Spooky Stories and More Book News!

Last month kicked off what promises to be a flurry of book and science related activity. Our family traveled to see the full solar eclipse, which may be the only time the five of us will be able to experience totality together. Hopefully not, but when your kids are 15, 13, and 9, parents are able to dictate gathering times and places a little more easily. 🙂 Totality is unlike anything else. Words that scratch the edges and reveal of whiff of the experience – “otherworldly,” “magical,” “evocative,” “worshipful.”

Image credit: Chris Morris

That same day, I proceeded on to Hattiesburg, MS to participate in a panel session for a “pre-conference” to the Kaigler Literary Festival. This pre-conference focused on paths to publishing and was an add-on for teachers, librarians, and other attendees interested in pursuing careers in writing. From behind-the-scenes peeks at the awe-inspiring deGrummond Children’s Collection, which features archives of works by Ezra Jack Keats, H.A. Rey and more (below) to the outstanding keynote speakers (Lesa Cline-Ransome, James Ransome, Juanita Martinez-Neal, Jason Chen), the whole festival was inspiring and an excellent time to forge connections.

A few of Wanda Gag’s original cat sketches as she prepared to write Millions of Cats.

Two weeks later, I traveled to Birmingham for the SCBWI Southern Breeze Writing and Illustrating for Kids (WIK24) conference. More stellar faculty, including editors Francis Gilbert, Mallory Grigg, and Carol Hinz, along with kind, engaged agents like Kristen Terrette and the opportunity to connect with other writers made this conference shine.

The following week, I finished the first major revision to my latest middle grade novel and sent it off to beta readers and critique partners. More news to come on that front soon, I hope. Later this year, while querying, I hope to tackle revision ideas that I have for an underwater middle grade mystery-adventure manuscript that I wrote years ago, and draft another middle grade mystery-adventure novel set at a secluded mansion, Waverly Cross (think Wolves of Willoughby Chase meets the adult novel Rebecca, but for kids!).

A few months ago, I was delighted to be asked to contribute an article to School Library Journal‘s Teen Librarian Toolbox Mind the Middle project! That article was published online last Friday and can be accessed here.

Finally, I hope that those of you who are local will join me at the Decatur Public Library on June 8 for their Literary Jubilee! I’ll be on a panel and selling books along with many of my fellow authors. Hope to see you there!