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Last Saturday I attended the New England SCBWI Encore Writer's Workshop. I am 0 for 3 for successful navigations of Providence, but I am inspired and knowledgable from the experience, so I call it a win! There were a TON of key notes that all authors/writers can really benefit. The workshop had a Middle Grade-Young Adult edge to it, so there wasn't a lot of focus on the Picture Book writing, but I can see how I could apply the advice to my personal writings. Some of the key points addressed: Write, write, write, write and then write some more. READ! <-- Pretend that was shouted. Read everything you can get your hands on... specifically works from your genre. Read it, even if you think/have heard it's going to be crap. LEARN from that writer's mistakes. Uh, re-write... a lot. Critique groups are necessary; start one or one! You need someone other than your mother/friends/coworkers/etc. playing the editor's eyes and giving you concrete criticism. <-- Th

I've updated my website ! I've changed the overall look of the site and swapped out a few pieces. In other news, I am planning to attend the SCBWI's Winter Conference again... you know if I can sign up. Just remember that 10am PDT = 1pm EST! I will be all over registration on Friday! Hope to meet some of you there! :-)

Early trip to the library! 9 picture books to flip through this fortnight: Ella Takes the Cake , by Carmela & Steven D'Amico Mitchell's License , by Hallie Durand, illustrated by Tony Fucile Augie to Zebra , by Kate Endle and Caspar Babypants When My Baby Dreams , by Adele Enersen, spot ills by Jennifer Rozbruch* Kitten's First Full Moon , by Kevin Henkes Dog in Charge, by K.L. Going, illustrated by Dan Santat The Man Who Walked Between The Towers , by Mordicai Gerstein 999 Tadpoles , by Ken Kimura, illustrated by Yasunari Murakami Mary Had a Little Lamp , by Jack Lechner, illustrated by Bob Staake * My goal as an illustrator is really to get a sense of other illustrators' styles, familiarize myself with classic and modern stories, and learn about the flow and composition of a book. For this, I typically gravitate towards illustrated picture books, of a "traditional media". I've included this in my picture book selection to get a gras

So since JUNE (last post date,) what I have I been doing? I want to say I've been sitting at "one of those box-y things, with the four legs and writing/drawing" That's where I spend most of my time: the desk. 90% of my summer was eaten up by sitting and looking . And then I wonder why I'm so out of shape.... My concrete answer: I've been pushing around a heavy load at work-work, on top of the usual doodling and reading I preform at home. I've grown an addiction to the library which only becomes inconvenient when my "Lie-Berry" day lands on a Holiday or extended weekend. I think I can make it about 10 days before I throw my hands up into the air and cheer out "LIE-BERRY DAY!" I plan to share "Lie-Berry" day with the blog world, as I do with my other read'n blog : I want everyone to know what I'm reading/admiring. So what is "Lie-Berry" Day? This is the day I head over to the town library and pick out