Winter Friends
About a dozen years ago, I decided to try and become a picture book writer. I mean, how hard can it be to write a book for kids?
Well, I can say with the utmost confidence that it is extremely, extremely difficult. Writing picture books is infuriating, humbling, and a pure joy wrapped up in a sandwich of hope and luck.
I’ve got notebooks (virtual and literal) full of ideas, drafts, and notes. I’ve taken classes, joined critique groups, became a member of a professional organization, watched webinars, and read, read, and read some more.
I’ve fallen in love with all of my stories and held out home an editor or literary agent would fall in love with them too. Unfortunately, similar to high school and college, instead of reciprocity, I found rejection. Over and over again.
However, about eight years ago, one of the stories I sent out to countless contests, editors, and agents got a nibble. I was fortunate enough to sign a short-term contract for this particular story with a well-respected agent. In our introductory meeting, she said she fell in love with my story and felt strongly others would too. She shopped it around to publishers and actually got it to an acquisitions meeting, where final decisions are made about turning a story into an official picture bok.
I didn’t quite make the cut.
After six or so months, she told me she had exhausted all of her options and our agent-writer relationship was over. Shades of high school rejection resurfaced.
While I was licking my writing wounds, I was finding success in my outdoor classroom concept. I had designed an outdoor classroom at my school, presented around the country, and even was politely pushed into writing a professional book about that aspect of my life. If you haven’t purchased, TEACHING OFF TRAIL yet, what are you waiting for?
In this time, I had sort of put picture book writing to the back burner. My dream of lighting up the picture book world was barely a flicker.
But it wasn’t quite extinguished.
Seeing a few writing peers find success inspired me to once again jump back in. And what better way to start than with the book that brought me closest to realizing my dream.
I’ll get into more details in future posts, but I am happy to announce WINTER FRIENDS will be joining the picture book world in a few short months. Stay tuned to this blog to learn more about this journey.
Until then, consider celebrating with me at one of my book launch adventures. If you really can’t wait until then, pre-orders are available at:
https://www.orangehatpublishing.com/product/winter-friends/
I, along with my WINTER FRIENDS, appreciate it!
