Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Spinning and Dizzy

Have you ever been so overwhelmed that you had no idea which way you were headed so you just stood there spinning around in one spot, while you tried to figure it all out?

That's where I am. Spinning and dizzy.

I stopped blogging a few months back because of time. Or lack of it. Finishing up school, combined with work and family commitments, I had no time to recruit authors to guest post. I had no time to plaster pictures from my local SCBWI Spring Spirit conference. I had no time to put into words how I am now agented by Danielle Smith at Foreword Literary. (WOOT!)


From the left: Diandra Mae, Steven Short, Danielle Smith, Maria Burel, Moi, and Carter Higgins


Thanks to my lovely, amazing, oh-so-talented agent, Danielle, (pictured above with the hip glasses), I recently was able to have dinner with some AMAZING people who attended the SCBWI LA conference. It hit me. I MISS THIS. I miss these people. I miss this community.

It caused me to reflect back on these last few months and when I thought about it, I realized I did have time. Little snippets here and there. The catch was though (are you ready for it?), I didn't have the time to make my posts PERFECT. I feared that a post wouldn't be interesting enough or funny in the least, or that I would miss the opportunity to give credit where it was due. I felt this self-induced pressure and it paralyzed me.

I think I lost sight of the fact that blogging is about community and the community that I know and love wouldn't care if I transposed the B and the W, in SCWBI or if a joke fell flat or if I posted a picture of myself with acai remnants in my teeth.

So here it is. My small attempt to get this ball rollin' again...

Tomorrow we camp. It is our last hurrah before work begins on Monday and my husband and I turn into giant, misshapen pumpkins. I plan on hiking and disconnecting, laughing loud and catching up with my best friend from college. And if all goes to plan, I hope to read. A LOT.
Here are the books I picked up from the library.





Have you read 'em?! Here's a Fun Elizabeth Fact (F.E.F.)...I've never read any Konigsburg!
Also, if you are in need of some middle grade goodness, Carter Higgins has created an amazing reading list for you over on Design Mom.

So that was it. It may not be a dissertation or the workings of a Chris Rock special, but it's a start.

50 comments:

  1. Bananabeth! SO glad to see you back :) You are perfect no matter how you post, and what the heck is acai and what does it even look like in your teeth? I have not read all the books in your stack but I loved Umbrella Summer! Congrats on your representation!!! Can't wait to see the first E.S.O. title on the bookstore shelf :)

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    1. Yay Susanna! Acai is like this berry that is great in smooties. I had it this last week and apparently my sister thought I was hilarious because I was laughing and carrying on conversation with all these purple seed things in between my teeth. YIKES! Thanks so, so much for your kind words. You. Are. Awesome. xo

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  2. Start overs are good.

    I love Umbrella Summer and Keeper!!

    Enjoy the outdoors.

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    1. Hi Danielle! Start overs are ARE good. And SHEESH! I popped over to your blog. It's beautiful and smart. WOWZA! SUB-SCRIBED. Thanks so much for your comment. =)

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  3. OOOOOOH, I have missed you!!!! So glad you're back, aca-whatsit in your teeth or not. I haven't read any of the books in your stack, but am mightily intrigued by the title "The View from Saturday." (I absolutely love Konigsburg's "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler")

    And I'm happy dancing with you over your agent representation.

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    1. HOORAAAAYYYY BETH! I have missed you too! I know. I feel I might have been robbed of my childhood by not reading Konigsburg. And thank you for joining me in my happy dance. =) XO

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  4. For what it's worth, my two cents is I have missed my weekly banana peelin'! Family comes first, however. End of story. XOXO

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    1. End of story! I've missed your witty comments, Linda! xoxox

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  5. Yay! Lovely post. Paralysis happens. Glad you're up and rolling again. :)

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    1. SO glad to see you here Hannah! Thanks so much for your comment. XO

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  6. Ditto what Hannah said. And HAPPY HI!!

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  7. Welcome back and congrats on becoming agented! I've been hearing a lot of good comments about the SCBWI summer conference. Sounds like it was worthwhile for you to take a break.

    Happy reading...and hiking and laughing.

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    1. Thanks so much Angela! I think the SCBWI conference is a great investment. I was an imposter this round, just driving up for dinner, but SOMEDAY, someday I hope we all have the chance to go. =) Thank you for your comment, Angela!

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  8. Welcome back. I have missed your funny make me smile posts. Congrats again on being agented.

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    1. Darshana! What a nice thing to say! Thanks so much for your comment!

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  9. Everyone needs a blog vacation. Welcome back and congrats on all your accomplishments!

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  10. Great to see you posting again! Your last hurrah this summer sounds like it will be a fun one. I think we can all relate to feeling ovewhelmed with stuff to do and not being able to keep up with it all.

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  11. YAY! You're back!! Was just thinking about you and how I miss your awesome blog posts the other day. Glad you're back!

    I hear ya on the crazy busy "real life!"

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    1. Yay Lori! So great to see you here! I miss you and hope you're doing well. xo

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  12. I love Keeper (as you know) and View from Saturday. But haven't read the others! Can't wait to hear what you think!

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    1. Can't wait to read KEEPER! Book club! Thanks for the recommendation. HUGS! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

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  13. What a coincidence. I'm in the middle of reading A View from Saturday. Great post, by the way. I agree, don't let perfectionism get in the way of things like blogging.

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    1. No way! We're connected! =) Still lovin' those buttons you installed for me. =) Congrats on your mentorship. What an amazing experience that will be!

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  14. The gorgeous smile on your face in photo one says it all!

    Happiness all around.

    Looking forward to more banana peels when you share them!

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    1. Cathy! Thank you so much! Sheesh. And you're right. Happiness all around. Love that.

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  15. Congratulations on joining the Danielle Smith, Forward Literary family. And congratulations on letting go of perfection and fear and stepping back into blogging. Welcome back.

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    1. ALAYNE! Thanks so, so much. Great to see you here. Thank you for the warm welcome.

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  16. Yay! Welcome back! Congratulations! And thanks for the reading list.

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    1. Genevieve! So great to see you! Thank you for visiting and for your comment. =)

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  17. So happy that you're back!! I missed you!! Congratulations!

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  18. So glad you're back, Elizabeth! I missed your funny, warm, posts full of encouragement for other writers.

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