What 2013 holds for me...

I don't have a new book coming out in 2013, but I do have the exciting adventure of teaching at Spalding University's MFA residency abroad in Ireland during the month of July!  Half of the time will be spent in Dublin on the grounds of Trinity College, and the other half will be in Galway, including a visit to the Galway Film Fleadh, an international film festival.  When the residency is over, my husband will meet me in Ireland, so we can do some traveling on our own.

Right now I am in the midst of registration and preparations for our MD/DE/WV SCBWI Conference and 20th Anniversary Celebration to be held on March 23, 2013, and featuring award-winning author T.A. Barron, Caldecott award-winning illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky, author and co-founder of SCBWI Stephen Mooser, editor Jill Santopolo of Philomel/Penguin Group, editor Sylvie Frank of Paula Misner Books, a Simon & Schuster imprint, agent Ammi-Joan Paquette of Erin Murphy Literary Agency, and agent Evelyn M. Fazio of EMF Books, LLC.  This promises to be a truly inspirational gathering of speakers!  After this event, I will step down as Co-Regional Advisor for the region and, though I'll remain active within the organization, I will have more time to focus on my own writing.

And I remain open to whatever new opportunities 2013 presents to me...

2013...

2013 holds lots of promise for me, with two (and maybe three) new books coming out this year:
*How Martha Saved Her Parents from Green Beans, illustrated by Mark Fearing (I got my first copy in the mail today)
*Moo! illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka (I can hardly wait for this book's September release date)
*And possibly Arlo's Art-rageous Adventure, the first picture book where I get to be both author and illustrator (we are still working on the cover details, but it should be out late 2013 or early 2014)
And I'm resolved to be make my writing a priority. I want to have new books coming out regularly.

With all the challenges with family members so many of the Spuds have faced recently, I hope that Stephanie is correct, and that 2013 is wonderful year for ALL of us.

Reboot the Usual Resolutions

Like others on this blog, last year presented some challenging issues in my life that distracted me from work, at times.  But I am starting the new year refreshed and ready to get back at it.  My resolutions remain the same: keep working on my craft, finish some projects, submit said projects, keep working, keep submitting, bask in the glow of acceptances as they come, keep working.  All the while, of course, I need to enjoy the other interests and people in my life...

What's New In 2013

For some reason, I have been telling my husband that 2013 is going to be my year.   Maybe it's because my first picture book came out fifteen years ago this year. Maybe it's because my first YA came out in 2008 , five years ago, and the sequel to that book is coming out in September. Well, only two weeks into this year, I found out I will be going on an author tour for that novel. Yes, I actually chortled when I read that email. More details to come, I don't know the cities, but I will definitely let you know. I told my Minnesota sister-in-law  " I have been waiting fifteen years for an author tour" and she said, " And some people will wait forever!" She's right, of course. 2013 will be a year of being grateful for whatever comes my way. There are no givens or entitlements in the business of publishing, each book could be my last, and I need to keep my nose to the grindstone.....as I stop and smell some roses along the way. I have a feeling it is going to be a great year for all the Spuds.