Counting the Days

I am so looking forward to the NESCBWI Spring conference in Springfield. I will be in the PB Academy and it sounds like it will be an intensive course. I can't wait! One of the instructors, Anne Broyles, forwarded Michelle Cusolito's recommendation to this link - Mara Rockliff's insights about writing longer picture books, it was very helpful. http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2012/04/guest-post-mara-rockliff-on-writing.html

Spring at Last

Though this winter was never really too cold, it's nice to see the pussy willows, tulips and green grass again. It also means that the NESCBWI conference is coming soon. I have signed up for the Picture Book Academy, which sounds wonderful. I am looking forward to learning new things and getting some constructive feedback from my group.

I have updated my list of helpful links, I found some really helpful info about the educational market in the latest SCBWI bulletin.

CT Childrens' Book Fair

On Sunday I headed out to UCONN to attend the book fair for the first time. Members of my crit group led Clifford the Big Red Dog around so he could have some photo ops. I was amazed by the number of people, especially enthusiastic reading children, that were there! And so many books to choose from....And so many author presentations to attend... I guess this will become an annual event on my calendar. It was very well done.

Alfred- Awesome Destruction

The storm made a huge mess, we are still cleaning up. I must admit, though, that on those days when the sun warmed up a comfy chair in the living room, it was nice to write and focus with no distractions at all. There was no phone, no TV, no where to be, nothing that demanded my immediate attention (except maybe the dog!) The quiet (except for the neighbor's generator) was blissful. It quieted the mind.

Alfred-Awesome Beauty

While the gingko leaves were lovely all covered with snow....there's a reason we usually don't see this combination.

Hello Halloween

Well, Halloween got cancelled for the first time in my lifetime! Snow, fallen trees and power outages put a damper on things. Our power was out for 10 days and I am only now starting to catch up with work on the computer.  So sorry, little pumpkin, no trick-or-treaters this year.

ENCORE

I am revising and organizing my ideas as I anticipate heading to the New England SCBWI Encore conference. I am looking forward to getting some fresh insight into this "writing for children" path I have chosen.