Up and Down Day

 Well, it seems I'm struggling with the font at the new address, too. Guess I'll go back to my old one. Today was an up and down day, or maybe down and up--I read a NFest post that said the school and library market is disrupted right now, and that publishers don't want to buy picture book biographies because they were mostly purchased by schools and libraries. So, guess I may have to expand my focus. 

   The hopeful news is--I have three little board book manuscripts about dinosaurs and I sent one off to a publisher yesterday. Got a reply today--he likes the idea and would I send the other two? Sent them off right away, and I'm crossing everything I've got. I've had false alarms before, so I'm not going to get too excited til it goes farther, but it was lovely to receive that e-mail!

New Year, New E-Mail

 I just couldn't trust Gmail to format my submission letters correctly, and they didn't offer Times New Roman as a font choice, so I opened a new Yahoo e-mail account: deborahholtwilliamswriter@yahoo.com I hope it will bring me good luck! Had a great zoom meeting today with the western slope SCBWI group on diversity in chapter books.  Entered the SCBWI Ann Paul contest today, too, with my Marjory Stoneman Douglas PB bio, MARJORY STOOD. All in all, a good writing day!

Focus, Focus!

   My year submitting manuscripts to Rate Your Story has helped me to focus on my strengths, which seem to be short biographies. MARJORY STOOD, my 400-word biography of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, won an honorable mention in the non-fic division of the RYS contest, and my biography of LEGO artists Nathan Sawaya, THE BOY WHO BUILT A DOG, received a 2 with some helpful suggestions. (It's a 1-10 scale, with a 1 meaning it's ready to submit.) An agent showed some interest in my 300 word bio of glass artist Dale Chihuly, but then I never heard back. So, for the year 2001, I think I'll concentrate on subbing my bios to agents, and I'll save all my fiction attempts in case I'm asked for more of my work.

    My writing life has divided itself into sections: the early reader phase, where I had five stories published by Continental Press, Seedlings Division; and then the magazine phase, where I sold 12 pieces to the Highlights family of magazines plus Jack and Jill, Appleseeds, Knowonder, Spellbound and others; and then a long drought with no sales at all! Hopefully I'm coming closer to the published book stage with my short bios.

Writers Must Write--Fall Frenzy 2020

 Time once again for the Fall Frenzy writing contest! I'm entering my reflection on picture #10.

     Sometimes, to quote Robert Frost, two roads diverge in a yellow wood. But sometimes there are no choices. The road ahead is clearly marked, and the only way is forward.  

     Writers must write.

     They may move slowly, with hesitant steps, or they may charge recklessly ahead, but they journey forward with their stories, revisions and submissions.

     And when rejections tumble down onto the path like leaves, the writer steps over these autumn obstacles and walks on, down the road, toward publication,

      to let their stories bloom into the world in season.

Honorable Mention!

 Well, what a nice surprise that my Marjory Stoneman Douglas revision, the 400 word version called MARJORY STOOD, received an honorable mention in the Rate Your Story writing contest! I need these little moments of positivity, especially during this time of rising pandemic deaths, death in my own family, and the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Not to mention the two rejections earlier this month.   Tomorrow, the book on Marjory by Sandra Neil Wallace comes out. Fortunately, mine and hers are quite different. Hers is over 50 pages long and includes details from Marjory's early life, where mine is short and more concerned with her activism once she arrived in Florida. I sent it to a publisher which has two activist stories coming out this year, so it feels like a good fit. I'll keep trying. The only way to guarantee failure is to quit! 

Congratulations, Nancy Bo Flood, on I WILL DANCE!

I'm so happy for my friend Nancy and her beautiful new book. Here she is in her own words:

I Will Dance celebrates the joy of dancing, the importance of belonging, and the determination of Eva, a child who could barely move but dreamed of dancing … not imagine, not pretend, and not alone. Please “dance” with me as Eva’s story is honored in this picture book.

What joy I saw and felt each time I watched a class or performance of the Young Dance Company in Minnesota. Giggles. Smiles. Laughter. Hugs.  Dancers of all abilities moved across the practice room or across the stage, some in wheelchairs, some with walkers, and some with independent mobility, each dancer in harmony with the others, each one a part of the whole.  At performances, when I looked around at the audience, again what I saw was not pity or sadness, but joy.  Tearful joy.

            I felt hope as I witnessed the children and adults sharing a passion, sharing friendship, sharing failures and successes.

             All of this is what Eva, the real girl who inspired this book, taught me.  Eva was born prematurely, hardly able to breathe or move.  But like every child, Eva was born with dreams.  Let me try.  With longings. Let me belong. And with the desire to be, and to become, herself.  Eva.  A dancer.

Today the book that I imagined and finally was able to write, has become real and so alive with the images created by the illustrator, Julianna Swaney, My hope is that Eva’s story will inspire readers of “all ages and all abilities” to believe in themselves and their dreams of what we dare to do and who we dare to be.

 No one is only their disability or ability.

 "A gorgeous, immersive celebration of dancing and the grace within all bodies."  Kirkus starred review

Thank you for sharing this celebration of Young Dance and I Will Dance.  Please help me spread the word  –

Post a brief review on the online bookstore of your choice or on Goodreads.

Request a copy from your library.

I am happy to email you a pdf of the book – send me a note, wflood@hotmail.com

Let me know about an organization or individual ( special needs teacher, dance instructor, etc.) who would be interested in learning about I Will Dance.

Thank you!  Nancy 

Soapy Springtime Surprise (120 words)

It was a lovely spring morning, and the preschoolers flew outdoors like racing robins. One of the school’s volunteers, Miss Nora, joined them in the play yard.

“What did you bring today, Miss Nora?”

“Such fun! I brought…soapy water!”

The children frowned.

“Do we have to wash something?” asked Olivia.

“Did you bring anything else, Miss Nora?” asked Carlos.

“Yes! I brought two sticks, a string and a bead, too!”

“Doesn’t sound like much fun,” said Dylan.

The children started to walk away. But then, Miss Nora dipped the bead and strings down into the soapy water, and then raised the sticks high, and…

“Hurray! Giant bubbles!” The children squealed.

“This is how I celebrate Spring,” said Miss Nora. “Surprise!”