Since I last blogged, so many things have changed. We are in the middle of a pandemic—the Coronavirus. I never dreamed this would happen in this day and age.  I was so naïve. Most of us are in “Shelter at Home,” mode, staying put and not venturing out except for necessities. It is scary. Needless to say, I cannot focus on writing. I have, however, been journaling everyday, jotting down my anxieties and worrying about my family and loved ones. Luckily, we are still able to communicate via email, FaceTime, Zoom, etc. My neighbors and I wave from afar. We keep in touch by phone. Last time I shopped for groceries, customers were wearing masks and gloves. I was one of them.  The young cashiers were not. I worried about them.

I know this will pass. We will get through this. We are strong. Sometimes things like these put things in perspective. What is important? For me, it is family, the well-being of my loved ones, the kindness, help, and compassion that people have shown for one another. We are all in this together. I watched some squirrels scampering up a tree in my yard like they always do every morning getting ready for the day. I sighed. Life goes on as usual for them. Good sign.

My wish for you is to stay safe and healthy. Take care of yourself and each other. A new day is on the horizon. Hang in there. Maybe I will start writing again tomorrow. Meanwhile, I send you Happy Thoughts!!

Greetings,

It’s been a while since I blogged. That is not cool! I shall try to do better in the future. As the Regional Director, I’ve been very busy planning the year 2020 for our SCBWI Southwest Texas chapter. We have lined up author presentations, workshops, sketch days, and webinars. Even if you are a published author or illustrator, there’s always room for learning. Attend as many of these as you can; it helps. Plus, you make a group of new friends!

I’ve also been submitting picture book manuscripts and a novel in verse. Let’s see what happens. I was just reading the 2020 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market book. I browsed through the entire book, jotting down names of publishers that might be interested in what I write. There’s an interesting section on Rejections. We all get them whether we’ve been published or not. The message by Jeff Somers: Rejections are a reality of the writing trade, but even a pass can provide valuable insight to carry forward your career.

Which by the way, reminds me of a “good rejection” I received the other day. The editor “loved” my story, but already had other books lined up. However, she referred me to another publisher who might be interested and commented that I could use her name as reference. Nice, right?

Keep writing and illustrating and your dream will happen. Stay focused. Best of luck!

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela