;"> myself, the books I write keep struggling readers in mind. They are often described as “accessible.”
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Your sister played a pivotal role in igniting your passion for telling stories. Can you share a bit about how those bedtime stories laid the foundation for your future as a writer?</b><span style="font-size: large;">
Telling stories to my sister </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>broadened my imagination.</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> I liked to make her laugh, and I liked when she asked questions about what would happen next.
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">What challenges did you face as you transitioned from a career in various fields to pursuing your dream of writing?</b><span style="font-size: large;">
I had to learn </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">how to write for publication</span><span style="font-size: large;">. That took numerous </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">SCBWI</span><span style="font-size: large;"> conferences, Highlights Foundation workshops, and paying for professional critiques. The biggest challenge is to have </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;"><b>patience</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">—breaking in takes time.
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">The loss of your sister must have been incredibly difficult. How did her passing influence your decision to pursue your dreams with renewed determination? </b><span style="font-size: large;">
When Robin died, I realized </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">time is short</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and whatever dreams I wanted to pursue, it was time to do so. That meant taking writing classes, doing the homework and carving out time to write.
<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6JbSHHBCN3VhP37QUswaDoCV-lNnTS7IBHXHzncIv-RDAPjAAqKYUpRZIj_eWNgdkM5AwtchNSdb38iNpKSFCHkBSndh2tlfpCH6VfS3EhSGj9YRJMlvwCOL4SE_sNP6mk47A-Quc2hujmJ_Us7b6MyYndAHR8rpm3shKg2wFK5RBQZxVgtRUmDmOS0/s320/IMG_2670.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6JbSHHBCN3VhP37QUswaDoCV-lNnTS7IBHXHzncIv-RDAPjAAqKYUpRZIj_eWNgdkM5AwtchNSdb38iNpKSFCHkBSndh2tlfpCH6VfS3EhSGj9YRJMlvwCOL4SE_sNP6mk47A-Quc2hujmJ_Us7b6MyYndAHR8rpm3shKg2wFK5RBQZxVgtRUmDmOS0/w341-h341/IMG_2670.JPG" width="341" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Dancing in the Storm</span>, your latest novel, addresses the challenges of living with a rare genetic disorder. What inspired you to co-author this heartfelt and illuminating story?</b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">Curiosity</span><span style="font-size: large;"> was my first motivation. I knew my neighbors had a daughter in a wheelchair, but I had never asked why because </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">I didn’t want to appear nosy or rude. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">One day Amie’s mom posted on Facebook about FOP Awareness Day. She said, “If you don’t know what it is—look it up.” I did, and spent the rest of the day researching. </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Can you tell us about your collaboration process with Amie Darnell Specht and how your respective backgrounds and experiences shaped the narrative of <span style="color: #e06666;">Dancing in the Storm</span>?</b><span style="font-size: large;">
The first time Amie and I worked together, we </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">filled out a character worksheet.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> She decided on our heroine’s family structure—a brother, sister, and two parents. She named the characters, chose the setting, and shared stories about growing up with FOP. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A lot of things that happen in the book actually happened to Amie.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> For instance, she was kicked out of Girl Scouts because her troop leader worried about the liability of Amie participating in field trips. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>What I brought to the table is experience.</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> I have four previously published novels and so could help Amie shape her experiences into a story with a beginning, middle, and end. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Writing about sensitive topics like rare medical conditions requires empathy and understanding. How did you approach the research process for this book? </b><span style="font-size: large;">
I started with the official website </span><a href="http://ifopa.org" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">ifopa.org</a><span style="font-size: large;">. From their website, I was able to download the FOP Handbook. After reading the handbook, I read a memoir by FOP mom, Carol Zapata-Whelan called Finding Magic Mountain, Life With Five Glorious Kids And A Rogue Gene Called FOP. And, of course, </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">a lot of my research came from talking with Amie herself. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Because diagnosing FOP has changed since Amie was diagnosed, I needed to consult an expert, and </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Dr. Frederick Kaplan</span><span style="font-size: large;"> generously helped me with that aspect.
<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Can you share with aspiring writers how they might go about research for their projects? And how important is research for a fictional novel overall?</b><span style="font-size: large;">
I think </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>research depends on the project</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">. Almost all my novels have required a ton of research. I have written about the tuberculosis pandemic of the 1920s, the Civil Rights era, Anita Bryant’s Save Our Children campaign, the Syrian Civil War, and now FOP.
I always start my research on-line, and then move to print sources. I often find </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">the best information comes from interviews. </span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">As a writer, how do you balance the need to inform readers about important issues with the desire to create engaging and relatable characters?</b><span style="font-size: large;">
I try to </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">create compelling characters</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><i style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">then</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> put them in the middle of an important point in history, or in the present day. </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><b>Story comes first</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, and the important issue is woven into the narrative.
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">
If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen, what one sentence would you shout?</b><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">Treat Others the way you would </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">want to be treated.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-cKaqdZpI5Ys0JLWuFuTSxnJ3YQoth6ly5t9WarRltzGylpPbVe0Y5QGI1CpBS8E2gveJmLe1x5o4H6h_jrFfnWaaGUJkQqgKdRjR-o3ihJTR44yekJbeSoPK1YsNFiRp0LDO_f5vlF3tAQGGj6xOckzUYWGNZly7qXVu6_KpHlbrPl8Uy2Spe2xKwA/s430/dancing-in-the-storm.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="283" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-cKaqdZpI5Ys0JLWuFuTSxnJ3YQoth6ly5t9WarRltzGylpPbVe0Y5QGI1CpBS8E2gveJmLe1x5o4H6h_jrFfnWaaGUJkQqgKdRjR-o3ihJTR44yekJbeSoPK1YsNFiRp0LDO_f5vlF3tAQGGj6xOckzUYWGNZly7qXVu6_KpHlbrPl8Uy2Spe2xKwA/s320/dancing-in-the-storm.jpg" width="211" /></a></div></span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Dancing in the Storm</span> has received acclaim for its candid portrayal of living with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP). How does it feel to see your work making a meaningful impact on readers?</b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"> For me, there is </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">no better feeling in the world</span><span style="font-size: large;">, at least not from a professional standpoint. </span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><b style="font-size: x-large;">You mentioned that you and Amie started working on the book right before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Did navigating the challenges of remote collaboration bring any unexpected benefits to your writing process?</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">
Honestly, working on this novel </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">saved my sanity</span><span style="font-size: large;"> during the pandemic. It gave me a reason to get up in the morning, and something to look forward to. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Beyond writing, what are some of your interests or hobbies that inspire you creatively?</b> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">Going to the <span style="color: #f1c232;">beach</span>, long <span style="color: #6aa84f;">walks</span>, <span style="color: #45818e;">cooking</span> with my husband, and attending Wake Forest <span style="color: #3d85c6;">basketball</span> games.
<br /><b><br /></b></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">What advice would you give to aspiring authors who may be facing challenges or doubts on their own writing journey?</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">
Examine how badly you want to be a published author. If you want to badly enough and are willing to </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><b>work your tail off</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, it’s probably achievable.
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">
</b><b><span style="font-size: large;">Are there any upcoming projects or ideas you're currently exploring that you can share with us?</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">
I have a picture book biography coming on April 16th. It’s called </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">OF WORDS & WATER—The Story of Wilma Dykeman—Writer, Historian, Environmentalist.</span><span style="font-size: large;">
<br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><b><span style="font-size: large;">How do you like to unwind and recharge when you're not writing?</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">
I am a <span style="color: red;">voracious reader</span>, not only for research, but for enjoyment as well. The biggest way I unwind is going out to <span style="color: #ffa400;">dinner</span> with my husband.
<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Looking back on your journey as a writer, what do you wish you would've known then that you know now?</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">
I wish I’d understood from the beginning that </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>it would take much longer</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> to break in than I had thought. </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">But remember this</span><span style="font-size: large;">—you wouldn’t just pick up a paintbrush and expect for your work to hang in a gallery. You wouldn’t take a ballet lesson and expect to become a prima ballerina. </span></span></span></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #45818e;">Anything worth doing requires a lot of work. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<br /></span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">If you could collaborate with any author, living or deceased, who would it be?</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">
Appalachian food writer, </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronni_Lundy" target="_blank">Ronni Lundy</a></span><span style="font-size: large;">.
</span></span></span></span></span></p><b style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">What elements do you think are essential for crafting a compelling and relatable character in middle-grade novels?</span></b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For me, I have to <span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>like</b></span> the main character enough to want to follow them on a journey. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Finally, what message or feeling do you hope readers experience when they pick up <span style="color: #e06666;">Dancing in the Storm? </span></b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">
All of my novels have a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">social justice theme</span>. My latest picture book, <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>Of Words & Water</b></span>, says it best: </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">“Be good to the earth, kind to other people, </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">and use words to fight injustice.”</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">
<b>Thank you so much, Shannon. But before you head off to your writering space...</b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Do you have any upcoming book signings or conferences? How can my readers support you?</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">
I will be at the North Carolina Reading Association Conference on </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">March 18th</span><span style="font-size: large;">. I would love for your readers to </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>read and review</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Dancing In The Storm.
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Wow, you two rock! Thank you both for such a great interview. I learned a lot about your writing habits, how to collaborate, and how to research fiction. Thanks for sharing so much with Teazur's Blogspot Readers. </span></b></span></span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And if you'd like to follow these lovely writers, you will find them here:</b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPDdAyxIfnuTj3WXHZnl0Y43xJ06iEjmu9cerP4Zi_oLeXF-e0mWfaP9PIxn4Hzh9PrETnvtTG_GWtIOT6BsxJ5dC-vREEVe2VBOb8os_t0zYJrd4kvzXSiA9Ciczr33itwcl2nuWkbbMf0aWYtCIxI_lHf8vbYQYqnGG0I1SmWlvrzw6pC1dBGCeSpo/s200/Shannon-headshot.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="145" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPDdAyxIfnuTj3WXHZnl0Y43xJ06iEjmu9cerP4Zi_oLeXF-e0mWfaP9PIxn4Hzh9PrETnvtTG_GWtIOT6BsxJ5dC-vREEVe2VBOb8os_t0zYJrd4kvzXSiA9Ciczr33itwcl2nuWkbbMf0aWYtCIxI_lHf8vbYQYqnGG0I1SmWlvrzw6pC1dBGCeSpo/s1600/Shannon-headshot.webp" width="145" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">Shannon Hitchcock : <a href="https://shannonhitchcock.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DokGZ3hZNEvRviz2oktwCEKnuelXsDUKSAlRlbngmVoCcfhtXNMICzMLL712_A6tdfPOKvwFgEkbeKQZFepyn0bkkkC0py1TTCRwykBmLKiZ0Wy7MJTeaDLjffLA2DOcoNcVeu2iv_PGzJABOgB3AZd-tiJLjT99PbvX-kJV8FlNJemjzhh_o05z_r8/s200/Amie-headshot-for-bio.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="161" data-original-width="200" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DokGZ3hZNEvRviz2oktwCEKnuelXsDUKSAlRlbngmVoCcfhtXNMICzMLL712_A6tdfPOKvwFgEkbeKQZFepyn0bkkkC0py1TTCRwykBmLKiZ0Wy7MJTeaDLjffLA2DOcoNcVeu2iv_PGzJABOgB3AZd-tiJLjT99PbvX-kJV8FlNJemjzhh_o05z_r8/s1600/Amie-headshot-for-bio.webp" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DokGZ3hZNEvRviz2oktwCEKnuelXsDUKSAlRlbngmVoCcfhtXNMICzMLL712_A6tdfPOKvwFgEkbeKQZFepyn0bkkkC0py1TTCRwykBmLKiZ0Wy7MJTeaDLjffLA2DOcoNcVeu2iv_PGzJABOgB3AZd-tiJLjT99PbvX-kJV8FlNJemjzhh_o05z_r8/s200/Amie-headshot-for-bio.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DokGZ3hZNEvRviz2oktwCEKnuelXsDUKSAlRlbngmVoCcfhtXNMICzMLL712_A6tdfPOKvwFgEkbeKQZFepyn0bkkkC0py1TTCRwykBmLKiZ0Wy7MJTeaDLjffLA2DOcoNcVeu2iv_PGzJABOgB3AZd-tiJLjT99PbvX-kJV8FlNJemjzhh_o05z_r8/s200/Amie-headshot-for-bio.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DokGZ3hZNEvRviz2oktwCEKnuelXsDUKSAlRlbngmVoCcfhtXNMICzMLL712_A6tdfPOKvwFgEkbeKQZFepyn0bkkkC0py1TTCRwykBmLKiZ0Wy7MJTeaDLjffLA2DOcoNcVeu2iv_PGzJABOgB3AZd-tiJLjT99PbvX-kJV8FlNJemjzhh_o05z_r8/s200/Amie-headshot-for-bio.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">Amie Darnell Specht: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/DancingInTheStorm2024/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>. </span></span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhFC0jUPKsOBtJgcrv-u313R6VSsoxJQRnxzyT3PLZ0s4g4Hq2acj4VHQW2ZXHtLqyzXhTPZ3JH9vVd2PUO24lL_ZPEpAI-pfbqq23WXvuCS3VCWOyv-810EVhPkIxzcVdxyJJAYIZ3RAbXTOuxktl2kbAuJQlx5mkEfMZ0Ki6WpLbb8keuebR3kU0fI/s1549/765B3079-7974-4AED-AB31-040FABC6392F.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1549" data-original-width="1549" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhFC0jUPKsOBtJgcrv-u313R6VSsoxJQRnxzyT3PLZ0s4g4Hq2acj4VHQW2ZXHtLqyzXhTPZ3JH9vVd2PUO24lL_ZPEpAI-pfbqq23WXvuCS3VCWOyv-810EVhPkIxzcVdxyJJAYIZ3RAbXTOuxktl2kbAuJQlx5mkEfMZ0Ki6WpLbb8keuebR3kU0fI/s320/765B3079-7974-4AED-AB31-040FABC6392F.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">And as always, if you'd like to be interviewed, reach out.</span></span></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Write~on</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">xo Angie</span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></span></span></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-74720819014787061462024-02-24T16:13:00.020-05:002024-02-24T16:28:00.851-05:00Best Published Author Advice of 2023<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYRgphZIsblswslxKGyCwuT94r5vg80rQXLbQmE5UUMkmK2Pd_MyxvoO8DWyNYYPxyXtH7fQKonSoiNjPuc2mXd65s_xlK7a3BoWCjkd_r_wQqzgsd2zS_toyN6khsnyhXTk3wIJ3dpWRww-qaYS4oAARvFeE-eluaqNeUWX2-_fOmHTZ1JiKQJbE4Nk/s4032/frame-harirak-Ei_lQ6kTwiI-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYRgphZIsblswslxKGyCwuT94r5vg80rQXLbQmE5UUMkmK2Pd_MyxvoO8DWyNYYPxyXtH7fQKonSoiNjPuc2mXd65s_xlK7a3BoWCjkd_r_wQqzgsd2zS_toyN6khsnyhXTk3wIJ3dpWRww-qaYS4oAARvFeE-eluaqNeUWX2-_fOmHTZ1JiKQJbE4Nk/w457-h343/frame-harirak-Ei_lQ6kTwiI-unsplash.jpg" width="457" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">This is <span style="color: #2b00fe;">The</span> <span style="color: red;">L</span><span style="color: #ffa400;">I</span><span style="color: #f1c232;">S</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">T</span> of the </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Best </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Advice from </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Published Authors</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"> in 2023!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the start of 2023, I wasn't sure if I was still going to publish this </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;"><b>Writing Teazurs Blog</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">. I felt it took time away from my own writing. I had stepped away from children's book writing over ten years ago to move to Bend, Oregon, and help my husband in his new endeavor, Paleo Magazine. During that time, I lost myself in other worlds far away from kid's books. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">But after reaching out to a few amazing new authors, feeling their excitement for their books, and receiving their awesome advice, I knew I had to keep it up!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">Promoting authors is a passion of mine.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I absolutely love reading about their journeys and cheering them on through publications, school visits, and conferences. Their enthusiasm </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">feeds my creativity</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and helps me keep writing, editing, and going. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Someday, I will be a published author, too. But until then, I am here for you, authors! Cheers to your success. May there be many!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Our first author interview of January 2023 was the lovely and talented...</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sydney Dunlap</span></b> </span><span style="font-size: large;">and her book,</span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">It Happened on Saturday. </span></b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/01/interview-with-sydney-dunlap-kidlit.html" target="_blank">Interview with Sydney Dunlap KidLit Author</a> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfNfXzHGSlTGDrNGr-EfhzeEi1RCrmeddxREkFYK3xWRALsAzSi0Nr7eLJ1Hy7A5b4ItEMO8aldy9-pwOJtLeILfxr5yaSFjPYBFzEbbj4G0Uh68IghreNLhM71bfsjml4rUoKb29-NuZEdDTUelObIzfGoD8LyS1lwMlmF2y_z7XY2U23Ws0ioHl/w254-h254/thumbnail_Sydney-Dunlap-Color-Headshot-e1666792677401-400x400.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="254" /></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: red;"><p style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Advice for new writers:</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> My main advice for aspiring authors would be to do what works best for them and not feel that they have to follow a certain strategy just because it works for someone else.</span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Also in January, we heard from <b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Heather Murphy Capps</span></b> and her book </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #800180; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">INDIGO & IDA.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/01/debut-author-heather-murphy-capps.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">DEBUT Author Heather Murphy Capps</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWCakw70irBbWdb1JrRHucfK-lg4WogP8RInvWZWaoyzXwx1ry9ZT9OLnFLZLYgkjSZ40B4SK7WXtSMPk3IePMsAFrOklk1DPbU13WiJ_yeauNMhI8_QeuaPTePH2LF0SUGSshzLsAvlBYKn1njBW9ZPjxJBX6desfE32j1Q6Zvvak-QNJl4toOSzJ4g/s545/Heather%20Murphy%20Capps%20Headshot%20%20Photo%20cred_%20Jody%20McKitrick.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="363" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWCakw70irBbWdb1JrRHucfK-lg4WogP8RInvWZWaoyzXwx1ry9ZT9OLnFLZLYgkjSZ40B4SK7WXtSMPk3IePMsAFrOklk1DPbU13WiJ_yeauNMhI8_QeuaPTePH2LF0SUGSshzLsAvlBYKn1njBW9ZPjxJBX6desfE32j1Q6Zvvak-QNJl4toOSzJ4g/s320/Heather%20Murphy%20Capps%20Headshot%20%20Photo%20cred_%20Jody%20McKitrick.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">The best advice I have</span> </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">for querying</span><span style="font-size: large;"> is to be thoughtful about reaching out to agents who are specifically looking for elements in your manuscript. It’s not worth your time to just throw a million queries into the wind without researching who is looking for what. The Manuscript Wish List (#MSWL on Twitter) website is invaluable as a starting point, as is social media.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Heading into March, we spoke with </span><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Lindsay Fryc</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> and her debut </span></span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #45818e;">Emma and the Queen of Featherstone. </span></b></p><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/03/debut-middle-grade-author-lindsay-fryc.html" target="_blank">Debut Middle-Grade Author Lindsay Fryc</a></span></h3><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiWSomGnbH66zxUG-BvOpRZMIv77AdLqIU8F9376MHnliMfsImmV_hpw5LsmcBbqeP3ETIWKG2iz99DKz-2l1OEcTknMmU1R-ApB6LwN2g3q5GnkyvzCwcLjMoWqw7vydZg96rhyphenhyphenH4DFpYIFvskDLDocnCEVe3l6AjSvgcAyDd8Lbke68KZHW38se018/s476/Screenshot%202023-03-09%20at%203.46.52%20PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="314" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiWSomGnbH66zxUG-BvOpRZMIv77AdLqIU8F9376MHnliMfsImmV_hpw5LsmcBbqeP3ETIWKG2iz99DKz-2l1OEcTknMmU1R-ApB6LwN2g3q5GnkyvzCwcLjMoWqw7vydZg96rhyphenhyphenH4DFpYIFvskDLDocnCEVe3l6AjSvgcAyDd8Lbke68KZHW38se018/w237-h359/Screenshot%202023-03-09%20at%203.46.52%20PM.png" width="237" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /></span></span></div>I love Save the Cat Writes a Novel and The Emotional Craft of Fiction. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I am a huge plotter when writing, so save the cat makes plotting the beats easier for me so I can continue to write the novel. If I don’t have those beats, it's nearly impossible for me to finish a project. Also, the Emotional Craft of Fiction is great when you are crafting emotional scenes and want them to be impactful on the reader. Those two books are must-haves for aspiring authors.</span></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Next up is our interview with <span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Constance Lombardo</span></b><span style="color: #333333;"> and her book, </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-weight: bold;">Tiny Spoon</span><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-weight: bold;">vs</span><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-weight: bold;">Little Fork </span>and<span style="color: #a64d79; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Everybody Says Meow!</span></b></span></p><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/04/interview-with-constance-lombardo.html" target="_blank">Interview with Constance Lombardo</a></h3><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNseY8Mp_6bXhKDF2z5FgkBeUbCAgJDW4YbtjCrS7GKDp2c2Ufsq-soQqKCCMHi_q91_Y8GUTbCMjQ5Kxao1blF_hJqJ6PNFr-XB7ORfd6zjDzrlWf6bgpU_-EO3t0HKYo0Zlg5OspPK0ZsaUsu88QtX-FNTJk9h5BFvdQgkFhPAW8DCQ5bDF4sxiiBU/s398/Headshot%202022%201%20.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="349" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNseY8Mp_6bXhKDF2z5FgkBeUbCAgJDW4YbtjCrS7GKDp2c2Ufsq-soQqKCCMHi_q91_Y8GUTbCMjQ5Kxao1blF_hJqJ6PNFr-XB7ORfd6zjDzrlWf6bgpU_-EO3t0HKYo0Zlg5OspPK0ZsaUsu88QtX-FNTJk9h5BFvdQgkFhPAW8DCQ5bDF4sxiiBU/s320/Headshot%202022%201%20.jpg" width="281" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">It's vitally important</span></span><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> to have your work critiqued by peers (and to listen and be open to change.) I believe anyone who wants to write professionally should either join a group or find beta readers. </span><p></p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">In May, we start off with one of the youngest authors I've interviewed...<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Emilia Ramos Samper</span></b> and her book </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Crown of Scales and Wonder.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: start;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/05/author-interview-with-emilia-ramos.html" target="_blank">Author Interview with Emilia Ramos Samper</a></h3><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORyKvyOTFYF89AonuguYyOUWgEJXySRqqjn3eidsyS_0rTWBr_rkucd4y_RACsZsyoi-JO56Khfszv4SgU4uluwN0K87ylr5Zr6wb_gLLJdL0isnG8zVOIGOdQ2axKXDFLWMJ6lBl2w0t-Lg-aH2FwRC-r7rTrlu-3yP3i7UkKhYEUPFVtlfSH8MYOIs/s471/344548379_534546642226539_6787910235685185912_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="312" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORyKvyOTFYF89AonuguYyOUWgEJXySRqqjn3eidsyS_0rTWBr_rkucd4y_RACsZsyoi-JO56Khfszv4SgU4uluwN0K87ylr5Zr6wb_gLLJdL0isnG8zVOIGOdQ2axKXDFLWMJ6lBl2w0t-Lg-aH2FwRC-r7rTrlu-3yP3i7UkKhYEUPFVtlfSH8MYOIs/w230-h347/344548379_534546642226539_6787910235685185912_n.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>For writer's tools</b></span>, I use Dabble, a plotting tool for writers. Another thing that helps quite a bit is sticky notes: I jot down ideas that come to mind on sticky notes and paste them straight on the wall! It’s useful to get my thoughts organized.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We also interviewed an </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">amazing</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> mother, </span><b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">Tine</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">, who is promoting her late son's debut book... </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">Aboard the </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">Time Line</span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/05/interview-with-tine-bastian-gregorys.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Interview with Tine, Bastian Gregory's Mother on Aboard the Time Line</span></a></h3></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vnzKP7oh71BilbaCQQAmSJEKw7HjAVxYK68ezWChZuEb7yA4GZbQSF2-9Qk6LGq0kJ3wYaNi3ZAzYsnmDihhTEZiNSrSIw2a_-pIWuKi7caIQzhuY9_H2C8Xm6RT_-CdOZ5nVJsje73OakgzSqOz6UeJj9OQVD4A50wriPnrPkInsAfAq76-0gFWISc/s436/Bastian%20and%20Tine%20September%202019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="436" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vnzKP7oh71BilbaCQQAmSJEKw7HjAVxYK68ezWChZuEb7yA4GZbQSF2-9Qk6LGq0kJ3wYaNi3ZAzYsnmDihhTEZiNSrSIw2a_-pIWuKi7caIQzhuY9_H2C8Xm6RT_-CdOZ5nVJsje73OakgzSqOz6UeJj9OQVD4A50wriPnrPkInsAfAq76-0gFWISc/w465-h261/Bastian%20and%20Tine%20September%202019.jpg" width="465" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> When talking to kids about depression...</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I think the most important is to </span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">keep a dialogue going. </span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">And also to </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">take expectations <b>off</b> the table.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> By that, I mean if your child says that they cannot continue at Uni/school - whatever, etc., </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">then listen!</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Support them- get professional help. Try and build up interests/hobbies… go for walks with them (if you can get them out). And sometimes <b>think radical.</b> </span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We also checked out <span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #e69138;">Jennifer Bosma</span></b><span style="color: #333333;"> and Christian Children's Books, </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">I Know the Plans & The Baby Garden</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/05/interview-with-kidlit-author-jennifer.html" target="_blank">Interview with KidLit Author Jennifer Bosma</a></h3><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><b></b></span><span class="s3" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #444444; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCjsyIiTh9PNEvlmKx64RSx5GEQDy6UKZUyZd1fRAU2EnNVyrLvYQio31LIWSUxY7oVs1ZckB7_R3hh1M_6Y8fd9CQZXO_xshvS-5Vvg70XSHt_UAJzMWiUgZn2O-6_xV_Of5gF3PUqFDS2tMmFS7qeofHhz4Xo1ochyphenhyphendGWup3fRKBLNBWMywFljwxQI/s450/The%20Baby%20Garden%20Author%20Picture.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCjsyIiTh9PNEvlmKx64RSx5GEQDy6UKZUyZd1fRAU2EnNVyrLvYQio31LIWSUxY7oVs1ZckB7_R3hh1M_6Y8fd9CQZXO_xshvS-5Vvg70XSHt_UAJzMWiUgZn2O-6_xV_Of5gF3PUqFDS2tMmFS7qeofHhz4Xo1ochyphenhyphendGWup3fRKBLNBWMywFljwxQI/w245-h369/The%20Baby%20Garden%20Author%20Picture.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><span class="s3"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">On having a long marriage:</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-large;"> I </span></span><span class="s3" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">love</span></span><span class="s3" style="color: #444444; font-size: x-large;"> giving advice for marriage. I would </span><span class="s3" style="font-size: x-large;">encourage</span><span class="s3" style="font-size: x-large;"> the couple to continue </span><span class="s3" style="font-size: x-large;">being</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">adventurous</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">visit</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> new locations together. This summer, we are going to a music festival in Montana on our daughter’s recommendation; usually, we hike, float, or fish there. This is </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">mixing it up</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">. </span></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ending our month of May was </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Savannah Hendricks</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: x-large;"> and her books on coming of age, wholesome romance, and picture books. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: times; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: start;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/05/interview-with-author-savannah-hendricks.html" target="_blank">Interview with Author Savannah Hendricks</a></h3></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipicr0sWBFCjwrG-UV37hEcmKIlNKcL_XI4NoauBVnaaEoD60re_IPyJbacu0MxchKvM4YJ0jGhkNvkjOlCOM6pBhEwf_ImjS1QHvWB2U1tdq5vzkr62LM6Tg0yxb7m1EhM9ZvdSThuotJYJfD-1Y4tWOa4AgV9_Qh171C7IQrMIK4Jc-Oc_8Y3Sro7s/s282/20230421_124006.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="210" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipicr0sWBFCjwrG-UV37hEcmKIlNKcL_XI4NoauBVnaaEoD60re_IPyJbacu0MxchKvM4YJ0jGhkNvkjOlCOM6pBhEwf_ImjS1QHvWB2U1tdq5vzkr62LM6Tg0yxb7m1EhM9ZvdSThuotJYJfD-1Y4tWOa4AgV9_Qh171C7IQrMIK4Jc-Oc_8Y3Sro7s/w243-h326/20230421_124006.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">On Book Bans:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> We need to take off the kid gloves instead of putting them on. As a writer of wholesome and clean, I would say that <i>yes, books should have an age-appropriate label that mirror movies and TV.</i> Doesn’t mean kids won’t read them. We all know kids watch movies that are not rated for them. But </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>guidance</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> is important, and then parents or a reader can make an informed decision.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we warmed into June, </span><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">Suma Subramaniam</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: large;"> gave us some great advice as we checked out her book </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">The Runaway Dosa </span><span style="font-size: large;">&</span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">She Sang for India </span>& <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Namaste is a Greeting. </span></b></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/06/kidlit-author-interview-with-suma.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/06/kidlit-author-interview-with-suma.html" target="_blank">KidLit Author Interview with Suma Subramaniam</a></h3></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_9zm5BDKeH2DAjKKBgdvQLukd33z21jsiJ0y8C_0zFEVOFyszPSSReVBRyMQ0y5DsDtw7lCdBXAOVt5ErUoXJwe-EU7hmDPFuF41Oks0tRm4Ks96oX3y7tfQUvtIC4HvXaZxXxhrOuftaSSUkSbT7RuXsakZRG5FqPfSeeyMA0kap_xhVuOF1WvrYEI/s471/Suma%20Subramaniam.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="314" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_9zm5BDKeH2DAjKKBgdvQLukd33z21jsiJ0y8C_0zFEVOFyszPSSReVBRyMQ0y5DsDtw7lCdBXAOVt5ErUoXJwe-EU7hmDPFuF41Oks0tRm4Ks96oX3y7tfQUvtIC4HvXaZxXxhrOuftaSSUkSbT7RuXsakZRG5FqPfSeeyMA0kap_xhVuOF1WvrYEI/w255-h383/Suma%20Subramaniam.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 18px;"><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 18px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 18px;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="color: #ff00fe;">On Time Management:</span> Write every day</span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 18px;"> and to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 18px;">write for the child in me</span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 18px;"> even if it is only for fifteen minutes. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Slowly, the ideas will form, the revisions will happen, and the manuscript will fly off the nest when it finds a home in the big, wide world.</span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Rounding out June was <span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">Ellen L. Ramsey</span></b><span style="color: #333333;"> with her debut, </span><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>A Book for Bear. </b></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/06/debut-pb-author-interview-with-ellen-l.html" target="_blank">Debut PB Author Interview with Ellen L. Ramsey</a></h3><div><br /></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: start;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz38p7NFY-k89Zy-lOHFvkssNDffi3umL9ODvz8mjw0pRrqsYz_VmqLPKrtk0VDe3NmlTYCxrHfT-kP7Cyo92QGTgOXlSKkthJ6OVfxgwVz9eoqPAkDg54VRu9-AuZb2RDV1F22R0XhAOQgzJGuK5CvZ6afbZ4ykxYAlx45jUfmZsY5z9Ab2heVnv493s/s354/EllenLRamsey_595x595.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="354" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz38p7NFY-k89Zy-lOHFvkssNDffi3umL9ODvz8mjw0pRrqsYz_VmqLPKrtk0VDe3NmlTYCxrHfT-kP7Cyo92QGTgOXlSKkthJ6OVfxgwVz9eoqPAkDg54VRu9-AuZb2RDV1F22R0XhAOQgzJGuK5CvZ6afbZ4ykxYAlx45jUfmZsY5z9Ab2heVnv493s/s320/EllenLRamsey_595x595.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Why read? </span>Books are </span><span style="font-family: arial;">windows into worlds I may never experience, but I love learning about characters who are different from me as well as characters similar to me. <span style="text-align: center;">I value books, which are a reflection of people’s </span><span style="text-align: center;">thoughts, feelings, and interests. </span></span></span><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Next in July comes </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>Jasmine A. Stirling</b></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> with </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Dare to Question</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/07/author-interview-with-jasmine-stirling.html" target="_blank">Author Interview with Jasmine A. Stirling</a></h3><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMXIOIJ0l4-2zzKDm64Eii2LsRBBwotoaX28YzBTHpRBmxEwFS88qT0wltMCJWRk06SvhcgF_sdGoHEGxcDMI-PayVVBp1VzvULNyF9Z5DvVztB5vdRjYbY_VsCpR7hQ1lM4U0NVb7hlGLl908VUldozbazoMAshpYM62tc2KiEk6ZGeUHgQOV6_pYCOY" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="354" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMXIOIJ0l4-2zzKDm64Eii2LsRBBwotoaX28YzBTHpRBmxEwFS88qT0wltMCJWRk06SvhcgF_sdGoHEGxcDMI-PayVVBp1VzvULNyF9Z5DvVztB5vdRjYbY_VsCpR7hQ1lM4U0NVb7hlGLl908VUldozbazoMAshpYM62tc2KiEk6ZGeUHgQOV6_pYCOY=w258-h360" width="258" /></a></div>Are you a daring person?</b></span> No, but I have absolutely </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">no problem </span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">daring</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> to question authority,</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;">whether that be a boss, a school system, a cultural norm, or a reflexive habit.</span></span></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSoiffFVXkAlzSL5GR40XMgFWrbAdZyO56JdIYDGW2vALboy96ROK6Rup7V9rsvz4yKHtaHUszwyoR6Mv3VdWd6GLc0V2YW5cVfg3j_51TBwnTrw0SAur_SP0GJOFEu7UVuNUiKOb4kfBfVOGa_MmEKZt7V6oIlnQYO64hlIndxs5TiDNTMPGXIIxxMY/s533/bio%20photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="355" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSoiffFVXkAlzSL5GR40XMgFWrbAdZyO56JdIYDGW2vALboy96ROK6Rup7V9rsvz4yKHtaHUszwyoR6Mv3VdWd6GLc0V2YW5cVfg3j_51TBwnTrw0SAur_SP0GJOFEu7UVuNUiKOb4kfBfVOGa_MmEKZt7V6oIlnQYO64hlIndxs5TiDNTMPGXIIxxMY/w254-h382/bio%20photo.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Next, we learned some amazing ways to illustrate and map with <span style="color: #ffa400;">Maria Oglesby</span> Illustrator, Textiles, & Design Artist...<br /><br /><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/07/interview-with-maria-oglesby.html">Interview with Maria Oglesby</a> <br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #45818e;"><b>Why be an artist?</b></span><br />A career doing work I enjoy has always been more important to me than making a lot of money. </span><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br />Ending July was our interview with Traditionally Published Debut Middle-Grade Author of <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Peril at Price Manor</b></span>, <span style="color: #f1c232;">Laura Parnum</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/07/author-interview-with-laura-parnum.html" target="_blank">Author Interview with Laura Parnum</a> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6-zeoYthyphenhyphenrSoV6jc-cM6DUd_UiAgchOeKpTlKOOM7txRcjrJ-VJRA6Rp39CPwZiE3hQaeI-Wr75kILE9Ccig1nUnmHfjlXzQqbTvxQK92XN9ShJn4xj6x9JugXk-ZNBPrL4JwKmHWfOj9RLdi1V0NcRQtLFHEsJGboEV_dFIMI34hkHZXh1qE1arMW4/s388/Parnum%20SM%20Headshot.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="355" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6-zeoYthyphenhyphenrSoV6jc-cM6DUd_UiAgchOeKpTlKOOM7txRcjrJ-VJRA6Rp39CPwZiE3hQaeI-Wr75kILE9Ccig1nUnmHfjlXzQqbTvxQK92XN9ShJn4xj6x9JugXk-ZNBPrL4JwKmHWfOj9RLdi1V0NcRQtLFHEsJGboEV_dFIMI34hkHZXh1qE1arMW4/s320/Parnum%20SM%20Headshot.png" width="293" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If you could go back to your younger self and tell her three things that would help her get published - what would those be? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Number one: <span style="color: red;">It’s not impossible. </span><br /><br />Number two: Diligence and patience will pay off—<span style="color: #6aa84f;">keep going. </span><br /><br />And number three: <span style="color: #ff00fe;">Have fun with it! </span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br />Heading into the end of August was our</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/08/interview-with-karen-s-chow.html" target="_blank">Interview with Karen S. Chow</a> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">Karen S. Chow</span></b>....Traditionally Published Debut Middle-Grade Author of <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>Miracle </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8a909wuqN9PbK75VGabFhYMdC3QdngJ05nm2zWIo4F6x8UdS5i-oeja_XxxlbpjC76CKeRwRF08HSftXU81omy6aC1uGXyP6SbzePTMeI-QstONN1eHzI4mA7lbA8GM6GKfD6wwHgaAVO0ABi8QV9qIY1pmY5uhw6c2FtSGg73rc0GF4HKxdEmFImLE/s421/KSC_Color-7346%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="421" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8a909wuqN9PbK75VGabFhYMdC3QdngJ05nm2zWIo4F6x8UdS5i-oeja_XxxlbpjC76CKeRwRF08HSftXU81omy6aC1uGXyP6SbzePTMeI-QstONN1eHzI4mA7lbA8GM6GKfD6wwHgaAVO0ABi8QV9qIY1pmY5uhw6c2FtSGg73rc0GF4HKxdEmFImLE/s320/KSC_Color-7346%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Did you grow up seeing yourself in main characters, in books, or not so much, and how did this influence your work?</span></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">I did not</span><span style="font-size: large;"> see a lot of Asian-American characters in books when I was young. (Mind you, this was in the 80s-90s.) So when I read Grace Lin’s </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Year of the Dog</i><span style="font-size: x-large;">, I absolutely loved it, and had the realization that <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>I could write about my own life. </b></span>That’s when I started to write Taiwanese-American characters.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4sKzLrQjUwmtNghfRXkb0VkEY6W1wLbHxIyDrkdD6ThkaHLnoPdc_yaDQEaTZS6x6tekBhzfAxWPEPURk46LhrdR4y8ITFsD41ionRu60qiJx5pMuI7Lmm36ZO6Z5HavTk-7YsN8ClDahR6Q6V2gNYtGlMKA-A7Ysz-UVz8cg7lKvpiFNGkUz5P2IGVw" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="295" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4sKzLrQjUwmtNghfRXkb0VkEY6W1wLbHxIyDrkdD6ThkaHLnoPdc_yaDQEaTZS6x6tekBhzfAxWPEPURk46LhrdR4y8ITFsD41ionRu60qiJx5pMuI7Lmm36ZO6Z5HavTk-7YsN8ClDahR6Q6V2gNYtGlMKA-A7Ysz-UVz8cg7lKvpiFNGkUz5P2IGVw=w304-h405" width="304" /></a></div>In September </span><span style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-weight: bold;">Ree Augustine</span><span style="color: #333333;"><b> </b>was interviewed for her traditionally published debut </span><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Hangabout Far From Home</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><br /></div><div><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><br /></p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/09/interview-with-ree-augustine-and-her.html" target="_blank">Interview with Ree Augustine and her Debut Hangabout Far From Home</a><br /></span><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen - what one sentence would you yell?</span></b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>I don’t like to call attention to myself, </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>so perhaps I would whisper...</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>“Laugh every day.”</b></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><b style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><b style="text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><b style="text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><b style="text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">We skip ahead to November with an interview with a former Editor of Harcourt who is also an award winning author and business owner,</span> <b style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Deborah Halverson. </span></span></b></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 22px;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/11/interview-of-deborah-halverson.html" target="_blank">Interview of Deborah Halverson</a></span></div><div><span style="color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 22px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kgfhfe701LGOLC6y8FIQonaAJ4F_y21SrTDitsfdCO71gOpHnk2IoCwjxu0hSJ-6pEf3JvtaXzl_oSFbSXuV8nRf07fN8AOzMBxIDOfuXr7AIjQGjQL20OoEDVhLN3YM2KZ4g5Ju1DT9IZ1JXA61FMpp2vmhVCyHYZWnqOghF2ZxLxrqJ6CJRRCyHe8/s300/DeborahHalverson_credit_TheresaStanton_color_small-214x300.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="214" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kgfhfe701LGOLC6y8FIQonaAJ4F_y21SrTDitsfdCO71gOpHnk2IoCwjxu0hSJ-6pEf3JvtaXzl_oSFbSXuV8nRf07fN8AOzMBxIDOfuXr7AIjQGjQL20OoEDVhLN3YM2KZ4g5Ju1DT9IZ1JXA61FMpp2vmhVCyHYZWnqOghF2ZxLxrqJ6CJRRCyHe8/w275-h385/DeborahHalverson_credit_TheresaStanton_color_small-214x300.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>When should writers stop revising and editing?</b></span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br />When you're just moving commas around...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br />For me, that says it all. When the changes you’re making are sentence-level ones that are more about perfecting than anything else, <span style="color: #ffa400;">you’re ready to either submit to agents and publishers or hire an editor to bring in a fresh</span>, trained eye to help you know what more needs to be done, if anything, to make it submission-ready.</span><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><b style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><b style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><b style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><b style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><b style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><b style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"><b style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Finally, we reach December 2023 with an awesome interview with Debut Author <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Leah Moser</span> - </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #674ea7;">I Am a Thundercloud</span></b><br /><br /></span><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/12/interview-with-debut-author-leah-moser.html" target="_blank"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/12/interview-with-debut-author-leah-moser.html" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNcC0ranLZJQa9h-0wilAuXA15TBOzYXSQLYvyzwPBTYx3RIh9KFas2qm5loiohDgTq9IJQ5MWTqWsDuRAdLs6M0oDRtdH763qBBUEybtwq6QnsOwwdBEHIvE9hg3JLmKI6EyjxjfxjvhX0iv6oaQpxjUjUcZv8QGSPIuANdH00CNc1cMt-YJK8b-TiI/s424/Leah%20Moser%20Headshot.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="343" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNcC0ranLZJQa9h-0wilAuXA15TBOzYXSQLYvyzwPBTYx3RIh9KFas2qm5loiohDgTq9IJQ5MWTqWsDuRAdLs6M0oDRtdH763qBBUEybtwq6QnsOwwdBEHIvE9hg3JLmKI6EyjxjfxjvhX0iv6oaQpxjUjUcZv8QGSPIuANdH00CNc1cMt-YJK8b-TiI/w300-h371/Leah%20Moser%20Headshot.jpg" width="300" /></a></div></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #aab123; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/12/interview-with-debut-author-leah-moser.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></h3><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2023/12/interview-with-debut-author-leah-moser.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Interview with Debut Author Leah Moser - I Am a Thundercloud</span></a><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Can you share <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>a piece of advice </b></span>that you've received on your journey to becoming a published author?</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br />Believe in yourself and your stories.<span style="color: #ff00fe;"> Your voice matters!</span></span><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Thank you to all the authors!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">In reflecting on the whirlwind of interviews and insights gathered from the talented authors of 2023, one thing stands out: the </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">unwavering passion and dedication</span><span style="font-size: large;"> of writers pursuing their dreams. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">From <span style="color: #3d85c6;">seasoned veterans</span> to<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b> fresh faces</b></span> in the literary world, each shared a piece of wisdom that resonated deeply. As I look back on the year, I'm reminded that the journey of a writer is not just about reaching the destination of publication, but about embracing the process, learning from others, and believing in the power of our own stories. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #674ea7; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>So here's to all the authors who generously shared their experiences and advice, and to the countless stories yet to be written. </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we venture into the new year, may we continue to </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">uplift and inspire one another</span><span style="font-size: large;">, knowing that each voice adds richness to the tapestry of literature. Cheers to a future filled with creativity, perseverance, and the boundless possibilities of storytelling.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Write~on,</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Angie</span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">And apologies for this coming out in Feb. instead of Jan. - Goal next year - ha!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-23514909960680280642024-02-15T12:56:00.000-05:002024-02-15T12:56:36.714-05:00Writing: Remembering Why<h1 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.33333; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 46pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc54yB8euUVwZh5aiSxVDW2SYZckPABfGZN16JRoXrmt84wSiJlUii9tpfJ8GEXcnB_qNpXnpoEqqcRVU6vdCkAsqbHGmtzYGKarsL5uNT5-_Yr5FZZSYVWpTsIAH4NXngU2Wsk20NM_5xiZ10zIiaYAvjj67MXOKriSS7Z0zwDU7yycYBun2jmx7Ewc/s1024/964a420b-ecf1-4712-9e1e-a4c45f35d23b.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="461" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc54yB8euUVwZh5aiSxVDW2SYZckPABfGZN16JRoXrmt84wSiJlUii9tpfJ8GEXcnB_qNpXnpoEqqcRVU6vdCkAsqbHGmtzYGKarsL5uNT5-_Yr5FZZSYVWpTsIAH4NXngU2Wsk20NM_5xiZ10zIiaYAvjj67MXOKriSS7Z0zwDU7yycYBun2jmx7Ewc/w461-h461/964a420b-ecf1-4712-9e1e-a4c45f35d23b.webp" width="461" /></a></div></span></h1><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.33333; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 46pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Writing:</span> <span style="color: #45818e;">Remembering Why</span></span></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -31pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Welcome back to</span><a href="http://www.teazurs.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></a><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Writing Teazurs</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> where we dive deep into </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">the heart of writing</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, beyond the pages and into the essence of what makes us writers. Today, we're peeling back the layers of the publishing world to reveal the art of writing—a craft so often overshadowed by the hustle of the business side. Let's remember how to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138;"><b>keep your love for writing lit</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, even if the business side tries to snuff it out.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -31pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Double-Edged Sword of Publishing</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Publishing is a coveted milestone for many writers, the dream that keeps us typing into the wee hours. Yet, it's also a realm where spreadsheets and sales figures can cast long shadows over the creative process. Money. Money. Money. <span style="color: #ffa400;">It's easy to get lost </span>in the maze of marketing, sales, and the pursuit of the next big deal, so much so that the initial love for crafting stories can take a backseat.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It's also easy to become cynical and downright negative about publishing and then spread that to all of your writing buddies. <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Many people find camaraderie in misery, but I do not.</span> I believe writing is my choice, and I am doing it because I love it. When other writers become too negative about their writing journey, it poisons my creativity. So, I try to stay positive about why I started writing. <span style="color: red;">It wasn't for book deals. </span>It was because I had to write. It was a calling inside of me, not out there on social media or in a business meeting.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I write because it's my form of art, and my art feeds my soul. </span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.92; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">So Remember Why You Started</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In the whirlwind of deadlines and deals, query letters, and resumes, take a moment to <span style="color: #ffa400;">remind yourself why you began writing in the first place.</span> Was it the thrill of creating new worlds? The joy of exploring complex characters? That character who just needs to be brought to life? Or perhaps the catharsis of pouring your soul onto the page? And becoming vulnerable on the page? Reconnecting with your foundational passion for writing can be the compass that guides you back to your creative center.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Protecting your happiness is important. Remember that old saying, <span style="color: #ff00fe;">"You are what you eat."</span> That doesn't only mean the food you put into your mouth. If you are listening and absorbing negative comments, emotions, or attitudes from other writers, you will eventually become that, too. Be careful who you spend your writing time around and how they feel about the industry. Inevitably, you will repeat some negative news about writing to the next writer you meet, and it goes on and on and on...</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fLdrTlJGKMv2OiWuKqiAnTufbmE1zrl3sAROOR93aAPi6Ex-XU9m5BPcPCyr5ercdMAFk96q28yAufV7XyQZsP7B5IONVbkd7sz0vVpTLWyfDr7BfjmUmWUHK9DifaJqXF2GjIuUsjB01_fxgajWt3nrBssAhdWeh8gw6wAyknLN5sikcJ9NmnhJKuQ/s1024/de271853-9455-4888-9525-c349fd5a5701.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="447" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fLdrTlJGKMv2OiWuKqiAnTufbmE1zrl3sAROOR93aAPi6Ex-XU9m5BPcPCyr5ercdMAFk96q28yAufV7XyQZsP7B5IONVbkd7sz0vVpTLWyfDr7BfjmUmWUHK9DifaJqXF2GjIuUsjB01_fxgajWt3nrBssAhdWeh8gw6wAyknLN5sikcJ9NmnhJKuQ/w447-h447/de271853-9455-4888-9525-c349fd5a5701.webp" width="447" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.92; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Create Without Constraints</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">One of the purest ways to maintain your love for the craft is to <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>regularly engage in writing that's just for you.</b></span> No deadlines, no expectations, and certainly no thoughts of publishing. Write because you love to write. Experiment with new styles, dabble in genres you've never tried and let your imagination run wild. This is your sanctuary, a place where the business side of writing cannot tread.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">A great way to do this</span><span style="font-size: large;"> every day is to set a timer for 5-10 minutes and freehand write. I use paper without lines, so I can just be as messy and artsy as I want with my words. It's for me, only me. It's been a wonderful way to connect to my inner muse. </span></span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.92; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Connect with Fellow Artisans</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a world that often values product over process (we must change this attitude), connecting with like-minded writers who <span style="color: #45818e;">see writing as an art form</span> can be incredibly affirming. Whether it's through writing groups, forums, or workshops focused on the craft, surrounding yourself with people who share your passion for storytelling can </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>reignite your love for the art</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> and remind you that you're not alone in your journey.</span></span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.92; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Celebrate Small Victories</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In the business of writing, success is often measured by sales figures, awards, and contracts. Yet, <span style="color: #45818e;">the art of writing is filled with countless other victories worth celebrating.</span> Finished a challenging chapter? Developed a complex character? Found the perfect metaphor? Taught a writing class? Have you given a great critique? Learned how to create an exciting setting? Queried your first or 100th agent? Showed up to your computer keyboard? Wrote one beautiful sentence? </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Celebrate these moments! </span>They are the heartbeat of your writing journey.</span></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.92; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -1pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Embrace the Journey, Not Just the Destination</span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Finally, remember that writing is a journey, not a destination. If you love the journey, the writing will follow. The path of a writer is marked by growth, discovery, and the deep satisfaction of expressing oneself. The publishing industry, with its ups and downs, is just one part of this wild adventure. <span style="color: red;">Keep your focus on the joy</span> of the journey itself, and let that joy fuel your continued passion for the craft.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FZPqP4CeFp4rWJgCSufnJB8PFSJAZSm4Tpwa6rAniRmw6zjtRUxoUupyQV9ZapzwOfcEQKsGhbhaT5Vk-3dqBWTDx9oJ5-AMtQGYpcXlIxPSyW72eCpGpCO9HFa7dH9Dn5KuTW-2YsSGl99uQhpmKRXBX1Fr6tN7pXyVHyfz3d2WY6GQkFcbOnJFy9I/s1024/f342b561-7c91-4c49-8ed7-d01245b051a2.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FZPqP4CeFp4rWJgCSufnJB8PFSJAZSm4Tpwa6rAniRmw6zjtRUxoUupyQV9ZapzwOfcEQKsGhbhaT5Vk-3dqBWTDx9oJ5-AMtQGYpcXlIxPSyW72eCpGpCO9HFa7dH9Dn5KuTW-2YsSGl99uQhpmKRXBX1Fr6tN7pXyVHyfz3d2WY6GQkFcbOnJFy9I/w443-h443/f342b561-7c91-4c49-8ed7-d01245b051a2.webp" width="443" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 4pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Remember why you began this journey</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 15pt 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the grand tapestry of writing, the threads of art and business are tightly woven together. It helps to remember that </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">at the heart of every writer is an artist</span><span style="font-size: large;">, a storyteller driven by a love for the craft. No matter where you are in your publishing journey, never lose sight of that initial <span style="color: #ff00fe;">spark of passion</span> that set you on this path. Let it light your way through the business fog and back to the pure joy of writing.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Keep cherishing and protecting </b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>your love for the craft, </b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>and may your words always flow freely.</b></span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-weight: 400;"> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For more thoughts and ideas on the writer's life and to keep your creative flame burning bright, stay tuned to</span><a href="http://www.teazurs.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.teazurs.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIS-wVRCT3dBpJqjQ51on5CacN9epinzggCH1hQOyQdaaQU2XsM6Dnq5_QRkgtKv7lHeuXKEq8G-Js8PaZW-psVdfJ4LI0FnyAK1sNDGChJlgl4eZPvE457E-5JlhCXAvergxMkqo2PIicX-aqKF35aNVsEo59MHyoX96TIwHgOIywzg3s4tjF5kRLBQ/s3088/IMG_2294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIS-wVRCT3dBpJqjQ51on5CacN9epinzggCH1hQOyQdaaQU2XsM6Dnq5_QRkgtKv7lHeuXKEq8G-Js8PaZW-psVdfJ4LI0FnyAK1sNDGChJlgl4eZPvE457E-5JlhCXAvergxMkqo2PIicX-aqKF35aNVsEo59MHyoX96TIwHgOIywzg3s4tjF5kRLBQ/s320/IMG_2294.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br />Write~on,</span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Angie</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: -1pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ecaedc39-7fff-5df0-9c11-0b51c13a7253"><br /></span></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-73405778964298636342024-01-16T15:14:00.015-05:002024-01-16T15:40:09.349-05:00The Introverted Writer's Guide to an Extroverted Writing World<p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Exercises for the <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Introverted</span> Writer </span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">in an <span style="color: red;">Extroverted</span> Writing World</span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NyvblVzpoMeDZu2VEXivYvqLafVYQcyEUTjCdkK4f8oFDcD7AOVfBBEXnKBJvZyM-t7_XPahw9o-Kc6mi_mvTkUCD3QxOsDfoyfCqC2jZ2RMM59ld1iEg0oCG2zdDn3DJj1MLzTk7kr38u2Zw4tacXo9anTiWivPt18taTyrRr9vOC3BSfsLs2Ykt-s/s2951/baptista-ime-james-XfHdVXHe94w-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2951" data-original-width="2249" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NyvblVzpoMeDZu2VEXivYvqLafVYQcyEUTjCdkK4f8oFDcD7AOVfBBEXnKBJvZyM-t7_XPahw9o-Kc6mi_mvTkUCD3QxOsDfoyfCqC2jZ2RMM59ld1iEg0oCG2zdDn3DJj1MLzTk7kr38u2Zw4tacXo9anTiWivPt18taTyrRr9vOC3BSfsLs2Ykt-s/w321-h421/baptista-ime-james-XfHdVXHe94w-unsplash.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Hello, wonderful writers and creatives of all kinds!</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today, I'm writing about a topic I believe is close to many of our hearts - navigating the extroverted world of writing as an introvert. It's no secret that the writing industry, with its <span style="color: #ffa400;">networking events</span>, <span style="color: #6aa84f;">conferences</span>, and the <span style="color: #674ea7;">need for self-promotion</span>, can feel a bit </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">daunting</span><span style="font-size: large;"> for those of us who recharge in <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>solitude</b></span>. </span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">But fear not! </span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Here are <span style="color: red;">three powerful exercises</span> to help you embrace your inner extrovert, while staying true to your introverted self.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSwHIPX9bxHpsCRDcMHRxq_fIHKXLr9dZKGAAKN3jOk_buPpFCw4nkLcK5GlCHzpfRCc0Y-KjLJVAegjld3J0p3ENKoRTt8ngS00NBwMuZVqSzdhlzbHGMLqU5rxa32661DAIDMuVG3pULp4sSu4DQMgKKCo4TisMYMpwLvZLM-_82xh-Wkl3P4MQ35w/s610/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%202.39.14%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="610" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSwHIPX9bxHpsCRDcMHRxq_fIHKXLr9dZKGAAKN3jOk_buPpFCw4nkLcK5GlCHzpfRCc0Y-KjLJVAegjld3J0p3ENKoRTt8ngS00NBwMuZVqSzdhlzbHGMLqU5rxa32661DAIDMuVG3pULp4sSu4DQMgKKCo4TisMYMpwLvZLM-_82xh-Wkl3P4MQ35w/w489-h332/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%202.39.14%20PM.png" width="489" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">1. The Power of Visualization</span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Before stepping into any social setting, practice the art of visualization. <span style="color: #ffa400;">Find a quiet space, close your eyes, and imagine the upcoming event in detail.</span> See yourself entering the room with a calm and confident demeanor. Visualize engaging in conversations, sharing your ideas about your latest project, and even laughing with fellow writers and industry professionals. This mental rehearsal primes your brain to handle real-life scenarios more confidently.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>Visualization</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, a technique widely used in psychology, works by harnessing the power of our brain's ability to simulate experiences. <span style="color: #6aa84f;">When we vividly imagine an event before it happens, we're essentially prepping our brain to experience it, creating neural pathways similar to those created during the actual experience. </span>This mental rehearsal can </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">significantly reduce anxiety</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and increase confidence, as it familiarizes us with potential scenarios and outcomes. </span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Even </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">extroverted athletes utilize this strategy</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">to enhance their performance; by visualizing their success, they not only mentally prepare for the physical but also cultivate a positive and more confident mindset. This process of visualization taps into our emotions and our unique way of learning, helping to get our mental state in line with our desired outcomes, which improves<span style="color: #45818e;"> our real-world performance in every situation</span>, from athletic events to those dreaded social interactions. Oh, in case you didn't know, my background is <span style="color: red;">psychology</span> - I freaking love this stuff! And it works. </span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Exercise:</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Spend 10 minutes each night leading up to the event visualizing positive interactions right before you go off to sleep. </span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Set aside your phone, find a comfortable space, and let your body unwind. Gently close your eyes, and begin to visualize the upcoming event. <span style="color: red;">Picture yourself well-prepared and brimming with confidence, effortlessly mingling within the crowd.</span> Visualize making eye contact, engaging in conversations with ease, and articulating your project with eloquence and passion. </span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Acknowledge any nervous energy, and consciously channel it down through your body, grounding yourself firmly to the earth. Imagine yourself moving with a poised grace, breathing deeply and rhythmically. <span style="color: #ffa400;">Embrace the realization that you are the architect of this moment. </span></span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dedicate a few minutes each night to this practice, focusing on rich, detailed imagery. The more vivid your visualization, the more empowered and prepared you will feel for the actual event.</span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v22TVEUBO7Lgk0WjkHQNTO8iJre0wxrOA6-3_ZUhxW3RBcCm2RIUbrhBMKdKeRbdOvTjShgI8_atTN3RP0EqbREk0Fd058bkJ95gW1eex411hxh1CkO2gydTgPLlfSe_NKF-scTWVSwqkeZKHAsGvVwptxy8V2AZxmJVMY01Rd5KiB4e_Mj_FhyMeYI/s5568/kelly-sikkema-FbDyQzVfy94-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3712" data-original-width="5568" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v22TVEUBO7Lgk0WjkHQNTO8iJre0wxrOA6-3_ZUhxW3RBcCm2RIUbrhBMKdKeRbdOvTjShgI8_atTN3RP0EqbREk0Fd058bkJ95gW1eex411hxh1CkO2gydTgPLlfSe_NKF-scTWVSwqkeZKHAsGvVwptxy8V2AZxmJVMY01Rd5KiB4e_Mj_FhyMeYI/w490-h326/kelly-sikkema-FbDyQzVfy94-unsplash.jpg" width="490" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2. Script It Out</span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As introverts, spontaneous small talk isn't always our forte. <span style="color: #6aa84f;">A great strategy is to prepare a few conversation starters or talking points about your writing.</span> This doesn't mean you script the entire conversation (which is impossible and will come off weird!), but having a few go-to topics can ease anxiety and open doors for genuine connections.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Attending a kidlit writers' conference is an exciting opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for children's literature. </span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Here are some </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">effective conversation starters</span><span style="font-size: large;"> that can help you engage with fellow writers, illustrators, and industry professionals:</span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Asking About Their Work:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> "What age group or genre do you specialize in within children's literature? I’d love to hear more about your work."
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Discussing Current Projects:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> "Are you currently working on any projects? I'm always interested in hearing what other kidlit writers are creating."
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Sharing Favorite Books:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> "What's your all-time favorite children's book? I'm always looking for new inspiration and would love to hear your recommendations."
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Inquiring About Their Journey:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> "How did you get started in children's literature? I find everyone’s path to kidlit fascinating."
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Talking About Conference Sessions:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> "Have you attended any interesting sessions or workshops today? I'm curious about what others have found valuable."
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Discussing Industry Trends: </b><span style="font-size: large;">"What trends in children's literature have you been excited about lately?"
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Sharing Challenges and Solutions:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> "What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a kidlit writer, and how have you overcome it?"
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Asking About Illustrations:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> "If they’re an illustrator: How do you approach illustrating for children's books? I'm always amazed at how illustrations bring stories to life."
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Networking Opportunities:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> "Do you know of any good kidlit writing groups or online communities? I'm always looking to connect with more writers and illustrators."
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Offering Compliments:</b><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "I really enjoyed your [article, book, presentation, etc.]. Could you tell me more about how it came together?"
These conversation starters are designed to </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">open up a dialogue that is both engaging and relevant to the world of children's literature</span><span style="font-size: large;">, allowing for meaningful connections and exchanges of ideas. Remember, most attendees are there for similar reasons as you – to learn, network, and share their passion for kidlit.</span></span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Exercise:</span> </span>Write down three topics related to your writing or interests in the literary world. Practice these in front of a mirror, with a friend, or even record yourself to gain confidence in your delivery.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26yYjV8kxaWlDnNAqaZNKivmytkzvH19lyslUbbVoIkDaVsAdvX81F7XQw-OKsxiNxcLUPTmfL4xTpnrW1XMCMxZ-cgWowILHiWUI2rhnqWrDYKo7-QKZ-p1Fb4u9HguRaurvIINRYSMFdYldCiHBFzyAFVoEshRhgKC4OetmERiNzpUi7kT9SrW8mug/s5956/lesly-juarez-DFtjXYd5Pto-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3971" data-original-width="5956" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26yYjV8kxaWlDnNAqaZNKivmytkzvH19lyslUbbVoIkDaVsAdvX81F7XQw-OKsxiNxcLUPTmfL4xTpnrW1XMCMxZ-cgWowILHiWUI2rhnqWrDYKo7-QKZ-p1Fb4u9HguRaurvIINRYSMFdYldCiHBFzyAFVoEshRhgKC4OetmERiNzpUi7kT9SrW8mug/w497-h331/lesly-juarez-DFtjXYd5Pto-unsplash.jpg" width="497" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">3. Mindful Breathing for Grounding</span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Introverts often feel overwhelmed in crowded or noisy environments. <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>A quick and effective way to regain your composure is through mindful breathing.</b></span> This technique helps ground you in the present moment and calms the nervous system.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Exercise:</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 7 seconds, and exhale slowly for 8 seconds. Do this for a few minutes each day and whenever you need a quick reset at events.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Feeling </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">overwhelmed</span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"> can disconnect you from the present moment and your physical self. Here are </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #800180;">three more effective methods</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to help you reconnect with your body and regain a sense of calm:</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<b>Progressive Muscle Relaxation:</b> This technique involves tensing and then relaxing each muscle group in your body, one at a time. <span style="color: #674ea7;">Start from your toes and work your way up to your head or vice versa.</span> As you focus on each muscle, breathe in deeply as you tense, hold for a few seconds, and then breathe out as you release the tension. <span style="color: #a64d79;">This process not only helps to relieve physical tension but also brings your attention back to your body.</span>
<b>Mindful Movement or Gentle Exercise: </b>Engaging in gentle, mindful movement, such as yoga, tai chi, or simply going for a walk, can help ground you in your body. <span style="color: red;">Pay attention to each movement, how your feet touch the ground, how your arms move through the air, and the rhythm of your breath.</span> This connection with your body’s movements can help center your mind and reduce feelings of overwhelm.
<b>Sensory Engagement:</b> Use your senses to anchor yourself in the present. This can be done through techniques like holding a piece of ice and focusing on the sensation, taking a warm bath or shower and feeling the water on your skin, or engaging in a taste-focused activity like slowly eating a piece of fruit or a favorite treat. </span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">I use fidget spinners for my anxiety.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I keep one in my pocket or on a necklace. When I feel overwhelmed, I click or spin the gadget. It helps me come back to my body, as I tend to leave it when I am stressed. This often causes me to lose parts or whole conversations - never a great thing to have happen at a conference or chatting with an agent. </span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Pay attention to what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. </span>This sensory input can be very effective in bringing your awareness back to the here and now.
Each of these techniques works by <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>redirecting</b></span> your focus away from overwhelming thoughts and back to your physical being, helping to calm your mind and reestablish a sense of grounding and presence in your body.</span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMy8l3bhZywh4Wtn_vsWKR7YA_eZ5D9O6tOJyFbvqST8U_I9FSeDDhAj75LNf9fmb7kEy7y4JkrG_xGTOyqDzc4qQlL3syYMsVw9SlwCzTlydgQiRedCcgNgbGH056kXBJ9t71YPz_Qk81EcP3GweKqVJ1z7wWQ_FYV3POvoKA0lpC66teG7Jiv8SRxiA/s5184/maxwell-collins-OUm4v3mWzoc-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMy8l3bhZywh4Wtn_vsWKR7YA_eZ5D9O6tOJyFbvqST8U_I9FSeDDhAj75LNf9fmb7kEy7y4JkrG_xGTOyqDzc4qQlL3syYMsVw9SlwCzTlydgQiRedCcgNgbGH056kXBJ9t71YPz_Qk81EcP3GweKqVJ1z7wWQ_FYV3POvoKA0lpC66teG7Jiv8SRxiA/w369-h554/maxwell-collins-OUm4v3mWzoc-unsplash.jpg" width="369" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 600;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 600;">Putting Yourself Out There</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Armed with these exercises, you're ready to step into the writing world with newfound confidence. </span><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: large;">Remember, being an introvert has its own set of </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">superpowers</span><span style="font-size: large;"> – deep thinking, empathy, and a rich inner world, all of which are invaluable in the creative industry. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">Embrace these qualities, and use the exercises to help bridge the gap.</span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGQeN4D5Vd_ODcdXVYhrYhIq1dlchg3cqZLqCHDCBCFng-FT7f1lzegJT0QS0Pc260haxZCHgVj8y-jhzAdPNIsH8_0oW0zFFah8v5T_MeUgWjYllliHt-BIdvAohDWL1uOTRrpxYnq4yiZomfYZnGfe22Fnbcj9ImdfR9KsBrMEdHDxVx0vAASxil5A/s3000/kevin-lehtla-pGYBZqIm48Y-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2400" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGQeN4D5Vd_ODcdXVYhrYhIq1dlchg3cqZLqCHDCBCFng-FT7f1lzegJT0QS0Pc260haxZCHgVj8y-jhzAdPNIsH8_0oW0zFFah8v5T_MeUgWjYllliHt-BIdvAohDWL1uOTRrpxYnq4yiZomfYZnGfe22Fnbcj9ImdfR9KsBrMEdHDxVx0vAASxil5A/w355-h444/kevin-lehtla-pGYBZqIm48Y-unsplash.jpg" width="355" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>A Reminder</b></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Some Great Qualities of Introverts are:</b></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">Reflective and Thoughtful:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> Introverts are often deeply reflective and think things through thoroughly before speaking or acting. This can lead to more </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">well-considered decisions</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and insights.
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Good Listeners:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> Introverts tend to be excellent listeners, which is a valuable skill in all types of relationships. They often process what is being said more deeply and offer </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">thoughtful responses.</span><span style="font-size: large;">
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Deep Concentration:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> Introverts usually have the ability to </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">focus deeply</span><span style="font-size: large;"> on tasks for extended periods. This can make them great at handling complex tasks that require sustained attention.
</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Independent: </b><span style="font-size: large;">Many introverts are comfortable working independently and </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">do not need constant interaction or approval from others.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> This independence can be a significant asset in both personal and professional settings.
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Observant:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> Introverts often have a keen </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">eye for detail</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and may notice subtleties that others overlook. Their observational skills can provide valuable insights in various situations.
<b>Creative and Innovative: </b>The introspective nature of introverts often fuels creativity and innovation. They can be </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">imaginative thinkers</span><span style="font-size: large;"> who bring unique perspectives to problems and projects.
<b>Empathetic and Understanding:</b> Introverts can be highly empathetic, capable of </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">deep understanding and connection</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> </span>with others' feelings. This empathy can make them great friends, partners, and team members.
<b>Calm and Composed:</b> In chaotic or high-pressure situations, introverts often maintain a calm and composed demeanor, which can be </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">reassuring</span><span><span style="font-size: large;"> to those around them.
</span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Self-Aware:</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> Introverts tend to be introspective, leading to </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">high self-awareness.</span> </span><span style="font-size: large;">This self-knowledge can be powerful in personal growth and development.
<b>Loyal and Committed:</b> When introverts commit to a relationship, project, or cause, they often do so with </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">deep dedication and loyalty</span><span style="font-size: large;">, making them reliable and trustworthy individuals.</span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZP2eXNx-MNVlvHGLICaDtFrX1edsqXCzIeRLxyngDLtOrrPtxkXfgXaas6Y0KYBWWa9JuUKjDtRNNlBVBRBxInJYrVA2zpAAPYV0wFWL5cBdNJCOquQi7MW5mPahHA4Le1OnTMBzqIoKmfXFW6EW_Y_IQJOVWLvBVbw0UGE-_aDlAD5ASgYNK4czMNo/s3997/brooke-cagle--uHVRvDr7pg-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2665" data-original-width="3997" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZP2eXNx-MNVlvHGLICaDtFrX1edsqXCzIeRLxyngDLtOrrPtxkXfgXaas6Y0KYBWWa9JuUKjDtRNNlBVBRBxInJYrVA2zpAAPYV0wFWL5cBdNJCOquQi7MW5mPahHA4Le1OnTMBzqIoKmfXFW6EW_Y_IQJOVWLvBVbw0UGE-_aDlAD5ASgYNK4czMNo/w500-h333/brooke-cagle--uHVRvDr7pg-unsplash.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 600; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Meeting Your Agent, Mingling at Conferences, Connecting with Peers</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">When it comes to finding an agent or mingling at conferences, the key is to start small.</span><span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"> </span><span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: xx-large;">Focus on making just one or two meaningful connections rather than trying to meet everyone. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I used to think talking to everyone was what I was <i>supposed</i> to do at conferences. Then I'd go home and not remember anyone.</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>Quality over quantity is your mantra.</b></span> And don't forget, many industry professionals appreciate the depth and thoughtfulness that introverts bring to the table.</span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, remember that your voice is essential and needed in the literary world. Industry professionals want to connect with you. You are valid and what you have to say is worthy, but </span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span style="font-size: large;">you </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">must</span><span style="font-size: large;"> get over your fears and speak up.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> With a bit of preparation and self-care, you can navigate this extroverted space while staying true to your introverted core. </span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Happy Writing and Mingling!</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpfH9XMVD1uzSHPwnQ39t_ogETZQfNT58RDH1MjktZfECVLJodSp5cIIxRoo04v7PuMNoWqG4nSdLVYYbDUp3tcr7Pe26pa8beWQcSLMYUZSkVNhlrAPaFwJ__STY_KnIsnd0sOyhq0hgxy0Dzn46jbX1U73_eauFLGqC-ypMYpAuKAwDB30frKHqAU0/s3088/IMG_2294.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpfH9XMVD1uzSHPwnQ39t_ogETZQfNT58RDH1MjktZfECVLJodSp5cIIxRoo04v7PuMNoWqG4nSdLVYYbDUp3tcr7Pe26pa8beWQcSLMYUZSkVNhlrAPaFwJ__STY_KnIsnd0sOyhq0hgxy0Dzn46jbX1U73_eauFLGqC-ypMYpAuKAwDB30frKHqAU0/s320/IMG_2294.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">And as always, if you'd like to be interviewed on Writing Teazurs Blog - email me at angeazur @ gmail.com</span><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">~write-on</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Angie</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><div><br /></div>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-13785106343210040902024-01-02T14:45:00.004-05:002024-01-02T17:07:38.718-05:00Interview with Trenise Ferreira SCBWI WIP Winner<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">K</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">i</span><span style="color: #fcff01;">d</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">L</span><span style="color: #01ffff;">i</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">t</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Interview with Trenise<span style="text-align: left;"> Ferreira</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">SCBWI Work-in-Progress Winner!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">for</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">GLORIA JACKSON EXPLAINS IT ALL</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-0gRxfuf8syH2jGkduwb6TBVTY3O_hSFj6gkrWHQyoSCnR5kJDdkQ2XltVeiMVoTzMrgsh1Lxn4eFDKub4ZJl7gZoTlusdk_XacoBb7Q-AT96lr0vy4cEJ6UDAbYaqDeVx-0qV18tCqOnWsE0kMNrbbO2K7cubYfbb231RWciY_Tw_mJALb64RjOk6Q/s580/Screenshot%202024-01-02%20at%2012.54.28%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="573" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-0gRxfuf8syH2jGkduwb6TBVTY3O_hSFj6gkrWHQyoSCnR5kJDdkQ2XltVeiMVoTzMrgsh1Lxn4eFDKub4ZJl7gZoTlusdk_XacoBb7Q-AT96lr0vy4cEJ6UDAbYaqDeVx-0qV18tCqOnWsE0kMNrbbO2K7cubYfbb231RWciY_Tw_mJALb64RjOk6Q/w407-h412/Screenshot%202024-01-02%20at%2012.54.28%20PM.png" width="407" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome Readers and Creatives - </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today, we welcome a debut chapter book author, with a work-in-progress </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">SCBWI</span><span style="font-size: large;"> win for her first KidLit book, Gloria Jackson Explains it All. </span><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">She</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> decided that she would write an amazing book, snag an agent, and be published....and <i>she</i> is <span style="color: #ff00fe;">manifesting</span> all of that! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">How? </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>She's doing the work!</b></span> She's reading. She's writing. She's created a creative routine for herself. She's connecting with other writers and bookish people. She's promoting herself by doing interviews and social media posts. She's doing it her way, and she's gracefully sharing her amazing journey with us. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let's all cheer Trenise on to victory - publication and lots and lots of readership. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hello, Trenise, and welcome to Writing Teazurs,</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>Congratulations</b></span> <b><span style="font-size: large;">on winning the work-in-progress award from </span><a href="https://www.scbwi.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">SCBWI</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> for your chapter book, "Gloria Jackson Explains it All"! Can you tell us more about the book and the inspiration behind it?</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy to do so! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">“</span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">GLORIA JACKSON EXPLAINS IT ALL</span><span style="font-size: large;">” is a chapter book </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">series</span><span style="font-size: large;"> that I’ve been working on for a couple of years now. I originally wrote it as a picture book, but after an R&R from an editor, I was encouraged to </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">redevelop it</span><span style="font-size: large;"> as a chapter book series. Though that opportunity didn’t work out, I felt strongly that the editor was right, and I’ve since revised it into the version that won the </span><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large;">SCBWI Best WIP Chapter Book Award! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">My pitch goes like this:</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">In Gloria Jackson Explains It All, <span style="color: #800180;">know-it-all </span><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Gloria</span> is proud to know everything about everything — and she loves to drop a good fun fact or two! — until a cross-country move <span style="color: red;">shakes her confidence</span> and <span style="color: #ffa400;">presents new challenges.</span> Good thing she’s got her diary to process her <span style="color: #674ea7;">feelings</span>, <span style="color: #674ea7;">feats</span> and to share her <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>favorite</b></span> <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>fun facts.</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYhnoo183KZtClwW7E2BXBpM-iZWDp58kJUgs2Z4X0lrbKBRA97wUp0EI0RVkvVJGVgOQSSNY5sCaYjjZXGPBkRp-gASywt4NPo4JFZZk5vqm7s9ywMkCy6Pf_D77-bxwMWsZubdx_9L76A_-dtqJRx1-dO78DRVWTGAbudueQH-RqjoiSUUIKAvRo8E/s809/Screenshot%202024-01-02%20at%2012.55.17%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="809" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYhnoo183KZtClwW7E2BXBpM-iZWDp58kJUgs2Z4X0lrbKBRA97wUp0EI0RVkvVJGVgOQSSNY5sCaYjjZXGPBkRp-gASywt4NPo4JFZZk5vqm7s9ywMkCy6Pf_D77-bxwMWsZubdx_9L76A_-dtqJRx1-dO78DRVWTGAbudueQH-RqjoiSUUIKAvRo8E/w497-h362/Screenshot%202024-01-02%20at%2012.55.17%20PM.png" width="497" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>How did it feel to receive recognition from SCBWI for your work in progress? Can you share some of the emotions and thoughts that went through your mind when you found out?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Winning this award was <span style="color: red;"><b>MAJORLY</b></span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">validating</span>, and I was so excited when I got the email! </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">I have been on a journey with Gloria. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">In 2021, she was a picture book, then a chapter book that I thought would sell, so I was so disappointed when that opportunity didn’t work out. But <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>I never gave up on this story</b></span>, and I think the current version has a place in the market. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">
When I found out I was, it was<span style="color: #01ffff;"> pretty funny. </span>The award was announced about a month after the initially planned date. So the whole time, I kept telling myself, “You’re still in it!” But then, two days before the announcement date, I still hadn’t heard anything, so I thought maybe I didn’t win. But the next day, I just happened to check my email that evening, and there it was! The email indicated that <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>I had won!</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">As a pre-published author, beating out thousands of other entries is <span style="color: #ff00fe;">a big deal for me.</span> It made me feel like <span style="color: red;">I’m on the right track</span> and I have a <span style="color: #ffa400;">strong contender</span> on my hands for future success. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI2j0qfRQAsOGnY4xeLSEvFoYRwtBKWUzfT0poNu5p_l_axzX0hUtc7TpGrLVM5n1BxHigHjjNZgh44_oGSP8bEEOHbaiLjzpk5DXp3JDKwCxokk0-F3EKxYSDVfvvYG9vNXeUYZkWFCiPB3rXPKWPQT8R8XNQTArFr-r0_Xq9hMM8qAzYtYKx_2Q4Mw/s1024/232db183-d38c-406b-b8a0-52b4578beb7d.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI2j0qfRQAsOGnY4xeLSEvFoYRwtBKWUzfT0poNu5p_l_axzX0hUtc7TpGrLVM5n1BxHigHjjNZgh44_oGSP8bEEOHbaiLjzpk5DXp3JDKwCxokk0-F3EKxYSDVfvvYG9vNXeUYZkWFCiPB3rXPKWPQT8R8XNQTArFr-r0_Xq9hMM8qAzYtYKx_2Q4Mw/s320/232db183-d38c-406b-b8a0-52b4578beb7d.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen - what one sentence would you shout?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Always have the courage to </span></b></span></span><b style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: xx-large;">ask for what you want. </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Writing for children can be a unique and rewarding endeavor. What do you find most fulfilling about crafting stories for young readers?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Writing for children is the best because they are still so in tune with </span><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large;"><b>wonder</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>imagination</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> of the possibility of the world around them. I love tapping into that! I look forward to the day when a book that I wrote is a favorite for a child and <span style="color: #800180;">leaves a lasting impact </span>the way my childhood faves have left on me. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Can you offer some insights into your writing process? How do you approach creating relatable and engaging characters for your chapter books?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I aspire to be a </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">prolific writer</span><span style="font-size: large;">, so </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">I write</span><span style="font-size: large;">, quite literally, </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>every day.</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> But more than that, </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">I read every day </span><span style="font-size: large;">(physical books, e-books, and audiobooks! I love them all) and watch story-driven content daily. All of this helps me understand what makes a good story, why characters work (or don’t), and how to deliver for my audiences how I intend to. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the best things I’ve done </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>for my craft</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> over the last year has been </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">committing to writing every day, 12 minutes a day.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> It’s a small time commitment (and if I can write longer in a given setting, I do!), but the </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">consistency</span><span style="font-size: large;"> helps me constantly hone my craft and elevate as a writer. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">When it comes to </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>character development,</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> I typically can see my characters very clearly in my head as I’m bringing their world to life. I think about what I loved about chapter books at that age – the </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">voice</span><span style="font-size: large;">, their </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">worlds</span><span style="font-size: large;">, their </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">adventures</span><span style="font-size: large;"> – and I bring that to my writing. I draw much </span><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large;"><b>inspiration</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> from my favorite 90s cartoons and re-reading series like “Junie B. Jones.” She was my favorite when I was a kid! When we </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">study the things we loved as kid consumers,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> we can create characters and stories for the new generation of readers that resonate just as strongly.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also <span style="color: #800180;">encourage writers</span> to determine what they respond to as creators and build that into their process. For me, </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">I respond to competition, </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">so I compete with myself!</span> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I give myself a </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><b>literal gold star sticker</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> for every day I write, and I refuse to let my sticker grid go empty! </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">I bet myself that I can draft a picture book in an hour. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I challenge myself by doing things like </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;"><b>NaNoWriMo</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> (National Novel Writing Month). This works for me, and it’s helped me grow as a writer. Knowing what you respond to and </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">how to motivate yourself</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to keep going in an industry predicated on “no” is so important.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>(<span style="color: #ff00fe;">**</span>Okay - Trenise, I am totally stealing the gold star sticker idea! My teachers gave them out when I was a kid and I respond to goal setting as well! So excited to bring this back, thank you!<span style="color: #ff00fe;">**</span>)</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>As a children's book author, how do you balance the need for educational content with the desire to entertain and engage young readers?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was a kid who </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>loved learning</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, so balancing education with entertainment comes naturally to me. Kids are </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">naturally curious</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and want to know more about the world around them, so I tap into that instinct. </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">What did I like as a kid?</span><span style="font-size: large;"> What things made me go, Wow!” I bring those elements to my writing in a way that’s super fun and approachable. There are so many educational shows for kids – shoutout to <span style="color: #6aa84f;">PBS Kids!</span> – that feels like just plain <span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>fun</b></span> vs. a school lesson. That’s the vibe I go for when I write. Kids come for the fun and the story but leave with <span style="color: red;">new facts</span> and <span style="color: #ffa400;">true information. </span>Those were the stories I liked the most as a kid, and I aspire to see my versions on shelves one day.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-A_udAjUVLwFIiPKNvHOciA4ihhSGYdglGG3_dGPNNyAAJYtx7pHKdJHvpuKWkHs7Nb0rJh34LxlcZifoROpw-IWfrJO93IhMihIWL3r4-OrSR4nOWaNK6QdkwZDdZkGozQL4ORgzwKM0XOpsrglo-AnIaQdJhKWDZLq28ZPyWQlQCoEAWZHa77FbpY/s590/Screenshot%202024-01-02%20at%2012.53.28%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="549" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-A_udAjUVLwFIiPKNvHOciA4ihhSGYdglGG3_dGPNNyAAJYtx7pHKdJHvpuKWkHs7Nb0rJh34LxlcZifoROpw-IWfrJO93IhMihIWL3r4-OrSR4nOWaNK6QdkwZDdZkGozQL4ORgzwKM0XOpsrglo-AnIaQdJhKWDZLq28ZPyWQlQCoEAWZHa77FbpY/w373-h400/Screenshot%202024-01-02%20at%2012.53.28%20PM.png" width="373" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What advice would you give to aspiring children's book authors who are looking to write captivating and meaningful stories for kids?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Really <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>study the current state of children’s books</b></span> and think about what you can bring to the table that’s <span style="color: #6aa84f;">fresh</span> and <span style="color: #01ffff;">different</span>. Breaking into children’s books is incredibly tough – I’m still striving for it! So, believe me when I say you have to bring something different to the table that hasn’t been done a million times before. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Beyond that, read deeply and broadly.</b></span> Know the current trends. What sold when I was a kid in the 90s likely would not sell today, so it’s essential to have a good feel for how stories are told for <span style="color: #800180;">modern</span> audiences. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Most importantly, I encourage writers to develop their </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">voice</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and <span style="color: red;">perspective</span>. You can’t teach that, which makes each of us as writers unique storytellers. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>Find your voice</b></span> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">and hone it until your stories sing. </span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Can you share some of your favorite moments or challenges you've encountered while working on "Gloria Jackson Explains it All"?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gloria’s character loves <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>fun facts</b></span>, and she shares them with the reader throughout the story. This was equal parts the most fun and the most challenging part of building her world! I had to think about what fun facts would interest kids and <span style="color: #ff00fe;">verify the truth</span> for each one. There are more than 25 fun facts in this first book, so it was a lot of <span style="color: red;">research</span>, but I enjoyed every minute. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Do you have an agent? If so, how did you get one? What's it been like to have an agent? </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">I do have </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">representation</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and have since 2021. For those looking to query, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">I encourage you to have a </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">very polished query package</span><span style="font-size: large;"> that shows your </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">strengths/range</span><span style="font-size: large;"> as a writer. That worked for me, and I’ve enjoyed my relationship with my agent! I have some </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">secret news</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> I’ll (hopefully) be able to share next year on the publishing front. For now, I can say that looking </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">critically</span><span style="font-size: large;"> at your work, </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">assessing</span><span style="font-size: large;"> how it can be better, and then </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><b>doing the work</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> to level up has made all the difference in the world. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKa1UGgEOJHceF8gvwK6PC5Maa0B93jdPEzr00EnSwouo658IfvGHT1Om6C1nGky3748StGtB30v2t8LGvfxM8-uOotzxYWPtX68x00bFzDHOTmibUgeIMnBaoQgMFcNzR7bXDXRh_eh6aMjRJtI4kJ_-gbUNzHKvB5m46AJAbhE7AYt_3d-PmOKXEOcc/s1024/7e208a0a-7188-42d5-84c3-d2fb7621ff2f.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKa1UGgEOJHceF8gvwK6PC5Maa0B93jdPEzr00EnSwouo658IfvGHT1Om6C1nGky3748StGtB30v2t8LGvfxM8-uOotzxYWPtX68x00bFzDHOTmibUgeIMnBaoQgMFcNzR7bXDXRh_eh6aMjRJtI4kJ_-gbUNzHKvB5m46AJAbhE7AYt_3d-PmOKXEOcc/w404-h404/7e208a0a-7188-42d5-84c3-d2fb7621ff2f.webp" width="404" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What do you think about AI and writing? Have you tried AI for any creative works, and if so, what did you think about it?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I feel strongly that writers and creators <span style="color: red;"><b>should not</b></span> use AI to influence their work. Creating is the most innately human thing we can do in this world, and we cheapen that for ourselves when we allow machine learning to do the heavy lifting for us. For innocuous things like chapter titles, character names, etc., <span style="color: #ffa400;">using AI to help you could be ok.</span> But beyond that – to use AI to develop pitches, plots, to create art, anything that’s truly of value to a story – for me, that’s <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>unethical</b></span>, and I would not encourage creators to go down that path. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Can you recommend any resources or books for readers and writers looking to improve their networking skills and strategies or their writing skills?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Networking</span> is my <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>JAM</b></span>, and I love talking about it! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">For me, it’s been critical in my professional career in corporate communications and as a writer. </span><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large;">The thing about networking is that you just have to do it.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> There is no secret sauce to networking success – it’s having the <span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>courage</b></span> to put yourself out there and go after what you want. Publishing is like any other entertainment industry – the more people you know, the more people who know you, the <span style="color: red;">better your chances</span> of getting through the door. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can’t expect your work to always speak for you; sometimes, you must </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">be your own cheerleader! </span><span style="font-size: large;">I encourage writers to be active on social media. Yes, it can be a lot, and <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Twitter</span> (I refuse to call it “X”) has gone downhill as a functional platform. But <span style="color: #800180;">interacting with other writers and illustrators is important,</span> particularly if you can’t attend in-person conferences and conventions. Is a writer doing something you love to <span style="color: red;">promote</span> their books? Tell them in the <span style="color: #ffa400;">comments</span>! Go to their <span style="color: #f1c232;">virtual events!</span> All of these things go a long way when it comes to networking.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">As far as courses, there are <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>two I strongly recommend.</b></span> I recommend the <a href="https://www.uclaextension.edu/writing-journalism/creative-writing/course/writing-young-readers-i-writing-x-4462e" target="_blank">Introduction to Children’s Writing 10-week course through the UCLA Extension writing program for beginners.</a> That’s where I got my start, and this fully online course laid the foundation for the writing career I’m currently building.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">The second course</span> – for beginners and intermediate writers – is <a href="https://www.thepbretreat.com/courses/community" target="_blank">Ebony Lynn Mudd’s PB Retreat.</a> These on-demand courses help writers understand character, voice, and structure – all the elements needed to make compelling picture books! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Who's your biggest cheerleader? And what did she/he/they say about this win?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">No question, it’s my </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>mom</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> and my </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">fiance</span><span style="font-size: large;">. They </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">cheerlead</span><span style="font-size: large;"> for me endlessly and believe in my writing as strongly as I do! They were so happy for me to have won this SCBWI award and <span style="color: #f1c232;">are proud of me</span> for all I’ve accomplished on the writing front this year. And their <span style="color: #6aa84f;">support</span> is so important. Publishing can be a lonely industry, and you face so much rejection. So, having two people in my corner who celebrate my success is a <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>blessing. </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">My <span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>dad</b></span> passed in 2020, but I like to believe he is <span style="color: #2b00fe;">rooting for me</span> just as hard in the <span style="color: #800180;">afterlife. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What's the one question no one has asked you that you'd like to ask yourself and answer?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don’t know that I have a final question for myself, but I have a parting thought – </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">always bet on yourself. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this industry, you hear a lot of nos, face a lot of rejection, and knock on a very tiny door alongside thousands of other creators who want the same thing as you. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">My <span style="color: red;">tenacity</span>, ability to <span style="color: #ffa400;">ideate unique and original stories</span> and the <span style="color: #f1c232;">relentlessness</span> with which I approach my writing sets me apart. I am betting on myself to outlast others and build a career. But to do that, I have to keep writing, I have to keep ideating, I have to keep striving. <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>And I’m betting on myself that it will pay off in the end. </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yes! Yes! Yes! </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I believe in you, and </b></span><b style="font-size: x-large;">I'm betting on you, too, Trenise! Thank you so much for this amazing interview and the in-depth content you shared. You are strong and wise so early on in your writing career, that I know you will have staying power. And through your networking advice, you will make lasting writer friends.</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">Keep reading and writing and sharing your thoughts with all of us other writers - the stronger one of us is, the stronger we all are. Let's all cheer Trenise on to great writing success. And I'm so happy that she's remembering the fun of childhood curiosity through her books. </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">If you would like to get on the writing journey with Trenise, here's her contact information:</b></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/treniseferreira/" target="_blank">@treniseferreira</a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>WordPress: <a href="https://treniseferreira.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Trenise Ferreira</a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/treniseferreira" target="_blank">@treniseferreira</a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Representation:</b> <a href="https://ktliterary.com/agents" target="_blank">KT Literary</a></span></p><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoifvvrfh0LPyJ1WQNi7iYnO6XM-KONfS1n2RBsCeJJLu7-A6EMMEI4lqXXTnAopKTrrtH6nz1_ollvc1ZarjecP8fwp6Q2KU0tXZ6kcHXM64joJy3HPpVSWWg5bLou0ztW3fNf4D_JqHy8Fe9rmH7BsqFpkjbT3gSSYEpx6cBM8KSnj3pZdj5jSaQJU/s312/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.33.50%20PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="306" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoifvvrfh0LPyJ1WQNi7iYnO6XM-KONfS1n2RBsCeJJLu7-A6EMMEI4lqXXTnAopKTrrtH6nz1_ollvc1ZarjecP8fwp6Q2KU0tXZ6kcHXM64joJy3HPpVSWWg5bLou0ztW3fNf4D_JqHy8Fe9rmH7BsqFpkjbT3gSSYEpx6cBM8KSnj3pZdj5jSaQJU/s1600/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.33.50%20PM.png" width="306" /></a></b></div><b style="font-size: x-large;">And as always, if you'd like to be interviewed....reach out.</b><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">Write~on,</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">Angie Azur </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">(angazur @ gmail.com)</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">Your Writing Cheerleader!</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /><b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-16304690959719140162023-12-29T18:43:00.016-05:002023-12-29T19:13:35.754-05:00Free KidLit Help for Starving Writers<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">K</span><span style="color: #ffa400;">i</span><span style="color: #fcff01;">d</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">L</span><span style="color: #01ffff;">i</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">t </span><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Help</span> for </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Starving Writers</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSbEA4XoSmGJHeOadT5Ax975rrIOYtTcWrHsxAapXE6Wwenqf0fHGJZx32TPMToN_0R6T5BvV1xPNgqbLG5W_bKSQRErQ8DlbbYq4DXZk-7TD2BR51zH7FT_1XtV_x4KE-N5CLieD-nRUeGx_lED1q0M-NqYZb3Wq_QWc37mPF25hwRhjnvtaDmIJp6Q/s1024/eb5d0156-dba9-43fa-9d86-66c42e30a4f4.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSbEA4XoSmGJHeOadT5Ax975rrIOYtTcWrHsxAapXE6Wwenqf0fHGJZx32TPMToN_0R6T5BvV1xPNgqbLG5W_bKSQRErQ8DlbbYq4DXZk-7TD2BR51zH7FT_1XtV_x4KE-N5CLieD-nRUeGx_lED1q0M-NqYZb3Wq_QWc37mPF25hwRhjnvtaDmIJp6Q/s320/eb5d0156-dba9-43fa-9d86-66c42e30a4f4.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.scbwi.org/" target="_blank">SCBWI</a> (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Free Resources: Although SCBWI is a membership organization, they offer some free resources and events that can be valuable for networking and learning.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://journeytokidlit.com" target="_blank">Journey to KidLit</a> an online site dedicated to helping writers write for kids. They offer a free children's book template. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ4e1clDKYZc8IR8EYOoQE93eHI36rPiyWw_3nMGPvkYC5plG5oxO6_us91AxLx-fXG1TEJ9qbj-r0Mf2c-dTAmg8xAlpF3U9jF8qzxZttTDW9FlCX-541lB-_o3iu30rnyo_BTEFx2MERHb9mBJZgvccBM5zF2vQkU9cIKGYVPTfYV6Di4QGlG-dj6E/s1200/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.37.39%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="157" data-original-width="1200" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ4e1clDKYZc8IR8EYOoQE93eHI36rPiyWw_3nMGPvkYC5plG5oxO6_us91AxLx-fXG1TEJ9qbj-r0Mf2c-dTAmg8xAlpF3U9jF8qzxZttTDW9FlCX-541lB-_o3iu30rnyo_BTEFx2MERHb9mBJZgvccBM5zF2vQkU9cIKGYVPTfYV6Di4QGlG-dj6E/w614-h80/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.37.39%20PM.png" width="614" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://readingmiddlegrade.com/" target="_blank">Reading Middle Grade</a>: Features a list of the best Kid Lit blogs, such as Teachers Who Read, Literacious, Here Wee Read, and several others. These blogs cover a range of children's literature, from picture books to young adult novels, offering book reviews, activities, author spotlights, and book lists.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://cbiclubhouse.com/" target="_blank">Children's Book Insider</a>: This site often provides free articles and tips for writers of children's books.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Mary Kole <a href="https://kidlit.com/" target="_blank">Kidlit</a>: She offers some great templates and free advice, and when you get that book finished, she's also an editor. Oh - and she's also been featured on this blog - type in her name in the search bar to read more about her. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOOH40JTwuH-qWs5ak-DO_q_jKjOJwyXJQGow1NFNj_iaLvuvTGc41D_wPeZI8mTa79-CYRmLsOMzx5WSvxQTEBwr6KMyOO2YynA14lF17YVmRF_IICeaMSRWxjD08Mq23MOhHqJ8OLDm8q7XM4yi1uo-tAFa1SGqLSwwgVttWQLHqKOvfdgFPDbcyN4/s1318/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.36.19%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="1318" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOOH40JTwuH-qWs5ak-DO_q_jKjOJwyXJQGow1NFNj_iaLvuvTGc41D_wPeZI8mTa79-CYRmLsOMzx5WSvxQTEBwr6KMyOO2YynA14lF17YVmRF_IICeaMSRWxjD08Mq23MOhHqJ8OLDm8q7XM4yi1uo-tAFa1SGqLSwwgVttWQLHqKOvfdgFPDbcyN4/w651-h175/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.36.19%20PM.png" width="651" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://makealivinginkidlit.com/" target="_blank">How to Make a Living in KidLit</a>: This site emphasizes the importance of being part of the children’s book community for feedback and support. It highlights resources like the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and Kidlit411, which offer opportunities for connecting with other writers, critique groups, and industry professionals.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://WriteForKids.org" target="_blank">WriteForKids.org</a>: A resource offering free articles and advice specifically for children's book authors.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/" target="_blank">Manuscript Wish List</a>: While it's primarily a tool for finding agents and publishers, it also offers great insights into what agents are looking for in children's literature.</span></div><div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2riNpYqZdM7HGB9V2GUd0LbEIccwLwzCeezL8z69TGkCv6BY9xQ69nJ3b6G6vB90owI-Ax_XUBGjyQLggqILl95tBGszEQJVYXHIbdjjRqvISFRyPePoIbdNKopOWwvbIkve14dY2WzPI5WSlS9WvqiEZfm17Syx9fAg710L4Uw3gNbevZkBpgCaux8/s715/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.39.57%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="715" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2riNpYqZdM7HGB9V2GUd0LbEIccwLwzCeezL8z69TGkCv6BY9xQ69nJ3b6G6vB90owI-Ax_XUBGjyQLggqILl95tBGszEQJVYXHIbdjjRqvISFRyPePoIbdNKopOWwvbIkve14dY2WzPI5WSlS9WvqiEZfm17Syx9fAg710L4Uw3gNbevZkBpgCaux8/w634-h163/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.39.57%20PM.png" width="634" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://taralazar.com/storystorm/" target="_blank">Storystorm</a>: Tara Lazar offers free information and some fun activities for writers to get your inspiration going!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blog.reedsy.com/learning/" target="_blank">Reedsy Learning</a>: Offers free courses on various aspects of writing and publishing, including some that are relevant to children's literature. And there's a fun popup questionnaire to find out which class is right for you. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.coursera.org/" target="_blank">Coursera and edX</a>: These platforms sometimes offer free writing courses, including those focused on creative writing and literature.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/index.html" target="_blank">Publishers Weekly Kids</a>: They offer much free Kidlit information. You can find out what's new in the industry, Favorite Children's books of the year, and some slush pile funnies + more!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://kidslitbookcafe.com/" target="_blank">KidLit Book Cafe</a>: Offers various services for book promotion and marketing, including book reviews, marketing plans, advertising features on their homepage, and email marketing campaigns. They focus on increasing online presence and book sales for authors. These things do cost money, but there's a lot of information on this site to help you understand if you need promotion and what would work best for you. It's also a great place to do research on other authors and what's selling now.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://Writing.com" target="_blank">Writing.com</a>: A community of writers where you can find free resources, peer reviews, and advice. You do have to register to join this community - I just did, and I'm curious to see how it goes. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-Qzmn4C2EqSWmtX_ZrzTFMEpolyoyMl16Hokoq_v-xhGq38c31Wlv3pogpHocBR_GQ60Zl2UF5knUtCX5EwW9rsYr5B3xo4CkUPnUq71v9Lw4ZCoeieVoTTVhYYweu6vN0TETUR9d0v1z86jVH2F5BrkIIuCbbi2z-LTO4TkCHd0_Lo0QK6gwHSqyt8/s1134/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.41.26%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="1134" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-Qzmn4C2EqSWmtX_ZrzTFMEpolyoyMl16Hokoq_v-xhGq38c31Wlv3pogpHocBR_GQ60Zl2UF5knUtCX5EwW9rsYr5B3xo4CkUPnUq71v9Lw4ZCoeieVoTTVhYYweu6vN0TETUR9d0v1z86jVH2F5BrkIIuCbbi2z-LTO4TkCHd0_Lo0QK6gwHSqyt8/w604-h230/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.41.26%20PM.png" width="604" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program</a>: Although NaNoWriMo is known for its annual novel-writing challenge, they also provide resources for writers, including those focusing on children's books. This group is for young writers 17 and under and educators (although as of right now, they have paused the educator sign-ups - I hope that means they got so many older and wise writers wanting to help younger writers that they had to pause.)</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://dev.gutenberg.org/" target="_blank">Project Gutenberg</a>: For a broad understanding of children's literature, reading classic children's books (available for free here) can be very educational. These are books where their copyright has expired in the US. Go read for free!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.deborahhalverson.com/blog/" target="_blank">Deborah Halverson Blog</a>: Lots of great writing tips and industry insights. She was also featured on this site, where she shared lots of goodies for the KidLit writer. Oh - and she's also an editor!</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.kidlit411.com/" target="_blank">KidLit411</a>: A website where you can find resources, articles, and advice specifically tailored for children's book writers and illustrators. There are tons of free tools and insights on this site. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsDt9y0rAWgqXhTELk2yF_A5U0A8Idfxt6rl2uW9sE9A0I2TfDXq3qqeEgUiKPq4wViVAI_0B0F-DZQLjGURsa0VeU0Lssmk3wiwI758XOTlwvDocW_3eWgEk50OAhMDgNoXxfVV2qtdLsRdwlh6aHJ-3Qsg1ArHJDW9hJrZTJCRy5PE2r1KQ0uRcAUg/s312/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.33.50%20PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="306" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsDt9y0rAWgqXhTELk2yF_A5U0A8Idfxt6rl2uW9sE9A0I2TfDXq3qqeEgUiKPq4wViVAI_0B0F-DZQLjGURsa0VeU0Lssmk3wiwI758XOTlwvDocW_3eWgEk50OAhMDgNoXxfVV2qtdLsRdwlh6aHJ-3Qsg1ArHJDW9hJrZTJCRy5PE2r1KQ0uRcAUg/s1600/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.33.50%20PM.png" width="306" /></a></div><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">Writing Teazurs Blog</a><span style="font-size: x-large;">: This is my blog, you know, the one you're reading. If you haven't checked out some of the older posts, there is a lot of free writing information there. Go look!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Okay - there you go! This is a solid list of some great blogs and writing help for KidLit writers on a budget (aren't we all!) Lots of free help and cheering going on in the children's book writing industry. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">When one rises - we all rise!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Write~on</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Angie</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">And as always, if you would like to be interviewed, please reach out to me. I love cheerleading for writers and creatives!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-92070826378833492762023-12-14T13:41:00.002-05:002023-12-14T13:41:39.910-05:00Interview with Debut Author Leah Moser - I Am a Thundercloud<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Interview with</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">K</span><span style="color: #ffa400;">i</span><span style="color: #fcff01;">d</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">L</span><span style="color: #01ffff;">i</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">t</span> Debut Picture Book Author</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Leah Moser</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I Am a Thundercloud</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKugFrZSbfcIW6dB-wY-20VrywDiv71t9E1Ed6FRpUE_2IZ_ORrBGe6brKR7GroqFENkUiABHhf9W1ayJ42Yl5QIHMIgiU4AjbGnefLuHqfZt-MBNYKWwUL9yvrP18ZgtvTeTDwpETs5NXHva9QORdHGbnhTlAtrGcfaQAku116DlK8nkGo90RUlDc1s8/s4761/Leah%20Moser%20Headshot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4761" data-original-width="3853" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKugFrZSbfcIW6dB-wY-20VrywDiv71t9E1Ed6FRpUE_2IZ_ORrBGe6brKR7GroqFENkUiABHhf9W1ayJ42Yl5QIHMIgiU4AjbGnefLuHqfZt-MBNYKWwUL9yvrP18ZgtvTeTDwpETs5NXHva9QORdHGbnhTlAtrGcfaQAku116DlK8nkGo90RUlDc1s8/w344-h424/Leah%20Moser%20Headshot.jpg" width="344" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Hello, Readers, Writers, Artists, Editors, Agents, and Creatives of all Sorts! </span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks for joining us on Writing Teazurs Blog! I am so excited to introduce Leah Moser today. I found her in the SCBWI newsletter and reached out for an interview. I'm so glad I did! This mama of three is organized, writing, and creating picture books. Her debut is coming out soon.</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Read on to learn about her amazing writing journey. And let's support her by pre-ordering her first traditionally published book!</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">_____________________________</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Hello, Leah,</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Congratulations on your upcoming debut picture book, <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/leah-moser/i-am-a-thundercloud/9780762482184/" target="_blank">I AM A THUNDERCLOUD!</a> Can you give us a sneak peek into what the book is about and what inspired you to write it?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #01ffff; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Thank you!</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I tend to write books with a </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>SEL</b></span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> (social-emotional learning) theme, and </span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">anger</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> is such a </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">powerful emotion</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">. <span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;">I Am a Thundercloud</span> centers on this </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>big feeling</b></span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> that can be difficult for children to handle.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXc1Z8_Cc8iG0vDIkV5O4StERToBVRyo3_YcAwfBmiUkPQNyfZ3YmfhVCe7q2EF9rd_jjrNJd-SU5kQA_zZ6Rz-JD7FpCumwnvvnIVeI_V6t3P_6u7NoIyCMcq8jN5wzNQlpNf9jLw7PFzRXRwC3yzxOP-a44dzYeSpMwn6CHGRpIT-I2ik12-F05y4s/s2773/Thundercloud%20-%20COVER.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2773" data-original-width="2772" height="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXc1Z8_Cc8iG0vDIkV5O4StERToBVRyo3_YcAwfBmiUkPQNyfZ3YmfhVCe7q2EF9rd_jjrNJd-SU5kQA_zZ6Rz-JD7FpCumwnvvnIVeI_V6t3P_6u7NoIyCMcq8jN5wzNQlpNf9jLw7PFzRXRwC3yzxOP-a44dzYeSpMwn6CHGRpIT-I2ik12-F05y4s/w433-h433/Thundercloud%20-%20COVER.jpeg" width="433" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You have an </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial;">interesting background</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"> </span>in education, from elementary school teaching to preschool special education. How has your teaching experience influenced your writing for children?</span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">As an </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #800180;">educator</span></b><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, I would incorporate </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">picture books</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> into my lessons. </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">Children of all ages</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> connected to the characters and situations allowing for </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">authentic teaching points.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6c4e91;"> I know the importance of simple language, fun phrases, and eye-catching illustrations in picture books to </span><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">keep children engaged.</span></b></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Tell us about your journey from being an elementary school teacher to becoming a published children's book author. What motivated you to make this transition?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I started writing picture books after taking a Children’s Literature course at </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">George Washington University for my Masters in Elementary Education.</span></b><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> After graduation, I became an elementary school teacher. But I left shortly after having my first child. It was then I started </span><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large;">writing picture books</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> more regularly. As my children got older, I took writing classes, joined </span><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">SCBWI,</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> found critique groups, and </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">grew</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> as a writer.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNxezfMc6YmpgiHCI30xOMtgzrtpx7sU_mBMJLjJ3KSod8L3pKzDNug3dhW-bw0om8thb49vOR2lmvKwqo4-AR-WT5MyV2HHuIgDdQPmJwGUg1VssHr2aXq5x8t2G3n95jdcwTqLvjbc15RmG_SAyLQcpZkj-8ZJNhSaaTJoZa3bZPY4gLZryCatxeX4/s1024/71d31a02-5b5e-433e-a58c-0b85a8eb40e5.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNxezfMc6YmpgiHCI30xOMtgzrtpx7sU_mBMJLjJ3KSod8L3pKzDNug3dhW-bw0om8thb49vOR2lmvKwqo4-AR-WT5MyV2HHuIgDdQPmJwGUg1VssHr2aXq5x8t2G3n95jdcwTqLvjbc15RmG_SAyLQcpZkj-8ZJNhSaaTJoZa3bZPY4gLZryCatxeX4/s320/71d31a02-5b5e-433e-a58c-0b85a8eb40e5.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen - what one sentence would you shout?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">“Choose to be kind!” </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">or </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">"Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback!"</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Could you share some memorable moments or experiences from your time as a teacher that have directly impacted your writing style or storytelling?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">As a teacher, we worked on </span><i><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">small-moment</span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6c4e91;"> stories during writing class. The idea is to hone in on </span><b><span style="color: #a64d79;">one event</span></b><span style="color: #6c4e91;"> and make it into a </span><span style="color: #ffa400;">story</span><span style="color: #6c4e91;">. During this unit, we would read several mentor texts such as </span></span><span class="s1" style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large; text-decoration-line: underline;">Owl Moon</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> by Jane Yolen and </span><span class="s1" style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large; text-decoration-line: underline;">Big Mama’s</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> by Donald Crews. I have since written several small-moment, </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">quiet stories</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> that would align with this lesson.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What's the funniest thing a kid has ever asked or told you?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I like this question :) </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6c4e91;">There have been </span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>so many moments</b></span><span style="color: #6c4e91;"> in teaching and parenting that </span><span style="color: #f1c232;">I should have written down.</span><span style="color: #6c4e91;"> Recently, I was having a challenging day as a parent, and my three-year-old told me I should </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6c4e91;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">“take a step back and ask for help.” </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6c4e91;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6c4e91;">Thanks, Daniel Tiger.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Being a member of multiple critique groups and having experience with editing, how do you approach the process of critiquing and refining your own work?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I appreciate getting </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">feedback</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> on my stories, even </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">suggestions</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> that are hard to hear. I go through each critique carefully and </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>take notes</b></span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> on my original manuscript. My stories are usually much stronger after meeting with my critique groups!</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">"I Am a Thundercloud"</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">is set to release in <span style="color: #ff00fe;">April 2024.</span> What can readers expect from the book, and why is it a must-read for young audiences? Where can they purchase it?</span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I’m </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">so excited</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> for the release of </span><span class="s1" style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large; text-decoration-line: underline;">I Am a Thundercloud!</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> This book follows a child who is angry and </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">BOOMS</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">ROARS</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, </span><span style="color: #fcff01; font-size: x-large;">CRASHES</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, and </span><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;">CRACKLES</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> like a storm. It’s a </span><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large;">must-read</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> for all children because all of us feel angry sometimes. Preorder here: <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/leah-moser/i-am-a-thundercloud/9780762482184/" target="_blank">I Am a Thundercloud</a></span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> or from your local bookstore!</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSgnIivD07whTWYosTaZQcWC3JAyh1mOQFpS8ZUNmvm9enN-WrYjkOPaaIdvTDbrlNMf1QxWOWdJ0Qpm5REOrQXqzTRelsQci3NvBLzL5WQd84rlRGD-73gOTTeeqijpJQibCtmyNCNcQSqyyAUqKFIWDcCrg3bQ1vayEmCcFiWO1aCI0YScOaITW9h4/s1080/IMG_1814.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSgnIivD07whTWYosTaZQcWC3JAyh1mOQFpS8ZUNmvm9enN-WrYjkOPaaIdvTDbrlNMf1QxWOWdJ0Qpm5REOrQXqzTRelsQci3NvBLzL5WQd84rlRGD-73gOTTeeqijpJQibCtmyNCNcQSqyyAUqKFIWDcCrg3bQ1vayEmCcFiWO1aCI0YScOaITW9h4/s320/IMG_1814.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Can you tell us about your collaboration with your <span style="color: red;">agent</span>, Dan Cramer, and how having representation has influenced your writing career?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.pageturnerliteraryagency.com/agent" style="color: #6c4e91;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dan Cramer</span></a><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> of </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Page</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">Turner</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Literary</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">Agency</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> has been a rock through this stage in my writing career. I </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">queried</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> him towards the beginning of his career, and I signed my contract in 2021. Dan is </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">editorial</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> and </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">hands-on</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">; he makes suggestions and has definitely </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">improved</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> my stories. </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">Our relationship is a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">collaborative</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, and I’m </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">honored</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> to have him in my corner!</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What are some challenges you've faced while balancing your writing career with family life and friends, and how do you manage your creative time effectively?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Balancing</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> my family, my friends, and my writing is a challenge at this stage in my life. I have </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">three young children</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> and a busy schedule! When my children were babies, I </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">squeezed writing in wherever I could</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> - during naps or after bedtime. This year, I’m able to carve out more substantial time for </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">writing</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">revising</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, and </span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">editing</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">. I’m a big fan of </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">checklists</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, so I prioritize my writing tasks based on </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">deadlines</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">You mentioned your passion for editing and elevating manuscripts. What advice do you have for aspiring authors on the importance of editing and revision?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">It can be </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">challenging</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> to hear </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">feedback</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> on stories that are close to your heart. It’s important to </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">be open</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> to edits while knowing that </span><i style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">you</i><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> are the author. You can decide what feedback strengthens your stories and which you just don’t agree with.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Can you share some insights into your writing process? Do you have any unique rituals or habits that help you get into the creative zone?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I know it’s strange, but I need to have a </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">clean</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> and </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">organized</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> workspace before I’m able to </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">concentrate</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> on my writing. I prefer </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">a quiet environment</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> but sometimes, with young kids, that just isn’t possible!</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlX2Cc_UTKorwgtgiMh9_gqk-up95KxR4gKm6MRO0zbxwk-cxC_Ia6eU1QSLBVjPTe7zVaL5xpLNXE7BfGMKUDeuTE8t8nKBlsqKOurgNI677yzrMsy_0ewlquHAMYuGcU-1kCvGHYFDD8pnLnqTWrzRt4LlUicPbxVkiSsJCECjE4zSHi-ozqaodddqE/s600/thundercloud-spread-3.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="600" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlX2Cc_UTKorwgtgiMh9_gqk-up95KxR4gKm6MRO0zbxwk-cxC_Ia6eU1QSLBVjPTe7zVaL5xpLNXE7BfGMKUDeuTE8t8nKBlsqKOurgNI677yzrMsy_0ewlquHAMYuGcU-1kCvGHYFDD8pnLnqTWrzRt4LlUicPbxVkiSsJCECjE4zSHi-ozqaodddqE/w581-h294/thundercloud-spread-3.webp" width="581" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">How do you stay inspired and keep the creative juices flowing when working on new picture book ideas? Do you use any books or websites that might help new writers out there?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I am </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;"><i>always</i></span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> reading picture books. I get </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>inspired</b></span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> by other authors and illustrators! I also look forward to <a href="https://taralazar.com/storystorm/" target="_blank">Tara Lazar’s STORYSTORM </a>every year to get my creative juices flowing. If you are unfamiliar with </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">STORYSTORM</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, I highly recommend it as an exercise to generate writing ideas.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">As a member of <span style="color: red;">SCBWI</span> and other writing communities, how has networking and connecting with fellow authors enriched your writing journey?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I’ve found that the </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">kid-lit writing community</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> is incredibly supportive. I’ve connected with many authors and illustrators through </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">SCBWI</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Twitter/X</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">Instagram</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, and my promotional group, </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">PBSoar24</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">. This industry can be really isolating and deflating; writers who have been through the process can </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><b>relate</b></span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> to the highs and lows.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Tell us about your involvement in Vivian Kirkfield's 2023 50 Precious Words judging panel. What was that experience like, and what did you learn from it?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I was </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">honored</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> to judge alongside the fabulous <a href="https://viviankirkfield.com/2022/03/04/50preciouswords-2022-official-contest-post/" target="_blank">Vivian Kirkfield for her </a></span><i style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://viviankirkfield.com/2022/03/04/50preciouswords-2022-official-contest-post/" target="_blank">50 Precious Words </a></i><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://viviankirkfield.com/2022/03/04/50preciouswords-2022-official-contest-post/" target="_blank">contest.</a> I was surprised in how </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">challenging</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> it was to select my top favorite entries! I learned how </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">subjective writing</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> is by having lengthy discussions with the other judges.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If you could choose one picture book that has left a lasting impact on you, what would it be, and why?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>What a challenging question! </b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I would choose </span><span class="s1" style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large; text-decoration-line: underline;">The Rabbit Listened</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> by <a href="https://coridoerrfeld.com/BOOKS" target="_blank">Cori Doerrfeld</a>. I think this is a perfect picture book - the illustrations, the emotions, the language. It has so many layers and every child can see themselves in this story.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">You offer <span style="color: #45818e;">editing services</span> for fellow writers. What are some common mistakes you come across in manuscripts, and how do you help authors improve their work?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I’ve seen several common mistakes that picture book authors make. One example is </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">adding too much stage direction</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> - writing out every movement rather than allowing the illustrator to work. Another example is </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">thinking that writing a rhyming picture book is easy.</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> Let me tell you - it is </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">HARD</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> to write a picture book in perfect rhyme. My advice is to take courses on rhyming picture books (such as <a href="https://www.reneelatulippe.com/" target="_blank">Renee M. LaTulippe</a></span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">) before working on a story!</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What are your plans and aspirations beyond the release of "I AM A THUNDERCLOUD"? Do you have more picture book projects in the pipeline? Are there other genres you write within?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I’m hoping to sell </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">numerous picture books </span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">in the future. But so far, I don’t have another book deal lined up yet. To prepare, I am constantly </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">writing</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">editing</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">communicating</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> with my agent, and </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">staying up-to-date on the picture book market.</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> While I do typically write </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">SEL</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> stories, I also write in </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">rhyme</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, and have </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">lyrical</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> and </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">humorous</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> stories.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_hrcQycCDr4_ehpyYmSqWSajT-9ZJrFPmQ98_YXFJLTF3jlDwLq6fjT3W4KGFwZ9w0wBNINxltnrpKcDahCbkEuEqvKuXJq6W-Zgs9axKb8M19LDC57pO21siWTk40Ir-bG1sxInT5Cfc0vwehe_X3Q0icVsmUwKqWBM_2JSnkAmVQo7iFbTioB4lZc/s600/thundercloud-spread-2.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="600" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_hrcQycCDr4_ehpyYmSqWSajT-9ZJrFPmQ98_YXFJLTF3jlDwLq6fjT3W4KGFwZ9w0wBNINxltnrpKcDahCbkEuEqvKuXJq6W-Zgs9axKb8M19LDC57pO21siWTk40Ir-bG1sxInT5Cfc0vwehe_X3Q0icVsmUwKqWBM_2JSnkAmVQo7iFbTioB4lZc/w549-h278/thundercloud-spread-2.webp" width="549" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Can you share a piece of advice that you've received on your journey to becoming a published author?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Believe in yourself and your stories. </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Your voice matters!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Who is your biggest cheerleader? Or are you in a critique group that has helped your writing?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">I am fortunate to have </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">many cheerleaders!</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> My </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>husband</b></span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> is always my first reader - reviewing my super rough drafts and providing feedback before anyone else. He’s also an educator, so </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">I value his opinion.</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> Additionally, my </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">family</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, my </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">critique groups</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, my </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">fabulous agent</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, my </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">promotional group</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">PB Soar 24</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, and my local </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">SCBWI</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> chapter have all been incredibly supportive.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">How do you approach finding the perfect balance between the text and illustrations in your picture books?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">When writing a manuscript, I often </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">map out my story</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> to fit on 32 pages. This </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">helps me visualize</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> how it would look as a picture book. </span><span class="s1" style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large; text-decoration-line: underline;">I Am a Thundercloud</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;"> has been a collaboration between me, my </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">agent</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Allison Cohen</span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, and entire </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>Running Press team</b></span><span style="color: #6c4e91; font-size: x-large;">, and the wonderful <a href="https://www.mariehermanssonillustration.com/" target="_blank">illustrator, Marie Hermansson.</a></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If you could collaborate with any illustrator for a future project, who would it be, and what type of story would you create together?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6c4e91;">I have absolutely loved working with </span><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Marie Hermansson</span><span style="color: #6c4e91;"> on our current project. She is so talented! I also admire </span><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.faithpraybooks.com/" target="_blank">Faith Pray’s</a></span><span style="color: #6c4e91;"> whimsical style and </span><span style="color: #ffa400;"><a href="https://www.brendanwenzel.chroniclebooks.com/" target="_blank">Brenden Wenzel’s</a></span><span style="color: #6c4e91;"> ability to draw all types of animals.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkwUxekKboKCAZgSUiROqj0CfnNsOkDWj28OyZIaxNPmfKMopCrBDspgydjsLymtidOT_m8jY0odhcfTec2EjRzxZZslyb899vbA5oKjHsl5DNU3C0KpcWXhVPUDDmmGX9BsmSiljuJq68Zus4075s5m5gBfDScmW5fTT-nFnxxz8dzS5GrSFjA3IFfM/s600/thundercloud-spread-1.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="600" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkwUxekKboKCAZgSUiROqj0CfnNsOkDWj28OyZIaxNPmfKMopCrBDspgydjsLymtidOT_m8jY0odhcfTec2EjRzxZZslyb899vbA5oKjHsl5DNU3C0KpcWXhVPUDDmmGX9BsmSiljuJq68Zus4075s5m5gBfDScmW5fTT-nFnxxz8dzS5GrSFjA3IFfM/w552-h280/thundercloud-spread-1.webp" width="552" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">For aspiring authors looking to make their mark in the world of children's literature, what words of encouragement or wisdom would you offer them?</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Keep going, keep querying, </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><i>and</i> </span></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">keep working on your craft.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What burning question would you ask yourself, and what is your answer?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">“When are you going to get another book deal?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">“I am hopeful and optimistic!”</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">____________________________</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Thank you, Leah,</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>We are hopeful for you, too. Cheering you on from Writing Teazurs Blog! Please keep us informed of your next project.</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Thank you for sharing some great advice for writers and illustrators. </b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Remember readers, to help support writers/illustrators - promote them on blogs like this, social media, and buy their books then leave reviews. </b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Every little bit helps.</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtDqLGw-SuuCAZyRL-doifh9Lt2ziua7VYsn2ubKvTww6w4j1Is-iLjzJAR51h71JR06eFODd0ZrwhLQHY09IBSSatggb7gjIC0cl6C6f2bQms7lr-OYOe39IRFGQ8NHek1-Y_8E2vy_iNXDARGrbaQmek71NbFMwAnKmxcUDpj_7UTbPNucZDOxDjzs/s4032/IMG_1185.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtDqLGw-SuuCAZyRL-doifh9Lt2ziua7VYsn2ubKvTww6w4j1Is-iLjzJAR51h71JR06eFODd0ZrwhLQHY09IBSSatggb7gjIC0cl6C6f2bQms7lr-OYOe39IRFGQ8NHek1-Y_8E2vy_iNXDARGrbaQmek71NbFMwAnKmxcUDpj_7UTbPNucZDOxDjzs/s320/IMG_1185.jpeg" width="240" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>And if you'd like to be interviewed or you have a book to promote...please reach out.</b></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Write~on</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Angie</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #6c4e91; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-31761265035925527192023-11-27T14:37:00.001-05:002023-12-02T09:15:27.265-05:00Interview of Deborah Halverson<p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Interview with Deborah Halverson</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jRU0_f378WqTeJAJYGSqT339piTcDING77q0D6W-Sg8AdKF_NbikQMJ4sD9Sc8UqoSZ5N5w4NioD-AnraRV7osrVOJPwORHz80KU4SwFy2MuB4Tr01eKVSdd8rscNIU2sOzTfnuMxrmWYIWHUJ01mF9i3JVXfJiOwXcEWOkvMjPGsGb9RBTdUqmpNHw/s300/DeborahHalverson_credit_TheresaStanton_color_small-214x300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="214" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jRU0_f378WqTeJAJYGSqT339piTcDING77q0D6W-Sg8AdKF_NbikQMJ4sD9Sc8UqoSZ5N5w4NioD-AnraRV7osrVOJPwORHz80KU4SwFy2MuB4Tr01eKVSdd8rscNIU2sOzTfnuMxrmWYIWHUJ01mF9i3JVXfJiOwXcEWOkvMjPGsGb9RBTdUqmpNHw/w351-h492/DeborahHalverson_credit_TheresaStanton_color_small-214x300.jpg" width="351" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> a former editor at Harcourt Children’s Books for 10 years</span></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">before becoming the award-winning author</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> of Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies,</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Writing New Adult Fiction,</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">and books for young readers.</span></div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Welcome Readers and Creatives,</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Let's welcome Deborah, <span style="color: #ff00fe;">writer</span> and <span style="color: red;">editor</span> extraordinaire. If you're in need of a book editor, she's the one! With over ten years of experience as a <span style="color: #ffa400;">professional editor</span> for Harcourt Children's, Deborah knows how to help your words soar. And being a writer herself is a huge plus in my book (or books, wink wink). Read below and let us know what you think about her advice in the <span style="color: #f1c232;">comments</span>. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Thanks and read on...</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Hello, <span style="color: #45818e;">Deborah</span>, and welcome to the Writing Teazurs blog!</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">You’ve written quite a few books in <span style="color: red;">various genres</span>. Which genre is the most difficult, and which is the easiest for you, and why?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I tend toward <span style="color: #ffa400;">verbosity</span>, so I am drawn most strongly to writing novels. But picture books are great fun to write too! I’m working on a <span style="color: #f1c232;">picture book</span> now.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What are the strange or odd must-haves on your writing desk? Example: I have a tiny <span style="color: #674ea7;">singing bowl</span> that I ding before each chapter.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The singing bowl ding is wonderful. I like to write with a </span><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: x-large;">hot cocoa</span><span style="font-size: large;"> at my side for sipping. My real must-have, though, is my </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Sofia + Sam lap desk</span><span style="font-size: large;">– it’s the perfect size and height for me. I like to write in beautiful spaces, such as at the lake near my house, rather than in an office. I set up a lawn chair lakeside, under a beach umbrella, and work with my laptop on my lap desk. <span style="color: #45818e;">It’s glorious.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><br /></span></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBAhm1wK__R66-3WYO7oGHwdyBrQYcK_gTI_UdCK-HMi4a9iHdl_uRI6FSVDgwzno36RTTQPf3tu2KPejCpQya_gPuusn6aECAKbbT_2pOxlDwETzLeDr8K59CXlcTZIqMweFurIyc68jTbYvwpAykjlqnbJsaV3ijDtp20wk8bfP-OEm-DjoREaSsCo0/s500/HONK-cover_small.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBAhm1wK__R66-3WYO7oGHwdyBrQYcK_gTI_UdCK-HMi4a9iHdl_uRI6FSVDgwzno36RTTQPf3tu2KPejCpQya_gPuusn6aECAKbbT_2pOxlDwETzLeDr8K59CXlcTZIqMweFurIyc68jTbYvwpAykjlqnbJsaV3ijDtp20wk8bfP-OEm-DjoREaSsCo0/w269-h406/HONK-cover_small.jpg" width="269" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">You are an award-winning <span style="color: #2b00fe;">author</span> and <span style="color: #800180;">editor</span>. You know awards, how might writers get their work judged for awards? </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can research </span><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: x-large;">awards</span><span style="font-size: large;">, of course. But sometimes your networking can surface opportunities: My book </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Writing New Adult Fiction </i><span style="font-size: large;">won a <span style="color: #674ea7;">San Diego Book Award</span> for nonfiction. A friend of mine had won an SDBA a few years before, so I knew to submit my book for consideration the year it published. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">My YA novel </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Honk If You Hate Me </i><span style="font-size: large;">was a <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Gayle McCandliss Literary Award Winner.</span> A local librarian told me about that award possibility. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">So I guess </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">two tips</span><span style="font-size: large;"> come out of my awards story: </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">1)</span> the year your book publishes, look for <span style="color: #ff00fe;">local awards. </span></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">2)</span> get connected with a <span style="color: red;">writing community</span> and let folks know that you’re publishing so that they can share award submission opportunities.</span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoxGl2ACrLQHKDaynyH752xwAt4xmOMLMzLXFpiYK69UyQzBX1avD33X8IPSP6cummuVk4AtTm6NoGLnSjITqXEVhkFXPNFcPbDyGuklmLPktjicn8ntBh_kEGjtPv7GsVcCSs5LRYDOscfpLeGWLyzJy-D2Odf060Ws5naTifPkecYxttGSN7me9lqE/s346/WritingNewAdultFiction.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="226" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoxGl2ACrLQHKDaynyH752xwAt4xmOMLMzLXFpiYK69UyQzBX1avD33X8IPSP6cummuVk4AtTm6NoGLnSjITqXEVhkFXPNFcPbDyGuklmLPktjicn8ntBh_kEGjtPv7GsVcCSs5LRYDOscfpLeGWLyzJy-D2Odf060Ws5naTifPkecYxttGSN7me9lqE/w266-h408/WritingNewAdultFiction.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: -9px;">When you’re not thinking, writing, or reading words - what do you do for fun and relaxation?</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love to be </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">active</span><span style="font-size: large;"> when I’m not sitting still to write or edit, so I </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">bike</span><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">swim</span><span style="font-size: large;">, or </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">walk</span> <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><i>every morning</i></span><span style="font-size: large;"> before I start my work. I keep up with my reading by listening to <span style="color: #674ea7;">audiobooks</span> during those activities. I even have an <span style="color: #ff00fe;">underwater MP3 player</span> so I can “read” while I swim!</span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Why do you think there are more and more writers than ever before? And what does this explosion do for the book market?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I don’t know if there are <span style="color: #ffa400;">more writers or</span> if we’re just <span style="color: red;">more aware of them</span> because we can discover and connect with them so easily online. </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">But let’s go with the idea that there are more: This is a greater reason for </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">making sure you are submitting your best work to agents and editors.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> That may mean not submitting </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">everything </i><span style="font-size: large;">you write. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Work on your craft</span><span style="font-size: large;">, accept and weigh feedback, then incorporate what’s helpful, and be willing to </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">put any good-but-not-great projects “in the drawer”</span><span style="font-size: large;"> so you can </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">focus on your strongest projects.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR29ls8S808Eqv7llU-GHLBQDa2Tjoi2qvl19fSZsIZO3DQTp_hI_92VBr0XMX1YCLGZs6oeZgEyFTFTCoiheZsi03gmx2E46D2KsiSODjMToa43dcf18jcnHuPMJogPudL4UwViGkQdrVAdKlP6HuQvjKNkrzohiZ2n6PfB-sxh9ZqTyCNKv7Mhhrgr8/s450/Letters-to-Santa-cover-402x450.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="402" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR29ls8S808Eqv7llU-GHLBQDa2Tjoi2qvl19fSZsIZO3DQTp_hI_92VBr0XMX1YCLGZs6oeZgEyFTFTCoiheZsi03gmx2E46D2KsiSODjMToa43dcf18jcnHuPMJogPudL4UwViGkQdrVAdKlP6HuQvjKNkrzohiZ2n6PfB-sxh9ZqTyCNKv7Mhhrgr8/w293-h327/Letters-to-Santa-cover-402x450.jpg" width="293" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></b><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">You were an editor for <span style="color: #ff00fe;">Harcourt Children’s Books</span> for over ten years. What made you change course and write books instead of editing them?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I gave birth to </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">triplet sons</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and could no longer work in-house full-time! I still edit, but now I do it </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.deareditor.com/meet-the-editor/" target="_blank">freelance</a></span><span style="font-size: large;">, helping authors perfect their manuscripts for submission to publishers and agents. I’ve been doing that for eighteen years now. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I started <span style="color: #f1c232;">writing</span> during my final year at Harcourt, finishing the first draft of my debut novel before I left. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I always knew I wanted to write, </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">and I felt it was finally time to do so.</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">When should writers <span style="color: #45818e;">stop revising and editing</span> their work? How can they know it’s good enough to start querying?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">That’s a common question, and there’s no single answer. I do like how my friend <span style="color: #674ea7;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Krull" target="_blank">Kathleen Krull</a></span> summed it up. Kathleen wrote dozens of books for young readers, and when I asked her this question, she replied, </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">“I know I’m done when I’m just </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">moving commas around.” </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">For me, that says it all. When the changes you’re making are </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">sentence-level</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ones that are more about perfecting than anything else, you’re </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><i>ready to either submit to agents and publishers or hire an editor</i></span><span style="font-size: large;"> to bring in a fresh, trained eye to help you know what more needs to be done, if anything, to make it submission-ready.</span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dUcSv6fXAz3YdHkRS0aIV8sMOv4TECOW7hYA-vj_xWokwBgbNBf-vwK7FBU4BpOqdEH5ylwlIYhwrd_nVdi531Iqblcr6EQZgBYcaC97XZWHvOWhz-iarQ-eOPc0E15eyZoYYSDyUFUXICkPIibI0NhXIauPi6ZrFUsEEjki0x3-tk0CN_YRaf-Txgg/s1839/Dear-Editor-header-2_TM-and-icon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="1839" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dUcSv6fXAz3YdHkRS0aIV8sMOv4TECOW7hYA-vj_xWokwBgbNBf-vwK7FBU4BpOqdEH5ylwlIYhwrd_nVdi531Iqblcr6EQZgBYcaC97XZWHvOWhz-iarQ-eOPc0E15eyZoYYSDyUFUXICkPIibI0NhXIauPi6ZrFUsEEjki0x3-tk0CN_YRaf-Txgg/w630-h155/Dear-Editor-header-2_TM-and-icon.jpg" width="630" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">How can other writers learn to <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>edit</b></span> like a professional?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">The trick is to go beyond knowing that something isn’t working </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">to determining </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">exactly <i>why</i> it’s not working. </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Editors love to suggest revision ideas, but sometimes it’s enough to </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">articulate the problem</span><span style="font-size: large;"> well and then </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">let the author devise a creative solution.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">In </span><i style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.deareditor.com/books/" target="_blank">Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies</a>, </i><span style="font-size: large;">I teach writers how to assess their manuscripts/stories, and I arm them with various <span style="color: #ff00fe;">revision strategies</span> they can try out. Writers can hone their assessment skills by participating in <span style="color: red;">writing/critique groups</span>, where they can give and listen to feedback on others’ manuscripts.</span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsj9G83wmshQKd38kb12vPVoirTzmq6XFchIkhHqjrj54sU4kK9pODK3dEZVmZd6VuqlMpgTcgzUPDK8p3cCAzXqkfejrOkV-G0WDaE1-9wEm-XfeZ3oNxtZnR9yZ5aQG18MYo5Vh-AYrs06L4D5zlgn62eep7mbqEu58yXkldvFAeG7S9Ulko_t8OtTQ/s338/Big-Mouth-cover_small.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="225" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsj9G83wmshQKd38kb12vPVoirTzmq6XFchIkhHqjrj54sU4kK9pODK3dEZVmZd6VuqlMpgTcgzUPDK8p3cCAzXqkfejrOkV-G0WDaE1-9wEm-XfeZ3oNxtZnR9yZ5aQG18MYo5Vh-AYrs06L4D5zlgn62eep7mbqEu58yXkldvFAeG7S9Ulko_t8OtTQ/w240-h361/Big-Mouth-cover_small.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Are you a member of any writer’s critique groups? Why are critique groups important for writers? </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am </span><i style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">not</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> a member of a critique group, but I do </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">participate</span><span style="font-size: large;"> in two separate writing groups each week. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">It’s appointment writing! </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">One group is <span style="color: #45818e;">in person</span>, writing side by side on our own projects for two hours. The other is <span style="color: #2b00fe;">virtual</span>: A group of writers “meet” in <span style="color: #674ea7;">Zoom</span>, telling each other what we’ll work on at the beginning of the session, <span style="color: #ff00fe;">then sign off to write and then report back online two hours later. </span></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">These groups are more about </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">support</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">encouragement</span><span style="font-size: large;"> than accountability—no one gets busted for not accomplishing their stated goal. That’s what I need. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Other writers do well with <span style="color: #f1c232;">critique groups</span>, wherein everyone shares their manuscripts so they can give and get feedback. I encourage writers to try out writing or critique groups. If neither turns out to be right for you, that’s okay! Everyone develops their own work style.</span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If a writer wanted to <span style="color: #ff00fe;">hire you</span> to edit their work…what is it you look for before taking on a new client? And how can they find you for editorial work?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">On my website </span><a href="http://DeborahHalverson.com" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">DeborahHalverson.com</a><span style="font-size: large;">, I have a tab called </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">“Editorial Services.”</span><span style="font-size: large;"> (</span></b><span class="s1" style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.deborahhalverson.com/editor/" target="_blank">https://www.deborahhalverson.com/editor/</a></b></span><b style="font-size: x-large;">) </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">You can learn all about working with me on that page. </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I specialize in </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">picture books</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">Young Adult/Middle Grade fiction and nonfiction</span><span style="font-size: large;">, and </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">New Adult fiction.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">When an author contacts me, I hear their vision for their book and read the first ten pages if it’s a novel or the whole manuscript if it’s a picture book. </span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I get a </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><i>feel</i></span><span style="font-size: large;"> for the level of editing and the content, and that’s when I get a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">strong sense</span><span style="font-size: large;"> of how I might be helpful to a project. If I don’t feel like I can be helpful for any reason, I’ll say so. </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">I don’t want to waste anyone’s time or money.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Hiring a freelance editor is an investment, and you need to find an editor who can <span style="color: #6aa84f;">click with your vision</span>, who <span style="color: #45818e;">knows the market and audience expectations for it</span>, and <span style="color: #674ea7;">who can guide you forward.</span> </span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5dM3iDF41SQYEZwoY8fxyDL2Y2mEciPsLsipvu6cWopONpTxm3s7XXZHavuL3ihyphenhyphennILotc85VLwj9hv-6UXNV1WxP7niFyiEHqS15IxfS0jgQcF9UdsP928ERpZubXfQaoqzzZbdaU0o5HqjgHRP98ruh7fCurFR9jJqXZkBbjCviEyqHLTyQix0jtM/s600/Screen-Shot-2022-08-14-at-1.25.39-PM-600x341.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5dM3iDF41SQYEZwoY8fxyDL2Y2mEciPsLsipvu6cWopONpTxm3s7XXZHavuL3ihyphenhyphennILotc85VLwj9hv-6UXNV1WxP7niFyiEHqS15IxfS0jgQcF9UdsP928ERpZubXfQaoqzzZbdaU0o5HqjgHRP98ruh7fCurFR9jJqXZkBbjCviEyqHLTyQix0jtM/w471-h268/Screen-Shot-2022-08-14-at-1.25.39-PM-600x341.png" width="471" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Why might I pass on a project? </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Maybe it’s a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">topic</span> or <span style="color: red;">genre</span> I don’t read, and thus I don’t know the audience expectations for it. Faerie stories, for example. I could help you shape a faerie story, but I don’t know the “rules” for faeries or what’s fresh for that market. You might have the best faerie story ever written, but <span style="color: #ffa400;">I’d pass because I’m not the best editor for it.</span></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If you weren’t an editor or writer - what would you be? </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">During college, I contemplated a career in <span style="color: #f1c232;">advertising</span>, but my heart was truly set on being an editor. I was a life-long avid reader, and <span style="color: #6aa84f;">I wanted to work in publishing.</span> Landing a job as an editorial assistant at Harcourt Children’s Books confirmed that inclination: After my first day on the job, I told my husband, </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">“I’ve found my people.”</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> Creating books for young readers is deeply satisfying.</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen - what one sentence would you shout?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Being kind and supportive costs you nothing, yet we all gain.</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What are you working on right now? A new book? Editing? Relaxing?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve always put my </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">editing</span><span style="font-size: large;"> first. Now that my sons have started college, I want to make more time for my </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">own writing.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I have several books for kids in the works – it’s time to </span><i style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #800180;">finish</span> </i><span style="font-size: large;">them.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjDVivtNDj68y3zt5uET1cg1xmbuGax0rULufppCtv0j_0jeetMNpjdYEt3aP01AzPatgd2uR7fBFJaioLD5zNFvKbF_zJ8ZTFArhM425bwpN04kW1mMKgOrIA3cR8x3XUDi2VEqebnkBKiLXjVlQOWfcit3mP6eFwmP-TNY2WMgWU7yCwlm60ze-wXI/s678/Remix-series-covers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="678" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjDVivtNDj68y3zt5uET1cg1xmbuGax0rULufppCtv0j_0jeetMNpjdYEt3aP01AzPatgd2uR7fBFJaioLD5zNFvKbF_zJ8ZTFArhM425bwpN04kW1mMKgOrIA3cR8x3XUDi2VEqebnkBKiLXjVlQOWfcit3mP6eFwmP-TNY2WMgWU7yCwlm60ze-wXI/w579-h279/Remix-series-covers.jpg" width="579" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Writers often become editors and/or agents, sometimes even publishers….what’s it like being on that side of things in the writing world? <span style="color: #ff00fe;">Is it as romantic as writers might think?</span> Is it easy to balance writing and editing or agenting jobs?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When I was interviewing for Harcourt, the human resources person said, “It’s not as glamorous as you think.” <span style="color: red;"><i>I hadn’t assumed it would be glamorous. I simply wanted to work in bookmaking.</i></span> I was more than willing to bust out the elbow grease and put in the hours. </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Turns out, editors need </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">a <i>lot </i>of hours</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to read <span style="color: #f1c232;">submissions</span> and <span style="color: #6aa84f;">edit</span> the books they’ve already signed up… and there are never enough of those hours. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">They read and edit in the <span style="color: #45818e;">office</span>, at <span style="color: #3d85c6;">night</span>, on <span style="color: #674ea7;">weekends</span>, during their <span style="color: #a64d79;">commutes</span>…. It can be quite <span style="color: red;">stressful</span> because people are always waiting for your feedback. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Editors are also doing lots of tasks writers don’t see:</span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Writing </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">marketing</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">jacket copy</span><span style="font-size: large;"> for their books, meeting with </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">book designers</span><span style="font-size: large;"> about covers and interiors, positioning the books for the </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">sales reps</span><span style="font-size: large;"> so they can sell them into stores, filling out <span style="color: #ff00fe;">forms</span> for various departments, and assessing <span style="color: red;">Profit & Loss</span> statements about <span style="color: #674ea7;">trim size</span> and <span style="color: #a64d79;">paper thickness.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Picture book editors</span><span style="font-size: large;"> must find <span style="color: #f1c232;">illustrators</span> for the manuscripts, then work with the illustrators on <span style="color: #6aa84f;">sketches</span> and <span style="color: #45818e;">book dummies.</span> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I loved </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">wearing many hats</span><span style="font-size: large;"> as an in-house editor—essentially, <span style="color: #ff00fe;">you’re the project manager</span>—but it’s <span style="color: red;">exhausting</span>, and <span style="color: #ffa400;">editorial burnout</span> is real. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Definitely <i>not</i> glamorous. </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I <span style="color: #6aa84f;">balanced</span> being an in-house editor </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">and </i><span style="font-size: large;">a writer by writing in the morning before work. When I went <span style="color: #45818e;">freelance</span>, I had to be Triplet Mom while my sons were awake and Editor while they slept, so <span style="color: #3d85c6;">fitting in my own writing was challenging.</span> My sons have just started college and I seem to have more time—at least on paper—so I am rethinking the <span style="color: #674ea7;">editor/writer balance.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiET60AQ_jzGlvSvr2cn6VSv6n5_MlMTw3SvuSn2h8zBu9sgBQ0h6WJXsu3joHK6E5CSJ7gokG6Y2i-hOyxfWHCTlsSC31Myo5-cJtc0FCHPJFbZYhD3pBr1mh8xaBgEn6zVyuSYJc6iq9xtrJTKt91xSyW9S7slrJxf-7OH0P9-vsJuNBxkS4WJgwuwNM/s450/SM-Podcast-thumbnail-450x450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiET60AQ_jzGlvSvr2cn6VSv6n5_MlMTw3SvuSn2h8zBu9sgBQ0h6WJXsu3joHK6E5CSJ7gokG6Y2i-hOyxfWHCTlsSC31Myo5-cJtc0FCHPJFbZYhD3pBr1mh8xaBgEn6zVyuSYJc6iq9xtrJTKt91xSyW9S7slrJxf-7OH0P9-vsJuNBxkS4WJgwuwNM/w395-h395/SM-Podcast-thumbnail-450x450.jpg" width="395" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">(Check out <a href="https://www.deborahhalverson.com/2023/05/10/listen-to-me-on-the-how-writers-write-podcast/" target="_blank">Deborah's Blog</a> for more...)</span></span></b><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Where do you think <span style="color: #ff00fe;">story ideas </span>come from? Our own experiences, dreams, some creative cloud somewhere? Where do yours?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Before I worked in publishing, on some level I thought that writers were born with a sort of </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">“vault of ideas.”</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I knew I could write—when a teacher assigned something to me, I wrote extremely well—but I didn’t have my own ideas. </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Or rather, I didn’t <i>think </i>I had them.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Eventually I realized that my <span style="color: #6aa84f;">brain</span> was full of things I found interesting, and those things were <span style="color: #45818e;">bumping</span> into each other and <span style="color: #674ea7;">mish-mashing</span> into something I wanted to write about.</span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What’s the <span style="color: #ffa400;">silliest</span> thing you’ve done lately?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I tend more toward </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">playful</span><span style="font-size: large;"> than silly. Hmm… Oh! I once joined a group of writers in the San Diego chapter of the Society of Children’s Books Writers & Illustrators for a </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">theme-party dress-up:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> We dressed as </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">Woodstock from The Peanuts.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Yellow tights, yellow feathered body suit and wings and hat, and bird feet. It was for </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">SCBWI’s</span><span style="font-size: large;"> national summer conference, and everyone else dressed as hippies from the Woodstock era. When the </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">music</span><span style="font-size: large;"> played and folks started </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">dancing</span><span style="font-size: large;">, we <span style="color: #6aa84f;">birds</span> swooped through the crowd and ended up <span style="color: #45818e;">dancing onstage.</span> That was </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">far </i><span style="font-size: large;">beyond of my comfort zone, but </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">I had a blast</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and was thrilled to have participated.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">How <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>expensive</b></span> is it to have a young adult or middle-grade novel professionally edited? And do you believe it’s worth it? Why or why not?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The cost of an edit can vary according to </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">the experience of your editor.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Most freelance editors—but not all—have worked inside publishing houses. When you are evaluating an editor, <span style="color: #3d85c6;">look at their experience.</span> Who have they worked with? What kinds of books have they edited? </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">Read interviews with them (like this one!).</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Get a feel for their editorial sensibilities as well as their work <span style="color: #ff00fe;">styles</span> and <span style="color: red;">personalities</span>, and of course for the kinds of <span style="color: #ffa400;">stories</span> they work on. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">As I said above, </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">you want your editor to know your book’s genre, </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">audience, and market.</span> </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">An edit can be </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">significant investment</span><span style="font-size: large;"> depending on how long your manuscript is, so it’s not for everyone. A </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">picture book edit</span><span style="font-size: large;"> can be an hour to an hour-and-a-half; <span style="color: red;">a novel</span> edit might be anywhere from five hours to ten or twelve. Your editor will give you an </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">estimate</span><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’m biased of course, but I believe that if it makes sense for your budget, editing can be </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">worth the investment</span><span style="font-size: large;"> because you <span style="color: red;">strengthen</span> not only this project for submission but all your <span style="color: #ffa400;">future writing.</span></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Authors often tell me that they <span style="color: #f1c232;">applied what they learned from me</span> in one edit to all their manuscripts afterward. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">One author told me, “I feel like I just got a personalized </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">graduate course in writing!” </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you’re <span style="color: #45818e;">self-publishing</span> your book, a professional edit should be one of your <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>essential</i></span> expenditures. <span style="color: #800180;">I have hired</span> a freelance <span style="color: #ff00fe;">editor</span> for every one of my manuscripts submitted to publishers.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3YDeXqlcHKpXg3PRtEzGxDDHIf3kiggR9QE8wgEvx38f9fO7QOomke-RXh1B3mIn5RUYHUi9CoGSF70Dic5RC85VbZjSXg9xUQzI0I932wN0oVhnciTa4dO-XL5neZR6FPKJcnjYQcOkdtrCHqI9XqtLgi2naUFGaCMQcL3irmubjLN6baXU4vnLXgI/s378/0470949546.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="300" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3YDeXqlcHKpXg3PRtEzGxDDHIf3kiggR9QE8wgEvx38f9fO7QOomke-RXh1B3mIn5RUYHUi9CoGSF70Dic5RC85VbZjSXg9xUQzI0I932wN0oVhnciTa4dO-XL5neZR6FPKJcnjYQcOkdtrCHqI9XqtLgi2naUFGaCMQcL3irmubjLN6baXU4vnLXgI/w333-h419/0470949546.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>Which of your books is your favorite right now? </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am particularly </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">proud</span><span style="font-size: large;"> of </span><i><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> – it’s part of the well-established For Dummies series, but I had free rein to indulge my <span style="color: #6aa84f;">playful</span> side and go as deep into the craft of writing as I wanted. I think it’s very helpful to writers, which is my essential goal with writers, and it’s <span style="color: #45818e;">comprehensive</span>, so writers can use it to assess and revise their work until they’ve taken the manuscript as far as they can on their own. </span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: -9px;">You have a writer’s advice website called </span><span class="s2" style="color: #2e4b99; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: -9px;"><a href="http://DearEditor.com" target="_blank">DearEditor.com</a></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: -9px;"> - what can writers expect to find there? </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">My primary </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">goal</span><span style="font-size: large;"> is always to </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">help writers</span><span style="font-size: large;"> make their work stronger. DearEditor.com is a part of that effort. </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Think of it as Dear Abby for writers:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Writers ask me a specific question about the craft or business of writing, and I answer succinctly. <span style="color: #ffa400;">Quick question, quick answers.</span> I’ve been doing it for 15 years, so there are a lot of Q-and-As! </span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">You can <span style="color: #f1c232;">navigate</span> through them, or type topics into the <span style="color: #6aa84f;">search</span> field to find <span style="color: #45818e;">answers</span> to the questions you have. I have a lot of fun with DearEditor.com, and have even started <span style="color: #3d85c6;">making videos</span> of some answers that I post on my social media. (</span></b><a href="https://linktr.ee/deborahhalverson" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank"><span class="s3" style="color: blue; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">https://linktr.ee/deborahhalverson</span></a><span class="s4" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: x-large; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">)</span><b style="font-size: x-large;"> </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">The <span style="color: #800180;">idea</span> for DearEditor.com came to me one day as I was thinking about how writers would often sit down next to me at a conference and go, <span style="color: #ff00fe;">“I just have this one thing I wanted to ask an editor if I ever met one!”</span> I realized I could field those questions online.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Do you edit your own work? How difficult is it to edit yourself even though you’re an editor?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">I have hired editors</span><span style="font-size: large;"> for every one of my manuscripts. I need those editors to do for me what I do for other writers: <span style="color: #ffa400;">be a fresh eye</span>, and <span style="color: #f1c232;">articulate</span> what’s not working and then make <span style="color: #6aa84f;">suggestions</span> for <span style="color: #45818e;">revision</span> if they can, or at least put me on the path to work out my own <span style="color: #3d85c6;">solutions</span>. I assess my own work just like I teach authors to do, but then I reach a point where <span style="color: #674ea7;">I’m just too close</span> to the project, and I need someone new to assess it. </span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Do you miss working for Harcourt? What was it like editing for them?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I miss the daily </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">comradery</span><span style="font-size: large;"> of working in-house, and </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">ushering</span><span style="font-size: large;"> a story (and its creative team) from manuscript to bound </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">book</span><span style="font-size: large;">. It’s </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">magical</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to hold the final book in your hand after one or two years in the trenches with it. I <span style="color: #3d85c6;">do </span></span><i style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">not</span> </i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">miss</span> the <span style="color: #f1c232;">bureaucracy</span>—working with Profit & Loss statements, negotiating contracts, that sort of thing. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">As a freelancer, </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">now I do <i>only </i>my favorite part: </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">editing the text.</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9hJuiGLkUb_V_H8oDQKA-c9YgtRYMiZd5FZ6ChM9rlSyNMtLNhjgmTvlfbOU0RQEkhmwf5eyWuSeXgyT2A2QEZ2sQAWLRN_lHNW_m_byhhxS_o8c5q-HRycd_DF-jEf23eae8G9kIya2NiEa7YvVaUDJO-Zgi126J2tvUNQxbsZ-SM1AHtmgeMNQrJ4/s766/Screenshot%202023-11-27%20at%202.23.33%20PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="745" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9hJuiGLkUb_V_H8oDQKA-c9YgtRYMiZd5FZ6ChM9rlSyNMtLNhjgmTvlfbOU0RQEkhmwf5eyWuSeXgyT2A2QEZ2sQAWLRN_lHNW_m_byhhxS_o8c5q-HRycd_DF-jEf23eae8G9kIya2NiEa7YvVaUDJO-Zgi126J2tvUNQxbsZ-SM1AHtmgeMNQrJ4/w377-h388/Screenshot%202023-11-27%20at%202.23.33%20PM.png" width="377" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What is your favorite editing service you provide and why?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love what I call </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">“substantive editing.”</span><span style="font-size: large;"> That’s when a projects is past the developmental part but not yet ready for line editing. I assess <span style="color: red;">Big Picture</span> story elements like <span style="color: #ffa400;">plot</span>, <span style="color: #f1c232;">characterization</span>, <span style="color: #93c47d;">voice</span>, and <span style="color: #45818e;">pacing</span>. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">As part of that, I’ll often <span style="color: #3d85c6;">line edit a chapter or two</span> to help the author <span style="color: #674ea7;">nail down the narrative voice</span> or <span style="color: #a64d79;">improve sentence-level craft</span>, then I’ll switch to a higher-level assessment that may end with me suggesting changes to <span style="color: red;">characters</span>, <span style="color: #ffa400;">scenes</span>, <span style="color: #f1c232;">storylines</span>, etc. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">My </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">goal</span><span style="font-size: large;"> is to set up writers to revise and then submit to <span style="color: #45818e;">agents</span> or <span style="color: #3d85c6;">editors</span>. The writers may choose to come back to me for a second review to see if they’ve resolved the issues and anything else remains, or they may press forward on their own. This is a <span style="color: #674ea7;">fun mix</span> of close editing and Big Picture editing.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What is the <span style="color: #ff00fe;">secret</span> to becoming a bestselling author?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Oh, if only I could answer that.</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What is your number one pet peeve when editing a manuscript?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Pet peeve:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the omission of the serial comma. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, I know that the <span style="color: #f1c232;">serial comma</span> is a matter of preference these days, so I let the author’s preference stand unless <span style="color: #6aa84f;">clarity</span> is compromised. </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Down the line, their publishers may have a house rule about it, but </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;"><i>my role is not to enforce rules.</i></span><span style="font-size: large;"> My role as a freelance editor is to help writers make a manuscript as strong as it can be </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">to land literary representation or a book deal.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I can’t promise either will happen after working with me, but I do <span style="color: #674ea7;">my best</span> to help it happen.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtg-RL1FqKo9Czvnc1iJbdp4H-emE-puU2v6tDQGDFLnXCgkA-_jSA-ZAijHK5gS80AiqYGfDxBrYDuS7Y7AqgjVtAqz2ScWDJk_ebM5jYlNJYUI3ey8JA3jzXjnXb1vh3qcZQIsAf9DBelWNeOm-Beu1kfI6Qrk2ktOwltexFsc_nxYDYnQjVa4x1xg/s766/Screenshot%202023-11-27%20at%202.21.36%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="766" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtg-RL1FqKo9Czvnc1iJbdp4H-emE-puU2v6tDQGDFLnXCgkA-_jSA-ZAijHK5gS80AiqYGfDxBrYDuS7Y7AqgjVtAqz2ScWDJk_ebM5jYlNJYUI3ey8JA3jzXjnXb1vh3qcZQIsAf9DBelWNeOm-Beu1kfI6Qrk2ktOwltexFsc_nxYDYnQjVa4x1xg/w495-h389/Screenshot%202023-11-27%20at%202.21.36%20PM.png" width="495" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Where will you be next at conferences or places where readers can meet you and buy your books?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>I present to <span style="color: #ff00fe;">writing groups </span>throughout the year, usually virtually. I announce those on my social media: </b><a href="https://linktr.ee/deborahhalverson" target="_blank"><span class="s3" style="color: blue; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">https://linktr.ee/deborahhalverson</span></a><span class="s4" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">.</span><b> (I also post <span style="color: red;">video tips</span> about writing and videos about publishing.) I also post upcoming events on my author website (under “<a href="https://www.deborahhalverson.com/news/" target="_blank">News</a>”) and on DearEditor.com’s “<a href="https://www.deareditor.com/news/" target="_blank">News</a>” page.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">How can my <span style="color: #800180;">readers</span> help you as a writer and/or editor?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Your wonderful readers can help <i>any</i> writer with a very simple thing: </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Spread the word when you like a book. </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 54px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Leave <span style="color: red;">reviews</span> at online retailers and <span style="color: #ffa400;">share it</span> on your social media. <span style="color: #f1c232;">It’s easy, free, and so helpful!</span></span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wow, Deborah, you shared so much information with us writers and those of us in need of editing help. </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Thank you so very much!</span><span style="font-size: large;"> If you are writing a KidLit book, check out Deborah's website below. She's an editor in your corner! I know I'll be reaching out to her. I've got a few MGs and PBs in mind that could use some editing help. I bet you do, too! Don't waste precious time. <span style="color: #45818e;">Finish that MS and get it edited for your best work to go out into the world of publishing.</span> Good luck to you all, and thanks, again, Deboarh.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>If you'd like to connect with Deborah Halverson:</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Deborah's Editing Services: <a href="https://www.deareditor.com/" target="_blank">Dear Editor</a> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Author Website: <a href="https://www.deborahhalverson.com/" target="_blank">Deborah Halverson </a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/deareditordotcom/" target="_blank">@DearEditorDotCom</a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">YouTube: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #606060; text-wrap: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@DeborahHalversonEdits" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">@DeborahHalversonEdits</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IdJNjxlZtGksqiwA3UuUz1UVkOtPYYK1_sAzYVccepsPWKwVCqaV0AMpAsFUVTf-R2ojwiYz0zYtS9b15QdT9EtAutns7vkAWT0rDHubKiKKid4Ofv14gChTR9vJTKuVS6wJztf7dNoZFKD6KRgEMR-7Itb52wnNPkS2qf0DglEpXz1WU8QM31LJRqA/s448/71adb4_55d34a684bb24405b293d8173da010d3~mv2.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IdJNjxlZtGksqiwA3UuUz1UVkOtPYYK1_sAzYVccepsPWKwVCqaV0AMpAsFUVTf-R2ojwiYz0zYtS9b15QdT9EtAutns7vkAWT0rDHubKiKKid4Ofv14gChTR9vJTKuVS6wJztf7dNoZFKD6KRgEMR-7Itb52wnNPkS2qf0DglEpXz1WU8QM31LJRqA/s320/71adb4_55d34a684bb24405b293d8173da010d3~mv2.webp" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">And if you'd like to be interviewed, don't be shy!</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Reach out to me via email angazur @ gmail.com</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As always </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Write~on,</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Angie</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 9px; text-indent: -9px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-13783895697161922762023-11-13T14:23:00.000-05:002023-11-13T14:23:15.313-05:00Rewrite your Backstory and Thanksgiving<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">Freedom to Rewrite Your Life Story:</span> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Thanksgiving, </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>A Tale of Curiosity </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">by Angie Azur</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQ3bR5h_XusKIGrBT3vDBldRhZccKDzaZKa_LVqs8EILxlFBYud5r9PsTSud8Yq6IW2vOSfzTeytLslXx7d9k4YYIfbmrWR_Bl9McBUmHPxEVlAdEd_8uH-sVXHECtDuv8B8G2RgHtlujqG_k51aDEnjI8swShecPd9fO-WFZ0DJQeZ72JamogOefA3k/s5184/mohamed-nohassi-odxB5oIG_iA-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQ3bR5h_XusKIGrBT3vDBldRhZccKDzaZKa_LVqs8EILxlFBYud5r9PsTSud8Yq6IW2vOSfzTeytLslXx7d9k4YYIfbmrWR_Bl9McBUmHPxEVlAdEd_8uH-sVXHECtDuv8B8G2RgHtlujqG_k51aDEnjI8swShecPd9fO-WFZ0DJQeZ72JamogOefA3k/w546-h363/mohamed-nohassi-odxB5oIG_iA-unsplash.jpg" width="546" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hey there, fellow <span style="color: #6aa84f;">storytellers</span> and </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">reality</span> <span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">re-writers!</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Today, we're diving headfirst into the thrilling and untapped world of creating our own <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>backstories</b>.</span> Yes - that's right! You have the <span style="color: #674ea7;">freedom</span> to change anything in your past that no longer serves you. You don't have to go on living as if those stories have <span style="color: #ff00fe;">energy</span>, <span style="color: #f1c232;">value</span>, or <span style="color: #3d85c6;">space</span> in your mind. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm talking about those </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><i>awful</i></span><span style="font-size: large;"> stories you keep repeating to yourself and others about what your mother, father, siblings, and friends </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">did</span><span style="font-size: large;"> or what they </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">didn't do</span><span style="font-size: large;"> that hurt you so long ago. How many years has it been? It's over, my friends. It's time to rewrite that and </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">let it go!!!</span><span style="font-size: large;"> In order for more loving and wonderful stories to enter your life, you must release the ones </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">stuck in your brain.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Feel the emotions there, integrate the lessons, if any can be gleaned, and then release them back to the Earth. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Many times in life, </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">we're handed a script that we didn't write.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> We're all </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">born</span><span style="font-size: large;"> into certain </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">families</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>societies</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> with specific <span style="color: #6aa84f;">agendas</span> and </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">experiences</span><span style="font-size: large;">, some that are wonderful for us, others that cause <span style="color: #ff00fe;">trauma</span>, <span style="color: red;">pain</span>, and <span style="color: #ffa400;">confusion</span>. Life throws us a curveball or two. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">But here's the good news: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>We don't have to stick to that script!</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">We have the <b><span style="color: #45818e;">power</span></b> to </span><i><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">rewrite our own life stories!</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> This is not just for writers. It's for anyone looking to trade in old traumas for a brighter, happier <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>future</b></span>.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">Imagine this:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> You have the </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">pen</span><span style="font-size: large;">, and you're the </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">author</span><span style="font-size: large;"> of your own </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">life</span><span style="font-size: large;">. You can </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">choose</span> <span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">to create a different backstory,</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> one that's free from past pain, bad relationships, and all the other baggage that </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">life</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and all those </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">people</span><span style="font-size: large;"> we engage with sometimes throw our way. It's like hitting the reset button on a </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><b>video game</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, except this time, you get to design the </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>levels</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, the </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>characters</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, and the </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;"><b>plot twists.</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkm1Cm9J-TSdRGPJ5dt555jsg0C9MngzRTi_gmvskBS1GlSE-jHM2R_gIvzCB89nKU7-LObyJ_kubHAT6paDGpiyXu6lJUEw-CFKE_7527lsX__NeLyU0H7gb_Hji_wJqYoZZMMdad1pQrdGX_qDRMHujTgEhyphenhyphentf2TNm1o_QS_i-jw9VcEqwTeASjCII8/s3876/ella-don-JomkRNkzKhE-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2579" data-original-width="3876" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkm1Cm9J-TSdRGPJ5dt555jsg0C9MngzRTi_gmvskBS1GlSE-jHM2R_gIvzCB89nKU7-LObyJ_kubHAT6paDGpiyXu6lJUEw-CFKE_7527lsX__NeLyU0H7gb_Hji_wJqYoZZMMdad1pQrdGX_qDRMHujTgEhyphenhyphentf2TNm1o_QS_i-jw9VcEqwTeASjCII8/w502-h334/ella-don-JomkRNkzKhE-unsplash.jpg" width="502" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Let's put this theory to the test with a little </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">creative exercise.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> (You are invited to try this at home, too) We're going to rewrite a classic tale, </span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><b>Thanksgiving</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, in a way that's more </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><b>aligned with creating a better world.</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Instead of the traditional narrative where newcomers take the land from the natives...</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">...let's imagine a world where <i>integration</i>, <i>learning</i>, and <i>collaboration</i> are key.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBtu88534us2IaQYM8dGA2DYGilKBhkO6zKIoO7OqyZDn82Srm7TQc05wHaFqr3bcvzIdc9_pnezbucCY3FANhL35nxfiIYwnbuZYBD4qEaCeWwTuOzTHypr9t7IPjc4pul4eGTsySJEk1jhIkLEdbeLFqa0BUNFy0TsZ-2tobTc-rarNNxdvTnXRT2w/s3456/stephanie-mccabe-U3zasaqWD-I-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBtu88534us2IaQYM8dGA2DYGilKBhkO6zKIoO7OqyZDn82Srm7TQc05wHaFqr3bcvzIdc9_pnezbucCY3FANhL35nxfiIYwnbuZYBD4qEaCeWwTuOzTHypr9t7IPjc4pul4eGTsySJEk1jhIkLEdbeLFqa0BUNFy0TsZ-2tobTc-rarNNxdvTnXRT2w/w266-h400/stephanie-mccabe-U3zasaqWD-I-unsplash.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Picture this: </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">A group of newcomers, let's call them the </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">"Harmony Seekers,"</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> arrive on the shores of a lush, unspoiled land inhabited by various tribes of <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>indigenous</b></span> people. But instead of continuing what they were taught - to conquer, rape, and pillage - they come with an <span style="color: #ff00fe;">open heart </span>and a <span style="color: #e06666;">thirst for knowledge.</span> </span></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">They <i>do not</i> repeat their old ways of living </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">or </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">the wrong teachings </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">they were taught by their parents or leaders. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Instead, they search for a more </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">peaceful</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">compassionate</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> way of life in </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">balance</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> with the sacred feminine and sacred masculine, with nature and all her creatures. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The natives, whom we'll call the </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><b>"Wisdom Keepers,"</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> greet them with </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">curiosity</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">warmth</span><span style="font-size: large;">. They <span style="color: #ffa400;">share</span> their knowledge of the land, the animals, the plants, and their deep connection to the earth. The Harmony Seekers, in turn, </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">share</span><span style="font-size: large;"> their own knowledge of technology, agriculture, and medicine. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">It's a beautiful exchange of ideas, best practices, and healthy ways of living life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Together, </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>they forge a harmonious society</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> that's a blend of the best of both worlds. The Harmony Seekers </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">teach</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the Wisdom Keepers about advanced farming techniques and modern medicine, </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">helping</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to improve the quality of life for everyone. In return, the Wisdom Keepers </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">share</span><span style="font-size: large;"> their ancient wisdom about sustainability, respecting the earth, and living in harmony with nature. They </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">explore</span><span style="font-size: large;"> each other's rites and rituals, spiritualities, and religions. Both groups <span style="color: #ff00fe;">drop judgment</span> and become </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">curious</span><span style="font-size: large;"> children of one another. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The resulting society becomes a </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">utopia</span><span style="font-size: large;"> where people </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">coexist</span><span style="font-size: large;"> in balance with the land, animals, and each other. They celebrate Thanksgiving not as a historical event but as a yearly tradition of </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">gratitude</span><span style="font-size: large;"> for the beautiful world they've built together.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this rewritten tale, Thanksgiving isn't about division and conflict; it's about </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">unity</span><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">collaboration</span><span style="font-size: large;">, and the </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">compassion</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to pursue a better world. It reminds us that </span></span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">we have the power to rewrite our own stories</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> and create a brighter, more harmonious future for ourselves and our planet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kQ1tagRakaR44cWzLzTN7hPN36kggLB_urwoyB9Lrjtb73Kj5jJdWVX0L6YrxyvBxv_09FJCUghbWEAtYxPRkUPqKF13WY27dIKDR-SOZKo6oyG1m6bmBjXu7cbehzPooKvFl0qN_Z030sgVi1G-p-5siFChTlIGxQK8o71EibV5Fv5e4OuDWKPd9p4/s5184/brett-jordan-Y1uG1DXudUc-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kQ1tagRakaR44cWzLzTN7hPN36kggLB_urwoyB9Lrjtb73Kj5jJdWVX0L6YrxyvBxv_09FJCUghbWEAtYxPRkUPqKF13WY27dIKDR-SOZKo6oyG1m6bmBjXu7cbehzPooKvFl0qN_Z030sgVi1G-p-5siFChTlIGxQK8o71EibV5Fv5e4OuDWKPd9p4/w486-h365/brett-jordan-Y1uG1DXudUc-unsplash.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, fellow storytellers, as we gather around the table this Thanksgiving, let's remember that </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">we hold the pen</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to our own life stories. We can choose to </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">rewrite</span><span style="font-size: large;"> them, </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">infuse</span><span style="font-size: large;"> them with </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">positivity</span><span style="font-size: large;">, and </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">create</span><span style="font-size: large;"> a world where </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">integration</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">collaboration</span><span style="font-size: large;"> are the keys to a brighter tomorrow. But first, you must drop those old, stuck stories that are doing nothing but slowing down your progress. Drop them and let in something shiny and new. </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">I believe in you!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Here's to a <span style="color: #b45f06;">Thanksgiving</span> filled with love, laughter, and the power to rewrite our stories for the better. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Cheers to you and me, </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">authors of our own lives!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJRZncwByZkUPBZ9dmfvPX3Kz40ehrGORPqXVZmDwb7-6P3Uf-xtGhJIoixAI3JgEwE7ZPMrIx9xcSFTtspLzct9q2O6NFPrfMQwW4V9uP3shmEAWYR-io5nkXQXCP7LpAqpM4a8s8R91Be3i4UubXSBaREhAA8e82GLSH9-I9C7I-1dazdXINaJsV64/s2083/IMG_6499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2083" data-original-width="2083" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJRZncwByZkUPBZ9dmfvPX3Kz40ehrGORPqXVZmDwb7-6P3Uf-xtGhJIoixAI3JgEwE7ZPMrIx9xcSFTtspLzct9q2O6NFPrfMQwW4V9uP3shmEAWYR-io5nkXQXCP7LpAqpM4a8s8R91Be3i4UubXSBaREhAA8e82GLSH9-I9C7I-1dazdXINaJsV64/s320/IMG_6499.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Happy Holiday Season to all...</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">write~on</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Angie <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-21239284775999010722023-11-01T11:30:00.003-04:002023-11-01T11:30:51.501-04:00Death, Writing and Fear<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Embracing the Inevitable: Exploring Death, Writing, and Fear</span></span></p><p><b id="docs-internal-guid-60ef5a84-7fff-25d7-cd11-209afda26d8b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-60ef5a84-7fff-25d7-cd11-209afda26d8b" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSW74A213cgt-8irmGo4IGGAD4XTgo4n9Y6bnskUVPr8L9qCVSJ390RFGq1itfacUCX5U_GTtQqorXw7ChZWFmOU6R6LxfL2dPrgottqnViA_eV53WxUDT69ptTSy0iXysLmRMCdU4LhQtPWGndzbuJEWHOBB_IY0zGqT9KGBtaRdCQip3lY5m4M-0Pk/s4000/debby-hudson-DR31squbFoA-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="4000" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSW74A213cgt-8irmGo4IGGAD4XTgo4n9Y6bnskUVPr8L9qCVSJ390RFGq1itfacUCX5U_GTtQqorXw7ChZWFmOU6R6LxfL2dPrgottqnViA_eV53WxUDT69ptTSy0iXysLmRMCdU4LhQtPWGndzbuJEWHOBB_IY0zGqT9KGBtaRdCQip3lY5m4M-0Pk/w473-h319/debby-hudson-DR31squbFoA-unsplash.jpg" width="473" /></a></b></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-60ef5a84-7fff-25d7-cd11-209afda26d8b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">What are you waiting for? It's a question that has been haunting me lately, lingering in the corners of my mind like a persistent whisper. As I sit down to write this blog post, I find myself contemplating some of life's most profound and universal themes: death, creativity, and fear.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Death is the one certainty we all face, yet it remains one of the most enigmatic and frightening aspects of the human experience for most. It's a topic we often avoid discussing, as if by acknowledging its presence, we can somehow delay its inevitable arrival. But the truth is, death is an integral part of life. It's the final chapter in our individual stories, the punctuation mark at the end of our sentences. Instead of shying away from it, we should embrace the idea of death as a natural part of the human journey.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tXwCFt7mkWLhyphenhyphenC86MjJeBlg111JLfmFF_OccedefBu8NLwR6fIhRoIGRJA8KwoQJpNx7AepjqKQlYUnpIvjJvl4EsHAB5cO07blcjKWkqAPSJ66VulRk9q3GMt57DtOmb5ASzyC3mu5zXIY9osPq66ritxhkSxNyTEIZAZtfbNgA7Yt68cOweYrGqos/s3215/julia-joppien--3wygakaeQc-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3215" data-original-width="2143" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tXwCFt7mkWLhyphenhyphenC86MjJeBlg111JLfmFF_OccedefBu8NLwR6fIhRoIGRJA8KwoQJpNx7AepjqKQlYUnpIvjJvl4EsHAB5cO07blcjKWkqAPSJ66VulRk9q3GMt57DtOmb5ASzyC3mu5zXIY9osPq66ritxhkSxNyTEIZAZtfbNgA7Yt68cOweYrGqos/w275-h413/julia-joppien--3wygakaeQc-unsplash.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Writing, for me, has become a way to confront the specter of death. It's a means of leaving behind a piece of myself, a record of my thoughts and experiences that will endure long after I'm gone. In a world where everything is transient, words have the power to transcend time and space. They allow us to communicate with people who may not even be born yet, sharing our hopes, dreams, and fears with future generations.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But here's the thing about </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">writing</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: it can be a terrifying endeavor. The blank page is a canvas of infinite possibilities, but it's also a void that can swallow us whole if we let it. Fear, that ever-present companion, often creeps in as we confront the challenge of putting our thoughts into words. Some fear that our words won't be good enough, that they won't capture the essence of what we want to say, or that they will be forgotten and lost in the vast sea of literature. I sure do!</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ask yourself this, "Who cares?" It's just people out there who read what other people have written. We're all just people doing stuff and hoping others will like it. But so what? Does it really matter? Maybe it does if you're writing for money or writing for fame, but I'm not. And most of the writers I've met aren't either. They're writing for themselves to release old traumas, to learn more about who they are inside and what they believe in, and if others decide they like it, well, that's just the cherry on top. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeinypornLge9A1xwu3F8ouPOrhQpLzximNj90qhnvrsKoVrd3FTKm7IGU_-Di_iFJTaqAtTsmYz_U_fH_X2L-gkQ_djsL_qbHuqfAyieoOJVDmJDrjh5Tnn4Duk9haLC2IsTOqfyvhuyos5LdojUfHMjTN38RNwlHQuNJg8qW86d0cJarjJR3UXujlMw/s5184/unseen-studio-s9CC2SKySJM-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeinypornLge9A1xwu3F8ouPOrhQpLzximNj90qhnvrsKoVrd3FTKm7IGU_-Di_iFJTaqAtTsmYz_U_fH_X2L-gkQ_djsL_qbHuqfAyieoOJVDmJDrjh5Tnn4Duk9haLC2IsTOqfyvhuyos5LdojUfHMjTN38RNwlHQuNJg8qW86d0cJarjJR3UXujlMw/w479-h318/unseen-studio-s9CC2SKySJM-unsplash.jpg" width="479" /></a></div><p></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, what are you waiting for? Don't let fear keep you from expressing yourself through writing or creative endeavors. Embrace the uncertainty of the blank page and fill it with your thoughts, stories, and unique perspectives on life and death. Remember that writing is not just about leaving a mark on the world; it's also a way to confront your own fears and anxieties.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ultimately, we all have a limited amount of time on this Earth. Death is the one thing we can't escape, but writing allows us to leave a lasting legacy. It's a way to confront our fear of the unknown and make our mark on the world. Go forth and start writing today, and let your words become a bridge between the past, the present, and the future. Embrace the inevitability of death and use it as a catalyst to live a life filled with purpose, creativity, and expression. Your words have the power to outlive you, so make them count.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0If1URj4EprOg9Laz_a9-heBSmI5fse1Y1_nYmCw3kk43WF9Jc6AmBI-_zVtfNVPOvwrZjHvB2aPx3-jEK6vZj8tcpFJIA4qsnIhHILSyTfqOBXBWiCZAVMpRPt3S3wyUtTXB6Ha4chCw2-_4r11-Tds4jARpJBfrRfzISOxJYDymXtlcJ-BBaDqP4e8/s11000/florian-klauer-mk7D-4UCfmg-unsplash%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="11000" data-original-width="7500" height="493" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0If1URj4EprOg9Laz_a9-heBSmI5fse1Y1_nYmCw3kk43WF9Jc6AmBI-_zVtfNVPOvwrZjHvB2aPx3-jEK6vZj8tcpFJIA4qsnIhHILSyTfqOBXBWiCZAVMpRPt3S3wyUtTXB6Ha4chCw2-_4r11-Tds4jARpJBfrRfzISOxJYDymXtlcJ-BBaDqP4e8/w336-h493/florian-klauer-mk7D-4UCfmg-unsplash%20(1).jpg" width="336" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">And as always,</span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Write~on</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Angie<br /></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you'd like an interview on your creative adventure, reach out at angazur @ gmail.com</span></span></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-26990701001781397132023-10-15T14:24:00.000-04:002023-10-15T14:24:05.561-04:00Art Self-Discovery Classes at CCLD <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Self-Discovery Facilitator</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Angie Azur </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">at</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The Center for Conscious Living and Dying</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEngddwTquhGKkeJJNF9kNodaXJx0tB9gPGejL0-F0kdWR8PdcDcxXmj7YckrDwPektdLYz4KKyfbLbr7hw4OBaNIvqWetKlPhRfAgd7m-U5Kx7waNEle0_Im4-Exa-yRkWmEpBLnhyphenhyphenFUvAIOGVzvPI5HGOgcQ0o9xwqG77J3v8iYyBIe7GOFWRjIpgQ/s448/71adb4_55d34a684bb24405b293d8173da010d3~mv2.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEngddwTquhGKkeJJNF9kNodaXJx0tB9gPGejL0-F0kdWR8PdcDcxXmj7YckrDwPektdLYz4KKyfbLbr7hw4OBaNIvqWetKlPhRfAgd7m-U5Kx7waNEle0_Im4-Exa-yRkWmEpBLnhyphenhyphenFUvAIOGVzvPI5HGOgcQ0o9xwqG77J3v8iYyBIe7GOFWRjIpgQ/w393-h524/71adb4_55d34a684bb24405b293d8173da010d3~mv2.webp" width="393" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hello, fellow creatives - this is an announcement that I will be facilitating an art-discovery class at the Center for Conscious Living and Dying. If you are a member of CCLD - this 5-week course is free. Starts November 7th, 2023. </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">Come join me!</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not a member yet? Go here - </span><span style="font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.ccld.community/" target="_blank">https://www.ccld.community/</a></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">Meet your SELF-DISCOVERY FACILITATOR:</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Angie Azur</b> is a holistic healer, life coach, and end-of-life guide. Her wisdom foundations include art, psychology, and justice. She has certifications in End-of-Life Care, PTSD Yoga/meditation, Reiki II, Toltec Wisdom, Sound Healing, and Art Therapy. These unique modalities create an inclusive approach to mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. In addition to her individual coaching and healing sessions, Angie is an active community builder. She is a proud member of the Center for Conscious Living and Dying and a graduate of The Hoffman Process, as well as The Priestess Mystery School. Her favorite quote: When one rises, we all rise! </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>OVERVIEW</b></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">With gentle artistic guidance and loving kindness, we enter a Sacred Space together to release old stories and grow creatively. By blending Meditation, Reiki, Body Awareness, Automatic Creating, and Intuition, we awaken the unconscious and allow the Soul to whisper onto the page. </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>GOALS</b> </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. Connection to ourselves and others in a loving and supportive way.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. Create a safe space to explore our shadows, hidden pains, and fears. </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. Break through physical, emotional, and energetic blocks. </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. Learn how to listen to the inner being of the self and express those thoughts freely. </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. Gain self-awareness and self-reflection with artistic expression within the community. </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">What a Typical 3-hour Class Looks Like: We gather together in a Sacred Circle, a space filled with positive energy and inspiration. At the center, there's a bowl brimming with items that spark creativity. Our journey begins with a brief one to two-minute sharing, where you have the chance to express your current emotional or physical state and what you're bringing into our healing space today. </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">Following this, we embark on a guided meditation, which is then complemented by an uplifting reading meant to ignite our spirits. As we immerse ourselves in the soothing melodies of light music, we gently move to select our art supplies, setting the stage for the creative process that unfolds over the next two hours. During this time, I'll be there to offer support and create alongside you, fostering a sense of togetherness. </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">A bell will signal the start of our cleanup phase, gently guiding us back into our shared Sacred Circle. Here, we come together to admire and draw inspiration from each other's artwork. As our gathering draws to a close, we take a moment to express gratitude for the experience and collect our artwork, ready to continue our personal exploration. </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">I encourage you to consider journaling as you engage with your artwork and reflect on the emotions and connections that surface throughout our time together. This journey is not just about art; it's about nurturing your spirit and fostering a sense of community and self-discovery.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>WHAT TO BRING</b> ● Water bottle and/or snacks ● A journal and pen ● Personal Sketchbook if you like working in your own format ● A personal item that holds significance to you (optional) </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>WHAT TO WEAR</b> ● Comfortable clothes, easy to move in and feel relaxed ● Something warm in case the air conditioning is cooler than you like </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>WHAT WILL BE THERE</b> ● Art paper ● Art supplies ● Inspirational items ● Music ● A lit candle ● A timer ● Center Mandala to hold Sacred Space ● Be prepared to sit on the floor (chairs are also provided if you prefer)</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; min-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">**FREE TO MEMBERS of CCLD**</span></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-73002417449930328002023-09-29T14:13:00.004-04:002023-09-29T14:14:03.074-04:00Interview with Ree Augustine and her Debut Hangabout Far From Home<p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">K</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="color: #fcff01; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">d</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">L</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">t</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alert</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">!</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Interview with </span><span speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Traditionally Published</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Debut Middle-Grade Author of</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">Hangabout:</span><span style="color: #ffa400;"> </span><span style="color: #45818e;">Far From Home</span></span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Ree Augustine</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPYUQhcXKfBVEND8Nw16mvek_HghzHblOm1ifDmnB7F6PzRoDMkaCwD3ZhyA-T_drtzKqgGqDveZYR36lXLlvm5b4taik6E4t3Vnbs1gNGzCuqey4b5GvCLTtg0-9-fyvGbtEc_944kif-B4CofBDAYNXoHlUGG3UMF8mz7wlWv_ukH-jA24iiubokSQ/s640/sue_pic%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPYUQhcXKfBVEND8Nw16mvek_HghzHblOm1ifDmnB7F6PzRoDMkaCwD3ZhyA-T_drtzKqgGqDveZYR36lXLlvm5b4taik6E4t3Vnbs1gNGzCuqey4b5GvCLTtg0-9-fyvGbtEc_944kif-B4CofBDAYNXoHlUGG3UMF8mz7wlWv_ukH-jA24iiubokSQ/w295-h393/sue_pic%20(1).jpg" width="295" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Hello Bookish Friends and Fellow Writers,</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>I'm so glad you're here. Let's give a warm welcome to debut middle-grade author-- Ree! Middle grade is starting to make a comeback, and she's one of those writers out there writing for this amazing genre. Thank you all for supporting writers for kids. We need amazing books for those amazing minds.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Ree, welcome to Writing Teazurs Blog! Your debut middle-grade novel just came out - Congratulations! Where did the inspiration come from?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">First of all, thank you so very much for having me visit with you. I love your blog, especially how it is presented. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">As for Hangabout: </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Far from Home</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, I wanted to write a story with a <span style="color: #674ea7;">fear</span> <span style="color: #45818e;">vs.</span> <span style="color: #a64d79;">love</span> theme. I had alternating chapters between a cat (fear) and a dog (love). I sent it to an agent, and she suggested using one POV. I chose Hangabout, the dog, and after that, it was his story that led the way.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>It was released on August 29, 2023!</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7sNTrMmF-lAmZuFk8OdMiaZgOoWL90qagW_VXhzsJMqNAhjdrH63AjtaHnsoJt4l2Z10e3vvWQ1vuYBbSVoSjxhgMMGXZ5W-e1ZezXAMUkT2TKO00eULC2lRWK95fmhLBas1n1D_adTtIJV4UMx9fotIi2AmbluBGX6J_F6yr5SCbPKlNAoAk2hh8a8/s1160/hangabout%20cover%20CROP%20(1)%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="753" height="597" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7sNTrMmF-lAmZuFk8OdMiaZgOoWL90qagW_VXhzsJMqNAhjdrH63AjtaHnsoJt4l2Z10e3vvWQ1vuYBbSVoSjxhgMMGXZ5W-e1ZezXAMUkT2TKO00eULC2lRWK95fmhLBas1n1D_adTtIJV4UMx9fotIi2AmbluBGX6J_F6yr5SCbPKlNAoAk2hh8a8/w388-h597/hangabout%20cover%20CROP%20(1)%20(1).jpg" width="388" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Your book’s main character is not a kid but a puppy. Was that easier or more difficult to write? How did you get the POV of a puppy? What did you do to understand your main character better?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Writing in the <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>POV of a puppy</b></span> wasn’t really easier or harder. I just tried to regard him as having the <span style="color: #674ea7;">same emotions</span> as a human would. What was different, though, was writing it as a young dog. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">For instance, he would see the world from low on the ground, and he would not know everything a human would. So, I really just tried to envision a puppy as I wrote. <span style="color: #ff00fe;">I also read a lot of wolf/dog stories.</span> They helped tremendously.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Who will love this book? </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Anyone who loves adventure with an </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">emotional pull.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">You are being published with a small publishing house - <a href="https://www.orangeblossombooks.com/" target="_blank">Orange Blossom Publishing</a> - how did you find them, and why did you choose them?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">The publisher</span><span style="font-size: large;">, Arielle, and I had critiqued each other’s picture book stories prior to her starting a publishing house. I liked what she was doing but was very hesitant to submit to her because <i><span style="color: #ffa400;">I didn’t want to put her in a place of discomfort since she knew me a bit.</span></i> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">But I finally asked her if she would be okay if I submitted it, and she said to send it away. She loved the story but wanted to make sure she was not biased. <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>So she had a second reader read it, and, fortunately, they loved the story too.</b></span></span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b> </b></span></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen - what one sentence would you yell?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I don’t like to call attention to myself, so perhaps I would whisper, </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>“Laugh every day.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What was the process like from the moment you queried Orange Blossom to the editing and then the pub date?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’ve <span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>loved</b></span> this journey, as I’ve never experienced it. I could not believe it when I read that <span style="color: #ffa400;">my story had been accepted.</span> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>I must have read that reply </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>a hundred times. </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was accepted in February of 2022, and we began the editing process in December of 2022. </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">I really love revising. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Arielle saw things that I did not, and it elevated the story. She involved me with the choice of illustrator and the book cover. It’s been such a </span><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large;"><b>joy</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> to be part of everything. The anticipation for the final pub date was exciting but <span style="color: #2b00fe;">hard to wait</span>, to be honest.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What is your favorite animal? Would you become that animal if you could? </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I really like all animals. They bring so much to our world. The <span style="color: #800180;">domesticated</span> ones and the <span style="color: #ff00fe;">wild</span> ones. We have a lot of deer in our area, and they are beautiful to watch. I think my <span style="color: red;">favorite</span>, though, would have to be </span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">dogs</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">. We’ve adopted several throughout the years, and they’ve brought so much love and joy to us. <span style="color: #f1c232;"><i><b>I might try being a dog for a day just to experience it.</b></i></span> But I like being human! We have too many opportunities to enjoy.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What type of guidance did Orange Blossom give you about your book? Did they edit? What help did they provide?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Yes, there were </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">several rounds of edits.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> They weren’t overwhelming. Arielle wanted some lighter language to keep it more kid-friendly. And she <span style="color: #45818e;">suggested a different ending</span> that reflected Hangabout’s conclusion more. I think <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>she was right</b></span> on both fronts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">How will you promote your book? Will it be in bookstores? Amazon? Where can readers find it?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I have a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">launch team that is reading the eARC</span> and will <span style="color: red;">post reviews.</span> It will be available through <span style="color: #38761d;">Amazon</span>, <span style="color: #b45f06;">Barnes & Noble</span>, <span style="color: #45818e;">independent bookstores</span>, and Orange Blossom Publishing. I hope to add <span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>school visits</b></span> eventually. I also have some <span style="color: #f1c232;">book signings at libraries</span> scheduled. And I had a launch party at The Next Chapter Bookstore in Sellersville, PA.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAENP6kO2JjCMYGDrVfzG0M47EAvw8HVT1fi8z26erURE0JN1Le-XsnfIUFz7lbeXAbSMw9tlcOExsPQq9MOGfqZRcvaL-Q1T9_fCONyrfpMFfWxGVh-9qJplj74l1lSxS9mal47yRZAwonDY3kBmGYAk8FdPunzSuZlrvmuXjBL7UszQXpKvhlhYun1g/s4032/IMG_1859.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAENP6kO2JjCMYGDrVfzG0M47EAvw8HVT1fi8z26erURE0JN1Le-XsnfIUFz7lbeXAbSMw9tlcOExsPQq9MOGfqZRcvaL-Q1T9_fCONyrfpMFfWxGVh-9qJplj74l1lSxS9mal47yRZAwonDY3kBmGYAk8FdPunzSuZlrvmuXjBL7UszQXpKvhlhYun1g/w471-h353/IMG_1859.jpg" width="471" /></a></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">How can readers meet and greet you to talk about your book? </span></b><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’ve had several <span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>book signings</b></span> and am hoping to do more. People can visit my <span style="color: #45818e;">Instagram</span> for updates. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ree.augustine/" target="_blank">@ree.augustine</a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Before you became an author - what did you do? How do your past experiences show up in your writing?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I was a </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">stay-at-home mom.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> Prior to that, I was a CPA, but that only lasted a few years. I worked a ton of <span style="color: #ff00fe;">part-time jobs.</span> I now <span style="color: red;">volunteer</span> at a thrift store. I have so much fun with the customers and the other volunteers. I don’t think specific experiences end up in my writing, but <span style="color: #ffa400;">emotional tugs.</span> Things I think we have all gone through.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If you could change one thing in the world that relates to your book - what would it be? </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>That everyone finds a home, </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>even if it’s in an unexpected place.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">For my readers who are also aspiring authors - what words of advice do you have about the publishing/writing world?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Push through rejection.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> For me, I had to write because I loved it. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>I had to decide if I would be okay</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b> if I had written and <i>never</i> been published. </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Once I decided that, I <span style="color: #ff00fe;">enjoyed</span> it more, and all writers deserve to enjoy what they are doing. Also, <span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>find critique partners</b></span>. My writing grew exponentially after I found a critique group.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOJ3UKRFl93rYIaSjNftHY-gC0PpGuvELfLn-oXNrJIt7MmP8e993Sv-aE9r6YypCyif7CXDQIlvHgKeS1jGb53q_SluRWBnIencI2EUh2zQ3k-xAtw2-dgzvUi3pP6RIRMM8p6OV62lqzVwgkdUFrkAOJXnupJbLYSnjDqd3X7vQpp0U46g3OfPLdDc/s3780/615A3A7D-4D9E-4229-AD65-4A4E32186561.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="3024" height="463" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOJ3UKRFl93rYIaSjNftHY-gC0PpGuvELfLn-oXNrJIt7MmP8e993Sv-aE9r6YypCyif7CXDQIlvHgKeS1jGb53q_SluRWBnIencI2EUh2zQ3k-xAtw2-dgzvUi3pP6RIRMM8p6OV62lqzVwgkdUFrkAOJXnupJbLYSnjDqd3X7vQpp0U46g3OfPLdDc/w370-h463/615A3A7D-4D9E-4229-AD65-4A4E32186561.JPG" width="370" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">How long did it take you to get published from the moment you had the book idea to the yes from Orange Blossom?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I just looked back at my first draft and, </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">wow</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">, did the story and character arc’s change. </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">I started it in 2017.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> It’ll be published in 2023, so that’s <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>six years.</b></span> I did, however, take a few breaks as <span style="color: #674ea7;"><i>I had a picture book that went to acquisitions twice</i></span>, and I worked on revisions for that. It ultimately did not get accepted. So, I think it took me about three years to write to write <span style="color: red;">Hangabout:</span> <span style="color: #45818e;">Far from Home.</span></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">How do you come up with characters, and what drives them?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s different every time. Like I said above, Hangabout came from a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>concept</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> whereby I wanted to have a love vs. fear theme, and I thought a dog and cat would be a great way to show the story. As with all my stories, though, eventually, </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">the character takes over,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and it becomes their story, not what I had in mind at all. I really don’t know what drives them until I start writing. That <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>discovery</b></span> is special. It’s like unwrapping a gift that you didn’t know was there.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Raising two boys gives you a lot of crazy experiences to draw from. Any funny or crazy antics you’d like to share that your boys did that will end up in a book someday?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It’s funny. <span style="color: #3d85c6;">I don’t really draw on their experiences too much.</span> I think because it is just <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>too personal</b></span> for me. I did write a picture book once about a boy swallowing a <span style="color: #b45f06;">penny</span>. That was based on one of my sons. It didn’t get acquired. One of many. That said, <span style="color: #ff00fe;">I love boy characters</span> and have written novels featuring them, and hope to do more soon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">When you’re not at your desk writing - what do you do as a creative outlet?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">I love to run</span><span style="font-size: large;">, as it takes my mind to other places. I also sneak off to the <span style="color: #ffa400;">movies</span> during the day, and I love <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>art museums.</b></span> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Often, when I’m walking around, </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">I’m trying to sense an emotion </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">that could play out in a story.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Writing can be taxing on the body - neck aches, backaches, etc. How do you stay fit and free of pain while the butt is in the chair writing?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Honestly, </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">I write in short stints</span><span style="font-size: large;">, so I don’t get too many body aches.</span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"> I run</span><span style="font-size: large;">, which stops my body from turning into mush, though!</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What do you mostly daydream about?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">Emotions</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and how they feel and how they affect people. Oftentimes, an idea will pop into my head, and if I can’t get rid of it, I’ll start to think of it as a story.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What items are on your writing desk that are must haves? Example: I have a tiny singing bowl on mine that I chime before chapters.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I love the idea of a chiming bowl! I write at the <span style="color: red;">kitchen table</span>, so <span style="color: #ffa400;">what’s on it changes every day.</span> Right now, there is an adding machine, an empty container of cashews, an empty brown bag, and a stapler.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I always have a <span style="color: #b45f06;">pencil</span> and pad of <span style="color: #38761d;">paper</span> to jot down notes as I’m writing.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I play </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">three games of solitaire</span><span style="font-size: large;"> before I start to write, and I play relaxing spa music as I write.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwawiOnHThDBcr2pZf_IWTGn7CeA5JbhLo4l1FBpCWvUAhNBCQMK1r5FpNY9Q8All91lvH2O0ky-VTIzcVgPnYxvBZm6g_HQRNCb3eYTvddd-jj4sH-YSEW-P6Rntzgdg-zBWlyBks3JKHRzx-WgBTzotV4sMNlf3x8XVYQRxMFpmY3xsbEuyTvwqeRJ4/s4032/IMG_2950.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwawiOnHThDBcr2pZf_IWTGn7CeA5JbhLo4l1FBpCWvUAhNBCQMK1r5FpNY9Q8All91lvH2O0ky-VTIzcVgPnYxvBZm6g_HQRNCb3eYTvddd-jj4sH-YSEW-P6Rntzgdg-zBWlyBks3JKHRzx-WgBTzotV4sMNlf3x8XVYQRxMFpmY3xsbEuyTvwqeRJ4/w501-h376/IMG_2950.jpg" width="501" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Why write for kids? Why middle-grade?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love the <span style="color: #ff00fe;">openness</span> of kids. They are experiencing things for the first time, and that is very </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">magical</span><span style="font-size: large;">. I’d love to keep a little of that magic in everyone.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Where do you see yourself in the next five years in your writing? </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’d love to have <span style="color: #ffa400;">more stories</span> out in the world. I’m very grateful for <b><span style="color: red;">Hangabout:</span><span style="color: #45818e;"> Far from Home</span></b>, and I hope readers enjoy it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Are you a wine, coffee, tea, water, or soda person?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">A cup of <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>green tea</b></span> in the morning. Lots of <span style="color: #3d85c6;">water</span> during the day. A glass of <span style="color: #990000;">wine</span> with dinner.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASICttBrOIHIppJVHj209o0q2Iqb0u5IslCbb9gjeTY2MgMsMvJOi_dCgGvGz48iFWGsBSJ9GflAuzjIj1cS3_TS2tKS4jlfOdQCvsnUfXAhg22StTzp5JXBZ1GdjfjcpWGny4O3MyhM2niiCNPAEG1PUy__oCVDouZdfQrmMqBYyxL-qcK-tvOAWRf0/s4032/IMG_6232.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASICttBrOIHIppJVHj209o0q2Iqb0u5IslCbb9gjeTY2MgMsMvJOi_dCgGvGz48iFWGsBSJ9GflAuzjIj1cS3_TS2tKS4jlfOdQCvsnUfXAhg22StTzp5JXBZ1GdjfjcpWGny4O3MyhM2niiCNPAEG1PUy__oCVDouZdfQrmMqBYyxL-qcK-tvOAWRf0/w402-h536/IMG_6232.JPEG" width="402" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">How can my readers help you reach your goals?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you get a chance to </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>read</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Hangabout: Far from Home, perhaps </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">post a review</span><span style="font-size: large;"> for me on Amazon. <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Follow me</b></span> on Twitter and Instagram. Just being here is helpful. <span style="color: #ff00fe;">Thank you!</span></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">You’re part of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mgin23/" target="_blank">MGin23</a> - what does that mean, and how can we help promote you and the other debut authors?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Being a part of </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>MGin23</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> has been a fantastic experience. I’ve made many </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">new friends.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> A debut book is such a new experience for all of us, and we’ve been able to </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>share tips</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> and the highs and the lows. </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">All of us would love support, and the best way that can happen is to </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">simply buy one of our books</span><span style="font-size: large;"> or pick it up at the library. If you like it, please <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>spread the word.</b></span></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaodSKCTNgOqAV9zFocLvc_ETK0ey93aofnhVcl1rWY4trIWlZuU3XrtcxLCN-VOixnzzTPaYNMf3uwHN2PFbHgpR94Yht2Hqex-T5AL5mBiXxDxk8D0FX2XHnCo18pLfT8v_QaAFRWMqQsaSEwZVKDx8VJPVyHThKzpE448kNKX0FJdb0wEoUtI4axbM/s4032/IMG_2932.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaodSKCTNgOqAV9zFocLvc_ETK0ey93aofnhVcl1rWY4trIWlZuU3XrtcxLCN-VOixnzzTPaYNMf3uwHN2PFbHgpR94Yht2Hqex-T5AL5mBiXxDxk8D0FX2XHnCo18pLfT8v_QaAFRWMqQsaSEwZVKDx8VJPVyHThKzpE448kNKX0FJdb0wEoUtI4axbM/w456-h342/IMG_2932.jpg" width="456" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What is your favorite thing about writing and getting published, and what is the worst?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The best thing about writing is the<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b> solitude.</b></span> Tuning out from the world and creating imaginary worlds is quite an experience. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I hate to sound like a Pollyanna, but </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;"><i>there really isn’t anything I don’t like about writing.</i></span><span style="font-size: large;"> It’s such an incredible experience to create emotions on a page. The best thing about getting published is that </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">people will get to read your story,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and it will become their story. The worst thing is the </span><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">fear.</span> </b></span><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve been writing in private for so long, and now it is out there for the world to see. I hope they like it.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4m-Vs9CHEIR5KZ37Jb9VNMchA7pPnffDTlTPSi4aEpfZby_UDes_mTJK8GqPOQ72I_tmTE0foGGh9GPsSuYkDD5lDMpbHGZOGGyPSCMGNsPOM6mc8DW9j0RnBTea9oLG-VAWreqhJcD9O-KWuMoljyMbBVVb6PcxS51vvpN8dcmUyIBJBhtOzCqt5II/s4032/IMG_1809.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4m-Vs9CHEIR5KZ37Jb9VNMchA7pPnffDTlTPSi4aEpfZby_UDes_mTJK8GqPOQ72I_tmTE0foGGh9GPsSuYkDD5lDMpbHGZOGGyPSCMGNsPOM6mc8DW9j0RnBTea9oLG-VAWreqhJcD9O-KWuMoljyMbBVVb6PcxS51vvpN8dcmUyIBJBhtOzCqt5II/s320/IMG_1809.jpg" width="240" /></a></b></div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Tell us about your writing partner - the Greyhound. How does she help? Do you read out loud to her?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’ve had two writing partners. Both <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Greyhounds</b></span>. <span style="color: #ff00fe;">Macy</span> was my first, and she has since passed away. We waited a year before rescuing another greyhound. Her name is <span style="color: red;">Chloe</span>, and she lies next to me on a dog bed. I don’t necessarily read to her, but <span style="color: #ffa400;"><i>I pet her and tell her what I’m writing about.</i></span> She’s the best because she likes whatever I write about.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What does your family think about your book and this new career?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My family has been <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>incredibly supportive.</b></span> None of them are readers, and yet they’ve championed me all the way. I couldn’t have done it without their support.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What’s the best advice you received as a newbie writer that other writers MUST know?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #45818e;">Be okay</span> with the fact that writing is hard. It may be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. To sit and look at a <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>blank page</b></span> and not know where you are going with it is extremely difficult. But write that first word and don’t care how <span style="color: #ff00fe;">ugly</span> it looks in the beginning. My <span style="color: red;">current WIP</span> is looking pretty ugly to me right now, but it’ll blossom the more I work on it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Who is your greatest cheerleader, and how has she or he supported you?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Aside from my <span style="color: #e69138;">husband</span>, my <span style="color: #6aa84f;">critique partner</span>, <span style="color: #674ea7;"><a href="https://rebeccakraftrector.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Rebecca Kraft Rector.</a></span> She can read between my lines and even know if I’m just not into the writing at the moment. She’s my friend, first and foremost, but also a <span style="color: #800180;"><b>mentor</b></span>, as she had been writing longer when we met. She’s very <span style="color: #ff00fe;">encouraging</span>, and I can ask her anything.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhys_HwOWp44_aXELW6AlOoPwo9vNKRx9djmzEUzu_B7ggRKcfoeT9P4i_aMFgE52PL5Abjuipo8hupVRu1DkF_TXhFPnkZdTtbu7-VtlKqmdAJb5FfYH3ggbJS4fAx5rB7FU-H6XygnolJQdfei2fbz0Toy9qVj4XOKWkUn_eNivMe-6Hp1uTyDkxYYc/s735/Screenshot%202023-09-29%20at%202.05.09%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="735" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhys_HwOWp44_aXELW6AlOoPwo9vNKRx9djmzEUzu_B7ggRKcfoeT9P4i_aMFgE52PL5Abjuipo8hupVRu1DkF_TXhFPnkZdTtbu7-VtlKqmdAJb5FfYH3ggbJS4fAx5rB7FU-H6XygnolJQdfei2fbz0Toy9qVj4XOKWkUn_eNivMe-6Hp1uTyDkxYYc/w513-h380/Screenshot%202023-09-29%20at%202.05.09%20PM.png" width="513" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Do you belong to a writer’s critique group or a group like <span style="color: red;">SCBWI</span>? </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I belong to an </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">online critique group</span><span style="font-size: large;"> with three other writers. A big mistake I made was not finding one sooner. It is critical to have others read your work and for you to read others’ works. It taught me how to see the </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">big picture</span><span style="font-size: large;"> with a story. Critique partners see things in your writing that you are just completely missing. <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.scbwi.org/" target="_blank">SCBWI</a> </span>is a great organization for connecting with other writers. They also have amazing resources, like seminars and many other things.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What’s the oddest, weirdest, or silliest thing about you?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I drink <i>celery</i> juice every morning.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Which character in your book is the most like you? The least? Who is your favorite character?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">love</span><span style="font-size: large;"> all of the characters, but my </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;"><b>favorite</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> would have to be Hangabout. He’s so innocent but never gives up. I might be a little like Hangabout because </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">I believe in people</span><span style="font-size: large;">, possibly at times when I should not. I’m not like Bean at all. She’s very <span style="color: #ffa400;">street-savvy</span>, and I am not.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What one question would you like to ask yourself: </span></b><i><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Do you write for yourself or for others?</b><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"> </span></i></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><i><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The answer is <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>both</b></span>. There is something so organic to writing for me. I really don’t know what I’m going after, but it’s usually an <span style="color: #45818e;">emotion</span> that is elusive in the beginning. After I figure that out, I see the characters and how <span style="color: #ff00fe;">readers will connect</span> with them. Hopefully, they’ll remember them for a long time.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZv6qLjAoQ9U55zdeZ5Sdq7PVMo03P4I37E_2DNXAD33ryAv2W4a9X6r6vv3svqlJ_OGtPu9dJ3qC2W0cgG_N5fXJZf5qN9087dRgVLs1YH5EkCu9uDn-4wBvL6jMvANEu_7795cjxnGkIZwRFaMgTTAfVnntnXUM1Zo1He8gGd96O8Ywv8w1hcDoFhs/s773/Screenshot%202023-09-29%20at%202.04.34%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="773" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZv6qLjAoQ9U55zdeZ5Sdq7PVMo03P4I37E_2DNXAD33ryAv2W4a9X6r6vv3svqlJ_OGtPu9dJ3qC2W0cgG_N5fXJZf5qN9087dRgVLs1YH5EkCu9uDn-4wBvL6jMvANEu_7795cjxnGkIZwRFaMgTTAfVnntnXUM1Zo1He8gGd96O8Ywv8w1hcDoFhs/w465-h409/Screenshot%202023-09-29%20at%202.04.34%20PM.png" width="465" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Thank you so much, Ree! That was a great interview, and like you, I, too, read to my pups. They write with me every day. I'm so happy that you have this book out in the world. Way to go! And I am excited to read more of your stories to come.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>If you would like to support Ree on her writing journey, or you have a kid who would love Hangabout | Far from Home - please connect with her below. </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ree.augustine/" target="_blank">Ree on Instagram </a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.reeaugustine.com/" target="_blank">Ree's Writer Website</a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.malaprops.com/search/site/hangabout%20far%20from%20home" target="_blank">Purchase Hangabout - Far from Home</a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8ubmEZCZX-OmFBcCzQ1xyXxi1EFxAuCMYbrBOVscFzxOhcAtzl9jHjSwOALK6H54GTRI6bW8JWOWr19naZneqvY4fJgwvLUwvZhJWrXFroPSZQVUVXs903t9I22owWURbOFOAwhy5E64vBeKEXhC2ZvNYflh2k3jdK27POPkqG-bKkpgZQBReo_a2-A/s2118/IMG_2288%202.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2094" data-original-width="2118" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8ubmEZCZX-OmFBcCzQ1xyXxi1EFxAuCMYbrBOVscFzxOhcAtzl9jHjSwOALK6H54GTRI6bW8JWOWr19naZneqvY4fJgwvLUwvZhJWrXFroPSZQVUVXs903t9I22owWURbOFOAwhy5E64vBeKEXhC2ZvNYflh2k3jdK27POPkqG-bKkpgZQBReo_a2-A/s320/IMG_2288%202.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><b>And if you'd like to be interviewed, please reach out. I love supporting writers - traditionally published and self-published. </b></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Write~on</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Angie</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 13px;"><br /></p></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="13px" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-family="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" speechify-initial-font-size="24px" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-43516748864758232892023-09-21T15:15:00.005-04:002023-09-21T15:16:14.481-04:00Consolidate to Create <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Consolidate to Create</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Ready! </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Set! </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Go! </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>by Angie Azur</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjp3Efs5wTqABd-o57vYlV9fzDyMdokOR6hQ1xO4FKN4KAtfCpYO4wLVN4aY286R00fbJjQqcNCyUT-bvDVjYlq2KoXZubp4JuVtdD43Cez1SroQnhjoX6iAxH7DJYwUyVJLcGbijlyBDzpDTGLqrRINvITBF-pQDFyV5zfOmV8-SdWs_1OnW3bntzDFY/s5410/patrick-fore-0gkw_9fy0eQ-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3607" data-original-width="5410" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjp3Efs5wTqABd-o57vYlV9fzDyMdokOR6hQ1xO4FKN4KAtfCpYO4wLVN4aY286R00fbJjQqcNCyUT-bvDVjYlq2KoXZubp4JuVtdD43Cez1SroQnhjoX6iAxH7DJYwUyVJLcGbijlyBDzpDTGLqrRINvITBF-pQDFyV5zfOmV8-SdWs_1OnW3bntzDFY/w483-h321/patrick-fore-0gkw_9fy0eQ-unsplash.jpg" width="483" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Where you create your art matters. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I'm a messy creative. In fact, I think most of us are, but my messiness was getting in the way of my creative time. Time is a precious commodity, and it took me years to realize this. Now, I fiercely protect my creative time. But what was siphoning away those precious hours? It was the way I had scattered my creative outlets across three different areas in my house. Today, I'll share how consolidating my creative space transformed my creativity and helped me reclaim my precious time.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Over the years, my creative endeavors had spilled into every room, but three in particular. I thought it was a clever plan. Painting in the basement, writing in the office, and using a storage area for my artistic supplies and half-finished projects. It's a familiar story for many of us creatives; we are natural collectors.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>We creatives are collectors. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Then, one day, a light bulb moment hit me. Why hadn't I thought of this sooner? I couldn't help feeling a little frustrated with myself, but hindsight is 20/20. I hope my experience can help you regain some of your precious time. The solution? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Consolidation! </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I decided to merge my painting and writing areas into one cohesive space in the basement. Now, my creative writing books, magazines, novels, paints, markers, color pencils, and all other creative tools coexist harmoniously. Stepping into this space fills me with joy, and even my writing partner noticed the positive change.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>It makes me happy to enter the space. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Creating a unified space changed everything. Both creative sides of me initially craved their separate domains, but when they came together, a new, more vibrant form of creativity emerged. I worked on a picture book today instead of my middle-grade novel, inspired by the colorful surroundings. It provided a refreshing break from my novel revisions and left me feeling fulfilled.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I feel complete and content in my newly organized creative haven. Being surrounded by my creative ideas, colors, objects, and writings has a profound effect. It's a reminder that creating a space that flows seamlessly from one creative endeavor to the next can be transformative.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Create a creative space that flows flawlessly </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>from one creative endeavor to the next.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">So, if you've compartmentalized your creative pursuits, maybe it's time to bring them together in a single, inspiring space. You'll discover that all your creative ventures complement each other, enhancing your overall creativity. Don't wait as long as I did to make this change. Start today and watch your creative energy soar.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgj-XmFI4L0XLH3i6ortW1YS17uZjWJYifGx-cV51KmI2A8L0JyKRWDy2vlHrbVtxBjT9DilwSunLTIEmHKA-5Z4sPwCwSkmaYmTBtmyPrv-P8wdRovd6ZJRWteIuXBjra1E0XguCJOjoESo3UXCvtThinp4FzHXhTMc7tpEhvKKOIzzzV4jMjWZm1Dw/s4032/IMG_1331.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgj-XmFI4L0XLH3i6ortW1YS17uZjWJYifGx-cV51KmI2A8L0JyKRWDy2vlHrbVtxBjT9DilwSunLTIEmHKA-5Z4sPwCwSkmaYmTBtmyPrv-P8wdRovd6ZJRWteIuXBjra1E0XguCJOjoESo3UXCvtThinp4FzHXhTMc7tpEhvKKOIzzzV4jMjWZm1Dw/s320/IMG_1331.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Write and Art on~ Angie</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This is a funky little being I created. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><p></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-81019460088274624392023-09-15T11:10:00.013-04:002023-09-15T11:29:58.823-04:00AI and the Query Letter <p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mEZi-lvlITW-k32-uWGb1YficZ3fzDTbP4cDFj8_ObKe4nKjUVO2-Qn2SFqZwJW2qzWtNeeXHlCTnwc2YqHWSoZvAfBUviqI-BOJsXDNXR7qJw6hJHppTFvkKo9hyNjNWaN2aVNxaQ1IrL-11zLwixHhcBEv_6BTerfJOHGSdz93BfjxUi8Et6Xz/s324/OIP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="324" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mEZi-lvlITW-k32-uWGb1YficZ3fzDTbP4cDFj8_ObKe4nKjUVO2-Qn2SFqZwJW2qzWtNeeXHlCTnwc2YqHWSoZvAfBUviqI-BOJsXDNXR7qJw6hJHppTFvkKo9hyNjNWaN2aVNxaQ1IrL-11zLwixHhcBEv_6BTerfJOHGSdz93BfjxUi8Et6Xz/w485-h273/OIP.jpg" width="485" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Use AI </span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>to Better Your </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>Query Letter</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">by Angie Azur</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>Attention Writers:</b></span> Did you know that you can leverage AI to enhance your query letters and improve your chances of getting noticed by agents?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> <b>Here are a few ways AI can be used in this context:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Grammar and language refinement:</span></b> AI language models can help writers polish their query letters by providing suggestions for grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. Tools like Grammarly or language models like OpenAI's ChatGPT can offer real-time feedback to ensure the letter is well-written and error-free.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Personalized writing style:</span></b> AI models can analyze an agent's previous work or preferences and provide insights into their preferred writing style. Writers can use this information to tailor their query letters to match the agent's interests and increase the chances of a positive response.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">Comparative analysis:</span></b> AI tools can compare a writer's query letter to successful queries that have resulted in representation. By analyzing patterns and identifying common elements, writers can gain insights into effective approaches and improve their own letters accordingly.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Storytelling techniques:</span></b> AI models can assist writers in refining the storytelling aspects of their query letters. They can suggest compelling hooks, engaging opening paragraphs, and effective summaries that captivate the agent's attention and generate interest in the manuscript.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Query letter optimization:</span></b> AI algorithms can analyze large volumes of query letters and agent responses to identify common strengths and weaknesses. Writers can use this information to optimize their own letters, ensuring they include the necessary components and address potential concerns that agents often have.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Targeted agent search: </span></b>AI-powered platforms and databases can help writers find agents who specialize in their genre or have a track record of representing similar works. These tools provide valuable insights into an agent's preferences, recent deals, and submission guidelines, enabling writers to find the most suitable agents for their manuscripts.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #800180;">Query letter evaluation:</span></b> Writers can use AI-based tools to evaluate the effectiveness of their query letters before sending them out. These tools can provide feedback on elements such as clarity, persuasiveness, and the overall impact of the letter, helping writers make necessary adjustments and improvements.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Here are a few </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">examples</span><span style="font-size: large;"> of a query letter vs. an AI query. Then the prompts I used to create a humorous query, or serious query, or a query enhancing a particular style.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Original Query: Asked Ai to create a query for this PB.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Dear [Agent/Publisher's Name],</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Meowdy there! My name is [Your Name], and I'm thrilled to introduce you to my purr-fectly delightful picture book, "Mouse the Cat."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Book Overview:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">"Mouse the Cat" is a hilariously heartwarming tale that's all about a cat named Mouse who's been having a ruff time at school. You see, Mouse is not your typical feline—she has a name that's, well, a bit unusual for a cat. And that has led to some pretty funny and furry-tastic situations. The other animals at school just can't resist poking fun at her, but Mouse has a secret weapon—her sense of humor.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">One day, Mouse stumbles upon a group of mice who appreciate her quirks and celebrate her unique name. They become fast friends, embarking on adventures that are as wacky as they are wonderful. Through laughter, camaraderie, and a whole lot of cheesy jokes, Mouse learns that true friends love you for who you are, no matter how different you may be.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Why "Mouse the Cat" is Pawsitively Special:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">A whimsical and relatable story that addresses the theme of bullying and the power of friendship.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">Filled with laugh-out-loud moments and witty wordplay that will tickle young readers' funny bones.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">Vibrantly illustrated to bring Mouse's world to life, captivating young imaginations.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">A heartwarming message about embracing individuality and finding your tribe.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I believe "Mouse the Cat" has the potential to be a cherished addition to your catalog of children's books. It speaks to the importance of kindness, inclusivity, and the magic of friendship—all wrapped up in a package of feline fun.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I would be absolutely delighted to provide you with the complete manuscript and discuss how "Mouse the Cat" can find its cozy spot on your bookshelves. Thank you so much for considering my submission, and I look forward to the possibility of working together on this endearing project.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Wishing you whiskers of joy and a tail-wagging good day!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Warm regards,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">[Your Name]</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"><b>Ai with the same query but directed to use the voice of the cat:</b></span></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Dear [Agent/Publisher's Name],</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Hey there, cool cats of the literary world! I'm Mouse, and I've got a tail-tastic tale that's gonna make you giggle, grin, and maybe even do a happy cat dance. It's called "Mouse the Cat," and I promise you're in for a paw-some treat.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Book Overview:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">"Mouse the Cat" is the meow-nificent story of yours truly, Mouse. Now, don't let the name fool ya—I'm a cat through and through, but my parents had a funny sense of humor. Because of that, school hasn't exactly been a walk in the park. You see, when your name is Mouse, the mice in your class think they've won the lottery of teasing material.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">But here's the scoop: I've got a secret weapon, and it's called humor. I've learned to laugh at myself and turn those snickers into snorts of laughter. And guess what? One day, I stumbled upon a bunch of mice who thought I was the cat's meow! They saw past my name and loved me for being, well, me.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">With my new rodent pals, we embarked on epic adventures that are as funny as they are fuzzy. We told cheesy jokes (literally), pulled off daring stunts (well, for mice, anyway), and had more belly laughs than you can shake a tail at. I learned that real friends don't care if you're a cat named Mouse or a mouse named Fluffy—they just care about the size of your heart.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">What Makes "Mouse the Cat" a Paw-some Read:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">A side-splittingly hilarious story that tackles the serious topic of bullying with a ton of humor.</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">Bursting with witty wordplay and knee-slapping moments that'll have kids and grown-ups chuckling together.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">Illustrated with dazzling colors and playful details, bringing my quirky world to life.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">A heartwarming message about celebrating our quirks and finding friends who love us, no matter what.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I truly believe that "Mouse the Cat" will have kids and cat lovers alike purring with delight. It's a story that teaches kindness, inclusivity, and the magic of being your unique self.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I'd be over the moon (or should I say litter box?) to share the whole manuscript and chat with you about how "Mouse the Cat" can find its special spot on your bookshelf. Thanks a gazillion for considering my tail-tastic tale, and I can't wait to hear from you!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Wishing you mouse-tastic days and endless belly laughs,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">XO,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Mouse</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span></span></p><div><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">Ai creating a very serious query for this PB: </span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">Prompt: Create a very serious query letter for Mouse the Cat. </span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Dear [Agent/Publisher's Name],</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to introduce my picture book, "Mouse the Cat," a poignant and thought-provoking story that addresses the profound themes of identity, bullying, and the transformative power of friendship.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Book Overview:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">In "Mouse the Cat," readers meet Mouse, a cat with an unconventional name that sets her apart from her peers. At school, Mouse endures relentless teasing and bullying from the other animals due to her name. Her daily struggles to fit in are compounded by a profound sense of isolation.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">As the story unfolds, we witness Mouse's inner strength and resilience. Despite the adversity she faces, she clings to her sense of self and refuses to be defined solely by her name. Mouse's journey takes an unexpected turn when she discovers a group of mice who accept her for who she is, rather than what she is called. Through these newfound friendships, Mouse learns about the unbreakable bonds of camaraderie and the enduring capacity of the human spirit.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Why "Mouse the Cat" is Remarkable:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">A deeply touching narrative that delves into the emotional impact of bullying, making it relevant and relatable to young readers.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">A timeless and universal theme of acceptance, showcasing the importance of kindness, empathy, and inclusion.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">Illustrations that complement the story's emotional depth, enhancing the overall reading experience.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">A message that resonates with readers of all ages, promoting understanding and compassion.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I believe "Mouse the Cat" has the potential to inspire meaningful conversations about empathy and acceptance in the classroom and at home. It offers readers a powerful lesson in the value of embracing diversity and standing up against bullying.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I would be honored to provide you with the complete manuscript and discuss how "Mouse the Cat" could become a significant addition to your catalog, sparking essential dialogues on these crucial topics.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for considering my submission, and I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how "Mouse the Cat" can find its place among the outstanding publications your agency or publishing house represents.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Sincerely,</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">[Your Name]</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: large;"><b>Ai prompt: Create another query letter for Mouse the Cat in the style of Shel Silverstein.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Hey there, groovy cats and storytelling catsup makers!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I'm [Your Name], and I've got this wild and wacky picture book called "Mouse the Cat." Now, hold onto your socks because this tale is gonna shake 'em right off!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Book Overview:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">"Mouse the Cat" isn't your run-of-the-mill cat-and-mouse game. Nope, it's about a cat named Mouse. Confused yet? Well, so is everyone at Mouse's school. See, they can't wrap their whiskers around the fact that a cat could be called Mouse.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">But here's the skinny: Mouse is one cool cat with a sense of humor as sharp as a claw. She ain't gonna let a little name-calling ruffle her fur. Nope, she's got bigger fish to fry (or mice to chase, as the case may be).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">One day, she stumbles upon a group of mice who are as quirky and fun-loving as she is. They roll together like peas in a pod, sharing cheesy jokes and having adventures that'll tickle your whiskers.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Why "Mouse the Cat" is Cat-tastically Cool:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">It's a zany, hilarious story that flips the cat-mouse world on its head.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">Packed with puns, giggles, and surprises that'll have kids and grown-ups alike in stitches.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">Illustrated with colorful chaos that'll make you want to dive right into the pages.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">A message about friendship, embracing your quirks, and dancing to your own whisker-twitching tune.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">So, if you're ready for a picture book that's as bonkers as a catnip-fueled dance party, "Mouse the Cat" is your ticket to a purr-fectly good time.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I'm itching to share the whole shebang with you and chat about how this nutty cat tale could shimmy its way onto your bookshelf. Thanks a heap for considering my crazy creation, and I'm eagerly awaiting your reply like a cat by the mousehole!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Keep the silliness alive and keep those pages turning,</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">[Your Name]</span></div><div><br /></div><div>___________________________________________________________________________________</div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">As you've seen above, AI can be a valuable tool in refining your book marketing strategies and capturing the attention of potential agents. The key takeaway here is to be specific when providing prompts to AI. Clearly articulate what you envision in your query letter. Whether you desire a touch of humor, a more serious tone, or a literary flair, express your preferences to AI.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">AI is a fantastic listener, but it thrives when you initiate the creative process. Start by crafting an original query letter that reflects your unique voice and message. Afterward, harness the power of AI by uploading your creation and requesting revisions based on your specific goals and preferences.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">By following this approach, you can leverage AI to your advantage in crafting the perfect query letter for your book. Wishing you the best of luck in your writing journey, and as always, keep writing!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStqQ1MiaW6Ds1g83JkVxUfooSd9zFnrlcNNAZVoRBE4hLkuvHUgTHs_w_c1ej5jEXmnfrQ7PcMms4fO7ZWytoX6rnwAzpctFCWytOpYh9iyiwWVrFsctiYqq7eleuCnZ8LJiWqx7GJKKCNMxZBLxKmo7efoP7kXDvlD9cGxBRHEgdgeI6as0dWJFcHzI/s600/rs=w_600,cg_true,m-7.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStqQ1MiaW6Ds1g83JkVxUfooSd9zFnrlcNNAZVoRBE4hLkuvHUgTHs_w_c1ej5jEXmnfrQ7PcMms4fO7ZWytoX6rnwAzpctFCWytOpYh9iyiwWVrFsctiYqq7eleuCnZ8LJiWqx7GJKKCNMxZBLxKmo7efoP7kXDvlD9cGxBRHEgdgeI6as0dWJFcHzI/s320/rs=w_600,cg_true,m-7.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Write~on,</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Angie</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And if you'd like to be featured on the blog, please reach out.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">angazur @ gmail . com</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-60594283158660715392023-09-12T14:06:00.003-04:002023-09-13T12:49:05.165-04:00Death Doula Art Coming Soon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Death Doula Art</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">by Angie Azur</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJC8LoIOisfCq72sO63NJRnqmFfo9inDCG2XMgrQwKbnD7ce9z2U_YMs77JGcdYldjzZf2upTXvlzFwrseJQSz5-Yju5GiCKQJJyF6HOoP7IRXTHC8F_Bw2dyP3WkjzhqecJ_HspYx0Ve8XDgqgy9-i-DaE55DSp1cczK8kjHXieEWsaP-Y5tqhV_Qug/s3582/IMG_3990.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3582" data-original-width="2739" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJC8LoIOisfCq72sO63NJRnqmFfo9inDCG2XMgrQwKbnD7ce9z2U_YMs77JGcdYldjzZf2upTXvlzFwrseJQSz5-Yju5GiCKQJJyF6HOoP7IRXTHC8F_Bw2dyP3WkjzhqecJ_HspYx0Ve8XDgqgy9-i-DaE55DSp1cczK8kjHXieEWsaP-Y5tqhV_Qug/w306-h400/IMG_3990.jpeg" width="306" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Hello Bookish friends and Creatives of all Sorts. As some of you know, I am training in the Death Doula arts, and as I am an artist, I decided to create Death Doula Art. I have created artwork for Death Doulas and those who have been touched by them during a family member's active dying. I am planning on opening my store soon - so stay tuned. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>What is Death Doula Art?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Death doula art, also known as end-of-life doula art, refers to the practice of using various forms of creative expression and artistic activities to support individuals who are nearing the end of their lives. Death doulas, often called end-of-life doulas or death midwives, are individuals who provide non-medical, holistic support to individuals and their families during the dying process. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Incorporating art into their practice can have many amazing benefits:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Emotional Expression:</b> Art allows individuals to express their feelings and emotions in a non-verbal and often cathartic way. When facing the end of life, many people experience a wide range of emotions, including fear, sadness, and anxiety. Art provides a safe and supportive outlet for these emotions to be expressed and processed.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Communication:</b> For individuals who may have difficulty communicating verbally due to illness or frailty, art can serve as a powerful form of communication. It enables them to convey their thoughts, wishes, and feelings to their loved ones and caregivers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Legacy and Remembrance:</b> Creating art can be a way for individuals to leave a tangible legacy for their loved ones. It may include writing letters, recording their life stories, creating art pieces, or leaving behind other meaningful expressions of their life journey. This can provide comfort and a sense of continuity for both the individual and their family.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Reduction of Anxiety and Isolation:</b> Engaging in creative activities can help reduce feelings of isolation and anxiety often associated with the end of life. It can serve as a source of distraction, comfort, and companionship, helping individuals focus on the present moment and find moments of joy and connection.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Spiritual and Existential Exploration:</b> Art can be a means of exploring spiritual and existential questions about life and death. It allows individuals to delve into their beliefs, values, and hopes for what comes next, providing a sense of meaning and peace.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Empowerment and Autonomy:</b> By engaging in art, individuals may feel a sense of empowerment and regain some control over their lives, even as they approach the end. This can enhance their sense of dignity and autonomy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Supporting Caregivers:</b> Death doula art not only benefits the individuals who are dying but also offers support to their caregivers and family members. It can provide a way for caregivers to connect with their loved ones, manage their own stress, and process their emotions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Incorporating art into the practice of death doulas involves a wide range of creative activities, including visual arts (such as painting and drawing), writing (journaling, poetry, and storytelling), music, movement (dance and guided meditation), and other forms of expression tailored to the individual's preferences and needs.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Using a</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">rt is a holistic approach to end-of-life care that recognizes the profound emotional, spiritual, and psychological dimensions of the dying process. It helps individuals and their loved ones navigate this transition with greater compassion, understanding, and healing. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I will be teaching a Death Doula Art Class at CCLD soon - either in October or November - so look out for that invite here and on social media.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJz6zzZjxvdw-9X7aMhpYTOkQleyEcbxvAzy1epFUGERMcU582l1bnq7lKcO6qYnBlnK2w-Mgqshpj11M_7AdP_97Htr-q_n2W_uaPBuTHwAvrDmwmSFDKGqDaBW93y01ceeuIyU_cXzXR5uF2I2JWzLfnwRRcYMMYXoehdhX9cyG7ortxeEKyM-kegQ4/s3088/IMG_1300.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJz6zzZjxvdw-9X7aMhpYTOkQleyEcbxvAzy1epFUGERMcU582l1bnq7lKcO6qYnBlnK2w-Mgqshpj11M_7AdP_97Htr-q_n2W_uaPBuTHwAvrDmwmSFDKGqDaBW93y01ceeuIyU_cXzXR5uF2I2JWzLfnwRRcYMMYXoehdhX9cyG7ortxeEKyM-kegQ4/w307-h409/IMG_1300.JPG" width="307" /></a></div><br />Write & Art</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">Always</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">Angie</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-74933161633276022262023-09-12T13:39:00.001-04:002023-09-12T13:39:27.835-04:00Wisdom on Wheels<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5s_EhXFAm6G4fcmqEwz8uWsr88WevezI4CwdrpNfhavjgYG075EAhzPnbVvNH5kQVOx6SBj3xEOrMqjUno7BH5eRPZ3MfI8FcP0yMaNdHO9CvhTHnAPsy3zMZHtGvzFq2zBrbGnNU0PRsuAo-YrJ8DhXvTIShaRU9YiZZ5iuwkIDOAWciUFHV5q5ZBsM/s474/3fd597e24b7ff9bc112d2e7252b1db09--kenworth-trucks-peterbilt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="474" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5s_EhXFAm6G4fcmqEwz8uWsr88WevezI4CwdrpNfhavjgYG075EAhzPnbVvNH5kQVOx6SBj3xEOrMqjUno7BH5eRPZ3MfI8FcP0yMaNdHO9CvhTHnAPsy3zMZHtGvzFq2zBrbGnNU0PRsuAo-YrJ8DhXvTIShaRU9YiZZ5iuwkIDOAWciUFHV5q5ZBsM/w493-h328/3fd597e24b7ff9bc112d2e7252b1db09--kenworth-trucks-peterbilt.jpg" width="493" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Embracing Ancient Wisdom: How I Infuse Middle-Grade Books with Trucking Culture</span></span></p><p><b id="docs-internal-guid-77a1899e-7fff-0bd4-2e81-86fb6e31f1c5" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hey, fellow book lovers! I'm Angie Azur, a middle-grade author with a mission to explore the profound topic of death in my writing with compassion, ritual, and fire. But today, I want to share with you how I'm taking a unique approach by marrying ancient wisdom and the rich traditions of trucking culture with today's challenges for kids.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">As a writer, I've delved into the minds and hearts of young readers, and I realized the immense power of storytelling to support children during difficult times. That's why I wanted to bring something fresh and meaningful to the world of middle-grade literature.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, you might be wondering, how do I manage to combine ancient wisdom and trucking culture in my books? </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Connecting with the Trucking Community:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've had the incredible opportunity to connect with truckers and delve into their unique traditions, values, and experiences. From heartwarming folk songs passed down through generations to unwavering camaraderie on the open road, trucking culture has provided a treasure trove of wisdom to inspire my storytelling.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Infusing Folklore and Songs:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Truckers are renowned for their love of storytelling through folk songs - kind of like the Bards of Old. These songs carry tales of adventure, love, and life's trials. By incorporating snippets of these powerful songs in my middle-grade books, I bring the authenticity and soul of trucking culture to life for young readers.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Embracing Wisdom Passed Down:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Truckers often share stories of resilience, adaptability, and finding joy in the journey. Through these anecdotes, I weave ancient wisdom into my characters' journeys, teaching young readers valuable life lessons that transcend time and space.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Uniting Ancient Wisdom and Modern Challenges:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">By blending the ancient wisdom of trucking culture with the contemporary challenges faced by kids, I provide young readers with characters they can relate to on a deep level. From coping with loss to finding inner strength, my characters navigate life's obstacles with the guidance of timeless traditions.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Promoting Empathy and Understanding:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Incorporating trucking culture into my middle-grade books fosters empathy and understanding for a diverse range of experiences. Through these stories, young readers can explore different perspectives, embrace cultural differences, and find common ground with characters from all walks of life.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm delighted to embark on this literary journey, infusing my middle-grade books with the soul-stirring essence of trucking culture and the wisdom of ages past. Together, we can create a space where young readers can find solace, strength, and inspiration in the timeless stories of the road.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, hop on board, and let's ride together through the winding roads of ancient wisdom and today's challenges in the world of middle-grade literature. Stay tuned for more exciting updates on my blog, Teazurs.blogspot.com!</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Remember, the journey may be long, but with each turn of the page, we'll discover the beauty of embracing both the old and the new.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Keep reading and keep trucking!</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Write~on</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Angie Azur</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-18532552349423430382023-09-11T17:30:00.000-04:002023-09-13T12:47:23.590-04:00Q&A with Angie Azur<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Q&A with Angie Azur</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Firekeeper & Death Doula</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoL2_qHjS2tyKIaiohkG_HXmes1P1GDy_AgRYOUpds9Bdn5IuZq-suzl-EEGqPh4FoGXaSeMy0UEgy9xGPi-m7GXjpZQUA_7nFt4XLKhKwkaxZt5Cly6zqEvEcvkZpGT4kQ163U_mn-pIOdPDizLOvMTmR_KvRbOfT3BCLz06DYDppSZcoMXehp8GX7Y/s600/rs=w_600,cg_true,m-6.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoL2_qHjS2tyKIaiohkG_HXmes1P1GDy_AgRYOUpds9Bdn5IuZq-suzl-EEGqPh4FoGXaSeMy0UEgy9xGPi-m7GXjpZQUA_7nFt4XLKhKwkaxZt5Cly6zqEvEcvkZpGT4kQ163U_mn-pIOdPDizLOvMTmR_KvRbOfT3BCLz06DYDppSZcoMXehp8GX7Y/s320/rs=w_600,cg_true,m-6.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c47f286-7fff-d49a-a4b2-dfc636de0247"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>What does a death doula do?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A death doula, also known as an end-of-life doula or death midwife, is a non-medical professional who provides emotional, practical, and spiritual support to individuals who are dying and their families. Their role is to assist people in their final stages of life with comfort, dignity, and peace.</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Some of the tasks a death doula may undertake include:</b></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Providing emotional support to the dying person and their family members.</span></li><li><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Offering guidance on end-of-life planning, including advance directives and funeral arrangements.</span></li><li><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Educating the family on the dying process and what to expect.</span></li><li><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Helping the family create a calm and peaceful environment for the dying person.</span></li><li><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Providing physical care, such as bathing, feeding, and administering medication (with proper training and certification).</span></li><li><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Facilitating conversations between the dying person and their loved ones.</span></li><li><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Supporting the family through the grief process after the person has died.</span></li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Death doulas work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, hospices, and private homes. They can be a valuable resource for families during this difficult time, helping them navigate the complexities of the dying process and find meaning in their experience.</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>What is the difference between a death doula and a hospice worker?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hospice workers are trained medical professionals who provide palliative care to people who are dying. Death doulas, on the other hand, provide non-medical support to both the dying person and their family members. While there may be some overlap in their roles, death doulas focus more on emotional, practical, and spiritual support rather than medical care.</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Do death doulas replace the role of family members during the dying process?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">No, death doulas do not replace the role of family members during the dying process. Instead, they work alongside family members to provide support and guidance. Death doulas can help facilitate conversations between the dying person and their loved ones and provide emotional support to the family.</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>How do I find a death doula?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">You can search for a death doula through various online directories or ask for referrals from hospices, hospitals, or other end-of-life care providers. Researching and interviewing potential death doulas is important to ensure they are a good fit for your needs and values. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Here is a link to help you with your search: <a href="https://www.nedalliance.org/doula_directory_n_through_z.html" target="_blank">Death Doulas by State</a></span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>What kind of training do death doulas receive?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The training for death doulas can vary but typically includes coursework on end-of-life care, grief and loss, communication skills, and advance directives. Some death doulas may also have training in hospice care, nursing, social work, or counseling.</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Angie is a Ph.D. researcher in Ancient Wisdom, and with a degree in Psychology, she cares deeply for people in their time of need. With additional training in areas such as End-of-Life Care, PTSD, Sound Healing, Meditation for Relaxation, and Art for Healing, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her work. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Do death doulas only work with people who are terminally ill?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">No, death doulas can work with anyone facing the end of their life, regardless of their diagnosis. They can also work with family members who are grieving the loss of a loved one.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Death doulas may be called early in the dying process, maybe at the start of a terminal diagnosis. When this happens, the family and the person transitioning from life to death can create a more sound and beautiful end-of-life experience. </span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>What makes Angie a compassionate Death Doula?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Angie Azur is a highly knowledgeable and empathetic Ph.D. researcher in Ancient Wisdom with a degree in Psychology. With deep care for people in their time of need, Angie is dedicated to guiding individuals and couples through transformative experiences. She is highly trained in areas such as End-of-Life Care, PTSD, Sound Healing, Meditation for Relaxation, and Art for Healing, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her work. Angie's focus is on space-holding, heart-opening, and expanding inner and outer human connections throughout life, including during the transformative periods of birth and active dying. </span></p></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Her signature style of "heart-opening" focuses on creating a sacred space where clients can journey into transformative experiences—navigating life's milestones, discovering one's life purpose, or finding solace and understanding in active dying. Angie believes in the sacredness of all life transitions, celebrating not just birth but also embracing the profound journey of dying as a natural part of the human experience.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In addition to her individual coaching and healing sessions, Angie is an active community builder. She is a proud member of the Center for Conscious Living and Dying and a graduate of The Hoffman Process and The Priestess Mystery School. Known in some circles as "The Bringer of Tears," Angie’s unique blend of academic expertise, intuitive wisdom, and empathetic guidance makes her a sought-after facilitator for those seeking meaningful connections and transformative growth.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">What role do firekeepers play in rituals for the actively dying, and how do their responsibilities differ from other participants?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Firekeepers play a crucial role in rituals for the actively dying by maintaining a sacred and comforting atmosphere around the person nearing the end of life. Their responsibilities often differ from other participants in that they focus on tending to the ceremonial fire, offering prayers, and providing emotional support to the dying individual as well as those family members and death doulas in attendance. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Can you describe some of the traditional rituals or practices that firekeepers typically perform during the active dying process?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Traditional rituals can vary widely depending on cultural and religious traditions. Some common practices include keeping a sacred fire burning as a symbol of life and transformation, chanting or reciting prayers to guide the soul, and creating a soothing environment through the use of incense, music, or meditation. Also, taking care of the death doulas who are with the actively dying - this might mean listening deeply to what is coming up for them, dabbing sacred oils on chakras, light loving touch, and hugs go a long way to creating a healthy space for all - the living, healing, and dying. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">How do firekeepers help create a peaceful and sacred environment for the person who is actively dying, and what tools or techniques do they use to achieve this?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Firekeepers help create a peaceful and sacred environment by maintaining the ceremonial fire, which is seen as a source of spiritual energy and a connection to the divine. They may use tools such as smudging with sage or other herbs to purify the space, offer comforting words and reassurance to the dying person, and engage in calming rituals to ensure a serene transition.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Are there specific cultural or religious beliefs associated with firekeepers and their involvement in rituals for the actively dying? How do these beliefs influence their actions and role?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The beliefs associated with firekeepers and their role in rituals for the actively dying can vary widely based on cultural and religious traditions. In some Native American cultures, firekeepers are seen as mediators between the physical and spiritual realms, responsible for guiding the soul safely to the afterlife. In other traditions, firekeepers may represent the element of fire as a symbol of purification and transformation. Fire was considered a sacred element and a powerful symbol in Celtic and Druidic belief systems. It represented transformation, purification, and the gateway between the physical and spiritual worlds. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">How does the training and selection process for firekeepers differ from that of other participants in end-of-life rituals, and what qualities are considered important for someone to become a firekeeper in these contexts?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The training and selection process for firekeepers depends on the specific cultural or religious tradition. Typically, individuals chosen for this role are deeply knowledgeable about their tradition's customs, and rituals. They may undergo extensive training, which includes learning sacred chants, fire-tending techniques, and the spiritual significance of their actions. Qualities such as compassion, empathy, and a strong connection to their faith are often considered important for someone to become a firekeeper in these contexts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Aspiring Druids would have been trained in the performance of rituals, including those involving fire. This would have included the proper way to light and tend a sacred fire, the recitation of prayers or incantations associated with fire, and the symbolism of fire in Celtic spirituality. I speak about the Druids, as I am studying firekeeping rituals they still abide today. </span></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-73235464215336449172023-08-25T13:01:00.012-04:002023-08-29T14:23:14.258-04:00Interview with Karen S. Chow<div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">K</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #fcff01; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">d</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">L</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">t</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alert</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Interview with </span><span style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Traditionally Published</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Debut Middle-Grade Author of</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>Miracle</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Karen S. Chow</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYj_WcWqX4ow_dpDNCKvIZt_CiGkn3F3JZEHo31gm-TNKX8HrO6kvxru4HKZnUFF7Y9ITYgNR32OhNVdvx7gnuCrljIv7SpZCKEDAe9whhdgGeIBusK0g0GJe__z_lQABQLd0FVd6ldTN7GSAyZtL2xJZ4hipzFaFSWmBGzn1knAu6Yf81k9GjRYWHWAQ/s4127/KSC_Color-7346%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4127" data-original-width="4126" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYj_WcWqX4ow_dpDNCKvIZt_CiGkn3F3JZEHo31gm-TNKX8HrO6kvxru4HKZnUFF7Y9ITYgNR32OhNVdvx7gnuCrljIv7SpZCKEDAe9whhdgGeIBusK0g0GJe__z_lQABQLd0FVd6ldTN7GSAyZtL2xJZ4hipzFaFSWmBGzn1knAu6Yf81k9GjRYWHWAQ/w421-h421/KSC_Color-7346%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="421" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Welcome Readers, Book Lovers, Writers, and Creatives to Writing Teazurs and get ready to meet the newest interviewee - Karen S. Chow! She is a powerhouse and has filled her interview with so much great information for writers - you'll want to save this one. </b></span><p></p></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">_______________</span></b></span></div>Hello, Karen,</span></b></span><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks for being on the blog...and here we go.</span></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">You are a Taiwanese-American author. What does that mean to you, and how has your ethnicity helped or hindered your writing</span></b><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">? </span></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">When I first started writing, <span style="color: #ffa400;">I <i>didn't</i> write Asian-American characters </span>because I read a lot of books, especially as a kid, that didn't have Asian-American characters. I was a <span style="color: red;">HUGE</span> reader. But after I started writing, I read Grace Lin's </span><i style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Year of the Dog</span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;">, and it resonated so much. </span><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">It opened my eyes and my heart! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grace's experiences and mine are similar: growing up in a mostly-Caucasian community and <span style="color: #674ea7;">trying to reconcile</span> the Taiwanese part of me with the American part. <span style="color: #a64d79;">I realized I could write about my experiences, too!</span> I could infuse my characters with that strange balance of being Taiwanese and growing up in America. Once I started writing Taiwanese/Asian-American characters, I felt so <span style="color: #ff00fe;">joyful</span>. I'm so <span style="color: #2b00fe;">happy</span> I'm able to put a part of me into each book. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESj29oKWZ2gWBkzBLZ3-zZIYqJ74CXAHlVABnElmMt02txNpcLLX3dkW5irDBeVNA7BHvN9UVp8i6JdsbR8fEB-EgRx6rhWNN6o9DOh4ct8defCl3ZgTpw8nU6_cdJZdPBpsbVE3zRVv-c-OmLd0TkWV0O1BNk9T4sGzvx6ooY41uSiD0i0HGx6tGAbo/s1024/Chow_Miracle_9780316333726_HC_cvr-1-704x1024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="704" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESj29oKWZ2gWBkzBLZ3-zZIYqJ74CXAHlVABnElmMt02txNpcLLX3dkW5irDBeVNA7BHvN9UVp8i6JdsbR8fEB-EgRx6rhWNN6o9DOh4ct8defCl3ZgTpw8nU6_cdJZdPBpsbVE3zRVv-c-OmLd0TkWV0O1BNk9T4sGzvx6ooY41uSiD0i0HGx6tGAbo/w415-h604/Chow_Miracle_9780316333726_HC_cvr-1-704x1024.jpg" width="415" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">As for finding an agent</span>, I was able to find mine (Andrea Cascardi at <a href="https://www.transatlanticagency.com/about-us/agents/cascardi-andrea/" target="_blank">Transatlantic Agency</a>) eventually through <a href="https://www.dvpit.com/" target="_blank">#DVPit</a>, which spotlights writers with diverse backgrounds. I don't know if it was "easier" to be a diverse writer because <span style="color: #6aa84f;">it was still a struggle to find an agent.</span> My debut, </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Miracle</span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;">, is "quiet" and more serious in theme than some of the catchier, fun MG titles. Before getting an agent, I was a <span style="color: #800180;">mentee</span> in <a href="https://pitchwars.org/" target="_blank">Pitch Wars</a> (a mentorship program) with </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Miracle</i><span style="font-size: x-large;">. I revised it with my mentors and revised more after the agents from the Pitch Wars showcase told me my book was too sad and had pacing issues. By the end, </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Miracle</i><span style="font-size: x-large;"> had <span style="color: #ff00fe;">86 rejections</span> before my agent said, <span style="color: red;">"Yes."</span> 86 feels about average as a writer--diverse or not--querying for agent representation.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I will always promote Own Voices and <a href="https://diversebooks.org/" target="_blank">Diverse Books</a>! I watch my daughter reading books with characters who look like her and/or have similar backgrounds, and it makes me so happy. She shows me parts where <span style="color: #800180;">the characters do things like us or think like us.</span> It's really heart-warming to see her able to <span style="color: #6aa84f;">relate to books in a deeper way.</span> I also love that diverse books gives <span style="color: #e69138;">another point of view</span>, which helps readers become sympathetic to real-life people. I hope that diverse books help readers become <span style="color: #ff00fe;">kinder</span> people themselves.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYKMJmV3ThWl6XwYbAPDBPSAJKZI14lR78xfA-HRgQwS2jXnMIJDH1nBy4zaPO4UL-mHxeAqMqA1GLHQX_IYxo4B9gu4IOiT9adqzTN3cpD4V0dqYbP-w9Mv2kBiq6ZMnOEt2oveMsSwPSt7qiItf3CcX1WG5g77ixbaYBX5y8qGB-D-bPbsUE1sBd18/s730/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.39.26%20PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="551" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYKMJmV3ThWl6XwYbAPDBPSAJKZI14lR78xfA-HRgQwS2jXnMIJDH1nBy4zaPO4UL-mHxeAqMqA1GLHQX_IYxo4B9gu4IOiT9adqzTN3cpD4V0dqYbP-w9Mv2kBiq6ZMnOEt2oveMsSwPSt7qiItf3CcX1WG5g77ixbaYBX5y8qGB-D-bPbsUE1sBd18/w321-h425/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.39.26%20PM.png" width="321" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Did you grow up seeing yourself in main characters, in books, or not so much, and how did this influence your work?</span></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">I did not</span><span style="font-size: large;"> see a lot of Asian-American characters in books when I was young. (Mind you, this was in the 80s-90s.) So when I read Grace Lin’s </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Year of the Dog</i><span style="font-size: x-large;">, I absolutely loved it, and had the realization that <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>I could write about my own life. </b></span>That’s when I started to write Taiwanese-American characters.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What do you think of the publishing industry right now? What’s good? Bad? Beautiful and/or ugly?</span></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">It’s <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>slow</b></span> right now! I see movement in more diverse book contracts. So my outlook is <span style="color: #ff00fe;">hopeful.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">How can readers and other writers help support your writing journey?</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b;"> </span><b><span style="color: red;">Word-of-mouth recommendations are huge! </span></b></span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #45818e;">Social media posts.</span> Buying the book in your <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>indie</b></span> bookstore. Checking the book out at the <span style="color: #ffa400;">library.</span> Inviting me for <span style="color: #2b00fe;">school visits</span> and <span style="color: #ff00fe;">book club talks.</span></span><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen: What one sentence would you shout?</span></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><br /></span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"> Find joy and be kind!</span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Who is your biggest cheerleader, and how has she/he helped you?</span></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I have <span style="color: #800180;">a team of people</span> who cheer me on: my critique group, the </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">Charglings</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> (because we have chargers, not pens), Mary E. Lambert, GF Miller, and Traci Avalos; my <span style="color: #6aa84f;">author friends</span> from Pitch Wars, Amanda Rawson Hill, Cindy Baldwin, and Remy Lai; and of course, my <span style="color: #e69138;">family.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWQZvVNkOONmpaslsYCVihBg-CEZ3xoe7-CIildPNPTCq3NS_zmJRj95npSCITvkubCK4kd5S5H9vwfnB70RgQsOkChkBQLvAAibHbAbyuR-KL1bFcZDbydUvMhwErYJiJzKlHuUQ09_RFCIEw9-_fjkPRngXPbsJCu3ud1iWKdHqXMCn5kLcrSw5NY8/s737/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.40.02%20PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="562" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMWQZvVNkOONmpaslsYCVihBg-CEZ3xoe7-CIildPNPTCq3NS_zmJRj95npSCITvkubCK4kd5S5H9vwfnB70RgQsOkChkBQLvAAibHbAbyuR-KL1bFcZDbydUvMhwErYJiJzKlHuUQ09_RFCIEw9-_fjkPRngXPbsJCu3ud1iWKdHqXMCn5kLcrSw5NY8/w281-h368/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.40.02%20PM.png" width="281" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">You are a self-proclaimed band geek - what instrument do you play? What is your favorite music? And do you listen to music while you write?</span></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>I am definitely </span><span style="color: #674ea7;">a band geek! </span><span>I played flute, piccolo, and xylophone/bells in band. I played piano from age 5 all the way up to now (although, I stopped lessons after high school). <span style="color: #e06666;">I love all music.</span> I have a fondness for musicals. When I’m writing, I sometimes play familiar <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Disney movies</span> in the background.</span><br /><span><br /><br /></span><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">How has music influenced your writing style?</span></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">It definitely did for </span><i style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Miracle, </span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;">since it’s all about <span style="color: #674ea7;">music.</span> The style is more <span style="color: #ff00fe;">lyrical</span>, and I read sentences aloud to make sure they flow in a certain way.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWL17poKJNPIi1TTiXeIKH_FTGc311Y3nVkkr5PpDHnQ-OOX6WG9JmX3ELBUqCbZ6V2D2ywELVkgWEHdeo6gVDTuoG5mn1P_V2YmqfeYWMYVY3HEF0wQDfK5_r0TDVJB-DmirroKmxT0RxzdDswPOuZa9kGEE-r0EZkLD_SVD6Zmm2DkaIDmy3c3SktVs/s400/pwlogo-home.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWL17poKJNPIi1TTiXeIKH_FTGc311Y3nVkkr5PpDHnQ-OOX6WG9JmX3ELBUqCbZ6V2D2ywELVkgWEHdeo6gVDTuoG5mn1P_V2YmqfeYWMYVY3HEF0wQDfK5_r0TDVJB-DmirroKmxT0RxzdDswPOuZa9kGEE-r0EZkLD_SVD6Zmm2DkaIDmy3c3SktVs/w284-h284/pwlogo-home.gif" width="284" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">You were a Pitch Wars Mentee - what was that like? Why did you do it, and what did you learn?</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">Pitch Wars</span><span> was a great experience. It was hard but worth every minute. I entered because one of my critique partners had heard about it on Twitter, and I thought it sounded amazing </span><span style="color: #ffa400;">(authors mentoring aspiring authors for a 2-month intensive on one manuscript with an agent showcase at the end, yes, please)</span><span>. At that point, I was ready to try to be published. I was eager to learn, eager to edit, eager to try to find an agent. During Pitch Wars, </span><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span>I learned how to edit on a grand scale.</span> </span><span>I learned how to plot better (although I still struggle with this). I also learned that I could <span style="color: #3d85c6;">revise</span> in a short amount of time! That <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>confidence</b></span> has helped me meet deadlines and write and edit more books.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIIUcWJIhT7hYNNZEjYzbfIZ6l3ekZowngrTbNCrI3ru-Bx87CZndH5rIHDVNdWrcwkooAPrKGGs5m7VRLxHKmcmj606JbyaSUqrVE8CXpgrCo4IvoxDJI7dn8NpmZ3lAEO-4180X4g99mnXW1Fkd3zCnRqKUuhVgA5WSZQCGz7R4LMXWb4IPYpoUhXk/s1122/logo+TM+no+background.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="1122" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIIUcWJIhT7hYNNZEjYzbfIZ6l3ekZowngrTbNCrI3ru-Bx87CZndH5rIHDVNdWrcwkooAPrKGGs5m7VRLxHKmcmj606JbyaSUqrVE8CXpgrCo4IvoxDJI7dn8NpmZ3lAEO-4180X4g99mnXW1Fkd3zCnRqKUuhVgA5WSZQCGz7R4LMXWb4IPYpoUhXk/w290-h161/logo+TM+no+background.png" width="290" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>You found your agent by participating in #DVPit - how did you do that? What advice do you have for writers hoping to snag an agent</b>?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /></span><span>I entered #DVPit based on the <span style="color: #ff00fe;">advice</span> of my Pitch Wars mentors Amanda Rawson Hill and Cindy Baldwin. Cindy had <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>gotten her agent through #DVPit</b></span>, and she thought my book was a good fit to find an agent through this route. She was right!</span></span><br /><span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Advice for writers querying agents: perseverance! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Sometimes it takes a long time. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Keep writing, keep revising.</span></div></span><span style="font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmrEAA2B-e_hbQWVHKNnUU0RT-RaP772Mw4KTXYM9OquOsexsHb06NpaFRdSy15wRhvhiKy-Wd8HWK9WhciLw-V6RFXQkmx_JIqeTWZhKJGiC96DSIb8YZJB3YZJnz5KQ9qkMQQLGMMs9gKIRVYoR3ZBjEYsjke4nQb0WKfQ0sHaexTgQUFtpm9XCUkE/s377/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.42.32%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="377" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmrEAA2B-e_hbQWVHKNnUU0RT-RaP772Mw4KTXYM9OquOsexsHb06NpaFRdSy15wRhvhiKy-Wd8HWK9WhciLw-V6RFXQkmx_JIqeTWZhKJGiC96DSIb8YZJB3YZJnz5KQ9qkMQQLGMMs9gKIRVYoR3ZBjEYsjke4nQb0WKfQ0sHaexTgQUFtpm9XCUkE/w403-h396/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.42.32%20PM.png" width="403" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>You are an award-winning author! Awesome. How did you enter to win these awards? What did winning mean to you? How has it helped your writing goals?</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lol, I never thought of myself as <span style="color: #ff00fe;">“award-winning”</span>. I’m a part of <span style="color: red;">SCBWI</span>, and they have <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>scholarships</b></span>. I decided to enter the Out of the Margins Scholarship on a whim, so winning was quite a surprise! It’s made me <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>feel less like an imposter</b></span>. But mostly, it’s connected me to more people, which has been priceless.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>You are traditionally published, but the industry is changing with the emerging AI writers - do you think traditional publishing routes are going to become history? </b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I have no exposure to <span style="color: #2b00fe;">AI writers</span>, so I can’t form an opinion about <span style="color: #a64d79;">AI books</span>. I hope traditional publishing doesn’t go away because I <span style="color: #e06666;"><b>love</b></span> doing what I do.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>You live in Arizona with your family - what do you do for fun? For exercise? For a break from writing?</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5a5DAjKBMStBNuLY50aSI76PpipQW8XMxnmVrEML1Cobd_8sva5B2dNJSrx9REHDM2ph7gg0G0-vsNyvaeM28XFar2JCExeytcYAreRLEc4LfDbzfqZ91iVnBNUUMnRY3PhxWXXqpWB-IL5Lo9Owl_yqF_dWGkUbJUl2VVXljkobJPYMhJhR7QIDjK0/s688/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.50.24%20PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="576" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5a5DAjKBMStBNuLY50aSI76PpipQW8XMxnmVrEML1Cobd_8sva5B2dNJSrx9REHDM2ph7gg0G0-vsNyvaeM28XFar2JCExeytcYAreRLEc4LfDbzfqZ91iVnBNUUMnRY3PhxWXXqpWB-IL5Lo9Owl_yqF_dWGkUbJUl2VVXljkobJPYMhJhR7QIDjK0/w308-h368/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.50.24%20PM.png" width="308" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>A while ago, an author told me that if writing is your hobby and it becomes your job, <i><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>you have to replace the hobby with something else to stay sane.</b></span></i> My something else is <span style="color: #6aa84f;">hiking</span>. I <span style="color: red;">LOVE</span> hiking. In Arizona, eight months of the year are pleasant enough for hiking, and there are mountains all around the valley. Two of my kids love hiking, too, and we drag the third one along. I also love going to <span style="color: #800180;">new bubble tea places</span>, that’s another “hobby.”</span><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>What odd or funny things are on your writing desk? Example: I have a tiny singing bowl that I love to ding between chapters.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">That is so cute! I have a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">time-turner</span> <span style="color: #ff00fe;">shaped clock </span>on my desk (from <span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Harry Potter</b></span>). And <span style="color: #6aa84f;">a list of first names</span> from each of my kids’ kindergarten classes on the bulletin board (for names to use in my writing).</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCEZMXqhTU91QDgFE3kSP7ulP9pzTAvpE8sCTBzOzPZaxrOIw2RQ96cdyjz3IslGW4JnZeOBFdRsyp20P-NBkR5XE8azLlRdGkFcS9c3mhokhaUaB4E1hXc5rgtlL2EeUApCQ1i-Fg34kmR9-TRyWZz5sTJlm_fK8g5WgpbX7qv0ZywU9Rp7yjSRS9nE/s700/IMG_4811-700x525.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCEZMXqhTU91QDgFE3kSP7ulP9pzTAvpE8sCTBzOzPZaxrOIw2RQ96cdyjz3IslGW4JnZeOBFdRsyp20P-NBkR5XE8azLlRdGkFcS9c3mhokhaUaB4E1hXc5rgtlL2EeUApCQ1i-Fg34kmR9-TRyWZz5sTJlm_fK8g5WgpbX7qv0ZywU9Rp7yjSRS9nE/w517-h388/IMG_4811-700x525.jpg" width="517" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>What’s the funniest thing a kid has said or asked you about your books or characters?</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>I had a question about <span style="color: #f1c232;">how to say “ice cream” in Mandarin</span>, which is <span style="color: red;">bing-chi-ling</span>, and the students went into an uproar. I have no idea why. </span><span>They also ask me why Amie plays the violin, and I don’t have a good answer for that: just that <span style="color: #6aa84f;">she came into my head playing the violin.</span></span></span><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>Why were you the perfect person to write your novels? Where are you in them? </b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /></span><span>Good question! I think <span style="color: #674ea7;">my background </span>influences Amie’s journey. My <span style="color: #e06666;"><b>dad</b></span> passed away when I was young (not as young as Amie), and her <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Taiwanese-American-ness</span> is similar to mine. She has other aspects of me in her: we both love the <span style="color: #b45f06;">Harry Potter series</span>, we’re both <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Slytherins</span>, we both love <span style="color: #ff00fe;">music</span>. I’m also <i>in</i> Amie’s mom, in the way that she deals with her <span style="color: #2b00fe;">emotions</span>; I tend to shove them away and concentrate on what I can <span style="color: #ffa400;">control</span>.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>Your main character in Miracle loses her father and her ability to play music - how did you weave the emotions of playing music and experiencing death into a beautiful story of healing?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /></span><span>Actually, the book used to be less <span style="color: red;">hopeful</span>. My editor suggested a change in theme that <span style="color: #ff00fe;">focused on Amie’s healing</span> and her <span style="color: #800180;">relationships</span> with her mom and friends. I kept the <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>emotion</b></span>, but the trajectory of the story changed. And now that it’s written, I really like the direction my editor suggested! It feels more <span style="color: #ffa400;">organic</span> and <span style="color: #3d85c6;">true to life</span>: your family and friends are the ones who are here for you.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2DvmiVbooE_rvmqSHbs5neaFkNKO8adK8HK14cv6NDV7c3jj3WF9mZOP015kavwwHtp_OvSg7dbold-Yokx5bhuUGOEMRO8Km2m2P2wVYhfQmtcsj3FHtXoeGKypjlyzeC0RY_PHbbOqWuR7YXBZLIpG6v741OzG7wjBz6aM1alm5OqcIh1lqepEKQc/s617/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.40.29%20PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="575" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2DvmiVbooE_rvmqSHbs5neaFkNKO8adK8HK14cv6NDV7c3jj3WF9mZOP015kavwwHtp_OvSg7dbold-Yokx5bhuUGOEMRO8Km2m2P2wVYhfQmtcsj3FHtXoeGKypjlyzeC0RY_PHbbOqWuR7YXBZLIpG6v741OzG7wjBz6aM1alm5OqcIh1lqepEKQc/w330-h354/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.40.29%20PM.png" width="330" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>Where do your book ideas come from? Do you get them in dreams? Meditation? Near water? While you are reading other books?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /></span><span>LOL. <span style="color: #ff00fe;">Anywhere</span>, really. Most of the time, the main character comes to me <span style="color: #800180;">with a line or an idea</span>. And then I build the story around that character.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>If you could go back to your younger self - what advice would you give her about writing and the journey to publication?</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span style="color: red;">Lots of things!</span> Not to take feedback so personally. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Be patient</span>, especially with finding an agent (I self-published over 15 years ago because I didn’t find an agent within one month, which is not a lot of time). <span style="color: #f1c232;">Read books on plot and character.</span> Take advantage of all the free time and write!</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;">Why do you write? </span></b><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>I enjoy it.</b></span> I love drafting and putting together words. I love when characters come alive. It’s also very <span style="color: #6aa84f;">therapeutic</span>.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>The cover of Miracle is intriguing - I keep staring at it and wishing I could hear the music. What song is she playing? Did you get to help choose the cover? </b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue;"><br /></span><span>Oh thank you! <span style="color: #e06666;"><b>I love the cover, too.</b></span> It’s so representative of the book! The melding of the colors and the <span style="color: #ffa400;">bright hope</span> behind Amie. It’s by artist <a href="https://www.instagram.com/olgalee.art/" target="_blank">Olga Lee</a>. I don’t know what Amie’s playing…maybe “Rivers”, maybe “Simple Gifts”. <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Whatever it is, she’s immersed.</span> I did not get to choose the cover. My publisher hired Olga Lee and directed her <span style="color: red;">artistically</span>. I had input on the length of Amie’s hair, and I also made a correction to her arm positions. But that was it.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dm0MtskflbKdKEoRwaEpvjLtDE5NaLzPnBr7evwMGKpzYPAONvRBeVH1Yg3ZhZGgWYgm_d4VyN70vWMYdMJPeJL6qzN3zl-UIEbvu4XB7fhZg_e7oFSUyyuYc4AHctQ6cNmomuGOgVJcHFdWa30pMCt4DchnHr0e82if12FR1Id3etvPyNBQjNEXemI/s728/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.39.48%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="728" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dm0MtskflbKdKEoRwaEpvjLtDE5NaLzPnBr7evwMGKpzYPAONvRBeVH1Yg3ZhZGgWYgm_d4VyN70vWMYdMJPeJL6qzN3zl-UIEbvu4XB7fhZg_e7oFSUyyuYc4AHctQ6cNmomuGOgVJcHFdWa30pMCt4DchnHr0e82if12FR1Id3etvPyNBQjNEXemI/w497-h384/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.39.48%20PM.png" width="497" /></a></div></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>What one word describes you?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Hmmm…joyful.</span></div></span><span style="font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>Why do you think we humans alienate friends and family when we go through traumas - like the death of a parent? And what do you think is the healthy way to move through these intense emotions?</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">Alienating friends and family is the <i>natural</i> reaction.</span> I think we try to shut down to mute the pain. And shutting down usually means shutting people out because <span style="color: #ffa400;">they are reminders of the pain.</span> I think the healthier way to deal is to <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>talk</b></span> about it. But it takes time and practice to be able to do that.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;">How did you know your agent was the one for you? Any tips for new writers trying to find an agent? </span><br /></b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">I was lucky I was in <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://pitchwars.org/" target="_blank">Pitch Wars</a></span> with mentors who told me what an agent’s history was and equipped me with <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>the right questions to ask</b></span>. I think talking with agents on the phone is helpful in figuring out their style of agenting. My agent is very <span style="color: #f1c232;">professional</span> and <span style="color: #674ea7;">straight-to-the-point</span>—I mean, most of our calls are 15 minutes or less—which is awesome (especially for me, as an engineer). So my agent relationship works for me, but might not for someone else.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">As for tips on finding an agent, hmmm.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></b><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. Make sure the book is <span style="color: red;">polished</span>. (And revise if you receive similar feedback from more than one agent.)</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. Make sure to <span style="color: #ffa400;">revise that query letter!</span> I think all of my agented friends have SEVERAL drafts—like over a dozen versions—of their successful query letter.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">3. Make sure to <span style="color: #2b00fe;">research the agent</span> to see if they want your type of novel. And there are <span style="color: #674ea7;"><i>schmagents</i></span> out there, so <span style="color: #f1c232;">be careful</span>. Ask author friends about that agent, and ask the agent a lot of questions if you get a chance to schedule a call. (</span><span class="s2" style="color: #0b4cb4; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.totheshelves.com/preparing-call-ace-agent-interviews/" target="_blank">http://www.totheshelves.com/preparing-call-ace-agent-interviews/</a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">)</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>What are you reading right now? Who is your favorite author, and why?</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I’m currently reading Lei and the Fire Goddess by my fellow <span style="color: #ff00fe;">MGin23</span> debut author <a href="https://www.maliamaunakea.com/" target="_blank">Malia Maunakea</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Favorite author is <span style="color: red;">TOO HARD!</span> Instead, I’ll name some books that changed and influenced my writing: </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Year of the Dog</i><span style="font-size: x-large;"> by <a href="https://gracelin.com/" target="_blank">Grace Lin</a>, </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">The Book Thief </i><span style="font-size: x-large;">by <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/59222/markus-zusak/" target="_blank">Markus Zuzak</a>, </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">This is How You Lose the Time War </i><span style="font-size: x-large;">by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_How_You_Lose_the_Time_War" target="_blank">Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone</a>.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHnmd1sllKkCIDzGCUiK3JQVB_lr3bgIF07Aqp9me6ygkQIwOUh7To1Jja8C4ZRSdwDwHXvtItzJS-x0dnqg1gGj46ITthd_KUCznDCHLuRchGj6NCk_-fA1RbVF5b8iuNH_ltmNIdCf4JIhcr7wI8-CvFhmon9BREpdPgQurG1Y1fBkxn5KbBtGnXsE/s384/download.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="252" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHnmd1sllKkCIDzGCUiK3JQVB_lr3bgIF07Aqp9me6ygkQIwOUh7To1Jja8C4ZRSdwDwHXvtItzJS-x0dnqg1gGj46ITthd_KUCznDCHLuRchGj6NCk_-fA1RbVF5b8iuNH_ltmNIdCf4JIhcr7wI8-CvFhmon9BREpdPgQurG1Y1fBkxn5KbBtGnXsE/w246-h375/download.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>While writing your book - what did you use for support? Any plotting books or templates? Any critique groups? What do you suggest to newbie writers?</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I wrote </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Miracle</span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;"> during National Novel Writing Month. So, I had the <span style="color: #ff00fe;">anonymous support of thousands of other writers</span> fueling the frenzy to write. Normally, I write much slower, but I’ve used both <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">NaNoWriMo</a> and <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/what-is-camp-nanowrimo" target="_blank">Camp Nano</a> as motivation to write and to revise. As for plot, I used the <span style="color: #ffa400;">three-act structure </span>(and later, my editor’s revision notes), but I’ve transitioned to the <span style="color: red;">Save the Cat template </span>since then, which is working for me. I’ve also learned to <span style="color: #6aa84f;">embrace the pre-writing synopsis</span>, and that has helped to minimize huge rewrites. But I’m a plotter, so it makes sense for me.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I’m in a <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>critique group</b></span>, the Charglings, and we meet every 2-3 weeks. We submit material <span style="color: red;">(up to 20 pages)</span> before we meet and discuss our comments in person. It’s a great motivator to get something written before a meetup. I was in other <span style="color: #3d85c6;">critique groups</span>, but this one has worked best for me. We have members who have published more than one book and <span style="color: #800180;">members</span> who aren’t agented. It’s nice to be in the middle.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">For newbie writers:</span> Keep writing! I wrote for 17 years, <span style="color: #6aa84f;">experimenting with all sorts of styles and voices and genres</span> before I wrote </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Miracle</span></i><i style="font-size: x-large;">.</i><span style="font-size: x-large;"> (I realize that’s longer than most writers, but for me, it’s what I needed to develop my writing.) <span style="color: #e69138;">And now I really like my style.</span> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>Developing your voice takes time. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">And <i><span style="color: #e06666;">keep reading</span></i> in your genre! You’ll start to recognize what the author is trying to do and hone your own craft.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>Who are the characters in your book based on? </b> </span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Each of the characters in </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Miracle</span></i><i style="font-size: x-large;"> </i><span style="font-size: x-large;">have a little bit of <span style="color: #ff00fe;">me</span> in them. Amie’s quietness was me in elementary school. Her mom is me now (and <span style="color: #e06666;">somewhat my mom</span>, too). Her BFF Bella is my outgoing part (and somewhat <span style="color: #3d85c6;">my younger sister</span>) and Rio is my musical part. Mr. Hua, Baba’s BFF, is based my dad’s friend Hank Huang. <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Baba is basically my dad.</span> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>How did you overcome doubt in yourself as a writer and push through to getting published?</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">So after writing and being in critique groups for <span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>over 20 years</b></span>, it helps you develop a filter. You learn to <span style="color: #6aa84f;">recognize people who are helping you and who are trying to tear you down.</span> And then, you <span style="color: red;">listen</span> to and <span style="color: #ffa400;">trust</span> the ones who are trying to help. You learn to <span style="color: #674ea7;">separate</span> the criticism from your person. They’re not saying you’re a bad writer. They’re saying something in your writing didn’t work for them. <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>That’s fixable!</b></span></span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">As for pushing through, I guess it comes down to <span style="color: red;">motivation</span>. How much are you willing to do to reach the goal? <span style="color: #ff00fe;">I wanted to be published, so I kept going.</span> Sit with the rejection because rejection sucks, but then take the parts you can control and <span style="color: #ffa400;">do something about it</span>. (It’s like learning a new skill. You always pick yourself up and keep going, if you’re motivated to learn.)</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>What was it like working with an editor, and how does that look once the agent sells your book to a publishing house?</b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Miracle</span></i><i style="font-size: x-large;"> </i><span style="font-size: x-large;">was in a different format than it is now, so when my agent subbed to publishers, my editor gave me an R&R <span style="color: #ff00fe;">(revise and resubmit)</span> with an edit letter. She wanted a different timeline and different themes. I had gotten 16 other editor <span style="color: red;">rejections</span>, so I decided to do the R&R <span style="color: #6aa84f;">(plus, there’d been a lot of distance from the book at the time, and I wasn’t as attached to it as before).</span> I rewrote the whole thing (not under contract). After my editor read the R&R, she made an offer.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">After that, it was a <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>waiting game</b></span> because my editor is <span style="color: red;">BUSY</span>, plus the pandemic, and she moved her imprint to another publishing group. So, it was quite some time before I got 2nd developmental edits. I had a 5-week deadline for those edits. Then, 2-3 weeks for line edits. After that, <span style="color: #800180;">things moved quickly</span>: acceptance, copy edits, pass pages, 2nd pass pages.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwf8vW48jYGGZQw6I127M7-RZ_f91_GInubcG8cjhYO6f6_ZoeGCq2Mlx0RanaNXr9oQv_fs5uxULkHDrRr23gu9HcI5opjtrLprGf4n8nXgOtAGR1JXaOv3L433f80II6rUW7MPL-VG3r_g-jtqVhwAzJDzdljxPKF7Shqjk6796Cuouu3F4MG4DymGw/s320/BNdesertridge.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="180" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwf8vW48jYGGZQw6I127M7-RZ_f91_GInubcG8cjhYO6f6_ZoeGCq2Mlx0RanaNXr9oQv_fs5uxULkHDrRr23gu9HcI5opjtrLprGf4n8nXgOtAGR1JXaOv3L433f80II6rUW7MPL-VG3r_g-jtqVhwAzJDzdljxPKF7Shqjk6796Cuouu3F4MG4DymGw/w233-h414/BNdesertridge.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>Where will you be next so readers may connect with you in person?</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">I have a few <span style="color: red;">events</span> scheduled (and more to come). Up-to-date info is on my Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kchowrites/" target="_blank">@kchowrites</a> or on my website </span><a href="http://www.kchowrites.com" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank"><span class="s2" style="color: #0b4cb4;">www.kchowrites.com</span></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">.</span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>Meet the Author Events:</b></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">September 23, 1:30-3:30pm, book signing at Barnes & Noble Chandler, AZ</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">October 4, 4-5pm, author talk at Oro Valley Public Library in Oro Valley, AZ</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">October 16, 10:30-11:30am, writing workshop at Himmel Public Library in Tucson, AZ</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">October 28, 10:30-11:30am, writing workshop at South Mandarin Public Library in Jacksonville, FL</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">November 11, 1-3pm, book signing at Barnes & Noble Dana Park in Mesa, AZ</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I’m also scheduling <span style="color: #ff00fe;">school visits</span>, so hop onto my website to contact me!</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6JZks8qvm6jiIFeoDExJgvwR4ORnue5fT85WXr9UFK2pOFVKSmpwMifgv3WfV8AvCeOY1saYoQbS9ndKCu7FhafarNJiaCoWGwvGcsg96SrbaI1jmUj5j1ccJkfyIL4xynI3DCKHOsVkVtIQGdtz3Ep8YNauPhcwWVyxwbzJGoG48NT8c2XHvv8O0fg/s1445/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.50.56%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1445" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6JZks8qvm6jiIFeoDExJgvwR4ORnue5fT85WXr9UFK2pOFVKSmpwMifgv3WfV8AvCeOY1saYoQbS9ndKCu7FhafarNJiaCoWGwvGcsg96SrbaI1jmUj5j1ccJkfyIL4xynI3DCKHOsVkVtIQGdtz3Ep8YNauPhcwWVyxwbzJGoG48NT8c2XHvv8O0fg/w576-h286/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.50.56%20PM.png" width="576" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>Your website is awesome. Did you create it, or did you have someone do it? What was that experience like?</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thank you! <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Websy Daisy</span> designed it. I was probably a nightmare client because I didn’t quite know what I wanted and was super picky. Jenny did a brilliant job. She sends a <span style="color: #ffa400;">questionnaire</span> ahead of time and has you <span style="color: #3d85c6;">compile all your ideas and pages</span> into a Dropbox that you do before she designs. Then, she spends one week on the design. The first two days are figuring out the <span style="color: #e06666;">aesthetic</span>, home page, and one of the other pages. The rest of the week, she’s designing the rest of the pages. The last days, she sent the full website for review, and we made tweaks. It’s <span style="color: #800180;">Wordpress-based</span>, so she gives all the login info and editing tips in document afterward. <span style="color: red;">Great experience.</span> I’d definitely recommend her.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">As for the website format, I researched a lot of author websites and noted what I liked.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>How many rejections did you receive before you got that YES? And how did you stay positive?</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">86 agent rejections.</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">16 editor rejections</span> and <span style="color: #3d85c6;">1 R&R</span>. It comes down to motivation and perseverance. Why do you want it? Will you do what it takes? I wanted it enough. <span style="color: #6aa84f;">I wanted to share my dad and his <i>hope</i> with the world.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I’m also really busy. I’m a <span style="color: #e06666;">single mom</span> with three kids (that I share 50/50). <span style="color: #ffa400;">I have a day job.</span> So I don’t have a lot of time to dwell on <span style="color: red;">rejection</span> for very long. My life forces me to do other things.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6A2MZaJszqGuKPtsgmw7B326u2lgyQaAwdFDzGu5JRPvbrVax0tvVRViZgR7Brn2kYtZOY_f3RmvocZCREnp7TOxDMJ8YCowruLP1edoeKnPUwU8QzcjedRwL_kYYC5ZMj2J34FfnDGsv9Cvg2AZUQI-u2xZw2yRuQNQuytxMDFlwdETUJuLhoX1RzU/s496/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.49.38%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="373" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6A2MZaJszqGuKPtsgmw7B326u2lgyQaAwdFDzGu5JRPvbrVax0tvVRViZgR7Brn2kYtZOY_f3RmvocZCREnp7TOxDMJ8YCowruLP1edoeKnPUwU8QzcjedRwL_kYYC5ZMj2J34FfnDGsv9Cvg2AZUQI-u2xZw2yRuQNQuytxMDFlwdETUJuLhoX1RzU/w402-h534/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.49.38%20PM.png" width="402" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>Where is the best place to promote your books? What works? What hasn’t?</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">For <span style="color: #ff00fe;">middle-grade</span>, it’s all about <span style="color: #6aa84f;">school visits</span>. I know I’m pretty new (my book came out in March 2023), but I’m pretty connected to the author community, so I <span style="color: red;">volunteered</span> a lot of my time over the years before <span style="color: #ffa400;">Miracle</span> was published. Library writing workshops and talks, Read Across America, World Read Aloud Day, creative writing club help, leading author meetups. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">And <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>after</i> publication</span>, bookstore signings in person, author panels online, blog interviews, social media, and all of the above. I will say that going into your <span style="color: #ffa400;">local bookstores</span> and talking with the salespeople works well. They can look up your book in their system and order copies right there (esp. at B&N). If you’re talking about maximum connections with readers (and sales), it’s the <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>school visits</b></span>.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b>You have tips for writers and resources on your website - do you help new writers? Do you teach or critique?</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>Yes to all!</b></span> I don’t do as much anymore because four jobs (engineering, writing, momming, and book promo) are A LOT. But I <span style="color: #e06666;">help</span> and <span style="color: #6aa84f;">read/critique</span> and <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>teach</b></span> when I can. I enjoy helping new writers.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6wYb8QglRTcPhMOnC5Rqf62mQW6YQ2k_hRIE0kY1O29bkBRvfRA-prPLob7aurHNKNFbPfTo8zN9vIDJ-wqxJLk0v4Bz2Z8idtm0QPqNKAO21KfWawmNl2gL3K5J5Z1KxSTTFc3WJ377C-GgkHeii9C4NM_Z-4nqdHO1SYL-3iDSlwSHgtorwdo5VBA/s677/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.49.11%20PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="391" height="451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6wYb8QglRTcPhMOnC5Rqf62mQW6YQ2k_hRIE0kY1O29bkBRvfRA-prPLob7aurHNKNFbPfTo8zN9vIDJ-wqxJLk0v4Bz2Z8idtm0QPqNKAO21KfWawmNl2gL3K5J5Z1KxSTTFc3WJ377C-GgkHeii9C4NM_Z-4nqdHO1SYL-3iDSlwSHgtorwdo5VBA/w261-h451/Screenshot%202023-08-25%20at%2012.49.11%20PM.png" width="261" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>What is the one question no one has asked you and you want to answer for yourself?</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">What’s your favorite food? Answer: <span style="color: #e69138;">dumplings</span>. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">________________________</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Awesome, Karen! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">I am so honored to have you on the blog. Thanks for sharing so much great information for newbie writers and those of us on the path toward publication. You rock!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">And as busy as you are, you have carved out a fabulous writing life for yourself - bravo! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Keep going! And let's all help Karen continue on her writing journey with our support. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">If you'd like to reach out to here please visit:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Karen on Instagram @ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kchowrites/" target="_blank">Kchowrites </a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Karen's <a href="https://kchowrites.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Karen on Facebook @ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KChowrites/" target="_blank">Kchowrites</a> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">____________________________________</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zJwDa7RO4p3NtjiHhA6bdFJEeE2ximuu3wZElmcnnmvqwV-WZHqpzlsyrNr-jleLusGLaV67eWdLZbn2o71D-tdQkEEVX7fnPo-GwiwFGwApaOchn3dZcyhJVQ0Af5W9XIO8ctXOBq7FWWL93T65CJKsEmLybrby-j6p_bBhoCwWXk65MHMCg-BpQso/s2048/IMG_9885.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zJwDa7RO4p3NtjiHhA6bdFJEeE2ximuu3wZElmcnnmvqwV-WZHqpzlsyrNr-jleLusGLaV67eWdLZbn2o71D-tdQkEEVX7fnPo-GwiwFGwApaOchn3dZcyhJVQ0Af5W9XIO8ctXOBq7FWWL93T65CJKsEmLybrby-j6p_bBhoCwWXk65MHMCg-BpQso/w326-h326/IMG_9885.JPG" width="326" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">And as always, if you'd like to be interviewed, reach out. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">angazur @ gmail. com</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Note: I will <i>never</i> email you asking for donations. Please be advised that scammers are out there. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div></div></div>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-44770193050776974752023-08-02T10:07:00.002-04:002023-08-02T10:08:47.361-04:00Connecting with Young Characters as Writers Age<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOy6_gM6z92X0CgLrqt3Y5N6DSc3ZPuhNorkUx1n0tWd9q7yvatfn4J_8JJH0IvUCQWyaTQOch4p15uuSnf6l5HOuX8jYdPSEw0POTxHhv-daegu_-ZRHqRPXUs37uu-1D5TsFF7j1NfpLzGdfhYPml5W6LzC3ZnDkfaTcL5NzBDlRiJEKQ3FaMn7YImI/s1800/shutterstock_1827770870.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOy6_gM6z92X0CgLrqt3Y5N6DSc3ZPuhNorkUx1n0tWd9q7yvatfn4J_8JJH0IvUCQWyaTQOch4p15uuSnf6l5HOuX8jYdPSEw0POTxHhv-daegu_-ZRHqRPXUs37uu-1D5TsFF7j1NfpLzGdfhYPml5W6LzC3ZnDkfaTcL5NzBDlRiJEKQ3FaMn7YImI/w564-h375/shutterstock_1827770870.webp" width="564" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Reconnecting with Young Characters: </span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">An Ageless Writer's Journey</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-f89cbec2-7fff-249f-1dde-33cb82983143" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, fellow writers. It's been quite a few years since I posted about staying connected with young people as a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">MUST-do</span> as a writer for <span style="color: #ffa400;">KidLit</span>. But how do we do this without being creepy or weird out there in the real world? Here is an update to that original blog: <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="https://teazurs.blogspot.com/2014/08/keep-connected-aging-writers-young.html" target="_blank">Keep Connected: Aging Writers, Young Protagonists</a></span>. </span></span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a world that constantly evolves with each passing year, <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>staying relevant as a writer</b></span>, especially when crafting stories for young audiences, can be quite challenging. As aging writers, we may have the <span style="color: #800180;">advantage</span> of <span style="color: red;">wisdom</span> and <span style="color: #ffa400;">life experience</span>, but we must also strive to <span style="color: #45818e;">keep our writing fresh</span>, authentic, and relatable to today's youth. </span></span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In this <span style="color: #ff00fe;">follow-up blog</span>, we will explore <span style="color: #f1c232;">new</span> and <span style="color: #674ea7;">innovative</span> ways for aging writers to connect with young people and their characters, enabling us to create vibrant, realistic portrayals of the younger generation.</span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsuxgefmIEzexKQ5h9vEo9N5zi7uJ2_-uJsbjUJQ_CmfA7QZWf-JWLFi4Gf5WsvSr8ejvocTGR_qaZmUc-lxumsrnY4HxYXSCuAnRSwxqnAeFV-NlY1iqL4177s46VmjD1GN_igl9Ekeg4umAGORNaBIMxH25y-U1PQIbc-Tlb1r6Q4bthkJ9SE1tvQ4/s5325/bruce-mars-KWXEWVRJ1IE-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3425" data-original-width="5325" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsuxgefmIEzexKQ5h9vEo9N5zi7uJ2_-uJsbjUJQ_CmfA7QZWf-JWLFi4Gf5WsvSr8ejvocTGR_qaZmUc-lxumsrnY4HxYXSCuAnRSwxqnAeFV-NlY1iqL4177s46VmjD1GN_igl9Ekeg4umAGORNaBIMxH25y-U1PQIbc-Tlb1r6Q4bthkJ9SE1tvQ4/w505-h325/bruce-mars-KWXEWVRJ1IE-unsplash.jpg" width="505" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Embrace Technology and Social Media:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the most significant changes since our teenage years is the advent of <span style="color: #01ffff;"><b>technology</b></span> and social media. As writers, we need to familiarize ourselves with the digital landscape in which today's youth live. This means <span style="color: #800180;">understanding</span> popular social media platforms, online trends, and communication styles. <span style="color: #ffa400;">Engaging</span> with young readers on these platforms can provide invaluable insights into their thoughts, interests, and concerns. It can help us portray their interactions and emotions more <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>authentically</b></span> in our writing. I know - you might be <span style="color: red;">rolling your eyes</span> or <span style="color: #ff00fe;">sticking out your</span> <span style="color: #ff00fe;">tongues</span>, but you have to stay up to date on the latest technology and social media trends. </span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Participate in Online Communities:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Young people often <span style="color: red;">congregate</span> in online communities centered around their favorite <span style="color: #ffa400;">books</span>, <span style="color: #f1c232;">shows</span>, <span style="color: #6aa84f;">movies</span>, or <span style="color: #45818e;">hobbies</span>. Joining these communities not only allows us to observe and understand their passions but also creates opportunities for <span style="color: #674ea7;">meaningful interactions</span>. Engaging in discussions with young readers can provide valuable <span style="color: #3d85c6;">feedback</span> and <span style="color: #a64d79;">ideas</span> for our writing, as well as <span style="color: #ff00fe;">build</span> a sense of camaraderie between us and our target audience.</span></span></p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Attend Young Adult Events and Conferences:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Literary events, conventions, and workshops focused on young adult fiction can be <span style="color: red;">invaluable</span> for an aging writer seeking to connect with young readers. Not only do these events offer the chance to <span style="color: #6aa84f;">meet and interact with our audience</span>, but they also provide insights into the <span style="color: #2b00fe;">current trends</span>, themes, and issues that resonate with today's youth. And <span style="color: #ff00fe;">networking</span> with fellow <span style="color: #ffa400;">writers</span> and <span style="color: #674ea7;">industry professionals</span> can keep us abreast of the latest developments in the young adult genre.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXwu8M9xgqVMhNRaVNbrR_fQS6TzZJFiwg_UdjsBvAcrQOVWTbXfeARGgE32hNVltA7MZzeAW7bzn47MHn1ywMsVAu5TS83IUvqhz7vgOL1jYzC3wvvW8ErSO4iIYOLxBK1XDEhlE76LcFryGIvFZiHUJwgewwdqJwlGU8EjGvUI-Ym61Ks4zy6hBM9A/s6016/rohit-farmer-cYRMl1HeuVo-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6016" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXwu8M9xgqVMhNRaVNbrR_fQS6TzZJFiwg_UdjsBvAcrQOVWTbXfeARGgE32hNVltA7MZzeAW7bzn47MHn1ywMsVAu5TS83IUvqhz7vgOL1jYzC3wvvW8ErSO4iIYOLxBK1XDEhlE76LcFryGIvFZiHUJwgewwdqJwlGU8EjGvUI-Ym61Ks4zy6hBM9A/w524-h349/rohit-farmer-cYRMl1HeuVo-unsplash.jpg" width="524" /></a></div><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Engage in Sensitivity Reading:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we write about young characters with </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">diverse</span><span style="font-size: large;"> backgrounds and experiences, it's essential to ensure authenticity and avoid harmful </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>stereotypes</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">. Consider working with </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">sensitivity</span><span style="font-size: large;"> readers from various backgrounds to gain insights into cultural nuances, experiences, and perspectives. By doing so, we can create more </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">respectful</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and representative portrayals that </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">resonate</span><span style="font-size: large;"> with a broader range of </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>young readers</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Stay Curious and Open-Minded:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Aging should never become a </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">barrier</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to understanding and connecting with younger generations. Stay </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><b>curious</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> about the world they inhabit, their values, and their aspirations. Be <span style="color: #ff00fe;">open-minded</span> and <span style="color: #ffa400;">willing to learn</span> from them, as this willingness to grow will enrich both our </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">writing and our lives.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KSJh8Reo13ulQU3zAnL5b7FR6jQ7ZIDd0Zs0PRjROHzgReo_aihady7l5Z0eQGMJTyK6uGKPAaP4U1HNcsWeUQvR6Y6Xl-iW3BoHzz54C7RhgvcDtA828lXFtyYgZ03EzWKPc_bXptigK1KtHL6kANaPKanp47gvITuYQpk8sjBOTxs4y0mdRMCGWlY/s5659/bahram-bayat-6vo7Plcg7s4-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3680" data-original-width="5659" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KSJh8Reo13ulQU3zAnL5b7FR6jQ7ZIDd0Zs0PRjROHzgReo_aihady7l5Z0eQGMJTyK6uGKPAaP4U1HNcsWeUQvR6Y6Xl-iW3BoHzz54C7RhgvcDtA828lXFtyYgZ03EzWKPc_bXptigK1KtHL6kANaPKanp47gvITuYQpk8sjBOTxs4y0mdRMCGWlY/w546-h356/bahram-bayat-6vo7Plcg7s4-unsplash.jpg" width="546" /></a></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Update Yourself and Your Wardrobe:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">If you're a writer aiming to captivate young minds and be seen as a </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>role model</b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> in their eyes, there's an often overlooked but significant aspect to consider – your </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">style</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">. Kids can be quite discerning and eager to connect with someone they perceive as </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><b>hip</b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> and </span><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: large;"><b>cool</b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">, especially during book signings or school presentations. While this may seem like a daunting task, it doesn't have to be about spending a fortune on a wardrobe overhaul or a drastic hairstyle change. It's about being </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"><b>authentic</b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">relatable</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">, and showcasing your </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">unique</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> personality.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">As aging writers, we possess a treasure trove of </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">experiences</span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> and insights that can enrich our young adult fiction. However, to </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>remain relevant</b></span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> and create compelling characters, we must actively seek to <span style="color: #f1c232;">connect</span> with today's youth. <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Embracing</span> technology, <span style="color: #45818e;">participating</span> in online communities, <span style="color: #3d85c6;">attending</span> young adult events, <span style="color: #674ea7;">engaging</span> in sensitivity reading, and <span style="color: #ff00fe;">staying curious</span> are all essential steps in this journey. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">By bridging the </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">generation gap</span><span style="font-size: large;">, we can create stories that resonate deeply with young readers, shaping their lives, thoughts, and dreams, just as the books we read in our youth influenced us. Let's <span style="color: #01ffff;"><b>embrace the challenge</b></span> and <span style="color: #2b00fe;">delight</span> of understanding and representing the youth of today as we <span style="color: red;">continue to evolve as writers</span>.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOKsTyqOGTIbyky9bfyKhBjdwIQLIWELzWTVHlAQvRSOZ5cuq-Nu8YpUyY26M8WZggpKMO9dp65pS-RkCPIPkrcRWUg0WZ1RXtZ7mVcboKzxPONsGcrPmoxSQVNIiyA1W2iYRrqvzAVe_IdftuyFr0CP2_bj4dR-Dh7LW-qdzItL3EWEA_ZWwmCZ-s_4/s245/IMG_2294.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOKsTyqOGTIbyky9bfyKhBjdwIQLIWELzWTVHlAQvRSOZ5cuq-Nu8YpUyY26M8WZggpKMO9dp65pS-RkCPIPkrcRWUg0WZ1RXtZ7mVcboKzxPONsGcrPmoxSQVNIiyA1W2iYRrqvzAVe_IdftuyFr0CP2_bj4dR-Dh7LW-qdzItL3EWEA_ZWwmCZ-s_4/w225-h300/IMG_2294.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Until next time,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Be Cool & Write~on</span></span></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Angie</span></span></p><div><br /><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-47679922133344391552023-07-26T13:25:00.005-04:002023-07-29T15:08:47.683-04:00Author Interview with Laura Parnum <p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">K</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #fcff01; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">d</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">L</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">t</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alert</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Interview with </span><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Traditionally Published</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Debut Middle-Grade Author of</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Peril at Price Manor</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Laura Parnum</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; scroll-behavior: auto; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3ZDFPGxj2cv4xsHHRnSrEG7JKQpFxGlFVoPscmAJ5CgtmWFMO2gNeT0bpYRNP5ZX6_X-6umOJsEeeGXR-I8u9OCNaH4-TqH9j9poFZhneFNS2qeIWipoY_KeUheNIYxRe-rBYMPuuLJoJwygo24pbCBRzJB9bQKCK4W5Vpwkg8C8YKFbKKPZqKSzRSE/s536/Parnum%20SM%20Headshot.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="490" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3ZDFPGxj2cv4xsHHRnSrEG7JKQpFxGlFVoPscmAJ5CgtmWFMO2gNeT0bpYRNP5ZX6_X-6umOJsEeeGXR-I8u9OCNaH4-TqH9j9poFZhneFNS2qeIWipoY_KeUheNIYxRe-rBYMPuuLJoJwygo24pbCBRzJB9bQKCK4W5Vpwkg8C8YKFbKKPZqKSzRSE/w355-h388/Parnum%20SM%20Headshot.png" width="355" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large; scroll-behavior: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>You have an MG coming out this August: What’s the title, and why should we read it?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">My wacky middle-grade novel is called...</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>Peril at Price Manor</b></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s got horror themes, but honestly, it’s more <span style="color: #674ea7;">humorous</span> than <span style="color: #b45f06;">frightening</span>, so it’s perfect for kids who are interested in dipping their toes into the genre as well as kids who are already <span style="color: red;">horror fans.</span> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyZH_6pDsyR--YD7_QkXfuDAiOmEdpQrIl6UKo7yXkqNZXbJGbf8xFpLNbDJfWuo_EqRDmMP506sXEtPgM4ZcpMMRACysMSCyvVI2hQ-NCZwpvtFqLTX2PUzK42z_MuOP1dgOais4hCUmfDpOI7wADjzHH5DxQyTxzJ9rUusvdaE51Lc6Yjc9_X0bQCw/s510/Screenshot%202023-07-26%20at%2012.58.56%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="340" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyZH_6pDsyR--YD7_QkXfuDAiOmEdpQrIl6UKo7yXkqNZXbJGbf8xFpLNbDJfWuo_EqRDmMP506sXEtPgM4ZcpMMRACysMSCyvVI2hQ-NCZwpvtFqLTX2PUzK42z_MuOP1dgOais4hCUmfDpOI7wADjzHH5DxQyTxzJ9rUusvdaE51Lc6Yjc9_X0bQCw/w358-h537/Screenshot%202023-07-26%20at%2012.58.56%20PM.png" width="358" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The story follows </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">12-year-old Halle</span><span style="font-size: large;">, who is determined to someday play the <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>Damsel in Distress </b></span>in a horror film, but when she gets the chance to deliver flowers to her idol, the famous horror movie maker <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Maximus Price</span>, she finds a real (though somewhat hilarious) horror scene at Price Manor and must use all her knowledge of horror movies to stop thinking like a Damsel in Distress and start thinking like a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Heroine</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>You like creepy settings - what is the creepiest place you’ve been, and what age were you? Anything creepy happen? </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I remember a </span><span style="color: #800180; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">camping trip</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> with my family and some other families when I was about thirteen or fourteen. We’d been telling </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">scary stories by the campfire</span><span style="font-size: large;">, mostly courtesy of my </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>dad</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, so my mind was filled with these frightening thoughts already when someone suggested we walk through the nearby </span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;">cemetery</span><span style="font-size: large;">. Of course, the teens in the group were game, so we set out with our flashlights into the cemetery. One person said, </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">“Wouldn’t it be terrifying if we saw all </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">our names on the gravestones?” </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, not long after that comment, we came across a <span style="color: #2b00fe;">gravestone</span> with the name PARNELL on it. Even though it wasn’t PARNUM, it was close enough for me and my sister to be adequately creeped out!</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Love that you find typos in books, even at an early age - do you edit your own work? What’s it like to work with a big house publisher and editor? </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I do try to get my own work to be <span style="color: #ffa400;">as error-free as possible</span>, but when you’re the author, you are often so close to the work that your eyes often overlook the errors. Since your brain knows what the manuscript is <i><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>supposed</b></span></i> to say, it will “fill in the gaps,” so to speak, and correct the errors in your mind, whether those are typos, problems with sentence structure, repetitive phrasing, or errors in a plot line. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">For this reason, it’s always best to have </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">someone else edit your work. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">And the more eyes on your work, the better because an <span style="color: #800180;">editor</span> may miss things that a <span style="color: red;">proofreader</span> will catch further down the line. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Working with a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">big-house publisher and editor</span> has been great. Publishing a book in this way is </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">a team effort</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, and I felt that my manuscript was in good hands in both the revision stage and the copyediting and proofreading stages.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Why should newbie writers have someone else read their manuscripts before querying?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When you’re querying, you want your manuscript to be in the very best shape you can get it. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Beta readers and </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">critique partners are so important! </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When a story is in your head, it may not translate exactly from your brain to the page. <i><span style="color: #674ea7;">You may leave something crucial out that your mind knows, but the reader doesn’t.</span></i> Your beta readers and critique partners will be able to point out when something isn’t clear or if something seems to be missing. They will also be looking at your manuscript with a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">critical eye</span> and be able to spot places where you can <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>“show not tell”</b></span> or when you’ve <span style="color: #cc0000;">repeated</span> information that doesn’t need to be repeated, just to name a few examples. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">And most importantly</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, they are also reading your work as a first-time reader, much like an agent or editor that you will be querying would be doing, so your beta readers will be able to let you know how well the <span style="color: #ffa400;">story grabs their attention</span> and pulls them in, which is exactly what you want an agent or editor to feel when they read your query and sample pages.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>How long did it take you to become a published author? What was that path like for you?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Oh, a very long time!</span></b> I started writing <i>Peril at Price Manor</i> way back<i> </i>in 2014! (It had a different title back then.) There were lots of revisions during that time, but there was also plenty of downtime during which I was waiting for responses. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">I joined </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">SCBWI</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">, where I attended </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">conferences</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">workshops</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to learn about craft and the publishing industry, purchased critiques from professionals like agents and editors who helped me understand what was working and what wasn’t, and met other writers and </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><b>kid-lit professionals</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> to help </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">build community</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">share resources.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> At one point, I changed a major part of the premise of the novel, so that was a </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><i>huge</i> rewrite</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">. I finally signed with my phenomenal agent, <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/kaitlyn-katsoupis/" target="_blank">Kaitlyn Katsoupis</a></span>, in January 2021, and things really got moving from there. The book will release in 2023, so that’s <span style="color: #e69138;">nine years</span> from when I first sat down to start writing it. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I should also mention that my short story “<a href="https://parhelionliterary.com/laura-parnum/"><span class="s1">Mrs. Claiborne’s Ghost</span></a>” was published in October 2020 with <i>Parhelion Literary Magazine</i>, so that was technically my first publication and only took about six months compared to nine years!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsKijK5lx3JxMCQKCXFCzIu8mq-14vifX-Mx1A9jGDTFECOj04fY2658xZL60_S95iwHsLPKbpLXlM8Zkh47n5BChi5JKAgGGY-8JUSFNjW5dO9vLXxyGHAUgAxRTjHuEbLc8kF-nzcITvcFd3TN9IKdiuI5u0lUxkqoSXXGoJ8IzY8s_cdjAl14YhkM/s1500/124_Laura_Parnum_022-Edit_r4m_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1500" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsKijK5lx3JxMCQKCXFCzIu8mq-14vifX-Mx1A9jGDTFECOj04fY2658xZL60_S95iwHsLPKbpLXlM8Zkh47n5BChi5JKAgGGY-8JUSFNjW5dO9vLXxyGHAUgAxRTjHuEbLc8kF-nzcITvcFd3TN9IKdiuI5u0lUxkqoSXXGoJ8IzY8s_cdjAl14YhkM/w501-h335/124_Laura_Parnum_022-Edit_r4m_01.jpg" width="501" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>You also have a freelance editing service; tell us about that and why we should hire you. </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My first job after college was in journal production at a medical publishing company, where I got my feet wet in <span style="color: #2b00fe;">copyediting</span>. I really loved that aspect of the job—<span style="color: #e69138;">cleaning up manuscripts and formatting them to each journal’s specific style</span>. After I left that job, I was ready and eager to move into the fiction editing realm. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I joined the <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Editorial Freelancers Association</span>, took a few more editing courses, built a website, and started editing novels! Although I consider myself a slow editor, I like to think that </span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I’m very thorough.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> I’ll read each manuscript multiple times and create a detailed <span style="color: #ff00fe;">style guide</span> for each book, which I share with the client as part of the editing package. I’ve had clients tell me how helpful the style guide is, <span style="color: #ffa400;">especially if they are working on a series.</span> I include character details, settings, names of places, world-building rules (especially helpful in paranormal or fantasy books), and a timeline. All of this helps ensure consistency throughout a novel or series.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>You love libraries, like all of us writers. Which library is your favorite and why? </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">A favorite library? How can I choose? </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">They are all pretty amazing. My neighborhood library when I was a kid had </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">a giant wooden dragon sculpture</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> with bookshelves in its belly. It’s hard to top that. But really, I think I’d be happy exploring any library.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>You have pets - a turtle that bites and a snake that doesn’t. Explain, please. </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My snake is a </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">ball python </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">named <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Monty</span> that I inherited after my dad passed away. Monty is more than 30 years old now and has performed in <span style="color: #674ea7;">magic shows</span>, on film, and at birthday parties. He looks intimidating—he’s over five feet long and thicker than my arm, but <span style="color: #800180;">he’s a gentle soul</span> (unless you’re a rat) and doesn’t mind being handled. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’ve had my </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">turtle</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> for nearly as long as we’ve had the snake. He’s an aquatic turtle about the size of my fist, and his name is <span style="color: #ffa400;">Hamlet</span>. He swims around excitedly when I approach his aquarium to feed him, but yeah, <span style="color: #ff00fe;">he might bite</span> if you pick him up the wrong way! I bought him for three dollars from a kid in my Philly neighborhood who was randomly selling animals from his front stoop, so I guess <i><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Hamlet is a street-tough turtle.</span></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVQ0QNs0cN-f_9rhSXd8KWJybFvbli77glVJ8LkE-eOHvOqr_QVb7OUAqXOkwMlX8_6IjLSWr01OE2-usAmzX9UGpcnvN3dqhTu77T9dcI7bCyrP4-6-DVtn7lluMDaqFVoPk_C8AjSs3cgqKqTBLM5udWRlRqWkmSSHVhjdHkxt8IYCo2wolH3Hmg3Y/s618/Screenshot%202023-07-26%20at%201.00.54%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="614" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVQ0QNs0cN-f_9rhSXd8KWJybFvbli77glVJ8LkE-eOHvOqr_QVb7OUAqXOkwMlX8_6IjLSWr01OE2-usAmzX9UGpcnvN3dqhTu77T9dcI7bCyrP4-6-DVtn7lluMDaqFVoPk_C8AjSs3cgqKqTBLM5udWRlRqWkmSSHVhjdHkxt8IYCo2wolH3Hmg3Y/w366-h368/Screenshot%202023-07-26%20at%201.00.54%20PM.png" width="366" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Your debut is coming out soon - what other books are you working on now? </b></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I’m working on my next book with HarperCollins.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> It’s not a sequel. This one has a </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">ghost</span><span style="font-size: large;">! Then I have another work-in-progress about </span><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="font-size: large;">a kid who has </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">supervillain</span><span style="font-size: large;"> parents</span></span><span style="font-size: large;">, which is in very rough draft form, and then I have some other story beginnings and outlines that are in queue for when the ghost one is finished.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>I used to do some acting in horror movies when I lived in Pittsburgh, PA - what draws you to horror?</b> <b>Why does your MC want to be a Damsel in Distress in a horror film?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">That’s so cool that you acted in horror movies! <span style="color: red;">My dad</span> was a collector of movie memorabilia—mostly horror—so we had a whole room in our house that held his collection. The walls were covered with <span style="color: #800180;">posters</span>—even on the ceiling—and he had tons of <span style="color: #ffa400;">books</span> and <span style="color: #0b5394;">magazine</span> and <span style="color: #6aa84f;">movie stills</span>. He even edited a magazine devoted to horror, science fiction, and fantasy movies and was a contributor to several anthologies about horror movies. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I was basically immersed </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">in horror from a very young age. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Don’t get me wrong—it was definitely scary when I was little, or when I watched things like <i>Nightmare on Elm Street</i> and <i>The Exorcist</i> when I was waaaaay too young. But eventually those horror movies just <span style="color: #ffa400;">became a part of life for me</span>—maybe even <span style="color: #674ea7;">a WAY of life</span>, haha! </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My main character wants to be a Damsel in Distress because she loves the genre, but she sees herself more as a <span style="color: #6aa84f;">victim</span> than a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">hero</span>. But <span style="color: red;">she’s actually a hero</span> through and through! (She just has to learn that for herself.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>The cover of your book is awesome - spooky and inviting at the same time. Did you have input on the decision?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I knew I wanted <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Price Manor</b></span> on the cover, and I gave my publisher some samples of other book covers that I liked in terms of art style and composition. My publisher selected the illustrator, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pauhami/" target="_blank">Pauliina Hannuniemi</a>, and I fell in <span style="color: red;">love</span> with her <span style="color: #ffa400;">artwork</span>. I was able to give some feedback on the initial sketch, but I must say, I was pretty in love with what Pauliina created from the beginning. I couldn’t be happier with the cover!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>With a busy life and lots of writing - how do you destress? </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I do <span style="color: #ff00fe;">run</span> regularly for exercise. Sometimes a <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>bike ride</b></span> with my son, but that’s more for pleasure. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Can you guess where I like to run and bike? </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A cemetery!</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>If you could go back to your younger self and tell her three things that would help her get published - what would those be?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Number one:</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> It’s not impossible. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">Number two:</span> Diligence and patience will pay off—keep going. <span style="color: #ffa400;">And number three:</span> Have fun with it!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>You are a member of MGin23 - what is this group? How do you help one another?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">MGin23</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> is a group of authors who all have a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">middle-grade</span> debut coming out in 2023. We help one another by sharing <span style="color: #ffa400;">experiences</span> and <span style="color: #f1c232;">resources</span> about everything from marketing to book events to working on our next books. We <span style="color: #2b00fe;">cheer each other</span> on and <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>boost</b></span> one another on social media. If we are able, we read one another’s <span style="color: #45818e;">ARCs and post reviews</span>, which are extremely helpful to authors. It’s a really supportive group, and we learn so much from one another.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>My readers often ask me how to get an agent to notice you….what was your secret?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’m represented by the fantastic <a href="https://www.belcastroagency.com/" target="_blank">Kaitlyn Katsoupis of Belcastro Agency.</a> In my hunt for an agent, I did a lot of research. <a href="http://manuscriptwishlist.com" target="_blank"><span class="s1">manuscriptwishlist.com</span></a> was one of my go-to resources, but I also <span style="color: #ffa400;">followed agents on social media</span>, searched their <span style="color: red;">bios</span> online, and scoured the <i>Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market</i> book to <span style="color: #ff00fe;">learn as much as possible</span>. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Whenever I discovered an agent who I thought would be a good fit for my book </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">based on their taste</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, I would add them to my list. Then my strategy was to <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>send out ten queries at a time</b></span> to see if I could get any bites. I received a few requests for more materials but lots of <span style="color: red;">rejections</span>. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I didn’t let the rejections get me too down. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">It’s part of the business! </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In fact, I remember when I received my first rejection. Instead of being crushed, I looked at it as a <span style="color: #e69138;">milestone</span>. <span style="color: #ff00fe;">A rite of passage.</span> I was doing the thing writers do—getting rejected! But back to my strategy. <i><span style="color: #6aa84f;">If I didn’t get any offers with the ten queries I sent out, I would do some revisions</span></i>—either to my sample pages or my query pitch, or the synopsis. Then I would send out the next batch of ten. Finally, <span style="color: red;">after years of querying</span> <span style="color: red;">and revising</span>, I found my match in Kaitlyn!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Your MC is a good screamer - are you? Could your scream be in a horror movie? </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Nope! </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’m definitely not a screamer. I’m super quiet! I’m more of a “deer in headlights” when it comes to fear and danger.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1phyxtEpF36s5hFxUqz1JeRDi_h3QaNNZ1wjPlEKe9T5xJLZYHXgGuxXX2G9ppQfctzwRPnQOCSkDRmF1yNosUHtL7SHp6dQ4vga4En4SGDGVT5tV0b8QM3_oBPWiS8Ds40xsglBh3hi_O3DOQ62wxkmtS-aN2ossXCCVwS6_2IdaxJ8Yce7xiB5bqU/s1100/Screenshot%202023-07-26%20at%2012.59.27%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1100" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1phyxtEpF36s5hFxUqz1JeRDi_h3QaNNZ1wjPlEKe9T5xJLZYHXgGuxXX2G9ppQfctzwRPnQOCSkDRmF1yNosUHtL7SHp6dQ4vga4En4SGDGVT5tV0b8QM3_oBPWiS8Ds40xsglBh3hi_O3DOQ62wxkmtS-aN2ossXCCVwS6_2IdaxJ8Yce7xiB5bqU/w676-h470/Screenshot%202023-07-26%20at%2012.59.27%20PM.png" width="676" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>I love the premise of your book (and so do many others, see above photo) - how did you come up with it?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The idea really started with the dad in the book, Maximus Price. He has a lot of similarities to </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;"><b>my own dad, who loved horror movies</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> and some good pranks. But Maximus Price is definitely not my dad. He’s a </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">caricature</span><span style="font-size: large;"> of a parent who takes everything to the extreme, either in terms of his <span style="color: #6aa84f;">playful mischievousness</span> or his need to <span style="color: red;">protect</span> and <span style="color: #800180;">shelter</span> his loved ones from harm, and when he goes to those extremes, it actually ends up being detrimental to those loved ones. But since the book is for kids, I wanted to portray this in a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">lighthearted and over-the-top</span> way so that my readers would find it hilarious and farcical rather than disturbing.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>What is the secret to writing for kids? What should newbie writers understand about writing for children?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">One secret is to read, read, read!</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> If you’re writing for kids, you need to immerse yourself in <span style="color: #2b00fe;">books for kids</span> and not just in one genre, such as horror. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">You’ll want to read lots of genres </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">from a diverse range of authors. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">And as you’re reading, you’ll want to really think about all the elements of the book—character, setting, voice, themes, plot points, etc. <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Take notes! </span>I keep a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">reading journal</span> where I do a write-up after each book I read. I write down my thoughts on things like characters and pacing and what I liked or what I didn’t like. I’ll even write down some of my <span style="color: #f1c232;">favorite sentences</span> for inspiration. Another secret is to try to be around kids who are the age you are writing for. Parents and teachers have an easy time with this, but you can also <span style="color: red;">observe kids</span> at the park or the library, or even the supermarket. (Just <span style="color: #674ea7;">don’t be</span> <span style="color: #674ea7;">creepy</span> about it!)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Why did you choose to go the traditional publishing route instead of self-publishing? </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">There are definitely advantages and disadvantages to both methods. For me, I was interested in </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">traditional publishing</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> because of the <span style="color: red;">reach</span> that traditional publishers have with <span style="color: #ffa400;">markets</span>, including booksellers but also educational markets (schools, libraries, and teachers), which is really important for middle-grade books. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If I were to </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">self-publish</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, I imagine it would take an extreme amount of <span style="color: #800180;">effort</span> on my part to get my book in the hands of readers. A publishing company has <span style="color: #ff00fe;">marketing teams</span> and <span style="color: #674ea7;">publicists</span> who can do a lot to get the book in front of the right audience. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Of course, I’ll be doing a lot to <span style="color: #2b00fe;">promote</span> my book, but as a shy introvert-type person, <span style="color: #6aa84f;">I definitely like to focus my energy on the writing</span> part of the profession. Working with a traditional publisher also helped me feel like my book was in good hands every step of the way, from revisions and cover design to copyedits and promotion!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Do you belong to any critique groups or writing groups, like SCBWI? </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Absolutely! My </span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">critique group</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> has been meeting up since 2016, so we’re pretty tight. We take turns reviewing one another’s work on a rolling basis, and they’ve been so instrumental in my journey to getting published. In addition to reviewing each other’s work, we provide <span style="color: #ffa400;">moral support</span> and <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>share opportunities</b></span> that we hear about. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">In addition to that, I’m also a </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Co-Regional Advisor for the Eastern PA chapter of SCBWI</span><span style="font-size: large;">. </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">SCBWI</span><span style="font-size: large;"> has been another big part of my writing journey, from resources and workshops to building community. I definitely recommend joining and taking advantage of all the programs and offerings that are available. It’s a great way to <span style="color: #45818e;">improve</span> your craft, <span style="color: #674ea7;">learn</span> about the publishing business, and <span style="color: #a64d79;">meet</span> authors and industry professionals.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXagbeETDgSraA_IZtRb_8hkTdSGtemvmOVvK-q1GfHJsNshKSC3dMnFobbnwWrkeeX5idA9Z58sWSgFf0tTsr2cgP2NKdopESLPPPWunTG1evBOQMdVPDw4vAljcFZVCuFtxbMo0SFR8JM0aUkuZ7WhAJjA0n0Lbb1REdoCrJI0nQZ-eFTb-JUN5jlw/s619/Screenshot%202023-07-26%20at%201.15.18%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="617" height="485" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXagbeETDgSraA_IZtRb_8hkTdSGtemvmOVvK-q1GfHJsNshKSC3dMnFobbnwWrkeeX5idA9Z58sWSgFf0tTsr2cgP2NKdopESLPPPWunTG1evBOQMdVPDw4vAljcFZVCuFtxbMo0SFR8JM0aUkuZ7WhAJjA0n0Lbb1REdoCrJI0nQZ-eFTb-JUN5jlw/w484-h485/Screenshot%202023-07-26%20at%201.15.18%20PM.png" width="484" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Give a shout-out to your fellow writers - anyone else releasing in the next few months of 23?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’d like to shout out my fellow </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">debut</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> buddies: From the </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mgin23/" target="_blank">MGin23</a></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> group, the upcoming releases are...</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Wendy Parris’s <i>Field of Screams</i> (August 1) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Kacy Ritter’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">The Great Texas Dragon Race</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> (August 1)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Stephanie Willing’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">West of the Sea</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> (August 15) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Matt McMann’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Terror in Shadow Canyon</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> (August 22) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Ree Augustine’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Hangabout: Far From Home</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> (August 29) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Justine Pucella Winans’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">The Otherwoods</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> (September 12) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Emi Pinto’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Bee Bakshi and the Gingerbread Sisters</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> (September 12)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Isi Hendrix’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> (September 19) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Thushanthi Ponweera’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I Am Kavi </i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">(September 19) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Elisa Stone Leahy’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Tethered to Other Stars </i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">(October 3) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">DaVaun Sanders’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew </i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">(October 17) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Rhonda Roumani’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Tagging Freedom</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> (November 7) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Fiona Cook’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">The Wheel of the Year</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> (November 28) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Ali Terese’s </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Free Period</i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> (March 5, 2024)</span></li></ul><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Then from </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Eastern PA SCBWI</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, some upcoming releases are:</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Ellen Ramsey’s <i>A Book for Bear </i>(July 18) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Heather Pierce Stigall’s <i>Paisley’s Big Birthday</i> (August 22) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Dana Kramaroff’s <i>The Do More Club</i> (August 29), and </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Jessica Whipple’s <i>I Think I Think A Lot </i>(August 29) </span></li></ul><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>Wow! So many great books coming out!!</b></span></span></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Thanks so much for all your wonderful questions and for featuring me and my book on </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Teazurs!</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> This was a lot of fun!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpomWO5iK3C0Ldw5NZBA-N1dOGfbLb6QjTTNrawDig2s0bUfMilMhT0dKEXglirURkDMBNekvESFElvTCBtENwqiFQrN1u8o8AkjaNgICb-vBYbn94D5W3A5rS9a2thJkfoZIUMYyRilT5X9Mff3VRFd8uyo32NrFd_y0k5OK_jqX6b1RGK34ASEs4oTs/s614/Screenshot%202023-07-26%20at%201.00.41%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="614" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpomWO5iK3C0Ldw5NZBA-N1dOGfbLb6QjTTNrawDig2s0bUfMilMhT0dKEXglirURkDMBNekvESFElvTCBtENwqiFQrN1u8o8AkjaNgICb-vBYbn94D5W3A5rS9a2thJkfoZIUMYyRilT5X9Mff3VRFd8uyo32NrFd_y0k5OK_jqX6b1RGK34ASEs4oTs/w433-h375/Screenshot%202023-07-26%20at%201.00.41%20PM.png" width="433" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">___________________________</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Yes, Wow! And I raise you a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wowza</span><span style="color: red;">!</span> </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Thank you, Laura! </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">What a great and informative interview. Seems like there's no stopping you or Middle-Grade books. I love MG stories because I am always left with hope, hope for the world, the characters, and myself. And I look forward to seeing yours in bookstores all over the place. I might just have to add it to my odd collection of scary books for kids. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>If you'd like to find out more about Laura Parnum, please check out her website and social media below.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Website: <a href="http://www.LauraParnum.com" target="_blank"><span class="s1">www.LauraParnum.com</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Twitter(X): <a href="https://twitter.com/LauraParnum" target="_blank">@LauraParnum</a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lauraparnum/" target="_blank">@LauraParnum</a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">____________________</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If you'd like to be interviewed, please reach out.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Angazur@ gmail.com</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7gqjGpkS1DgQVVTYTH-EZmCT3irOa3b0MwxBGaJJN18faj4UmorIDbwCxsqfKDM6g4t5CuDCpg9rD6oVTHuj8RuHHQyVxsE3OhSKWyMq_OKgnSxhs91-BtuungzEKPTuwpL7MCfE5D_604z0VubaEQ6SBRqKFyo6LdFJLgdV5mXch_7rna9KX_08PSs/s2048/IMG_9885.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7gqjGpkS1DgQVVTYTH-EZmCT3irOa3b0MwxBGaJJN18faj4UmorIDbwCxsqfKDM6g4t5CuDCpg9rD6oVTHuj8RuHHQyVxsE3OhSKWyMq_OKgnSxhs91-BtuungzEKPTuwpL7MCfE5D_604z0VubaEQ6SBRqKFyo6LdFJLgdV5mXch_7rna9KX_08PSs/s320/IMG_9885.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-41550023789047027082023-07-24T12:51:00.005-04:002023-07-25T09:54:33.740-04:00AI and the Creative BOOM<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCXezsscAHzwBSrCRxcHihlQSDmYxovuokZb-wIc2xfhnj2c3k6rnDx3ZbaFUZSw01sTlN-t1KmBAuZsNky5BJzVie3tum6NbcolaY_L2457As39vNaD60uHanNBblXAnJhNx2IJYMWOrPB7e44LwGUc3n1QGqe6l9-IYjhK_96ja6N4lUUInI54b6DA/s245/OIP-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="245" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCXezsscAHzwBSrCRxcHihlQSDmYxovuokZb-wIc2xfhnj2c3k6rnDx3ZbaFUZSw01sTlN-t1KmBAuZsNky5BJzVie3tum6NbcolaY_L2457As39vNaD60uHanNBblXAnJhNx2IJYMWOrPB7e44LwGUc3n1QGqe6l9-IYjhK_96ja6N4lUUInI54b6DA/w316-h316/OIP-1.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">AI Creative Content Explosion</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">by Angie Azur</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The rise of AI has indeed made it easier for people to engage in creative pursuits such as writing and art. The accessibility of tools and platforms for self-publishing and sharing creative work has </span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">democratized</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> the creative process to a great extent. While this has resulted in a significant increase in the volume of content being produced, it doesn't necessarily mean that the trend will end or that the </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">quality of work will suffer</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> in the long term. Or does it?</span></p><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We are experiencing a </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>creative content explosion</b></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> across all literature genres and within the arts in general. I started noticing it when writers first began <span style="color: #6aa84f;">self-publishing</span> their books about ten+ years ago. Fed up with the sluggish <span style="color: #2b00fe;">snail pace of the big publishing houses</span> and <span style="color: #e06666;">being rejected by agents</span> searching for big-ticket books instead of writers with a passion for writing, writers took matters into their own hands and published their works. And with the introduction of <span style="color: #800180;">websites that help artists connect to clients </span>and sell their work without having to pay for a studio, well, it seems everyone who ever thought, "I can make that, too," now has an Etsy account. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">But now, with the release of </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">AI for writers and artists</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, every creative outlet is exploding with so much content it's <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>overwhelming!</b></span> For not only those who want to purchase books and art but anyone wanting to listen to music or peruse architectural plans, recipes, television shows, and movies to jewelry, women's and men's circles, and even breweries, there are mountains and valleys of mostly non-vetted creative content. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>It seems anyone who has ever had a passing</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b> interest in creating something </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>is now doing just that.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Many creatives think this is great! Everyone should have access to play in the creative realms. </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Leveling the creative fields</span><span style="font-size: large;"> by offering people free or small fees to try their creative side is amazing. But others are saying, hold on. If it's too easy, then the </span><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">work that is being produced is <i><b>not</b></i> high quality.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Much of it is just loud, obnoxious noise that is drowning out the voices of artists, writers, and creative people who are </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">truly passionate</span><span style="font-size: large;"> about their work and have had proper training and built their skills over a lifetime of hard work and practice. The <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>quickly made art</b></span>, books, plans, recipes, music, etc...are just passing ideas, not passions earned through education or by practice making perfect, but </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">AI models producing subpar works</span><span style="font-size: large;"> for humans to pass off as their own. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">So how does the consumer </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">know the difference</span><span style="font-size: large;"> between someone with a creative passion who has learned their craft and is a master at it - versus someone who thinks they can make a </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">quick buck</span><span style="font-size: large;"> by creating AI books and other creative items and selling them to the </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><b>inundated</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> public?</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Here are some <span style="color: red;">tips</span> on finding <span style="color: #3d85c6;">authors</span> you can follow that are in love with writing and have learned their craft fully or <span style="color: #e69138;">artists</span> who are <span style="color: #c27ba0;"><b>passionate</b></span> about their journey as an artist, not just fast money makers.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><b>Research</b></span> the artist or author: Look for information about their background, education, previous works, and any recognition they have received. This can provide insights into their credibility and dedication to their craft.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="color: #674ea7;">Read </b>reviews and testimonials: Check out reviews from reputable sources or trusted reviewers to get an idea of the quality and reception of the artwork or book. Reviews can offer valuable perspectives from others who have experienced the work.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Seek </span>recommendations: Ask for recommendations from friends, family, or trusted individuals whose taste aligns with yours. They may be able to suggest artists or authors whose work they have personally enjoyed.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">Visit</span></b> galleries, exhibitions, or bookstores: Attend art exhibitions or visit galleries and bookstores where you can experience the work firsthand. This allows you to assess the quality and connect with the artist's or author's vision.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #800180;">Engage</span></b> with the artist or author: Interact with the artist or author directly through social media, websites, or events. Engaging in conversations can provide insights into their passion, knowledge, and commitment to their craft.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Look</span></b> for professional associations or memberships: Check if the artist or author is associated with reputable organizations or professional groups related to their field. Membership in such organizations can indicate a certain level of commitment and expertise.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Consider</span></b> awards and recognitions: Research if the artist or author has received any awards or accolades for their work. Recognitions from reputable institutions or competitions can be a positive indication of their talent and dedication.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Evaluate</span></b> the quality of production: Assess the overall production quality of books or art pieces. Look for factors such as craftsmanship, attention to detail, presentation, and the use of high-quality materials. These aspects can reflect the artist's or author's commitment to their work.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #01ffff;">Find</span></b> references and referrals: Ask the artist or author for references or contacts of previous clients or customers. Reaching out to them can provide insights into their experiences and the quality of the artist's or author's work.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Trust</span></b> your instincts: Ultimately, trust your own judgment and intuition when it comes to evaluating art or literature. If something resonates with you on a deep level and feels authentic, it's more likely to be the work of a passionate and dedicated artist or author.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">As more and more people try their </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">skills</span><span style="font-size: large;"> at creativity using AI, the </span><span style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large;"><b>explosion</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> of the arts will continue. But like with anything we humans fancy, if it's not a passion deep in our soul, eventually, we move on to something else. So, for those of us who are passionate about writing or art or whatever AI is capable of generating next, know that </span><i><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">your passion will set you apart from those who are dabbling.</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> Stay the course, but also, don't be afraid of trying AI out for yourself. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">AI editor has helped me get <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>unstuck</b></span> in a chapter, and AI art making has <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>allowed</b></span> me to fully see my character as I envisioned her in my mind (see photo). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vDNd3jtUQuLiiSApDf4lSxBNAhKsgWlfiC9tTzTTKg0fi8G66k4AH2b1jCSwhL4nlPb9gJgUE2X7uEhpFpnVgSP5K_DF8hZmHn3as7E-Zy0HztoNbvPuaK6fr3LKGTITQ8Fjrx_bEVlLWHdeZUet68JyrY6OOMzyH7v2h-OPSbfKOy43mAu-IaBnJjE/s512/Teazurs_a_green_haired_teen_girl_hybrid_lizard._Steampunk._Supe_8bedc625-62fb-429a-81fb-5c60961081ce.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vDNd3jtUQuLiiSApDf4lSxBNAhKsgWlfiC9tTzTTKg0fi8G66k4AH2b1jCSwhL4nlPb9gJgUE2X7uEhpFpnVgSP5K_DF8hZmHn3as7E-Zy0HztoNbvPuaK6fr3LKGTITQ8Fjrx_bEVlLWHdeZUet68JyrY6OOMzyH7v2h-OPSbfKOy43mAu-IaBnJjE/w459-h459/Teazurs_a_green_haired_teen_girl_hybrid_lizard._Steampunk._Supe_8bedc625-62fb-429a-81fb-5c60961081ce.png" width="459" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If used with integrity and honesty, AI will </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">help you create</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> stronger novels, better ideas, and </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">more inclusive artwork</span><span style="font-size: large;">. Those with a passion for telling human stories through words or images will continue to do so, using </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">AI as just another tool</span><span style="font-size: large;">, not a replacement for authentic human experiences.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If you are <span style="color: red;">curious</span> about adding AI to your <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>toolbox</b></span>, I have listed a few good ones below. Why do I say good? I've read about them and used some of them. But do not take my word for it - go <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>try them yourself</b></span> and please, let me know what you think. </span></div><p></p><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>AI Writing Sites:</b></span></p><p><a href="https://www.sudowrite.com/" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">Sudowrite</a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> for fiction</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> long and short forms</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://openai.com/gpt-4" target="_blank">GPT-4</a> for fiction (I use this one, but am excited to try some of these newer ones)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.jasper.ai/free-trial?fpr=neilchasefilm" target="_blank">Jasper</a> for fiction and business</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://Copy.ai" target="_blank">Copy.ai</a> for copywriting</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.canva.com/magic-write" target="_blank">Canva Magic Write</a> for fiction</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://anyword.com/" target="_blank">Anyword</a> for assisting you with writing</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://aidungeon.io/" target="_blank">AI Dungeon </a>for fiction adventure stories</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://writesonic.com/" target="_blank">Writesonic</a> for GPT-4 content</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://storylab.ai/" target="_blank">StoryLab</a> for story ideas</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://novelai.net/" target="_blank">NovelAI</a> for story ideas </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://rytr.me/" target="_blank">Rytr</a> for an affordable AI writer</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: red;">AI Art Sites:</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.adobe.com/sensei/generative-ai/firefly.html" target="_blank">Adobe Firefly</a> for artists to quickly edit images and color vectors (I've used this, but to me, it's for professionals, which I am not - lots to learn, like a whole new language to understand, and I don't have the time).</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://stability.ai/blog/stable-diffusion-public-release" target="_blank">Stable Diffusion</a> for artists is <span style="color: #ff00fe;">free</span> right now and high res.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.deepfloyd.ai/" target="_blank">DeepFloyd</a> for artists with the largest diffusion model.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.midjourney.com/home/" target="_blank">MidJourney</a> for artists looking for community and accuracy (I've used this one and love it, intuitive and easy for me, but it's expensive).</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://huggingface.co/spaces/hysts/Shap-E" target="_blank">Shape E</a> <span style="color: #ff00fe;">free</span> for beginners and the curious. Simple images.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.creativefabrica.com/spark/" target="_blank">CF Spark 7</a> there is a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">free</span> version to try and you can earn $.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://openai.com/dall-e-2" target="_blank">DALL-E-2</a> is easy for beginners and very intuitive.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.craiyon.com/" target="_blank">Craiyon</a> there is a <span style="color: #ff00fe;">free</span> version, and it's easy to use.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-81334152658618510602023-07-15T13:07:00.005-04:002023-07-15T13:43:00.571-04:00Interview with Maria Oglesby<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Interview with </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Illustrator, Textiles, & Design Artist</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Maria Oglesby</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDrCkwkN2r39HEMjESCJLGQFrKemquzvbRU9hh5udI3wGKtjeBL2TnjtoOL0nAYd_xRgnqOjIB0ySgt5vUlpXQEf06Ar8iVfjLKbpBydMeop1mgMHgt40sVpMsYEf4ORfCol-Prx_9Ub0wDs2XmhdL_dz47yq7Pnztb5KovOX0ev09U2CcMJo44zIda0/s1500/bio%20photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDrCkwkN2r39HEMjESCJLGQFrKemquzvbRU9hh5udI3wGKtjeBL2TnjtoOL0nAYd_xRgnqOjIB0ySgt5vUlpXQEf06Ar8iVfjLKbpBydMeop1mgMHgt40sVpMsYEf4ORfCol-Prx_9Ub0wDs2XmhdL_dz47yq7Pnztb5KovOX0ev09U2CcMJo44zIda0/w355-h533/bio%20photo.jpg" width="355" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Welcome Blog Readers & Bookish People,</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Today we are learning from the artist Maria Oglesby. I fell in love with her art on Instagram and reached out for an interview. I am an artist as well, although never formally trained. I lack the confidence that Maria has with her use of color and beautiful strokes. I believe you'll fall in love, too!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Please read on and support this young and talented up-and-coming artist!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGCdmyMDQVM0jc6RoZ0BNZtBc8RisUfuNUymchPvzdvSCpUU9SWnAviywm5fuDvtCUuKG2Z7joAaUi5MKGOru6LgIiaOh3qz4i8ddkJuXf6ZJevdbH07QJqXvV59Ke9LnH1bVSEfEffdskmPVbrq7ppLm0A3ZBPx7BWyTz6VfFS8YosNNX6hxuPijjj4/s785/Tessa+Rabbit+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="785" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGCdmyMDQVM0jc6RoZ0BNZtBc8RisUfuNUymchPvzdvSCpUU9SWnAviywm5fuDvtCUuKG2Z7joAaUi5MKGOru6LgIiaOh3qz4i8ddkJuXf6ZJevdbH07QJqXvV59Ke9LnH1bVSEfEffdskmPVbrq7ppLm0A3ZBPx7BWyTz6VfFS8YosNNX6hxuPijjj4/w406-h406/Tessa+Rabbit+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="406" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><u>________________________________</u></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Maria,</span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Can you tell us about your journey as an artist? How did you develop your skills and interests in illustration and design?</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvZulDU0SZoK8B_CC38ROeppB1Tp9UsbewH98Crw2vHA2Vt1qkb2U0khWm8m592aqvq02uncYNxz_Oh0ozBZmQ3jUcL1YOJ2Wom-o3vcvzgwjNTORco68JeMAvAXmyK4fTuYsPTsW2qPyGjEEePtqPPxDqc5rO7DEYWLtpl5f2IWIdH7-T7MS3xQ7kZU/s1008/The+Pig+Said+Boo+4+P+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="726" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvZulDU0SZoK8B_CC38ROeppB1Tp9UsbewH98Crw2vHA2Vt1qkb2U0khWm8m592aqvq02uncYNxz_Oh0ozBZmQ3jUcL1YOJ2Wom-o3vcvzgwjNTORco68JeMAvAXmyK4fTuYsPTsW2qPyGjEEePtqPPxDqc5rO7DEYWLtpl5f2IWIdH7-T7MS3xQ7kZU/w290-h404/The+Pig+Said+Boo+4+P+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="290" /></a></span></div><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">I’ve always been interested in </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">illustration</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;"> from a young age. I was a </span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>horse-crazy</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;"> kid and drew them constantly. I got more into it when my family gave me a copy of </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"><u>Ken Hultgren’s How to Draw Animals</u></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">, and used to do master copies from it all the time. I was also a big </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Pokémon</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;"> geek (still am) and used to draw Pokemon covers for the card binders of all my friends and kids in my neighborhood growing up. My parents signed me up for </span><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">a year of drawing lessons</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;"> when I was 16, and after taking a few years off from art (I was really into acting for a while), I ultimately ended up going to college for </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">illustration at </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="https://www.artcenter.edu/" target="_blank">ArtCenter College of Design</a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">. I’ve been working in the art industry ever since. </span></span></span><p></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Where do your ideas come from? Do you dream of them? Get flashes? Sit down and outline potential art ideas?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A lot of my ideas come from </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>worldbuilding</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I work part-time as a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">professional DM for Dungeons and Dragons games</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>write</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> my own </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">graphic novels</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">YA fantasies</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so I take a lot of inspo from worldbuilding practices that storytellers use. Personally, I find that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">asking myself a series of questions helps the most.</span></span></p><span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFul5mg5sqFswkvmX-6eR91W4JsWOllTGUbY_wQA_lZC3zUkwfBgBYHc4ajrTIlFt8ppzDt0_i_uC3qJmYDrr22AXW-XlUyG1ixaO5DBdPPcG-7hrYF0MHgTmQGDC8FMMnD406eFsJiY1VW4yfxPyjIt-Q2gFx3npP3fafM0MZMZH837vUXVCXSU1pTS0/s802/Omallia+Galliahs+Map+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="586" height="621" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFul5mg5sqFswkvmX-6eR91W4JsWOllTGUbY_wQA_lZC3zUkwfBgBYHc4ajrTIlFt8ppzDt0_i_uC3qJmYDrr22AXW-XlUyG1ixaO5DBdPPcG-7hrYF0MHgTmQGDC8FMMnD406eFsJiY1VW4yfxPyjIt-Q2gFx3npP3fafM0MZMZH837vUXVCXSU1pTS0/w454-h621/Omallia+Galliahs+Map+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="454" /></a></div><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><div><span><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>EX.</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> This thumbnail looks nice - it seems there’s a wall of rock between the viewer and the focal point. That’s a little weird - how did the rock get holes? Why is it so thin? Was it corroded overtime? By what? Are there acidic plants or creatures in the area? Was it underwater for a long time? How can I show one of these things visually? If I choose acidic creatures, how do people in that world navigate? What sort of protection do they use? Do they need an armored boot design? Helmets? Etc. - you... </span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">...</span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;"><b>just keep asking questions</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">as to how each problem </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">would be solved visually </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">until you have a world that’s fully fleshed out. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">Mixing in rules of composition, color and value theory, etc. Helps bring all those ideas together. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What inspired you to pursue a career in illustration and design? </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve always felt </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>drawn</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to creative fields. When I was considering colleges, writing, art, etc. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- everything that I could see myself </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">being happy doing </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">involved the arts. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A career </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e06666; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">doing work I enjoy</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has always been more </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">important</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to me than making a lot of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">money</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I’ve been really fortunate to have been given the opportunities I need in order to pursue those goals, and fortunate to have the support of my </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">family</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to pursue the arts. Because of their </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">encouragement</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">belief</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in me, it was a much easier decision than it could have been. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Were there any specific artists or experiences that influenced your decision?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I was 19, I made </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">friends</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with a group of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">illustrators</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who worked for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #800180; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Neopets</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Seeing that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #76a5af; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>it was possible to have a working career in the arts</b></i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> made me more confident in my choice to pursue a degree in them. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_VVJNcc4e9_ZIzJ5kbLd-TDxJcfWWcEUS9YkyNvT_-fanTiw4twfyVwW4Pe9gZcsOmAzLniXuOvTCDywChJl-IvTCFnAAHuWFMvikCzeK8PyOqZKpfQ29W50D7n8eARpDPuOXKHW_ZPW8vE3ZxmUowASEdzWP_SUglKDS5hB0JNlHRZCstqdv__JTcs/s829/baby+fairy+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="641" height="547" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_VVJNcc4e9_ZIzJ5kbLd-TDxJcfWWcEUS9YkyNvT_-fanTiw4twfyVwW4Pe9gZcsOmAzLniXuOvTCDywChJl-IvTCFnAAHuWFMvikCzeK8PyOqZKpfQ29W50D7n8eARpDPuOXKHW_ZPW8vE3ZxmUowASEdzWP_SUglKDS5hB0JNlHRZCstqdv__JTcs/w422-h547/baby+fairy+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>How would you describe your artistic style? </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whimsical</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dreamy</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fantastical</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are there any particular techniques or mediums that you prefer to work with?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my traditional work, I mainly use </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #2b00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ink</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e06666; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">watercolor</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, though, in the past few years, I’ve done a lot of work in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">digital mediums</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as well. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBVI-paRizdGFTDEcpcWsDe1DuIQb14m7AY0K1jrHBqXWyhCo3lZtUH6yTRUYk3kgq_6EJeoa7HZP4Z1J45PebQYzValXxtkYPnGHkq3f3sRand_ITnwwL_LoCorB6AcPpk0vFp86sOVLr_B_ovWVgel8XtNAJFLXNLd8STnLnghNj836vEOF6WjBxZ0/s792/maggie+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="529" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBVI-paRizdGFTDEcpcWsDe1DuIQb14m7AY0K1jrHBqXWyhCo3lZtUH6yTRUYk3kgq_6EJeoa7HZP4Z1J45PebQYzValXxtkYPnGHkq3f3sRand_ITnwwL_LoCorB6AcPpk0vFp86sOVLr_B_ovWVgel8XtNAJFLXNLd8STnLnghNj836vEOF6WjBxZ0/w408-h529/maggie+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" width="408" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">You mentioned being into graphic novels, fantasy, and Dungeons and Dragons. How have these interests influenced your work?</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">Ultimately I think </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">being a fan</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> of something, </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">especially a visual medium</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">, helps your work evolve because as you find other artists you love, it inspires you to integrate some of those elements into your own work. You </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><b>experiment</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> with them and make them your own. I’m heavily inspired by </span><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">art nouveau </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">and </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">comic artists</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary_Valero-O%27Connell" target="_blank">Rosemary Valero-O’Connell</a>, the team behind the 5 Worlds, <a href="https://www.vampiresnwhimsy.com/" target="_blank">Bree Paulson</a>, and many more. As I’ve </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">taught myself digital illustration</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> over the past few years, they’ve all been influences on how my style has evolved. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regarding </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Fantasy</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Dungeons and Dragons</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reading</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as many fantasy novels as possible - just in general being well-read in your area of interest - has been a huge help in knowing what’s been done, what works, and how to build a story. Dungeons and Dragons is similar but relies so heavily on </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>improv</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>thinking outside the box</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as well as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>being flexible</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as players throw curveballs your way. It’s definitely helped me tremendously with </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">stream-of-consciousness drawing</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and being open to new ideas as I work to continually improve the various projects I’m involved with. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQCE3PMjTLrCbd2xH1Xy5hNA8Ju5DoZcZcgSehga-tcuRL7_6uIiO7oIZhkmxM0jh0r2qt9T6jqExDgAb8pJ3YOThlUc5rfYa5QatkIAIJ-DEKY3QBJk9Bc1EDLslY-o2ANZK3hrV9Jqwp40GG3hc53FBpxrP5CVwk2ft7OFE5P-begICVMEoOqfYw-k/s864/HOTS_Pages_8_And_9+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="864" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQCE3PMjTLrCbd2xH1Xy5hNA8Ju5DoZcZcgSehga-tcuRL7_6uIiO7oIZhkmxM0jh0r2qt9T6jqExDgAb8pJ3YOThlUc5rfYa5QatkIAIJ-DEKY3QBJk9Bc1EDLslY-o2ANZK3hrV9Jqwp40GG3hc53FBpxrP5CVwk2ft7OFE5P-begICVMEoOqfYw-k/w592-h420/HOTS_Pages_8_And_9+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" width="592" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Can you provide some examples of projects where you incorporated these elements?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;">My most recent graphic novel, </span><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: x-large;">Horses of the Stars</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;">, went through 2 rewrites and 3 less drastic drafts. Even though I spent a huge amount of time on the writing, when it came to the sample pages, I think being open to </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">continuing to evolve</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">grow</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;"> the work as I saw it take shape on the page and continuing to </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: large;">be open to the idea of it changing</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">not being too attached </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;">to the previous version of the script really helped me make it a better pitch than it would have been otherwise. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhFbEJ5Hi98sfsiHnvFxH5ce4CXNY_qHGpJVJjDLEO2KOuCO3XmHKiIMOQACkcRGhoYGiyJdw5eVg9wihGw4H1YQ2M7Akh0gBA6PU7hHhNfcykbsDKpIr3S_kSHzo9kHkUA4wWHm20bTOj_CmS5IHEC7fG7owYo2Sv3eF7y8ZO3BSfUkUIAfJniS4XeA/s781/Move_Spread_2+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="781" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhFbEJ5Hi98sfsiHnvFxH5ce4CXNY_qHGpJVJjDLEO2KOuCO3XmHKiIMOQACkcRGhoYGiyJdw5eVg9wihGw4H1YQ2M7Akh0gBA6PU7hHhNfcykbsDKpIr3S_kSHzo9kHkUA4wWHm20bTOj_CmS5IHEC7fG7owYo2Sv3eF7y8ZO3BSfUkUIAfJniS4XeA/w515-h398/Move_Spread_2+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" width="515" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Who is your biggest cheerleader, and how has she helped you with your art?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haha probably my </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e06666; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>mom</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. She’s not super familiar with art, but we both </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">write</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - it’s the main </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>hobby that we share</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We actually </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">co-wrote a graphic novel</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">pitch together, loosely based on her time moving from Boston to rural NC when she was 10 and coming to terms with no longer having the comforting identity as the adopted kid. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Any time working with another writer </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">forces you to be flexible and </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">continue to stretch your story </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to fit a different mold, </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which I think is a great creative practice. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If that person really believes in you and loves the art you produce for it, it’s definitely a lot </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">more satisfying</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and certainly </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">helps with motivation!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I absolutely love having a creative partner where you can both be each other's cheerleader. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What are you passionate about? What would you fight for?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-style: normal;">I strongly believe that </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">young girls need to see more works where they can make their <i>own</i> choices</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-style: normal;">, fight for what’s right, and not have their plot hang on a romantic interest. There are a lot of great contemporary graphic novels like this, but I </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: large; font-style: normal;">wish</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-style: normal;"> there were more </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large; font-style: normal;">high-fantasy</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-style: normal;"> options out there for kids. I hope to make more works like that. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>As a professional Dungeon Master, how does your experience in Dungeons and Dragons influence your approach to storytelling and visual design?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS2J186EcvKXty_CLZ1D_PJpaswE8HvlKtT3aItLu5SCUqoUfa5Y0JYAp756ujmmZGl0BY0YfL4IZCrHvNLSTPOV1goQm9uDYZh4r1RPi8YcCMNJJnp8WcZg1M0mCZyxLRBy3AMWtojXltj1A9uPLUucmYPNjYRU8_umSKHhzj2vk9_aarIVmCXdShdU/s849/Chris+Fantasy+Map+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS2J186EcvKXty_CLZ1D_PJpaswE8HvlKtT3aItLu5SCUqoUfa5Y0JYAp756ujmmZGl0BY0YfL4IZCrHvNLSTPOV1goQm9uDYZh4r1RPi8YcCMNJJnp8WcZg1M0mCZyxLRBy3AMWtojXltj1A9uPLUucmYPNjYRU8_umSKHhzj2vk9_aarIVmCXdShdU/s849/Chris+Fantasy+Map+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="636" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS2J186EcvKXty_CLZ1D_PJpaswE8HvlKtT3aItLu5SCUqoUfa5Y0JYAp756ujmmZGl0BY0YfL4IZCrHvNLSTPOV1goQm9uDYZh4r1RPi8YcCMNJJnp8WcZg1M0mCZyxLRBy3AMWtojXltj1A9uPLUucmYPNjYRU8_umSKHhzj2vk9_aarIVmCXdShdU/w306-h408/Chris+Fantasy+Map+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="306" /></a></span></div><span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Visual</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> design-wise, it’s definitely gotten me more into </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>map-making.</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Having to figure out how long it takes to get places and where things are located in the game also has </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #800180; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">made me a better writer</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as it’s forced me to think of logistics more than I did previously. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Could you share some insights into your process when creating illustrations or designs for a project? </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This often changes</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> depending on whether I’m working for someone else or for myself. I’m very visual, and usually picture things in my head as I write, so by the time I get down to drawing them I have a pretty clear idea of what each panel and layout should look like. I’ve gotten better with </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">panel design</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> over time as I’ve become a better artist. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For clients</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I use a method that is pretty standard in the illustration industry. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I do a set of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">thumbnails</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> based on what info they give me. These are sloppy and more about composition. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I do a refined </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sketch</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the one they like</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I do </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">value</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">comps</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and let them choose one</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I do </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">color comps</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and let them choose one</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I send them the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">final</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> finished work. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The idea is that the most </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>drastic major changes</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> happen in the stage where I’m putting in the least amount of time, and the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">number of edits gets smaller</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and more minute the more I narrow things down and put more time into them. Depending on the client's </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">budget</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">timeline</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and how the client likes to have things </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">presented</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, sometimes several of these steps are combined or changed.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZnhRgatvU4-Jemt6YCgf1O8gbJ67JQWYa86yQUD7I-uKKwI6awCxVwpZgKNd8Hed3F7SJK5tdjzuvoTWu-c9w0sEaTpi3qvviulGmxfsjR4FXG2-mNukmsODky4Brl90XjyYy3hfK5vRJ6QoBVVu9Js25Mk09EbqjFzR2r0JHoxaKa0xErAvaeuoIYb4/s686/Maddie++by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="686" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZnhRgatvU4-Jemt6YCgf1O8gbJ67JQWYa86yQUD7I-uKKwI6awCxVwpZgKNd8Hed3F7SJK5tdjzuvoTWu-c9w0sEaTpi3qvviulGmxfsjR4FXG2-mNukmsODky4Brl90XjyYy3hfK5vRJ6QoBVVu9Js25Mk09EbqjFzR2r0JHoxaKa0xErAvaeuoIYb4/w515-h412/Maddie++by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="515" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>How do you typically approach a new assignment?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I try to get as much </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">info</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from the client as possible, or a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reference photo</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with minimal instruction if I’m doing a portrait or pet portrait commission </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which I specialize in</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This cuts down on a lot of confusion later on. The more </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>clear</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> it is about what they want me to do, the more </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e06666; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">pleased</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> they tend to be with the final outcome. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIy1AwSkUFH-3gPHgaJ_ULSkk2AtDtc46OaJ8Wsqm1nS2BF8UaLRvLBSPqWaBeTYVWkXy0Kr00uiKY9iI_eVnuqAog3Keaxh5d5Bviz-eEaQNtBRbwvUvrTWKFnywrKo8Oon7U23nLCdEM0JV2T0frCHMtMeex0DIY5bKw9bv51SE2UGq_PbAKjAFqcF0/s712/3+pups+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="712" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIy1AwSkUFH-3gPHgaJ_ULSkk2AtDtc46OaJ8Wsqm1nS2BF8UaLRvLBSPqWaBeTYVWkXy0Kr00uiKY9iI_eVnuqAog3Keaxh5d5Bviz-eEaQNtBRbwvUvrTWKFnywrKo8Oon7U23nLCdEM0JV2T0frCHMtMeex0DIY5bKw9bv51SE2UGq_PbAKjAFqcF0/w555-h446/3+pups+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" width="555" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an artist, and how did you overcome them?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #2b00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Working with people who don’t think visually.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This is usually solved with them throwing extra money at me, or with me trying to ask them extra questions until I can narrow down more what they want. Sometimes it means adding </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>extra thumbnails</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>redoing things</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at an earlier stage of the project. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen, what one sentence would you yell?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>Be weird, be you. </b></span></span></span></div><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Can you talk about your experience as an art teacher and college prep portfolio counselor? </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sure! I work for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="https://www.mingcreativeart.com/" target="_blank">Ming Creative Art Academy</a></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a private college portfolio prep program. The company is run by Ming Pan, a famous concept artist for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Marvel</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>DC</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">, and other big-name companies. We get a lot of students who want to be </span><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">concept artists</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">, so a lot of my work is walking them through how to make a </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">story pitch</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> and </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">write a story</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> with compelling and interestingly designed environments, props, and characters. It’s a lot of fun and involves a lot of great </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">brainstorming</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> sessions and </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;"><b>world-building</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> on top of art </span><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">critiques</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">I’m constantly </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"><b>impressed</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> with the work ethic and creativity of my kids; they’re all so smart. Once we have the story figured out, I plan out their portfolio </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">goals</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> and make them a </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">weekly schedule</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> breakdown. They come back to my class twice a week for crit on their work and to check in on their deadlines, and get help with their essays. The rest of the week, they see other teachers for lessons in digital rendering, perspective, still life, sketchbook work, and figure drawing. I usually get the fun job of helping them </span><span style="color: red; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">brainstorm</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> all their creative pieces and go over thumbnails/compositions with them. It’s mostly kids trying to do </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>college prep</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">, but we also get some people just trying to build a professional portfolio. If anyone is interested, we offer classes and free portfolio consultations at <a href="https://www.mingcreativeart.com" target="_blank">https://www.mingcreativeart.com</a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrAi-bdSma07AuV6aekT3HNKVJdzOgsC9wFCMfQ-Xg5kOre9M7GcBTlFztbDrnLdfszPw26zJwCMgaaG36pSfGpDl0HXs9k4kkOeqv-gU9zg5spUh6Qoi-9aNfzBcE8Q9JA-Y6rej3WXYw0cyMCxzoqAHun_01i468Spq-Jt-5hp2eN6s2Ql-lRlSh7M/s1000/medusas+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1000" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrAi-bdSma07AuV6aekT3HNKVJdzOgsC9wFCMfQ-Xg5kOre9M7GcBTlFztbDrnLdfszPw26zJwCMgaaG36pSfGpDl0HXs9k4kkOeqv-gU9zg5spUh6Qoi-9aNfzBcE8Q9JA-Y6rej3WXYw0cyMCxzoqAHun_01i468Spq-Jt-5hp2eN6s2Ql-lRlSh7M/w562-h481/medusas+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="562" /></a></span></div><span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How has teaching impacted your own artistic practice?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over the past </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">six years</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, teaching kids has taught me a lot about </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">patience</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>being kind to yourself</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as an artist. So often, </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I see kids working as hard as they possibly can </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and still feeling like they’re not good enough. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When it gets close to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">application deadlines</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a decent part of my job becomes about </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>giving pep talks</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and trying to make sure no one hangs all their </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #8e7cc3; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">self-esteem</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e06666; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hopes</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on one particular acceptance letter or scholarship. Saying it aloud so many times has definitely helped me to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not put too much weight on a given agent submission</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and as a whole it’s helped me feel better about where I am as an artist, even though with all the amazing artists out there on my social media feed it can be easy to see how many artists are out there that are just absolutely amazing at certain kinds of work. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbH3dmBNELDqElJuqTS88u2lhZyxxLdkk37SslIxpf-PW7XivhD_CR8By4djEXFMpVqD3IYwQ9Ma8XlQDfCN9sOn_t6NSA7u1_C8ReU_C5tIUssYf9a6knzHk9CZeaiuG5MO6HDh10BdB1j0VJj0ugubpzOUDLPeKs7FvEd11l2Kk-k0u5FDQ4xRCpHo/s1000/warrior+princess+textile+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1000" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbH3dmBNELDqElJuqTS88u2lhZyxxLdkk37SslIxpf-PW7XivhD_CR8By4djEXFMpVqD3IYwQ9Ma8XlQDfCN9sOn_t6NSA7u1_C8ReU_C5tIUssYf9a6knzHk9CZeaiuG5MO6HDh10BdB1j0VJj0ugubpzOUDLPeKs7FvEd11l2Kk-k0u5FDQ4xRCpHo/w553-h473/warrior+princess+textile+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="553" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What are your aspirations or goals in the comics industry? </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’d love </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>to get an agent</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> familiar with the industry who has similar goals and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">loves fantasy and graphic novels</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as much as I do. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>I’d love to sell one of my graphic novels</b></i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and see it out there in the world and on a shelf.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Are there any specific types of projects or collaborations you are particularly interested in?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My career has taken me in so many different places the last few years, I’ve been learning that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">often times the things that I really end up loving I didn’t see coming.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Right now I’m trying to be </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>open</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to opportunities and projects that sound </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fun</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, without an especially specific collaboration goal in mind. It would be </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>amazing</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to get to work on a graphic novel for a company or another writer, but it would be equally amazing to get </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>to work with an artist I admire</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or approach a completely different project that involves </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">people who are excited</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passionate</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about what they do. I’m just </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">grateful</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that people are thinking of me and are interested in paying me (hopefully a living wage) to do what I love. I mean, seriously - how many people are lucky enough to get to draw and brainstorm all day? </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">I’m just so happy to be in the career that I’m in. </span></span></div><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>If you could go back in time and tell your younger artist self some great advice - what would that be?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbw7c74qh7fZtMh0Gb7NBiUf46N8BLyN8cxP9fqQfwpdwg3vt32BaXCaqPYUEt3qQyEX9S-MXkmhlHgoc7QRryJniJioZdNnq2GI683-RPJOSDzigS5x9ehenLY_jwPHR0eK3CseZrTs-CqltWEIWUJkead4SDZY3-p8Lf_0QcGAxzDtTxGP3hCnny73M/s498/Cat+painting+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="361" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbw7c74qh7fZtMh0Gb7NBiUf46N8BLyN8cxP9fqQfwpdwg3vt32BaXCaqPYUEt3qQyEX9S-MXkmhlHgoc7QRryJniJioZdNnq2GI683-RPJOSDzigS5x9ehenLY_jwPHR0eK3CseZrTs-CqltWEIWUJkead4SDZY3-p8Lf_0QcGAxzDtTxGP3hCnny73M/w317-h437/Cat+painting+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>“Go to more parties - no one cares if you’re on the dean's list; </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">get over your social anxiety </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">and network more.” </span></span></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think in college, my </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">straight-A mentality </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">really </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>backfired</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. No one has once asked if I graduated with honors, just if I know this or that artist, and for a link to my </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>portfolio</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJEf7n_fySiR3gtqP4Kr1Kg3W50VvtI7UjnBRzdfAFIA_ekJzX7l_0U_BrARnK0dQgZ20bV1jX5Oi_jYaYJzCJeHLS5uernyklLDtlRx6Mhu9g-Pw96c6FXp1rAYkQ9pFvft6q76mFJ8pKT7Ipm6f1wBI8AKQUURceeXhkxtdhgwGwAjnLG_K4DJRqNI/s1000/Cowboy_cowgirl+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1000" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJEf7n_fySiR3gtqP4Kr1Kg3W50VvtI7UjnBRzdfAFIA_ekJzX7l_0U_BrARnK0dQgZ20bV1jX5Oi_jYaYJzCJeHLS5uernyklLDtlRx6Mhu9g-Pw96c6FXp1rAYkQ9pFvft6q76mFJ8pKT7Ipm6f1wBI8AKQUURceeXhkxtdhgwGwAjnLG_K4DJRqNI/w582-h499/Cowboy_cowgirl+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="582" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you stay inspired and motivated in your artistic journey? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With so many amazing artists out there, how can you </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>not</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> be? </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are so many fantastic artists who do tutorials, like <a href="https://loish.net/tutorials/" target="_blank">Loish and Sinix Design</a> and <a href="https://www.patreon.com/philipsueart" target="_blank">Philip Sue</a> just to name a few of them. Seeing amazing work is in itself </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>so inspiring</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and reading amazing work that’s been published. I most recently finished the graphic novels </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Hungry Ghost</u> by Victoria Ying</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>The Girl From the Sea</u></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Molly Ostertag and was hugely inspired by both the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>art</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>writing</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I feel incredibly lucky to live in an age where such great resources and works of art are so easily accessible. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WREMg6HEWfDkm7506XPLPx5HapdTpL0pgVxpaMfo4Tl-M_3N8NO57pgrkcH1xm9MFj7mtt_PIbnRX7KIttTBifZ8tOzeORl2HXxqUocQVl9m1jwpJercsTdO2mrmV-hzfLsKmRH2uplTKioBr-nNelmIhvD4iWzoEje1EuZ-ZyW6Qpnzm9VYo9kUI4E/s1125/626+night+market+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="859" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WREMg6HEWfDkm7506XPLPx5HapdTpL0pgVxpaMfo4Tl-M_3N8NO57pgrkcH1xm9MFj7mtt_PIbnRX7KIttTBifZ8tOzeORl2HXxqUocQVl9m1jwpJercsTdO2mrmV-hzfLsKmRH2uplTKioBr-nNelmIhvD4iWzoEje1EuZ-ZyW6Qpnzm9VYo9kUI4E/w476-h624/626+night+market+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" width="476" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Are there any strategies or sources of inspiration that you find particularly helpful?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OMG I have a bazillion. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have a huge list of things that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>I recommend to my students</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so I’ll just put a few here that are great for beginners:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45818e; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Handy and Skelly</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 3d skeleton and hand/foot apps which are great for tricky reference angles. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Any of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>George Bridgman books</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (helps you learn anatomy, heads, and hands)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Link to some amazing research on </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>historical costume </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reference by one of my favorite illustrators, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claire Hummel</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qm0MFwF4E5zjmPG6n0HiHBb1Ni--W-YBLHoWkhQ0fRQ/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qm0MFwF4E5zjmPG6n0HiHBb1Ni--W-YBLHoWkhQ0fRQ/edit?usp=sharing</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://line-of-action.com/" style="font-size: x-large; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://line-of-action.com/</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://reference.sketchdaily.net/" style="font-size: x-large; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://reference.sketchdaily.net/</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>figure drawing practice</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> if you can’t go to a studio with a live model</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Pexels, Pixbay, and Rawpixel</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are all websites with royalty-free photos - great for finding textures if you want to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #a64d79; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">photobash</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> something or turn it into a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">texture brush</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (for digital artists). </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyVysDFSWtJQbHACQnnBQOseeEwumTXxP0ncZ77xnIFzTXsC-koQvCFWoasyKKqFjv5hkz084gqpAeEDeAbcSnaZQb1VSudW3vVq5v57jmVWkHxJTZ6hpgmjLrfVxPgiS6-xLsVcM4hEppqEgMzrzhG25ddLLvEwdy_PtZYrfvcSM72BaQFDBMkbj16I/s1338/626+Night+market+2+by+Maria+Oglesby+.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1338" data-original-width="720" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyVysDFSWtJQbHACQnnBQOseeEwumTXxP0ncZ77xnIFzTXsC-koQvCFWoasyKKqFjv5hkz084gqpAeEDeAbcSnaZQb1VSudW3vVq5v57jmVWkHxJTZ6hpgmjLrfVxPgiS6-xLsVcM4hEppqEgMzrzhG25ddLLvEwdy_PtZYrfvcSM72BaQFDBMkbj16I/w255-h475/626+Night+market+2+by+Maria+Oglesby+.jpg" width="255" /></a></span></span></span></div><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;">Are there any current or upcoming projects you are excited about? </b></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Yes! </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m currently creating a serialized </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">choose-your-own-adventure otome game</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> called </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Charm School for Cupids</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (it’s a cupid dating sim, and it is very </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">silly</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tropey</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fun</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) for the app <a href="https://home.dorian.live/" target="_blank">Dorian</a>. It’s sort of like an </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffd966; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>interactive comic</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and you pay like 10c or something to access extra story scenes or romantic scenes. It’s been fun and fluffy, and I hope other people </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #2b00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">enjoy</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> it! It’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e06666; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">aimed at adults</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but all </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">romantic scenes</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are behind a paywall, so it’s not inappropriate if a younger audience clicks through it. You can find it by downloading the app Dorian and searching “charm school for cupids”. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Leaving a comment</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or saving the story really helps me to get </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">boosted</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on the app.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Can you provide any details or sneak peeks?</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">Sure! I can share the </span><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">cover art </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">for my Charm School for Cupids Story, which I am currently writing chapter 4 of. The woman in the cover was </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">inspired</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> by The Soul of a Rose by John William Waterhouse, one of my favorite artists and who I think of first when I think of </span><span style="color: #ea9999; font-size: large;"><b>romantic art.</b></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 915px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 572px;"><img height="915" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/jnV442a3FVRpfVITOkhd5rOngT1vz_czz162xgZdlleg-U9HKAvpzi_KZvfMHeK1fWK2pkDfX695ySEhSFCc4RUvN_1itZGI7sWBlNjumtemP4eB7tPAZQMpWVjDtuLjh8fdA0a53ZAMSxZoCCzCa6c" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="572" /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;">In other details - </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">I’m also working on a YA fantasy graphic novel</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;"> pitch, about a young witch who is struggling to both find her place in the world, her witches familiar, and herself.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What advice do you have for aspiring artists who are looking to pursue a career in illustration or design?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Join </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="https://www.scbwi.org/" target="_blank">SCBWI</a></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (if you’re illustrating for Kidlit)! They’ve been such a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #8e7cc3; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>helpful</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> resource to me. Get </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inspired</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by people around you. Find a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>crit group</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you like and who you can get helpful feedback from. Be </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>open</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to changing your work and accepting crit. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>You mentioned that you've written books to go along with your artwork. How many, and what's happening with them?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #38761d; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>I’ve written four!</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Well, I co-authored the one with my mom that’s about her move to NC. I’ve written one </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #800180; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>MG graphic novel</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>two YA fantasies</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. They’re currently a backlog as I work toward agent representation. I love writing, and it’s an </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">incredibly important</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> part of my life.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzuKOiPFtZT86f9bguQgs3AFLrSV1p8vc2dZCQ17l1MXR-mI1jLqlZGL5d983vr0grkNgXxfZGrUzgJIv-xsKVnaay88LqALNuEGXs-st3vg8i131HS7Ym7-mCuoTJOldVAGWx2D1ESjuVgd7i-eppJTNhHiXGHym5ikrbmUkU3Fv8pTQQ03XT3Vg_yc/s707/Horse+Painting+5+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="565" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzuKOiPFtZT86f9bguQgs3AFLrSV1p8vc2dZCQ17l1MXR-mI1jLqlZGL5d983vr0grkNgXxfZGrUzgJIv-xsKVnaay88LqALNuEGXs-st3vg8i131HS7Ym7-mCuoTJOldVAGWx2D1ESjuVgd7i-eppJTNhHiXGHym5ikrbmUkU3Fv8pTQQ03XT3Vg_yc/w461-h576/Horse+Painting+5+by+maria+oglesby.jpg" width="461" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>You have a shop on Etsy - how easy or difficult was that to create, and how has it worked for you so far? Would you advise other artists to do the same?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s worked out well, though it’s definitely </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">changed</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a lot over the years. My </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e06666; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>watercolor</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> pet portrait work got a lot of traction early on, and I’ve moved into to mainly just taking </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">commissions</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> via etsy. If you make a certain amount of money each year they send you a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tax form</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which makes things easier than having to keep track of all your sales yourself, and if you don’t make enough to get a tax form you get a summary of sales. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Maria Oglesby Art: <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MariaOglesbyArt" target="_blank">https://www.etsy.com/shop/MariaOglesbyArt</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The amount of work I get from there </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">varies</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but has increased over the years as I’ve gotten better and also as I’ve made a habit of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>leaving a stack of business cards at various pet-themed places of business</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (with their permission, of course). I’m actually in the process of partnering as the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">official pet portrait artist</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>The Green Beagle</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a fantastic dog and cat boarding place in our area that just opened its second location. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you can find your </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #2b00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">niche</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and need an easy way to sell things that will also drive some traffic toward your site, it’s great, but </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>I do have to promote</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a decent amount on my own. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think it’s important for artists and small businesses to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>be transparent about money</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so I don’t mind sharing that I made a little over </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.5K last year</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from commissions on Etsy. That’s after </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">building up a clientele</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> over the past 8 years. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That said, I think there are a lot of things I’m much better at than </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">business</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">marketing</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and others might do better on the platform after that period of time. I’ve always needed additional work outside of Etsy, though, and have </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">never relied on it</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for my full income. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Mkic2dzuzPzYAYfTO9kG5m6apgPY99Dc4RvWcGlS-m7vT5_gAd-xHb2iS8aWllet2YXMLrNjZ_sgWPBImEBaFPQbAT1wYMFx7aZAnDHjr_n0WMafrx2P3sgFXFTvB_ykrpXqSoH-v4IIt4O3aRnUPDr3vsjx5JTdagEYS0icjq0-lLImCfCr7J15ZrQ/s1075/Embrace+your+Madness+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="785" height="670" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Mkic2dzuzPzYAYfTO9kG5m6apgPY99Dc4RvWcGlS-m7vT5_gAd-xHb2iS8aWllet2YXMLrNjZ_sgWPBImEBaFPQbAT1wYMFx7aZAnDHjr_n0WMafrx2P3sgFXFTvB_ykrpXqSoH-v4IIt4O3aRnUPDr3vsjx5JTdagEYS0icjq0-lLImCfCr7J15ZrQ/w490-h670/Embrace+your+Madness+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="490" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Where do you hope to be with your art in 5 years?</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: x-large;">I’d love to be </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #45818e;">better</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;"> than I am now, which I’m sure will happen. Maybe that will be with digital art, maybe I’ll get into something 3D, maybe I’ll get a job doing murals or watercolor work, or something completely different. I think as long as I’m </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">continuing to take advantage of opportunities</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;"> that are presented to me and I get to be paid to work in a creative field, I’ll be in a great place. </span></span></span></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>How can my readers help you on your artistic journey?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please go </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>save/comment/read</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> my <a href="https://home.dorian.live/" target="_blank">Dorian</a> story Charm School for Cupids!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can find me on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mariaoglesbyart" target="_blank">TikTok</a>, where I give art tips and tutorials, and on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mariaoglesbyart/" target="_blank">@mariaoglesbyart </a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m also currently taking on a few </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>private students</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for those who are seeking </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">virtual art lessons</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and can be contacted regarding it via my website, </span><a href="http://www.mariaoglesbyart.com" style="font-size: x-large; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.mariaoglesbyart.com</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also take </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">commissions</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> via </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MariaOglesbyArt" style="font-size: x-large; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.etsy.com/shop/MariaOglesbyArt</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcFZ5wm_J7TeGLrKteHMS86duIzIs_lELRqn74UPbVmd1PROeq4jXsTJeXgMz7WIkWcHrQgSnAww5QxEZP4RS20W9yG92paNuP8ztiN71Op9e2B5CvMm7do4cljfPxmD066FqPYxf1gH9HiigewUSkooD391Vf515fKKb3Mgxbz6kqGCXdtJQ5Lnwbz8/s439/sayter+girl+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="295" height="591" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcFZ5wm_J7TeGLrKteHMS86duIzIs_lELRqn74UPbVmd1PROeq4jXsTJeXgMz7WIkWcHrQgSnAww5QxEZP4RS20W9yG92paNuP8ztiN71Op9e2B5CvMm7do4cljfPxmD066FqPYxf1gH9HiigewUSkooD391Vf515fKKb3Mgxbz6kqGCXdtJQ5Lnwbz8/w397-h591/sayter+girl+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="397" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you belong to any artist groups or art critique groups?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m in 2 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>SCBWI</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> groups - one for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MG</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">YA</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> writers, and one for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">illustrators</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I also have three amazing writer friends who </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>beta read</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> my work and offer great feedback (one of them just had a book come out! Check out The Worry Balloon by Mónica Mancillas! </span><a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250852939/theworryballoon" style="font-size: x-large; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250852939/theworryballoon</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Getting a second (or third or fourth) read on your work is so incredibly </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">important</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. If you’re not open to feedback and reworking your writing, you can’t </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>grow</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as an artist, and it’s often people who are working in the same field as you who are knowledgeable enough to point out where you can </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #674ea7; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>improve</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: x-large;">That said, you need to </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">find a good group</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: x-large;">, and not every group will work for every person. </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">It’s okay to try a couple different ones.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: x-large;"> Crit groups are so </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;"><b>vital</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: x-large;"> to your progress as an artist, it’s important to find a group you really gel with, and it’s also a great way to </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">make friends</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: x-large;"> with people who share your goals and interests! </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your work that we haven't covered in this interview?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e06666; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I foster bottle baby kittens! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We always have a litter up for adoption or about to be up for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">adoption</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. If you’re seeking a furry companion and live anywhere near </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Chapel Hill NC</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, check out my Instagram stories or </span><a href="http://beautifultogethersanctuary.com/" style="font-size: x-large; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://beautifultogethersanctuary.com/</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (the rescue we work with) for more info on adoptable kittens! </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They’re a foster-only rescue, so any companion you adopt through them will be </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">well-socialized,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and they’ll have an accurate assessment of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>pet’s personality.</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> They’re a wonderful organization to work with, too, if you’re interested in fostering or donating!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’d also love to shout out </span><a href="http://kittcrusaders.org" style="font-size: x-large; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://kittcrusaders.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #e69138; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>wonderful cat rescue</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> we fostered back in LA. They’re going through a tough spot right now with vet bills and always appreciate donations and new foster volunteers! </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks so much for having me on the blog; it’s been a pleasure! </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u></u></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxBtGZc7x4kTBbFkV8gQ52aAflSPBtGR5Fhzu-2gHM6dwzv-H6mqaKsOcFDj8gXGodOQk1W0f3un-8y34WacFyRbRsWqsfSd9EsprrdpHG6mdFpj_SCKlvOh7yHt8WFkra_vmThGJLrstEn9_JnYtAn5YhD4xxmPNNsga0V-hSBGu6BavUDntLo_cEIg/s583/Page+15-16+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="583" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxBtGZc7x4kTBbFkV8gQ52aAflSPBtGR5Fhzu-2gHM6dwzv-H6mqaKsOcFDj8gXGodOQk1W0f3un-8y34WacFyRbRsWqsfSd9EsprrdpHG6mdFpj_SCKlvOh7yHt8WFkra_vmThGJLrstEn9_JnYtAn5YhD4xxmPNNsga0V-hSBGu6BavUDntLo_cEIg/w579-h285/Page+15-16+by+Maria+Oglesby.jpg" width="579" /></a></u></span></span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><br />_______________________________________</u></span></span><p></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Oh, you are so very welcome, Maria! </b></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>I enjoyed this interview and laughed a few times out loud. So, thank you! I especially love all of the resources you shared to help new artists and illustrators. I am going to check them out for myself as well. I have never tried to monetize my artwork - always felt it was not good enough (like your students), but you've given me some great ways to break that habit and try some new things.</b></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>And if you'd like to get in contact with Maria, here is a list of where you can find her:</b></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Twitter: </b></span></span><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #536471; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MariaOglesbyArt" target="_blank">@MariaOglesbyArt</a></span></span></p><p><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; text-wrap: nowrap;"><b>Instagram: </b></span></span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mariaoglesbyart/" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">@mariaoglesbyart </a></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>TikTok: <span style="background-color: white; color: #161823;"><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mariaoglesbyart" target="_blank">mariaoglesbyart</a></span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Website: <a href="http://www.mariaoglesbyart.com/about" target="_blank">Maria Oglesby</a></b></span></p><p><u style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">_______________________</u></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJAM57NUxc5_z8nEzEouFuu03b0k_INt9s_9n4nFNDtCHV49TJmAVqzadIGdL2ZbVEZS8E24-SxGc72u2YjD6pA9vXMQIp9DhHOGiKcEPJMADdibFF9S214DwIRiJZosqrf7bqqK6WnosVYzl46HejB2at_PFzM0w3S9fE8vEZqZPcv2TFdetWeVuVF0/s800/IMG_1611.PNG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJAM57NUxc5_z8nEzEouFuu03b0k_INt9s_9n4nFNDtCHV49TJmAVqzadIGdL2ZbVEZS8E24-SxGc72u2YjD6pA9vXMQIp9DhHOGiKcEPJMADdibFF9S214DwIRiJZosqrf7bqqK6WnosVYzl46HejB2at_PFzM0w3S9fE8vEZqZPcv2TFdetWeVuVF0/s320/IMG_1611.PNG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">And as always if you'd like to join us on the blog, reach out. (Note: There is a waitlist)</span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Email me angazur @ gmail </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-76360686952032022092023-07-06T16:29:00.001-04:002023-07-06T16:30:55.334-04:00Author Interview with Jasmine A. Stirling <p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">K</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #fcff01; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">d</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">L</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #01ffff; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">i</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">t</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alert</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Interview with Traditionally Published</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Author of</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dare to Question</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jasmine A. Stirling</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjC5sLgxgDJwGuF7kceLBNKdWQk4oKNXjB9gC61LY3_dJE6qFF37kGLm23kAFcybt3HS_QpVpCLEpZ1Dag8XIb6yLCGfeEVfnHWvkQKJ0Dc3cxLvioQkyhjnjhtkCsGQshqlEa4ai3Zj9zCExhTKHgz0M4ivxQrCK7L0Ptc95aegL88YixgCk_4rhrvA/s1434/JAS%20Author%20pic%20smaller-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="1024" height="495" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjC5sLgxgDJwGuF7kceLBNKdWQk4oKNXjB9gC61LY3_dJE6qFF37kGLm23kAFcybt3HS_QpVpCLEpZ1Dag8XIb6yLCGfeEVfnHWvkQKJ0Dc3cxLvioQkyhjnjhtkCsGQshqlEa4ai3Zj9zCExhTKHgz0M4ivxQrCK7L0Ptc95aegL88YixgCk_4rhrvA/w354-h495/JAS%20Author%20pic%20smaller-1.jpg" width="354" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hello, Readers, Writers, and Bookish Friends,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Let's hear it for Jasmine and her book <b>Dare to Question</b>. Now, many of you know one of the slogans I live by is: Question Everything! So, this book is on my yes list! I hope you will read and support this writer along her publishing journey. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I reached out to her for an interview after falling in love with her Instagram account. She is an amazing photographer! I highly recommend checking it out <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jasmine.a.stirling.author/" target="_blank">@jasmine.a.stirling.author</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><u>___________________________</u></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><u><br /></u></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Hello, Jasmine, and Welcome to Writing Teazurs. </b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGbE5RFYB60EtNc2UTP4qTOmGkfOltKzdB7eVZRiUlC_kFH94T-odlLdtZgGm1v7vX1xG1CvbSBq4oRK_tvp-MHB3PbkxrU-R3a9jhgUpD4jT1y4x23GO-2ZEhSx347D3OsAq3P_3KHkcVedOrdw5UjFfAZy68GWjrnNlEZsRqeymn4Ai6dOnhYBTtEo/s2560/Dare%20to%20Question%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="2007" height="431" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGbE5RFYB60EtNc2UTP4qTOmGkfOltKzdB7eVZRiUlC_kFH94T-odlLdtZgGm1v7vX1xG1CvbSBq4oRK_tvp-MHB3PbkxrU-R3a9jhgUpD4jT1y4x23GO-2ZEhSx347D3OsAq3P_3KHkcVedOrdw5UjFfAZy68GWjrnNlEZsRqeymn4Ai6dOnhYBTtEo/w338-h431/Dare%20to%20Question%20Cover.jpg" width="338" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The title of your new book is </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dare to Question</span><span style="font-size: large;">: How did you come up with that title? What other titles were in the mix? </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">editor</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Tracey Keevan, came up with the title. When she made the suggestion, I wasn’t sure if </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">questioner</span></i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was a good way to describe Carrie. But as I thought about Carrie’s life through this lens, I realized that Dare to Question not only described Carrie perfectly, it also tied together every turn of her career, including the final story of the letter that saved the 19th Amendment—which at that point felt a bit disconnected thematically from the rest of the story. I re-wrote the manuscript around this theme, which made for a more satisfying read. Hence...</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">Dare to Question is not just </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">the title of the book; </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">it is the <i>thread</i> that ties the story together.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQvmvIaZm_qCwOVo97zmkdb9BFNvzR9bwC0NSqlbDNodFhzX79th4VhSiafl5oxI4jOUTywQ57kacuWFIUlP19SytMbf5tqM0-6YlKbebn2Rhcm6sp-d6Om0ztV1CBzvYaDMn0II6gPXgtRU1vT6n2GCi3vkgktEvlhZc9EKBpebRyLbWay7h679kAMI/s1080/Dare%20to%20Question%20Prize%20Instagram.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQvmvIaZm_qCwOVo97zmkdb9BFNvzR9bwC0NSqlbDNodFhzX79th4VhSiafl5oxI4jOUTywQ57kacuWFIUlP19SytMbf5tqM0-6YlKbebn2Rhcm6sp-d6Om0ztV1CBzvYaDMn0II6gPXgtRU1vT6n2GCi3vkgktEvlhZc9EKBpebRyLbWay7h679kAMI/w328-h328/Dare%20to%20Question%20Prize%20Instagram.png" width="328" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></div>We discussed other themes, like </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">Undercover Rebel</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Tracey came up with all of these. I love the concept of an undercover rebel, which describes Carrie wonderfully well. But the important thing was to find a theme that knit together the plot turns as well as Carrie’s personality. Undercover Rebel could have done this to some extent, but Dare to Question was more </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">cohesive</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">tangible</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">relatable</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What types of dares did you take when you were young? Did you ever say no to a dare? Are you a daring person?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #ff00fe;">not</span></i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a daring person. I was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138;">terrified</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> of the game </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">“Truth or Dare”</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> as a child. I hate things that are </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><b>risky</b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"> and (in my eyes) have no greater purpose (like skydiving or even skiing). </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">However, I am a questioner, just like Carrie. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">And I have absolutely </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-weight: 400;">no problem </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-weight: 400;">daring</span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-weight: 400;"> to question authority,</span><span style="color: black; font-weight: 400;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">whether that be a boss, a school system, a cultural norm, or a reflexive habit.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">On Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies Rubric, I score overwhelmingly as a Questioner.<span style="color: #f1c232;"> <i>I pair well</i></span> with other <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-style: normal;">questioners</span>, in friendship and work. I am also highly <span style="color: #a64d79; font-style: normal;">pragmatic</span>. Like Carrie, I would be willing to make <span style="color: #cc0000; font-style: normal;">compromises</span>, and use marketing, storytelling, and popular culture to advance a cause I believed in.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why do you think children should dare to question?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Fascism</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> is (and always has been) a real threat, both within and outside our borders. Banning books, controlling a women’s fertility, policing what people say, dictating gender norms, legislating who an adult is permitted to love, conspiring with our nation’s enemies to manipulate election outcomes—these are anti-democratic, fascist threads running through our culture. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large;">The work of democracy and civil rights is never finished.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Nobody knew this more than Carrie. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our children will grow up and face these </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138;">threats</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. A culture that has lost its appetite for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">questioning authority</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is easy prey for fascism. Belief in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">power</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of questions must be instilled in young people if we are to continue this beautiful experiment of democracy and civil rights—a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #45818e;">fragile</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> experiment and one that has flourished on our planet only in brief bursts. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">You won IPNE Children’s Book Award for your debut in 2021 - what did that feel like? How did you get put up for that award? </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>nominated</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the award by a board member of the Independent Publishers of New England and was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e06666;">honored</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to win in the children’s category. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">I encourage debut authors to seek out niche awards.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU41XjvEILy7q8SIOgfEYsNW74g3j6vDaewUgItcWtCMcoNQ-brBui1I7wlSLeQs6SyWu3exfgtBnHlQ87hQiOZ8wGIi6-AIWHKO-r2Sx2vRTK4l868aevfJQDdt5thlnSFXZJlEnIEaokQ3F46ctZTWaZ2q02g0zuUcOzdJMy5aCAcr3JxtH3QfhrF8I/s1200/Dare%20to%20Question%20Book%20Tour%20Header%20V2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU41XjvEILy7q8SIOgfEYsNW74g3j6vDaewUgItcWtCMcoNQ-brBui1I7wlSLeQs6SyWu3exfgtBnHlQ87hQiOZ8wGIi6-AIWHKO-r2Sx2vRTK4l868aevfJQDdt5thlnSFXZJlEnIEaokQ3F46ctZTWaZ2q02g0zuUcOzdJMy5aCAcr3JxtH3QfhrF8I/w622-h350/Dare%20to%20Question%20Book%20Tour%20Header%20V2.png" width="622" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Many of my readers are aspiring authors - and they always want to know how that agented author got that agent. So, how did you and Alyssa Eisner Henkin at Birch Path Literary come to work together?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That is a very long story! I first queried agents in 2018, when I had an offer in hand from Bloomsbury to publish A Most Clever Girl. I received </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">seven</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">offers</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i><b>almost</b></i></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> chose <a href="https://www.birchpathliterary.com/about" target="_blank">Alyssa</a>. Instead, I chose another agent. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In 2021, I decided to move on from that agent and queried again. This time, I had an offer in hand for Dare to Question, and I received </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">9</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">offers</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">—but none from Alyssa. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a fit of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">anxious despondency</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I decided to write my first fiction picture book—for Alyssa. I was on a very tight timeline because I had to get back to the other nine offering agents in a matter of days. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">In one day, I wrote my first fiction picture book—sent it off, and waited.</span></i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alyssa loved it. She made my </span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">10th offer, and I accepted</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I like to say that Alyssa and I were </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>stars</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in an </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">author-agent romcom.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> First, she offered me, but I went with someone else. Then I broke up with that someone and asked her again, but she said no this time. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">Tensions ran high</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">—would these two ever get together? Someone had to do something heroic! And so I did—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">I wrote a book for her</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And it worked! </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><b>Happy ending. </b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Curtain, please.</div></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What do agents actually do to help you with your book?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Some agents do little to nothing at all. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">But Alyssa does</span> </span><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>a great deal.</b></span></span><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mostly, actually, she tells me that an idea I’m thinking about will not </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">sell</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or that a manuscript I’ve written is not </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">ready</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (or will never be). </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, she also </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">comes up with ideas for books</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for me to write, and sometimes I do. She has ideas for sequels to books I’ve written. She has ideas about </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138;">editors</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who might like things I’m working on. She has </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">scene</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ideas, creative </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #45818e;">titles</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">pacing</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggestions for manuscripts in progress. She says she doesn’t edit work, but in my experience, she provides feedback that is much more creative, big-picture, and valuable than line edits. Alyssa is funny, strategic, organized, and kind. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She makes me feel heard and valued </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">without coddling me.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We trade book recommendations and notes on things we’ve read. We talk about life. All of these things are motivating. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I should mention that my prior agent was professional and resourceful, and ethical but did none of the above. And that had an impact on my writing life. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">Each agent is different.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Your website is very user-friendly and professional - did you create it, or do you have someone? </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I created my website on </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Squarespace</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which is not difficult to use. I suggest that creators make their own websites using Squarespace. I also use </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Canva</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to create graphics for the site, handouts, etc. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your website doesn’t need to be beautiful, but </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">it should reflect your personality.</span></i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> For pre-published authors, design your website around information that would </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">show an agent how serious you are </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and help them get to know you better.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why Jane Austen? What is your draw to her?</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am an </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">Austen</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> fan and classic literature geek. I have read all of Proust. I love </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">George Eliot</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #76a5af;">Edith Wharton</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Austen’s biography is perfect for children, as it hinges on losing the foundation for her creative work, which was firmly in place during her childhood. It is also about losing a parent.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Art cultivates delight, sustains us, and nurtures us. Let’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">introduce children to art and literature early on</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> so it’s less intimidating later. My eight-year-old daughter recently spotted a Magritte poster while we were playing mini-golf. She was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">excited</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to recognize an </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138;">artist</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> she had learned about in school. Let’s keep the arts alive through early exposure.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOAZApEV6d9kNNhvXUjf5E00dTGr-swtnm1nxAV9h_zk_ueDrLxjUZcQfv3XpI4AhzjKjENCpHWbAPBG6QsPNTNAOkU4GpR74gIfnqCNUTNcWKSTFowjtAfpYriRoX9J0KfwhMdNSW5su4r20vZOSZtuVqCyImjQKNJRG7HYx7jCsEy9jczyN3ZaLjkY/s739/Screenshot%202023-07-06%20at%204.12.03%20PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="587" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOAZApEV6d9kNNhvXUjf5E00dTGr-swtnm1nxAV9h_zk_ueDrLxjUZcQfv3XpI4AhzjKjENCpHWbAPBG6QsPNTNAOkU4GpR74gIfnqCNUTNcWKSTFowjtAfpYriRoX9J0KfwhMdNSW5su4r20vZOSZtuVqCyImjQKNJRG7HYx7jCsEy9jczyN3ZaLjkY/s320/Screenshot%202023-07-06%20at%204.12.03%20PM.png" width="254" /></a></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your Instagram account has beautiful photos of your children - you are also an amazing photographer. What’s more fun…writing or photo taking? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">WRITING</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a lot more fun. Simpler equipment, not dependent on other people doing what you want them to, and—for me anyway—easier. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">With photography, you are limited by what is there. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">With writing, anything is possible.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">As an award-winning author, you know the ropes and the backstory to publication - Any suggestions for newbie authors?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">My first book sold in 2017</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and was published in 2021. My second sold in 2017 and was published in 2023. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>Everyone says it, but keep writing.</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Don’t wait for books to come out to start new ones. Study and learn productivity habits to keep creating. Books can take a very long time to be published. Be realistic.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">So many authors are opting to publish themselves - why go traditional? What are the benefits you saw? </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e06666;">there are benefits in either direction</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and I certainly understand why people self-publish. Traditionally-published authors do a lot of hustling and work to get their books out there, and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">we often wait years</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (SIX years, in my case) for a book to come out, which can be difficult for those who are </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">eager</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to see their projects born. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For authors who want to make an </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">impact</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> in a specific community, are </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">enthusiastic</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> entrepreneurs and collaborators, or have a career or other goals which are spurred along by their books, self-publishing can be the way to go.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">As for the </span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">benefits</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> I’ve seen as a traditionally published author, there are many. I am <span style="color: #6aa84f;">grateful</span> that </span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">my first book is being translated into Mandarin.</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> I enjoy <span style="color: #674ea7;">presenting on panels</span> with other authors in <span style="color: #cc0000;">established</span> venues. I value <span style="color: #800180;">hearing</span> what traditional media outlets have to say about my books. I appreciate being <span style="color: #f1c232;">considered for awards.</span> Book sales from schools, libraries, international, indie bookstores, and trades—these are <span style="color: #6aa84f;">aided</span> by being traditionally published. It’s fun when I go on vacation and find <span style="color: #ff00fe;">my books in places I’ve never heard of</span>. I appreciate that I will attend <span style="color: #2b00fe;">ALA</span> with my publisher. I like getting <span style="color: #cc0000;">advances</span> and <span style="color: #674ea7;">royalties</span>. I just got a starred review from <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Booklist</span> for Dare to Question. I’m not sure, but I don’t think they give out stars (or reviews) indie-published books.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">But the </span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">biggest benefit</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is the <span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>talent</b></span> that I get to make books with. My <span style="color: #ff00fe;">editor</span> is one of the most motivating and creative people I have ever met. It is a pleasure to know her and work with her. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">She makes my writing far stronger. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">The creative team at </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">Union Square</span><span style="font-size: large;"> made Dare to Question a stunningly beautiful book, from cover design to text layout. My </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">illustrator</span><span style="font-size: large;"> only works with traditional publishers, and I am dazzled by how she brought this story to life. My </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">agent</span><span style="font-size: large;"> motivates me and puts me on the right path. </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">I have a writing family, a place where I and my writing belong.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> For this, I am extremely </span><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">grateful</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to be traditionally published.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What do you think of the publishing world today? Is it easier or more difficult for new writers to get noticed?</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I believe email has made it </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">harder</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to get noticed. That’s why I always suggest that pre-published authors </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #45818e;">attend events in person</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">meet as many people as possible</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on their journey.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oxR95jlxAW0FoC4TfV8j2UmXiM4x86zbyMLhcwNZetQqp6yZGrXhIBawquUF-6999BiBvHwv35litZF4tEX-bQA1CFbHcgTVbU_QsIT1Ce7OcpQv0LLQ8oSEgx9Vp5yx7vfjRMzz353G9M1Qa71a_cwGIf8NjHvg8nsIPG6YeJL2etuDueuPskw6Mes/s474/OIP.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oxR95jlxAW0FoC4TfV8j2UmXiM4x86zbyMLhcwNZetQqp6yZGrXhIBawquUF-6999BiBvHwv35litZF4tEX-bQA1CFbHcgTVbU_QsIT1Ce7OcpQv0LLQ8oSEgx9Vp5yx7vfjRMzz353G9M1Qa71a_cwGIf8NjHvg8nsIPG6YeJL2etuDueuPskw6Mes/w279-h279/OIP.jpg" width="279" /></a></span></div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></b></p>Do you belong to any writer’s associations? If so, which ones and why?</b><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I belong to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.scbwi.org/" target="_blank">SCBWI</a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which is a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">must</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for children’s book authors. I also belong to various </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">library associations</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">From checking out your websites and social media, you have a lot on your plate! How do you keep going? How do you cut out time for self-care?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am naturally a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">workaholic</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> prone to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">hyperfocus</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. As a result, self-care is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: red;">not</span></i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> optional for me. It is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">necessary</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and I have built my life around it. I still make mistakes, but it’s a priority for me to not fall off the cliff of overwork.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">hike</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">walk</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">read</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138;">listen</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to audiobooks with my daughters, and I spend time with my family in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>nature</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It often feels like these rituals are a waste of time and that I’m not getting anything done. But how you spend your day is how you spend your life. I try to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">create balanced</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">joyful days</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My youngest daughter is still home full-time, so I often have little to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">no time</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on a given day to do anything writing-related. I’m </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">happy</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about this; I am </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">grateful</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for this time with her. It is far more important to me than my writing. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My kids and my mental and </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">physical health <i>are</i> my priority.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What do your children think of “Mommy, the writer”?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My older daughter is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #45818e;">intrigued</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. She wants to know if I’m famous. She read my website once when it was open on my computer and was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">excited</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to learn that I was “award-winning.” The girls have been early readers of my work and enjoy giving </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">brutally honest feedback</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. They love it when I visit their schools.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the same time, kids can do anything. They write books all the time. In that sense, they see me as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138;">doing something that comes naturally to them</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">On a day-to-day basis, the girls are <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>annoyed</b></span> that I write. It means I am sometimes away on retreats or speaking events or that I’m <span style="color: #f1c232;">focused</span> on my work instead of <span style="color: #ff00fe;">playing</span> with them. It means that on Saturdays, when my husband watches them, I’m not always there. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There are days when I wish I was free of the obligations of writing so that I could focus entirely on my girls. In this way, </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">I am like every other working mom—</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">torn between two identities.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Before your first book came out in 2021 - how many years had you spent learning the craft of writing? </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #45818e;">unique</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in that I started writing A Most Clever Girl in October 2016, and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">it sold ten months later</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in July 2017. I never submitted it anywhere, and I was unagented. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">It was the first manuscript I had ever written.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Allison Moore, an editor at </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Bloomsbury</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, read it at a conference, liked it, and made an offer three weeks later. I was just looking for feedback at the time. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">aspired to be a writer all my life</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but had never tried to write for children or for publication before. I had mostly thought about being a writer in my head. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">I did take one writing class</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> before A Most Clever Girl—the first workshop in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><a href="https://www.writerstudio.com/" target="_blank">The Writer’s Studio</a> series</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It was powerful, and I recommend it to all writers.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68GtORIWbgMuZEXXVDpxRnLfBdLo16AxYaNoHMjDY-0llhMNFw_r0S_vleVXRIY4j1Aa3go61uswq8sk4Y-4V3MB7DR5_lCs1XqqqCjkkWcMrdTMtZfIusoLtonAc6pPeI0DrbTXgBPzvyKzV_j3uH6MpOAi1vrglzImKMYcjuu_PJZuVvEw5x3EDjfI/s2560/Dare%20to%20Question%20Illustration.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2560" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68GtORIWbgMuZEXXVDpxRnLfBdLo16AxYaNoHMjDY-0llhMNFw_r0S_vleVXRIY4j1Aa3go61uswq8sk4Y-4V3MB7DR5_lCs1XqqqCjkkWcMrdTMtZfIusoLtonAc6pPeI0DrbTXgBPzvyKzV_j3uH6MpOAi1vrglzImKMYcjuu_PJZuVvEw5x3EDjfI/w542-h347/Dare%20to%20Question%20Illustration.jpg" width="542" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Please give us a glimpse into your writing habits.</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I am writing, which is definitely </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">NOT</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> all the time, I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">aspire to write for at least 90 minutes a day</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, without interruption, most days a week. I do a huge amount of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #45818e;">research</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when I am writing nonfiction, and I look at lots of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">mentor texts</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when I’m writing fiction. I often have to squeeze my writing time into </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">weird times of the day</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> because, like most writers, I have lots of other things going on. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Do you have any weird habits that help you as a writer? Example: I have a little singing bowl on my desk and clang it once before beginning a chapter.</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only habit I have is to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">set a silent timer</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">—I use the Time Timer for 90 minutes, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">turn off/close everything that’s distracting, lock my office door, and write.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I do this when I need an organizing force—usually when I’m writing a first draft—to gain momentum.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">If you could’ve been born in any year - past or future - what year would you choose and why?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I could be born in any year, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">I’d love to invent the year</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">. It would be </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">a time before</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> plastic or automobiles, in a place with little to </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">no social stratification</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">, short work days, and </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">abundant freedoms</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> for people of every sort. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why write for kids? Why write at all?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">love</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to read and write children’s literature. I could give you a list of reasons, but it would fall short of that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;">feeling</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of love.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have been a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #76a5af;">voracious reader </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all my life. And yet the books I read in elementary school—those were the books that I loved most.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">studied abroad</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in college and recently went back to meet Dr. Feneley, the founder of the program where I’d studied. I mentioned how much my experience in the program had touched me. He responded with, </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">“It wasn’t the program. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">We just caught you at the right age.”</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span><span> </span>Perhaps writing for children is like that. <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b> Elementary school</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">—the </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">magical</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> age. </span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We get to <span style="color: red;">relive</span> that magical age when we read children’s <span style="color: #e69138;">literature</span>. As writers, we get their ear at that magical age. I can’t <span style="color: #674ea7;">imagine</span> anything more <span style="color: #6aa84f;">wonderful</span> than that.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>How can my blog readers follow you on the road to success?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please sign up for my newsletter (which comes a couple times a year, at most) at </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.jasmineastirling.com" target="_blank">www.jasmineastirling.com</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and follow me on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jasmine.a.stirling.author/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/jasmine.a.stirling.author/</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What words of advice do you give to kids who want to become a great writer or illustrator?</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">Keep going</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">, find other people like you, and seek out </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">mentors</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">. You’ll never get there without </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">learning how to hear feedback.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">Enjoy the journey.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOEsPFx2vfS59kzP-xKqNiLEp-3Vkg1itcQ_z-QjDgF2whJzwHjHqDdTLo91jxiRh6ypf_9OfSRo8mZOLtHBuKCrv1Dd8enb9O2rxLHH67CYs-n_NZnMNyTVC4LyLR20yt98X82RhsMzhvLubR-kZfYcJ-fLxDGzYOaMW8GfHzVfyEQKiV2bqSZlF5BI/s2560/Dare%20to%20Question%20Illustration%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2560" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOEsPFx2vfS59kzP-xKqNiLEp-3Vkg1itcQ_z-QjDgF2whJzwHjHqDdTLo91jxiRh6ypf_9OfSRo8mZOLtHBuKCrv1Dd8enb9O2rxLHH67CYs-n_NZnMNyTVC4LyLR20yt98X82RhsMzhvLubR-kZfYcJ-fLxDGzYOaMW8GfHzVfyEQKiV2bqSZlF5BI/w534-h342/Dare%20to%20Question%20Illustration%203.jpg" width="534" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">You live in San Francisco (I used to live there, too) - where do you write and what do you love about where you live?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">I write at home! </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My favorite place in the world is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Cole Valley</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, my neighborhood in San Francisco. When I was a teenager in college, I knew I wanted to live here someday. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ea9999;">I love my daily hike in the urban wilds of Mt. Sutro.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I love the corner market and the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">French bakery</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I love the quirky hardware store, the homeless painter who has his own unofficial street garden, the impeccably dressed man who goes barefoot in all weather and keeps a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">parrot</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on his shoulder, the woman who makes exquisite </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">fairy houses</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from discarded treasures, the flamboyant man who dresses himself and his chihuahua like they’re </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">always on parade</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the whispers of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">French</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Spanish</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on the street, the trees that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #45818e;">flower</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in every season, and one thousand other details that come from knowing a place for almost all of your adult life. I never get tired of it. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What’s the one thing that you learned in your career that helped you become a successful writer?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m not sure I see myself as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-size: x-large;">successful</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Which says that I haven’t learned this: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;"><span>wherever you are in your writing journey, try to </span><span>appreciate</span><span> the view.</span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you could ask yourself anything - what would that question be, and what’s your answer? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Favorite Carrie Chapman Catt quote?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">What is feminism?</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A worldwide revolt against all artificial barriers which laws and customs interpose between </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>women</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">human freedom</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It is born of the instinct within every natural woman’s soul that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">God designed her as the equal</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">co-worker</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">comrade</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">men</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of her family, and not as their slave, or servant, or dependent, or plaything.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">The movement has no leaders, no organization.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It is an evolution, like enlightenment and democracy. Here and there, societies have made organized efforts to push some phase of these </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">great world movements</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and have disbanded when their tasks have been accomplished; but </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">the great movements</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of which they have been a small part go on. They are </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">not confined</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to one land or to one age, but </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #800180;">continue through the centuries</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WW2blQpg1nAnRSe9pq28Sb_S1TKTTo8cUcox6pwtP4D6gyNzT3jGOUKXgeV4ww6n2mGb-fx9g4lDi_l2-OCGmR9w1yKnvjBxzO_Bu-SX62481shRWW85OqedYTsBqfvhhOnU69iANk9MyupkkgE1sdkb9_DNx_2j5UH83HKe_OED1al-38yg8em6TU4/s2560/Dare%20to%20Question%20Illustration%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2560" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WW2blQpg1nAnRSe9pq28Sb_S1TKTTo8cUcox6pwtP4D6gyNzT3jGOUKXgeV4ww6n2mGb-fx9g4lDi_l2-OCGmR9w1yKnvjBxzO_Bu-SX62481shRWW85OqedYTsBqfvhhOnU69iANk9MyupkkgE1sdkb9_DNx_2j5UH83HKe_OED1al-38yg8em6TU4/w525-h336/Dare%20to%20Question%20Illustration%202.jpg" width="525" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Why did you choose to write a book about Carrie Chapman Catt?</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To create </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">the next stage of feminism</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we need to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">retell</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the stories of the past. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">Carrie Chapman Catt </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">may have done more for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">women’s rights</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> than anyone in U.S. history, and yet so few of us know anything about her. </span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Catt studied what we would today call </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">brand marketing</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and applied its lessons to one of the most unglamorous, vilified movements in history, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">transforming</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> it into a fashionable trend that exhilarated and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">liberated women</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> just by getting them involved. She was, like many of her peers, also unofficially married to a woman, who led the fight alongside her. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Her story — the sweep and depth of it </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— is incredible. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She personally </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">swayed</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> President Wilson to the cause and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #45818e;">commanded</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> an army of two million women with ease. She was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">formidable</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">strategic</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">relentless</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">complicated</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I’m </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">honored</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to be able to tell her story.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What book would you suggest that writers read?</span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ellen Klages recommended the book </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><a href="https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/" target="_blank">Big Magic</a></b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to writers during a presentation I attended. I love this book and frequently gift it to writers. It pertains to my answer in the previous question. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">Read it!</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8fb91a5c-7fff-0a58-0a81-9f589e087cfd"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe41s3iYkvAFDw1AEqNw5eNgD0NcxuEg_4haFjiYPHi5Vox53prASB-tBZQJBgqkYaP8yUyiYr_zOpQaR2DBJcPB1Rr_toGEzB-C0tj7-bU-PIgkZTa_34v-HiKVt0R3bhqwqn9ZAcDh5uXBmkcD0FLdDg_krV0W-r4jSPwtzd5oJigeTj1gcIwQuVp4Y/s1252/Jasmine%20Stirling%20-%20Photo%20credit%20Anne-Elise%20Lansdown.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="900" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe41s3iYkvAFDw1AEqNw5eNgD0NcxuEg_4haFjiYPHi5Vox53prASB-tBZQJBgqkYaP8yUyiYr_zOpQaR2DBJcPB1Rr_toGEzB-C0tj7-bU-PIgkZTa_34v-HiKVt0R3bhqwqn9ZAcDh5uXBmkcD0FLdDg_krV0W-r4jSPwtzd5oJigeTj1gcIwQuVp4Y/w267-h371/Jasmine%20Stirling%20-%20Photo%20credit%20Anne-Elise%20Lansdown.png" width="267" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Any big news? </span></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">My third book</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Full Circle (title in progress), about the botanist and explorer </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Jeanne Barret</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">disguised</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> herself as a man and became the first woman to circumnavigate the world, was recently acquired by my editor at Union Square & Co. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">It comes out in spring 2025.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It is my favorite project to date, and I can’t wait to share it with the world. </span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>___________________________________</u></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><br /></u></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wow, Jasmine, you are on a writing roll. I am so thrilled that you are retelling the stories we all need to re-hear. I for one came late to the feminist movement, but I am here! I am getting louder. You just revved up my engine even more. I look forward to reading your books and cheering you on your writer's journey. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you would like to follow along with Jasmine and support her as a writer please check out her links below. And thanks for dropping by Writing Teazurs with Angie Azur.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>___________________________________</u></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><br /></u></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jasmine A. Stirling:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jasmine.a.stirling.author/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jasmine.a.stirling.author" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/JasmineStirling" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://jasmineastirling.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u>__________________________________________________________</u></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2taYB1ajoWAH4DiA5uG9h7lqMU-7OGismRzBy3-y65YNUXL76Ov4daGrID_LTu2N-PDrAjtD4caI9GC4K4sXBHnQp5PwIRPP1O4Ymv8vmWRS2uG7U67LkDN7YKGwnf0kE1c-kX_G4nyTlOVe0CG18Tdj9KuG6NiCQnVlbBMEuVkJ90SA8G3rWHeY5ls/s2819/IMG_2288.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2819" data-original-width="2118" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2taYB1ajoWAH4DiA5uG9h7lqMU-7OGismRzBy3-y65YNUXL76Ov4daGrID_LTu2N-PDrAjtD4caI9GC4K4sXBHnQp5PwIRPP1O4Ymv8vmWRS2uG7U67LkDN7YKGwnf0kE1c-kX_G4nyTlOVe0CG18Tdj9KuG6NiCQnVlbBMEuVkJ90SA8G3rWHeY5ls/s320/IMG_2288.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">And as always, if you'd like to be interviewed - reach out. But note, there is a waitlist now. Please be patient. </span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br />Write~on</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/angie_azur_writer/" target="_blank">Angie</a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p></div>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-84090275298814598662023-06-29T12:47:00.006-04:002023-06-29T13:41:47.869-04:00Interview with Founder of Artist Madrid Books: Caitlyn P.W. Jones<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">K</span><span style="color: #ffa400;">i</span><span style="color: #fcff01;">d</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">L</span><span style="color: #01ffff;">i</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">t</span> <span style="color: #800180;">Alert</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;">!</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Interview with Caitlyn P. W. Jones</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Author and Founder of Artist Madrid Books</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FVRddi66TOU5grSTmYTOVmRuMfj0xkDXEgrPe0u-LQ71tXra5eaoNFiDXdCm4iUuC7_RItnGhCb2q4-AhdPbtW9h0s39ONCcsCNiT7Otig9DvDg0LENMYBuzdNr7N25Zx7GQrWbvG7S5mmSHrnIRuArij02jYBwQ4l-_7Kyih3M6NGNSJBYas8UdRpY/s5760/KX0C2356.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5760" data-original-width="3840" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FVRddi66TOU5grSTmYTOVmRuMfj0xkDXEgrPe0u-LQ71tXra5eaoNFiDXdCm4iUuC7_RItnGhCb2q4-AhdPbtW9h0s39ONCcsCNiT7Otig9DvDg0LENMYBuzdNr7N25Zx7GQrWbvG7S5mmSHrnIRuArij02jYBwQ4l-_7Kyih3M6NGNSJBYas8UdRpY/w370-h556/KX0C2356.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><b id="docs-internal-guid-796f4fb6-7fff-746a-7546-c205a2050ff5" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Caitlyn, you are the founder of Artist Madrid Books. How did this endeavor come about? Why get involved in publishing?</span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;">Artist Madrid Books is the name of my </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal;"><b>indie publishing company</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, founded in 2021. I've had a lifelong </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;">passion</span><span style="font-size: large;"> for books and a </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;">dream</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to one day become a writer. However, for a long time, I didn't see any way for me to pursue writing other than as a hobby. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Then in 2020, the world shut down.</span></i> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was on maternity leave with my daughter and felt a little aimless. In the small moments of quiet, when she decided to sleep, I wrote her a </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>poem</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> that became the inspiration for my first book, <b>"<span style="color: #f1c232;">Some Days</span>"</b>. After writing the poem, I decided to find an illustrator and publish it because </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">I could not find any similar books with characters that looked like her.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> After going through the self-publishing process, I knew I wanted to share these nuggets of wisdom with others. Thus, Artist Madrid Books was born.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>You care about diverse books. Why do we need to buy books with different protagonists or different ways of living?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">As an author, we are <b><span style="color: #e69138;">alchemists</span></b> of the written word, taking a simple idea and creating <span style="color: #ff00fe;">vibrant</span> characters and <span style="color: #674ea7;">spectacular</span> worlds. Readers may feel more comfortable with a book where the protagonist is similar to themselves, which is great! I believe everyone should have a <span style="color: #6aa84f;">comfort</span> read. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">However, I feel books that allow you to see life, </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">whether made-up or real, </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">through a different person's eyes </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">should be on all bookshelves.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9-lYPAcYHGDOEaWSq2tJPxygQ9NxPbJ5Ds61tizpTf0R6RrG8Fs3F0oZJesp72mIqugmPhHW1-c5guzS9WkrZmZgDqaAtcwLuIvotIdI1ZQAkjyTHQUlvRzdBCyC2dGoTB393bXCh10vp1JMwCyZ4v0wX2rDdAOifxLc_9vuufMmb3X7RQuYlJV76VI/s5472/350A1500-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9-lYPAcYHGDOEaWSq2tJPxygQ9NxPbJ5Ds61tizpTf0R6RrG8Fs3F0oZJesp72mIqugmPhHW1-c5guzS9WkrZmZgDqaAtcwLuIvotIdI1ZQAkjyTHQUlvRzdBCyC2dGoTB393bXCh10vp1JMwCyZ4v0wX2rDdAOifxLc_9vuufMmb3X7RQuYlJV76VI/w260-h391/350A1500-2.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>You are an Indie Published author. The title</b></span></span><b style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is Some Days - what is this book and the background of it?</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Some Days" is a children's board book from the point of view of a little girl. <span style="color: #a64d79;">She describes how every day with her mother is a little different. </span>Some days her mother is sick, and they have to change their plans. The book ends with the mother reassuring her daughter: “I love you, sweet little one. I love you each and every day!”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I mentioned, this book was inspired by my relationship with my daughter. Being someone who deals with chronic illness, I <span style="color: red;">never</span> want her to feel she is the cause of my <span style="color: #990000;">“bad days”</span>. The book is for young ones up to 4 years old and uses engaging, <span style="color: #ff00fe;">vibrant illustrations</span> to tell the story. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">Numerous parents have told me that this book was as </span><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;">comforting</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to them as it was to their children, even those without <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>health/mental issues.</b></span> After reading it with their little ones, I hope parents are able to give themselves a little more <span style="color: #674ea7;">grace</span>. Parenting is hard, and we all have bad days.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQbDt2CnQxAD5fGFzeDC1SMkCqy4m8BTC2xYSwHmswp5GJ0p4agCCT6G9wIxvqpn0Z03VUnnuk4JU6UU9Ur4sT44M9a6YZooupBssfO8cO3Xoj0sPmDwa8IlTgOWAScy8xiM8OnN_8xzVhSbWBf0vbVuaMh4OCaSiTA65Ob4WKYXKGVUJMcuXl1vxlM4/s1080/20230620_175505_0000.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="439" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQbDt2CnQxAD5fGFzeDC1SMkCqy4m8BTC2xYSwHmswp5GJ0p4agCCT6G9wIxvqpn0Z03VUnnuk4JU6UU9Ur4sT44M9a6YZooupBssfO8cO3Xoj0sPmDwa8IlTgOWAScy8xiM8OnN_8xzVhSbWBf0vbVuaMh4OCaSiTA65Ob4WKYXKGVUJMcuXl1vxlM4/w439-h439/20230620_175505_0000.png" width="439" /></a></span></span></div><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Some Days won the 2022 Children’s Book Expo ICMe Award in Atlanta, Georgia. Awesome! What did that mean to you? How can other writers get their books out there for awards? </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Children’s Book Expo ICMe Awardees represent outstanding books that </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">highlight diversity</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> in children’s literature. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">When I found out that my first book had won, </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">I cried. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;">Writing a book is a labor of <span style="color: red;">love</span>, and it’s always <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>validating</b></span> to have someone else say that you’ve done a great job. <i><span style="color: #ff00fe;">I tell my clients to submit their books for as many awards as possible. </span></i>This can be costly since most have a submission fee. However, there are some that are free to enter or have relatively low cost. If it is in your budget, it is definitely worth it!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What are the genres of the books that Artist Madrid Books has published so far, and why did you choose them?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;">At this time, we have published or assisted with publishing </span><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;">15 books</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;"> with at least </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: large; font-style: normal;"><b>7 more in the works</b></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-size: large;"> from around the world. It has definitely been a busy two years! </span><i style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #e69138;">At the moment, we are focusing on children and a few young adult projects.</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> I make sure that all the books we publish represent </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">diverse</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">unique</span><span style="font-size: large;"> experiences. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">I especially love it</span><span style="font-size: large;"> when I get to work with authors who’ve written a book for their own children because they haven’t been able to find that topic with diverse characters in the current marketplaces. Then I get to help them introduce their story to the world.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>How can we get people to buy diverse books? </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">The simple answer is: </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">Make more books with </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>authentic</i> <i>diverse</i> characters available.</span><span style="font-size: large; font-style: normal;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal;">When you look at the percentage of diverse representation in children’s books, the numbers are </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large; font-style: normal;">dismal</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal;">. The more complicated answer is we need more diverse authors, and we need to </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;"><i>help authors</i></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal;"> </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;"><i>feel comfortable telling their unique stories.</i></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal;"> Truthfully, many authors do not have access to traditional publishing. I feel like the explosion of self-published books in recent years has been amazing, but we still have a long way to go. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal;">Encouraging writing and literacy </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal;">from a young age is also important. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am thrilled for the past two years, Artist Madrid Books has been able to host a <span style="color: #ff00fe;"><a href="https://artistmadridbooks.com/contest/" target="_blank">Youth Writing Contest</a></span> for children 4 to 10 years old. The grand prize winner even gets their book idea published. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>If I gave you a megaphone and the whole world would listen: What one sentence would you shout?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">If you have been hesitant about writing, </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">I want to let you know </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">someone out there needs your story!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What is your Debut fantasy novel’s title? How did you come up with it, and what is its meaning?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">My debut portal fantasy novel, "<span style="color: #45818e;"><b>Adjacent to the Truth</b></span>” will be published through Artist Madrid Books YA Disivion. I am so excited that it is becoming a reality because I’ve been working on this manuscript for the past 4 years. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">The title comes from a line in the book: "It has long been proven that beings cannot be trusted with their own story. They cannot be humble enough, objective enough to tell a tale in truth. They always add a flourish here or there, cover over a mistake, and then proudly sing their praises. <span style="color: #ff00fe;">So it can be said that anyone who tells their own story is only telling a tale adjacent to the truth."</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What does Portal YA mean? What makes this story unique?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">Portal fantasy is a </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">subgenre</span><span style="font-size: large;"> of the wider <span style="color: #674ea7;">fantasy</span> genre. My novel’s plot follows two teenage girls, one from an alternate world and one from one like our own. <span style="color: #6aa84f;">The alternate world I created is a mysterious place with lush forests and the dangerous creatures that roam them.</span> It’s a land forgotten by <span style="color: #f1c232;">time</span> and steeped in <span style="color: #45818e;">tradition</span>. Through the protagonists' alternating points of view, readers get to experience these two different settings filled with endearing and <span style="color: #a64d79;">authentic diverse characters.</span> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">The combination of suspenseful elements found in other genres blends with the creative world-building to make this novel unique; each chapter brings <span style="color: #351c75;"><b>fresh revelations</b></span> about both worlds as our protagonists discover secrets that could change both worlds forever.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-YB5Lw0qg5jPiERsk37IHIjcQWZjFkLMEJVELRZOcn6QJ2wkFP_FjRUl-rajWSiL2X9ERyBCP2LiXQrDrxwbEPW806W3d3dynlrdqxywbxrzjT4G-FQJ-fQoDBr6DUnVM3HpAtXVgUay2MkB0mmJiI1wq64MPS3vlTV2BtvbZKEFrxQC79u4QfdEX_Y/s2160/png_20230617_184548_0000.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-YB5Lw0qg5jPiERsk37IHIjcQWZjFkLMEJVELRZOcn6QJ2wkFP_FjRUl-rajWSiL2X9ERyBCP2LiXQrDrxwbEPW806W3d3dynlrdqxywbxrzjT4G-FQJ-fQoDBr6DUnVM3HpAtXVgUay2MkB0mmJiI1wq64MPS3vlTV2BtvbZKEFrxQC79u4QfdEX_Y/w450-h450/png_20230617_184548_0000.png" width="450" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why are you the perfect writer to have written this novel?</span></b><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have enjoyed reading young adult <span style="color: #674ea7;">fantasy</span> and <span style="color: #6aa84f;">sci-fi </span>books for the past 20 years. And I’ve definitely learned a thing or two. I’ve enjoyed writing a story my way and infusing it with experiences I have had <span style="color: #f1c232;">as a minority. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">I want readers to get lost in my story, imagine </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">new cultures</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">customs</span><span style="font-size: large;">, think about what makes us all </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">unique</span><span style="font-size: large;">, and find </span><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">courage</span><span style="font-size: large;"> in the characters’ struggles. This portal fantasy novel has it all: It’s thrilling, filled with emotion, humorous, and thought-provoking. While this story tackles <span style="color: #6aa84f;">difficult topics</span>, it does so in a manner that makes it suitable even for younger teens. I really do hope readers have as much <span style="color: #e06666;">fun reading</span> it as I have writing it.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is the main theme in this novel? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large; font-style: normal;">I’ve really worked to provide <span style="color: #ff00fe;">realistic</span> examples of </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal;">different interpersonal relationships.</span><span style="font-size: large; font-style: normal;"> I want this to be something that my daughter can enjoy when she is a teenager, but more importantly, I want to </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>not</i></span><span style="font-size: large; font-style: normal;"> romanticize toxic relationships. Throughout the book, readers will be able to clearly see the different types of <span style="color: #3d85c6;">relationships</span>; healthy, toxic, and everything in between.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large; font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I think it’s important for young adults to </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">understand what a healthy relationship looks like </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-size: large; font-style: normal;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>not</i></span><span style="font-size: large; font-style: normal;"> be influenced by </span></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">toxic relationships, sometimes portrayed in literature. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">This is especially </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">true</span><span style="font-size: large;"> when it comes to </span><span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">romantic</span><span style="font-size: large;"> relationships, as this can often shape how young adults approach relationships later in life. So, I made sure that the protagonist's primary relationship was one built on </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">trust</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and mutual </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">respect</span><span style="font-size: large;">, with both parties supporting each other through their individual journeys of self-discovery.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQt2LoFSUU5gIZIBCnCC41rCMuTpaJ5Bg3C-ZFBy1BD70n2cmQ_HpJEFktaIjK-YNt8UiXH4lAfiRiDlQqBvPrE4cSHj6tsLh-EP24A49IKyxu02GHKGrIextI2JoYhGTGWKpdm6XRqmD4ansBY5DFYb_Du7YpGjHl568uFL2a6ZDmXNcsjbl4YWLXSI/s1500/png_20230620_175816_0000.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQt2LoFSUU5gIZIBCnCC41rCMuTpaJ5Bg3C-ZFBy1BD70n2cmQ_HpJEFktaIjK-YNt8UiXH4lAfiRiDlQqBvPrE4cSHj6tsLh-EP24A49IKyxu02GHKGrIextI2JoYhGTGWKpdm6XRqmD4ansBY5DFYb_Du7YpGjHl568uFL2a6ZDmXNcsjbl4YWLXSI/w460-h460/png_20230620_175816_0000.png" width="460" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>You say you are looking for ARC and Beta participants. How can these readers work with you? </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">If my teaser has piqued your interest and you like receiving free books, I recommend </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">applying</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> to be a part of Artist Madrid Books Review Panel (</span></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://form.jotform.com/JonesCaitlyn/childrens-book-review-panel" target="_blank">Beta Readers Needed</a></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). We are currently looking for beta readers and will begin the </span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ARC</span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> selection process in September. Both </span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beta</span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">advanced copy readers</span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will provide invaluable feedback and buzz about the book before its official launch this fall.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What advice do you have for YA writers?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Besides writing as much as possible, this is the advice I have for all writers: </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>If you don’t know what to write about, go out and live. </b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>If you don’t know how to write, stay in and read.</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What are your goals for the next year? Five? Ten?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">I hope to </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;">continue to grow my publishing company</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">, be able to grow the Artist Madrid Books family, and </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: large;">focus</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> a bit more on my own writing. At first, I thought “Adjacent to the Truth” would be a stand-alone novel, but as I’m moving into further revisions, I am considering a sequel. I see endless </span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">possibilities</span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"> on how I can continue the story. Either way, I will definitely continue on my author journey and be able to assist other writers to get their stories out there.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">_____________________________________</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;"><b>Awesome, Caitlyn! Thank you for sharing your writer's journey and your new love - Publishing. I absolutely <i>love</i> your quote for advice for writers! So true. Let's rally behind this new self-publishing house, hoping that more diverse writers sitting on a unique POV manuscript will query Artist Madrid Books. </b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;"><b>Writers - Artist Madrid Books wants your diverse POVs. You can do this. We need diverse books!</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connect with Caitlyn or Artist Madrid Books: </b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Links:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Author Coaching Now Available: <a href="https://artistmadridbooks.com/self-publishing/" target="_blank">https://artistmadridbooks.com/self-publishing/</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Artist Madrid Books Titles: <a href="https://artistmadridbooks.com/books/" target="_blank">https://artistmadridbooks.com/books/</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">My Author Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/authorcpw/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/authorcpw/</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Artist Madrid Books Podcast: <a href="https://artistmadridbooks.podbean.com/" target="_blank">https://artistmadridbooks.podbean.com/</a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnYdEvM7bCCdUb8McsTI4v_FgElkAlaKkEAJ7O3SlOx8St0qb9H8kqTldYyLHJJ55oOGtboIG5kz-ECHPySpcajjV-C9LBtIhd5kBRJq9Mfoa5VZxapKzYfIyuEzXxAWaGHH53__2sFdOaJOrdc8EBU8oGmsuWI2rgg6rkc4nOhMPQ4OFhgY1KcuxURE/s3024/2246EBCE-10D5-44CF-B123-3FD0E1193A5E.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnYdEvM7bCCdUb8McsTI4v_FgElkAlaKkEAJ7O3SlOx8St0qb9H8kqTldYyLHJJ55oOGtboIG5kz-ECHPySpcajjV-C9LBtIhd5kBRJq9Mfoa5VZxapKzYfIyuEzXxAWaGHH53__2sFdOaJOrdc8EBU8oGmsuWI2rgg6rkc4nOhMPQ4OFhgY1KcuxURE/s320/2246EBCE-10D5-44CF-B123-3FD0E1193A5E.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></span></div><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>And as always - if you'd like. to be interviewed, reach out. I love promoting writers and bookish people. </b></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">**Note: There is a waitlist right now.**</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; 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margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301859857718273999.post-34054805490860877022023-06-21T12:30:00.003-04:002023-06-22T14:40:32.728-04:00Debut PB Author Interview with Ellen L. Ramsey<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">K</span><span style="color: #ffa400;">i</span><span style="color: #ffd966;">d</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">L</span><span style="color: #01ffff;">i</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">t</span> <span style="color: #800180;">Alert</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;">!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Interview with</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Traditionally Published Debut PB Author</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Ellen L. Ramsey</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1DAiwZbNkMmqSwDrIk--oDPgktX7oLNtbnAgwsiVn5tT3sXB5DUzYFYxI45cq3riSjwoeK0G77bhRy_W7LeVHxGxDu6QpmY0UZsExFQ8zNfOBqHuB0Ft_nBTeJplos5g1BSy2PFlE1g7PCaWeD3duuRU_B0NYO96Lgyep7z1vwCDL7LmIyf5GQdtlsM/s595/EllenLRamsey_595x595.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="595" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1DAiwZbNkMmqSwDrIk--oDPgktX7oLNtbnAgwsiVn5tT3sXB5DUzYFYxI45cq3riSjwoeK0G77bhRy_W7LeVHxGxDu6QpmY0UZsExFQ8zNfOBqHuB0Ft_nBTeJplos5g1BSy2PFlE1g7PCaWeD3duuRU_B0NYO96Lgyep7z1vwCDL7LmIyf5GQdtlsM/w354-h354/EllenLRamsey_595x595.jpg" width="354" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Good Day, Readers and Writers and Bookish people, </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks for dropping by the Teazurs Blog. Please welcome Picture Book Debut author Ellen L. Ramsey, a self-proclaimed collector of stories, to the site. Her debut PB comes out this July 2023, and I am excited to read all about Bear and his humorous love of reading. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hmmm, sounds like there's a bit of the author in this Bear. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTalllnS-r4tYWfsCu64iBuUprQq9eWCHy2NosBqBs4XJ0X63elOX7aKeSyn9EoSFT919YISISw8JbMQ5H4EF1zH2vGRTpFqwhB3Pf6XOQx2jCurLfugy8F2B5aILTJtWq8lHNtRAn_J77PuaL2tiEKi3qYR7fNfU94BWLtlNSClJPzQi6CJolGNX6xRk/s3188/9780593527245_SuperheroDisguise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="3188" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTalllnS-r4tYWfsCu64iBuUprQq9eWCHy2NosBqBs4XJ0X63elOX7aKeSyn9EoSFT919YISISw8JbMQ5H4EF1zH2vGRTpFqwhB3Pf6XOQx2jCurLfugy8F2B5aILTJtWq8lHNtRAn_J77PuaL2tiEKi3qYR7fNfU94BWLtlNSClJPzQi6CJolGNX6xRk/w602-h269/9780593527245_SuperheroDisguise.jpg" width="602" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Hello, Ellen! I love your website! It's written in a way that adults and children will <i>laugh</i> when they read all about you. It’s really clever and cute. What type of guidance would you give other authors about their websites?</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">I love to laugh, and I love stories.</span> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The website reflects my <span style="color: red;">love</span> of <span style="color: #ffa400;">reading</span> and <span style="color: #f1c232;">writing</span>, my sense of <span style="color: #6aa84f;">humor</span>, and my other interests, like watching <span style="color: #45818e;">birds</span>, <span style="color: #b45f06;">bees</span>, and <span style="color: #a64d79;">butterflies</span>. My husband and I had fun working on the website, and my husband contributed photographs and videos. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Designing a website is like writing a story—</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>think about what will capture other people’s interest.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGEiH_yPMQTB8VTYLBsxrboBHCzx5KmwrGW5C6SnVxNHWy9o8oo2Z_ge5LzaRGe-aATJSVnVcrbrUFSdUJa7wIPutY44_3Iu7D2_cyS8uCW0hZLiBiW7Za96Yv9GZrPBbsR-WX-W3ay6qvjQ2xYxEqIXlnRoYx0KpIxp1HPuQBTl0nv1O-8Z2mjwDLBM/s335/540117_0b23fa26ea4a464e92ac876b7ae6a08e~mv2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="335" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGEiH_yPMQTB8VTYLBsxrboBHCzx5KmwrGW5C6SnVxNHWy9o8oo2Z_ge5LzaRGe-aATJSVnVcrbrUFSdUJa7wIPutY44_3Iu7D2_cyS8uCW0hZLiBiW7Za96Yv9GZrPBbsR-WX-W3ay6qvjQ2xYxEqIXlnRoYx0KpIxp1HPuQBTl0nv1O-8Z2mjwDLBM/w504-h346/540117_0b23fa26ea4a464e92ac876b7ae6a08e~mv2.webp" width="504" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>How many teddy bears do you have, and which one is your favorite? </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">We have </span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>37 teddy bears</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, most of them gifts from friends and relatives who know about our love of bears. Their names reflect their interests and outfits—Aviator Bear, Golf Bear, Globe Bear (who turns into a globe). </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Our favorite bears are <span style="color: #800180;">Mr. and Mrs. Bear. Mr. Bear</span> was a gift from my husband <span style="color: #f1c232;">before we were married</span>, and Mrs. Bear was a gift at the time of our <span style="color: #ff00fe;">wedding</span>. For many years, our holiday cards have featured photos of Mr. and Mrs. Bear—plus holiday messages from the bears. Living in a house full of books, the bears have literary aspirations.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Many new authors are self-publishing, but you have an agent and have been traditionally published. Why did you go the traditional route?</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’ve worked as a technical writer/editor for many years and <i><span style="color: #ffa400;">respect what editors do</span></i>. I was delighted by <span style="color: #674ea7;">Cheryl Eissing’s</span> editorial suggestions that strengthened the story and by the choice of <span style="color: #800180;"><a href="http://www.mackenziehaley.com/" target="_blank">MacKenzie Haley</a></span> as the illustrator. In navigating the publication process, I’m grateful for my agent <span style="color: #ff00fe;">Liza Fleissig’s</span> guidance, Cheryl’s editorial suggestions and support from other <span style="color: red;">Penguin/Random House</span> <span style="color: red;">staff</span>, and MacKenzie’s imaginative art that adds beauty and visual humor to the book.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoSkyqeSa63uHaJ3y-QCgi26CClsAUcjN38m2oItntaKIiUWabhvpPe040Sxseghmo5gY0GtONBMbQJKIwboVzeVc7qmJB_r9Yg6XQHcF7BSzuFSYxQVY6h3thxI8ZPLbjRYiClmaPVa6WrAPht18M4Ec44zAyfj_gCnQZsmH9p5Gmb8FfJ9RHYfYVME/s1024/PeterRabbit_2023_04_02_S03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoSkyqeSa63uHaJ3y-QCgi26CClsAUcjN38m2oItntaKIiUWabhvpPe040Sxseghmo5gY0GtONBMbQJKIwboVzeVc7qmJB_r9Yg6XQHcF7BSzuFSYxQVY6h3thxI8ZPLbjRYiClmaPVa6WrAPht18M4Ec44zAyfj_gCnQZsmH9p5Gmb8FfJ9RHYfYVME/w460-h460/PeterRabbit_2023_04_02_S03.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></b></p>Why write for children?</b><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My mom, who was an <span style="color: #ffa400;">artist</span> and art <span style="color: #674ea7;">teacher</span>, <span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>inspired</b></span> my love of children’s books, especially picture books. I treasure books from my childhood, especially Wanda Gag’s <span style="color: #800180;">MILLIONS OF CATS</span>, Clare Turlay Newberry’s <span style="color: #ff00fe;">PANDORA</span>, Beatrice Potter’s <span style="color: #b45f06;">PETER RABBIT</span> (a beautiful old copy that was given to my mother by one of her grandmothers). My mother used these books in her art classes, so they have been <i><span style="color: #f1c232;">well-loved by many children.</span></i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>What was the most difficult rejection you’ve received over the years?</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">The most difficult </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">rejection</span><span style="font-size: large;"> was my picture book manuscript </span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;">A Book for Bear</span><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;">making it to an acquisitions meeting but <i>not</i> being accepted for publication</span><span style="font-size: large;">. There was also the time when a manuscript, which I naively thought was being seriously considered, was returned to me over a year later with a large footprint and an apology explaining that the manuscript was mislaid under a desk. </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>In this case, I chose to be </b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>amused rather than discouraged!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>You have many publications. What are some of the publications or magazines a writer for kids might like to submit their work to?</b> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’ve learned a lot from working with editors at <i><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Highlights</span></b>, <span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>Muse</b></span>, <span style="color: red;"><b>Ladybug</b></span></i>, and <i><span style="color: #351c75;"><b>Spider</b></span></i>. Editors’ suggestions bring new perspectives and new ideas to my writing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Do you belong to any writer’s groups like <span style="color: #e06666;">SCBWI</span> or a critique group, and what is the best thing about them?</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">My </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">success</span><span style="font-size: large;"> in publishing my work is a tribute to <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>SCBWI</b></span> and to my <span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>writing friends</b></span>. I belong to several </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">critique groups</span><span style="font-size: large;">. We provide suggestions for each other’s writing, and support and encouragement as we deal with the...</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>three Rs of writing—</b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: x-large;"><b>rejection, revision, and resubmission;</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">...and we enjoy the </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><b>three</b></span> <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>Cs—</b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><b>creativity, community, and celebration.</b></span> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">All my critique groups have also become friendship circles.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Why are birds, bees, butterflies, and other flying things important to you? </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’m </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">fascinated</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> by flying creatures, but unfortunately, there aren’t many </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">dragons</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> in our neighborhood. </span><i><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: x-large;">So I watch birds, bees, and butterflies.</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"> It’s fun to go on “safari” in our yard or in neighborhood parks/wildlife refuges and to learn more about the importance of these animals to the </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><b>ecosystem</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6_Ubd6fNSmbxZPwmSrQZ4jC7Zr9mqZ6aQN0mGF8hi0IG_uxvqf6ZgtNrlMG_2vqSb-2QzNN00ahIPiE0MrSNnbFOc_gCw6kF9P8v7XDEDDCxyBnbbz3gG-2S6XW_h39kuGxyfBKOiKCebuFbvnfNXD2pvF9iCsyPpjIW62GAebVsYK6KWLinRLfeqO8/s1596/Cover_BookforBear_Ramsey_9780593527245.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1596" height="449" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6_Ubd6fNSmbxZPwmSrQZ4jC7Zr9mqZ6aQN0mGF8hi0IG_uxvqf6ZgtNrlMG_2vqSb-2QzNN00ahIPiE0MrSNnbFOc_gCw6kF9P8v7XDEDDCxyBnbbz3gG-2S6XW_h39kuGxyfBKOiKCebuFbvnfNXD2pvF9iCsyPpjIW62GAebVsYK6KWLinRLfeqO8/w511-h449/Cover_BookforBear_Ramsey_9780593527245.jpg" width="511" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">You have a </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">debut</span><span style="font-size: large;"> picture book coming out in 2023 - A Book for Bear - why should parents buy this book? </span></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><b>A BOOK FOR BEAR</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> is full of </span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">humor</span><span style="font-size: large;">—the perfect story for kids and parents who love <span style="color: #6aa84f;">fun</span> and <span style="color: #ff00fe;">imaginative</span> books. It’s about three things I love—</span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">books, bears, and friendship</span><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bear, assisted by his friend Ellen, searches for the perfect book for them to read together. Kids will be amused by the <span style="color: #ffa400;">disguises</span> Bear wears in his efforts to <span style="color: #cc0000;">sneak</span> into a school, a library, and a bookstore. </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">MacKenzie Haley’s <span style="color: #3d85c6;">illustrations</span> capture Bear’s enthusiasm for finding the perfect book and add lots of visual humor. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fXdiDj-CYAaQIYwK5Eg-8cq85q7oDpaet-x025fSFqBHjn5oPcrtAq5Nf-nmvibiel4AZou01e2ij9vIb8Q1BfgnB3uelmIGtmyb5yuwL-59kEVj2lp6H8Hp5RQ7HIUlmFOifvF9QdQX3pM4If0Zd1JOdAC6-4HVuxgqqdFmxBNy3sd6K6cTxohp_7E/s3188/9780593527245_OpeningSpread.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="3188" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fXdiDj-CYAaQIYwK5Eg-8cq85q7oDpaet-x025fSFqBHjn5oPcrtAq5Nf-nmvibiel4AZou01e2ij9vIb8Q1BfgnB3uelmIGtmyb5yuwL-59kEVj2lp6H8Hp5RQ7HIUlmFOifvF9QdQX3pM4If0Zd1JOdAC6-4HVuxgqqdFmxBNy3sd6K6cTxohp_7E/w611-h273/9780593527245_OpeningSpread.jpg" width="611" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I hope reading the book will inspire kids </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">to create a book of their very own. </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">More information about the book is on my website <span class="s1" style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.ellenlramsey.com/" target="_blank">ellenlramsey.com</a></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKa-8dTOZT59_YqH5myvY6vyv04ND24RTQVMzmOSg7e5svdtAa74ReH_QDS2xV0OHuNDlOLvpJcWZopSVB032cJdBUQUlXqIU8ESl9oCRfSxEEPOZM-gOGoxr2UqXZQuQraLIWLVbQro2A8sKV0ncoNRRdcTNnk8kDddAbcrIj5KH3INB2-5O6Ue-2aY/s3188/9780593527245_ReadingSpread.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="3188" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKa-8dTOZT59_YqH5myvY6vyv04ND24RTQVMzmOSg7e5svdtAa74ReH_QDS2xV0OHuNDlOLvpJcWZopSVB032cJdBUQUlXqIU8ESl9oCRfSxEEPOZM-gOGoxr2UqXZQuQraLIWLVbQro2A8sKV0ncoNRRdcTNnk8kDddAbcrIj5KH3INB2-5O6Ue-2aY/w625-h280/9780593527245_ReadingSpread.jpg" width="625" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>You also write poetry. How has poetry helped your life?</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Writing poetry helps me </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">focus</span><span style="font-size: large;"> on <span style="color: #800180;">brevity</span> and the <span style="color: #ffa400;">rhythms</span> of words—both <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">important skills in writing picture books</span></i> and in writing articles and stories to meet specific word counts.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>If you could bring something magical to the world - what would it be?</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">A magic wand that delivers the gift of </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">KINDNESS and PEACE.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>What are you writing next? Will there be another bear book? A hummingbird book?</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Yes, I’m writing another </span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">bear book.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> I’m also writing other stories based on my love of reading and creative nonfiction books about <span style="color: #3d85c6;">birds</span> and other <span style="color: #674ea7;">animals</span>.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMPtaLAe1oMW2gwU2NPfFWDIEHhXdUKrix3uMYn4ZoVpXjuGQ82GU9afdU6fZB6-kntQlY9ewYt9_Gdg-gI_TDmBr_RJLNa8P_iEURuibYxYIzBe7PPQJ7508LI9FjmJag2VG2Xk5_CFUv2z-F1Pz8O5tG_2jz4mJtfX2jGQicntHRTLKqZ0eLdTlFCo/s571/cropped-screen-shot-2023-05-31-at-8.36.50-pm.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="571" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMPtaLAe1oMW2gwU2NPfFWDIEHhXdUKrix3uMYn4ZoVpXjuGQ82GU9afdU6fZB6-kntQlY9ewYt9_Gdg-gI_TDmBr_RJLNa8P_iEURuibYxYIzBe7PPQJ7508LI9FjmJag2VG2Xk5_CFUv2z-F1Pz8O5tG_2jz4mJtfX2jGQicntHRTLKqZ0eLdTlFCo/w668-h229/cropped-screen-shot-2023-05-31-at-8.36.50-pm.jpeg" width="668" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>What conferences and events will you be attending where aspiring authors will get to meet you in person?</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I just attended an <span style="color: red;">SCBWI Eastern Pennsylvania Conference</span> at Highlights Foundation—a fantastic experience with inspirational speeches and opportunities to see writing friends and to meet in person three other members of one of my online critique groups.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’ll be part of an </span><span style="color: #ff00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">SCBWI Eastern Pennsylvania webinar panel discussion of debut authors and illustrators on Thursday, August 31, 2023. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I’m looking forward to participating. It will be an opportunity to hear about the paths to publication of several authors and illustrators.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Check here for updates <a href="https://www.scbwi.org/regions/epa/connect-with-us" target="_blank">Eastern PA SCBWI.</a></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>For people living in the Pennsylvania/New Jersey/Maryland area, here are local bookstore events:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Book Launch at Children’s Book World in Haverford, PA, on Saturday, July 22, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. <a href="http://childrensbookworld.net/" target="_blank"><span class="s1" style="color: blue;">Home - Children's Book World (childrensbookworld.net)</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: white; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 5px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Book Signing and Activities, Barnes & Noble in Exton, PA, on Saturday, August 5, 2023, 1:00 p.m., <a href="https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2086" target="_blank"><span class="s2" style="color: #1652ca;">Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Exton, PA | Barnes & Noble (barnesandnoble.com)</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>If you live close by, </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>I would love to see you at one of these events.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>What do books mean to you?</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Books are </span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">windows into worlds I may never experience</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">, but I love learning about characters who are <span style="color: #6aa84f;">different</span> from me as well as characters <span style="color: #674ea7;">similar</span> to me. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I value books, which are a reflection of people’s </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">thoughts, feelings, and interests. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Reading brings me <span style="color: #800180;">new information</span> and an <span style="color: #3d85c6;">understanding</span> of people and how the <i><span style="color: #f1c232;">choices people make affect their lives and the lives of others.</span></i> I hope that <b>A BOOK FOR BEAR</b> will encourage children to love reading and inspire them to create books of their very own.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyuWKyxmu_DT3Z5G2ASdAV0fLWdPPKA6191U_7dFLOKOBYyd3Btp5R4OJrJ5ynAQl7BaBOx3-8bCSc5CzTC_PkV7W6lGlbZCV2NGmYHTG0IqaU17BhAAHKJRQCu3wH7v136vo0atfg_jMaHtbG9Xu3bb_VGhyXIJ9ZrBkB3-4NSyQSyJThlmcvIN6lBg/s600/EllenRamsey_BearsInTree_Detail_600.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="374" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyuWKyxmu_DT3Z5G2ASdAV0fLWdPPKA6191U_7dFLOKOBYyd3Btp5R4OJrJ5ynAQl7BaBOx3-8bCSc5CzTC_PkV7W6lGlbZCV2NGmYHTG0IqaU17BhAAHKJRQCu3wH7v136vo0atfg_jMaHtbG9Xu3bb_VGhyXIJ9ZrBkB3-4NSyQSyJThlmcvIN6lBg/w242-h389/EllenRamsey_BearsInTree_Detail_600.jpg" width="242" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">For more information, visit my website: </span><a href="https://www.ellenlramsey.com/" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank"><span class="s1" style="color: blue;">https://www.ellenlramsey.com/</span></a><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">You can connect with me on social media:</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ellenlramseybooks/" target="_blank">@ellenlramseybooks</a></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ellen.l.ramsey.5" target="_blank">@EllenLRamsey</a></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/EllenLRamsey1" target="_blank">@ellenlramsey1</a></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Other blogs that will feature interviews and information about my path to publication:</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">July 6, 2023: <a href="https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Kathy Temean’s Writing and Illustrating</a></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">July 13, 2023: <a href="https://darlenebeckjacobson.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Darlene Beck Jacobson’s Bringing Stories to Life</a></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">July 28, 2023: <a href="https://viviankirkfield.com/" target="_blank">Vivian Kirkfield’s Perfect Picture Book Friday</a></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsFMJ95sxCFKEJunhQgW8942dR5JUaeDdviXqtdqYiP3dL4jLxp8S4tP1flV18vZ04pdSf-r4Pahi9wkZfjy0aQizY0BqwfqWcz2nY_03ZldVIZ7Z0WQb7GOjxkM1A20NIlzJBJxm3B8A1DBGQfKzf0vjmUJxgEIEcUu4j7MQrNGe5SUo9ASUeHHZrhc/s4032/IMG_2231.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsFMJ95sxCFKEJunhQgW8942dR5JUaeDdviXqtdqYiP3dL4jLxp8S4tP1flV18vZ04pdSf-r4Pahi9wkZfjy0aQizY0BqwfqWcz2nY_03ZldVIZ7Z0WQb7GOjxkM1A20NIlzJBJxm3B8A1DBGQfKzf0vjmUJxgEIEcUu4j7MQrNGe5SUo9ASUeHHZrhc/w273-h364/IMG_2231.JPG" width="273" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Thank you, Ellen, for your insights and your love of writing and reading. I am so excited about your debut picture book - A BOOK FOR BEAR - coming out this July 2023. </span><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">And I am thrilled to learn of some other writers' blogs to check out. Support writers for kids! Read their blogs. Buy their books. Get involved. We can change the world for the better, one book at a time. </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">As always, if you'd like to be interviewed or want to be a guest blogger - reach out to me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/angie_azur_writer/" target="_blank">@angie_azur_writer</a> or email me at angazur @ gmail.com</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Angie Azurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824815599991389685noreply@blogger.com0