I hope all of you are staying well and safe. I have been revising a short story that is coming out in an anthology next spring. It will be published by Philomel. The editing goes back and forth between the editor and the author. The story gets better and better with these revisions. I must say revisions are where a writer really gets to flush out what’s not needed and add what is. I am enjoying the process.

The other morning, I was drinking my coffee outside on my deck and noticed this silky spider’s web glistening in the sun. I took a picture of it. Reminded me of Charlotte’s Web. It was windy that day and by noon, the spider web was gone. But guess what? By the following morning, there it was again! The wind blew it away once more. But the stubborn little spider spun another web on the third day. I was amazed at the dedication and effort this tiny insect put into this delicate task. We should all be that dedicated in what we do, don’t you think?

Just thought I’d lighten the day just a bit with photos from my presentation last January at Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. Imagine my delight when I realized that one of the members in that community had made cardboard zoo animals reflecting the illustrations in my bilingual picture book, The Woodcutter’s Gift.

It was an awesome job that must have taken hours of work. My sincere thanks to the artist. I took photos of the lion, zebra, tiger, giraffe, and turtle as I stood next to the cardboard images. I was also given an educational tour of the zoo where I took numerous photos. The day was beautiful, and the grounds were packed with young and old alike.

My kudos to the staff of Gladys Porter Zoo who hosted this event for the community.  

Thought for the day: “Cherish your human connections – your relationship with friends and family.” — Barbara Bush

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

Greetings, everyone. I’ve been absent on my website for a while. What happened is that I had an accident several weeks ago and dislocated my shoulder. I was unable to write or type … until now … very limited, though. Anyway, I wanted to bring you up to date on my doings.

Back in October, I attended a conference in Austin with several other poets who participated in writing poems for our latest book, THANKU: POEMS OF GRATITUDE. With a sling on my injured arm, I was still able to go onstage and give a brief speech.

A major part of my time has been focused on therapy. I am trying to get my shoulder and arm to work normally again. My arm seems to be okay; however, my right hand is still not 100% but working on it. I want to get back to my writing as soon as I can. I also want to start planning events for our SCBWI SWTX chapter where I am presently the Regional Advisor. Hope to do all these things really soon. We did have a fun Winter Social at my home where great conversation, light snacks, and door prizes were enjoyed by chapter members.

I want to wish you Happy Holidays and abundant blessings in the New Year – 2020!! Write, write, write.

Busy. Busy. Busy. I haven’t had a chance to catch up on updating my blog. First, I attended the SCBWI Los Angeles conference as a first- time Regional Advisor for Southwest Texas. It was awesome. The conference had a diverse panel and keynote speakers, not to mention the great sessions we attended between the talks. I met other new RAs as well and made new friends.

Next, I did a school visit in Morristown, New Jersey, for the Spanish-speaking students in the dual-language program. The staff was wonderful, the school library cozy, and the town so historic.

Then, I attended the Highlights Foundation workshop in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. I was there for several days and guess what? I stayed in the same cabin that famous author Jane Yolen occupied some time back. Of course, the walls were full of Yolen’s poetry and the bookcase had some of her books as well. There was a collage of her articles and pictures. It was awesome!

A day after I returned to Texas, I attended the Houston SCBWI conference. The Houston SCBWI membership put together a conference that was inspiring and super informative. At the workout sessions, I took so many notes and haven’t had time to digest all the information.

This past Saturday, I participated in a panel and book signing at the Boerne Bookfest in Boerne, TX.

Whew!!! Busy … but it was fun!! I will now take some time to revise some manuscripts and submit them to some of the editors and agents I met at the conferences. That’s what is neat about attending conferences. An attendee gets to submit a manuscript to the faculty that were part of the conference. How cool is that?

Until later …. Happy writing.

Thought for the Day: “Bloom where you are planted.” – Mother Jones

It’s here! ThankU: Poems of Gratitude for children is here. Edited by Miranda Paul, illustrated by Marlena Myles, and published by Millbrook Press, the poetic forms and the stunning illustrations are awesome. I am honored to have been included in this diverse group of poets, which includes such greats as Jane Yolen, Naomi Shihab Nye, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Carolyn Dee Flores, Margarita Engle, and many others. The book can be ordered at Amazon.

I just returned from the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) 2019 conference in Los Angeles, California. As a new Regional Advisor, I attended training and writer sessions, panels of diverse guests, listened to award-winning keynote speakers, had fabulous lunches, and socials with my peers. It was a gathering of hundreds of writers and illustrators from all over the nation and the world. There were about 1130 attendees, some coming from Europe, Turkey, and Hawaii. It was an awesome event.

I took photos with 2019 Newbery Award winner, the amazing Meg Medina, and 2019 Pura Belpre winner, illustrator/writer, Yuyi Morales.

I hope to bring some of the knowledge and information I received at the conference and apply it to our own SCBWI chapter in Texas. I have revisions to make and submissions to send … so I will be mighty busy for a while. Keep writing and enjoy the journey.

A group of writers and illustrators gathered for an inspiring, informative workshop on the topic: “So You Published Your First Book, What’s Next?” held at the University of the Incarnate Word on July 27, 2019. SCBWI SWTX Regional Advisor, Lupe Ruiz-Flores, conducted the workshop. There was back-and-forth discussion and questions and answers during the lively session. Many thanks to all who attended, both SCBWI members and non-members.  

So, you published your first book? Here’s what’s next: Book Launch, School Visits, Book Reviews, and more! Workshop with Author Lupe Ruiz-Flores

Date/Time
Date(s) – Saturday, 07/27/2019
10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Location
Incarnate Word University, Bonilla Science Hall Auditorium

847 E. Hildebrand Ave.
San Antonio, TX 78209

If you are published or yet to be published, you need to be ready. This workshop will focus on what to do once your book is published, how to set up book launches, reviews, and other ways to promote your book. Also, we’ll cover how to inspire, motivate, and connect with students during a school visit. We’ll talk about contacting schools and how much to charge. Join us! You don’t have to be a SCBWI member to attend.

Register now on the SCBWI Southwest Texas website.