Picture Book Month!

November is picture book month!  If you haven't had a chance yet, definitely check out the website www.picturebookmonth.com.  What a great way to remind everyone why the world needs printed picture books.  There's nothing like holding a real book in your hands and sharing it with a child.  In my opinion, the digital version can't compare. 

So, gather a big stack of picture books from your shelves at home or head out to the library.  I think I've reached my library card's limit this month.  (Might have to find another place for the huge stacks before Thanksgiving dinner.)  That's one thing I'm very thankful for...picture books!    Share them with someone you love!  
                                                        
                                    Read * Share * Celebrate!

PiBoIdMo Update!

We're past the half way mark and I'm right on target!  So far 16 solid picture book ideas down.  (Still need to write today's idea down.)  I've had lots of ideas beyond that but am only counting the ones that I feel are the most solid.  I've also tried to make sure to jot down the skeleton of the story as well.  And a few of them have morphed into rough drafts...but not too many.

Although I am keeping up with the writing part, I am not able to keep up with all of the posts and blogs each day.  They are all so fantastic that I try to at least catch up on them every few days or at least once a week.  All of the participants and the guest bloggers are very inspiring. 

Yesterday a big highlight came from Tammi Sauer who shared some big news in our PiBoIdMo Facebook Group.  Tammi's recent sale of "Nugget and Fang" to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's was an idea that she came up with during PiBoIdMo 2009.  Hooray for Tammi!

2011 SCBWI-Illinois' Prairie Writer's Day

Saturday's Prairie Writer's Day: Get Hooked! was a huge success.  This year's speakers and sessions were informative and inspiring.  (And full of lots of fishing metaphors.)  The all-star line up included:  Josh Adams, Co-founder Adams Literary, Stacey Barney, Editor at G.P. Putnams's Sons, Michele Burke, Editor at Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, Karen Kohn, Senior Art Director for Carus Publishing, Kathy Landwehr, Vice President & Associate Publisher for Peachtree Publishers, Daniel Nayeri, Editor for Clarion Books, Molly O'Neill, Editor for Katherine Tegen Books and Mary Rodgers, Editor-in-Chief for Lerner Publishing Groups.  Also, Author Bruce Hale, Author Esther Hershenhorn, Literary Attorney Debra Kass Orenstein, and Chair of the Teacher Education department at DePaul University Roxanne Owens.   

Something new this year was a skype visit by Bruce Hale on humor in your writing.  He did a fabulous job and it was so neat to see a skype visit in action.  Bruce was a pro!  I really enjoyed it.

I have tons of notes to sort through this week and lots of submissions to polish up!  It's also always so great to to be with all of my writer pals for the day.  Thanks so much to the hard working committee.  Now, off to write!