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.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

What Poetry Means to Me

Hi there! Long time to blog to.

Just wanted to let you know that Renee La Tulippe was awesome enough to have me guest post over on her blog, No Water River, today.

I briefly describe what poetry means to me. It's short and silly and there is a video where you can get a  good look at my yellow teeth. (BUT COFFEE IS SO WORTH IT!)

Please stop by and say hello! Renee's blog is AMAZING and is such as great resource for kids, parents, writers and teachers interested in poetry.



Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Choldenkoed

Eh hem.

Hello?

Is anyone there?

(Cue microphone feedback.)

I would just like to say that if anyone is actually reading, I have missed you. And...I am back!

Well kind of.

Let's see. Where to begin after such a long blogcation.

My name is Elizabeth. I write for children.

Oh, forget it.

I had a wonderful holiday season. It was filled with joyous people, fattening food, well-deserved wine, a trip to Disneyland, two kids' birthdays, the start of three, real-out-of-the-house, no-baby-drool jobs, the first days of my last semester of grad school, and the scandal of all scandals, Bunnygate 2013, involving the adoption and loss of this dude:


If you've seen him hopping around your neighborhood, please send me a message. I prefer sky-writing.

BUT, before all this craziness began, I attended my regional holiday mixer for SCBWI.

There was a book tree.



There were brownies.

(To the left. Mmm...)

And there was Gennifer Choldenko. Eep!



WE BREATHED THE SAME AIR.

As the speaker at our cozy event, Gennifer described her life experiences that led her to becoming an author. Oober interesting. All of it.

But the most memorable piece I took away from her talk was a quick, don't cough or you'll miss it, aside comment she made. She said that before she was published, she knew she had talent. She felt it.  She possessed something special.

It just made me wonder if that is what we all feel. Is each talented person born with this feeling in their gut?

I had the chance to monopolize her post-talk book signing  chat briefly with her. I giggled. I praised.  And then I looked her straight in the eyes and told her that her confession gave me chills.


(That's me. And Gennifer Choldenko. I'm the Andre the Giant look-alike on the right.)



Eh? Anyway. Back to the story.

Know what she said?

She said she had never told anyone that before.

Now, I just have to believe that this comment was meant for me to share with the world. That if you feel that warm, jittery, sometimes-you-just-might-be-sick-because-you-love-something-so-much feeling in your gut, you must follow it.

Because Gennifer Choldenko did. And look what it got her.