Friends, Hmmm, looks like I missed May altogether. I've been working hard to get the Bella book's illustrations done. But mostly I have been struggling to learn marketing. Education courses don't share marketing strategies...maybe I need to go back to school and get my MBA?? (ha, ha) But I especially want you to know that I am going to do a soft-launch of Winnie Acts Up AND a pre-launch of Bella's Nose Knows at the Terre Haute Arts Fair on June 14. I guess I'm still a little

Dear Team Winnie, Where AM I? Today is the final day of a writing retreat in the center of Michigan. I came with one Winnie story to rewrite and ended up telling another. Winnie is now taking gymnastics and figuring out how to be supportive of other gymnasts. That means I'm now researching beginning gymnastic workouts and lessons. The 2nd draft is coming along. This retreat/renewal center is the perfect place for peaceful penmanship. We are not required to wash dishes, do lau

Dear Friends, Here I am again, surprised that you all are reading my emails! The latest news is that Bella's first book is about to go to the illustrator! I'd like to hope that this one could be completed more quickly than Winnie Acts Up (9 months from storyboard to book). I'll shoot for 6 months this time-hold me to it. Finding an idea and creating the story is the FUN part of writing for children. The HARD part for ME is managing the ins and outs of my website. It HAS to be

Friends, As fall rolls in, my children's author mind finds many ideas for books with Winnie as the protagonist. For example, on the first cold morning this week, I watched two tiny hummingbirds sitting quietly and shaking on the last of the feeders. They must have been born late in the summer; somehow they didn't know that all their friends had flown south already. There was nothing that could be done for them as the feeders were hanging two stories above ground level. So I