The "Fifteen Years of Writing" Blog Post

Hey there--long time no post, huh? You may be wondering what's brought me here today. Well...

It's my fifteen-year writing anniversary! 🎉 

And on this momentous occasion, it seemed appropriate to pop in here to ye olde blog and post a little update.

Spoiler alert: if you've been around since my ten-year writing anniversary--or maybe even my five-year writing anniversary (waaaay back in 2012, when everyone was dancing Gangnam Style and the world was clearly superior to 2022)--then you know I've been writing and illustrating and pursuing publication for a long time. A long, looooong time.

Well, I'm still not there.

In that ten-year anniversary post, I wrote, "It takes a certain type of insanity to battle the odds and keep chasing the publishing dream. It's not for the faint of heart or sound of mind." Five years later, I think that is still 100% true. For whatever unknown reason, I'm still stubbornly chasing my pie-in-the-sky dreams--I'm just a little older, and wiser, and maybe a teensy bit nuttier now, too.

I'll be honest: I really, really, REALLY thought I would be further along the path at this fifteen-year-mark. Maybe even have a published book sitting on my shelf. But things happen, and life happens, and pandemics happen, and more life happens. And I'm learning that that's okay.

Recently, I've been cleaning out and organizing lots of old papers and files. During that process, I stumbled on this:

This was a college project I did sixteen years ago--a year before I started my first novel and officially launched my publication dreams. My very awesome children's lit professor gave us a variety of final class projects we could choose from, so unsurprisingly, I selected the option to write and illustrate a picture book. It was about a kid who loves her toaster until it burns her bread and ruins breakfast. (The story is not based on autobiographical experience and she totally does not look like me.) In true Kathryn-fashion, I was up until the wee hours frantically drawing, and stressing about color choices and text placement, and hardly made the deadline. 

But what really gets me is that "author info" page. It makes me smile and want to reach back through time and hug little nineteen-year-old Kathryn. A lot has changed since I wrote that bio, but also hardly anything at all.

What has changed is now I've got fifteen years of experience to accompany me on this journey. Fifteen years of SCBWI, critique buddies, conferences, classes, retreats, mentors, submissions, art practice, and many MANY revisions across my many manuscripts. Fifteen years of contacts I've made, places I've been, and seeds I've planted. I've learned patience. BOY have I learned patience. 

And while I haven't achieved all my own goals over these fifteen years, I like to think that I've played a small part in helping other writers, illustrators, and friends achieve theirs.

I feel like this is the point in the post where I should make a comparison between my writing career and something that gets better with age. Like a fine vintage wine. But wine is gross and I'll have none of it here on my blog. 

So how about I'm like a piece of steak that's been marinating in the back of the fridge for a very long time? 

A good bleu cheese that's getting nice and moldy in the dark?

Or maybe a cicada egg, waiting patiently underground until the day I finally burst out, wreaking havoc everywhere with my evil, insect schemes while people scream their heads off?!

Let's stick with the meat one.

So on this milestone day, overall, I'm doing all right. I'm embracing my fifteen years, and I'm excited to see what becomes of my buried seeds and cicada egg minions. 

Now let's revise that sentence from the beginning of this post about my pursuit of publication: Well, I'm still not there yet.

Besides, it'll be WAY more interesting to tell the tale about how it took me over fifteen years to get published someday than if it had taken me only two or ten years. Who doesn't like a good story?

The 2018 Holiday Post!

On the 17th Day of Christmas...

Okay, I'll just admit this holiday post is late. L.A.T.E. But better late than never, right? RIGHT?! (I guess it's appropriate, given my 2018 New Year's post.)

But we all know why you're really here...FOR A CUTE KIRBY CHRISTMAS PIC!

Kirby says, "This put me on the Nice List, cancelling out those boots I ate!"

Kirby was a very good boy for this festive portrait session--which took roughly sixty photos and four slices of cheese.

This fuzzy little elf graced our Christmas cards this year, which went out on December 28. The beautiful tree pictured is not actually mine; the lovely Kristy Boyce let me use hers since we did not put one up. In fact, as of this writing, I still have my Halloween decorations on display around my house.

You may be wondering, "Good gravy, Kathryn! What is up with you?!" Well, I neglected to post (back in October) that I was super fortunate to be chosen as a 2018 Pitch Wars mentee! My wonderful mentors are Rajani LaRocca and Remy Lai, middle grade authors with debut novels releasing in just a few months. (And they were both Pitch Wars mentees last year!) They are helping me get my PIRATE FERRET manuscript in tip-top shape for a big agent showcase in February.

I can't wait to read these!

Rewriting PIRATE FERRET has occupied my time these past few months just a teensy bit. But with Rajani's and Remy's help, my novel has VASTLY improved. There's still a lot to do before the agent showcase, but I know all the hard work will be worth it.

So you know how holiday songs like to talk about keeping the spirit of Christmas all through the year? Let's pretend this post is that. I'm not late--I just have EXTRA holiday cheer and want to spread it into the new year. ;)

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! May your 2019 be healthy, creative, and bursting with family, friends, and fun!  

Note: Cover images are from rajanilarocca.com and remylai.com.

Happy Halloween 2018

Look everyone! I'm a SHARK!

CHOMP CHOMP CHOMPITY CHOMP!!!

Happy Halloween!  

The Kirby Puppy Post

Hello blog-world! My name is Kirby! Aren't I ADORABLE?!

I'm one of the reasons Mom hasn't been around her blog much recently. She's been busy training me, and playing with me, and cleaning up after me, and chasing me off the coffee table, and wrestling things out of my mouth, and cleaning up after me some more, and snuggling with me!

My full name is Kirby Bolesaw Powers. I'm a good boy, but sometimes people think I'm a girl. (Mom didn't know Kirby could be a girl's name. Oops.) I'm actually named after this guy, who is a DUDE despite being pink.

Yup, dude. Go look it up.

I've grown up a lot since Mom and Dad brought me home a few months ago. When I was a baby, I had teeny-tiny piranha teeth and chomped on EVERYTHING. Wanna see my baby pictures? (Of course you do!)

Awwwww! Itty-bitty me is the cutest!

 

Om nom nom!

This is me snoozing with Uncle Bailey!

Then I got bigger! I had a lot of "firsts"--like my first haircut and first tooth falling out--and Mom and Dad made me go to Puppy Kindergarten. I also had a "big boy" surgery that I'd rather not talk about.

Now I'm 8-months-old and getting more grown up every day! I'm starting to hang out with Mom when she's (trying) to write and illustrate, and sometimes I get to go into work with her. I'm an extra-good boy at the office and the official "Director of Cute."

Mom's home office, where I NEVER get into anything!

Director of Cute reporting for duty!

Spreadsheets are NOT as fun as Facebook videos.

But even though I'm getting to be a big boy now, I'm still a bundle of mischief! I make sure to steal the kitchen towels every day! (And tissues. And paper towels. And Mom's boots. And Dad's pork chops.) I also LOVE playing tug-o-war, booping noses, and giving a bagillion kisses.

I hear there used to be another dog around here named Penny. She sounds like she was pretty awesome. Some people have even told me I have "big shoes to fill." I'm not sure what that means, but Mom and Dad get bizarrely happy whenever I burp. They're weird humans. 

Like when they put me in this box. Seriously, what is wrong with them?!

I'm soooooo happy to meet all you bloggy people! Mom's better at posting photos of me on her Instagram, so if you want to see lots more of me, go follow that. Now excuse me--there's a sock on the floor that needs to be in my mouth. Toodles!

See ya around! (Erm, if Mom gets me a haircut...)

 

SCBWI Meetings Galore!

 

It's time for another multi-month edition of SCBWI meeting summaries! 2018 has been a flurry of activity and fun for Central & Southern Ohio SCBWI. The meetings in Columbus included...

FEBRUARY

 

The February SCBWI meeting featured nonfiction author Tracy Vonder Brink. Tracy discussed writing for magazines--a part of children's publishing that many authors overlook. With articles published in Highlights, Spider, and Ask, Tracy offered great insight on the pros and cons of magazine writing, and gave tons of tips for writers dipping their toes into the industry. These included:

-Magazine publishing is a good way to build up your writing resume. It shows you can research and write professionally, work with editors, and see a project through completion.

-It's the perfect format for puzzles, games, recipes, and those ideas you have that don't lend themselves to a full book.

-It gives you the freedom to write on a wide variety of topics, so it's a good match for writers with a lot of interests, or people who get bored writing longer pieces.

-You'll get to see your work in print more quickly since magazine publishing is (usually) faster than book publishing!

Tracy cautioned that just because articles are short doesn't mean they're easy, though. They still take time to research and write, and must be submitted to magazine publishers following the proper guidelines and formats. She reminded everyone to put their best professional foot forward, but to also have fun in this bite-size, creative field!

MARCH

 

The March SCBWI meeting featured author-illustrator Aiko Ikegami. Aiko gave a presentation on her road to publication, including a behind-the-scenes look at the release of her new book, Seed Man. Like many aspiring authors and illustrators, it took Aiko a number of years to break into the field, and she had a lot of hardships and trials along the way. She offered tips for navigating this bumpy road, such as:

 -Identify the steps that will help you on your journey. Aiko made a "Muscle Building" list of skills and milestones that she wanted to tackle to help her reach her end-goal of publication. These included elements such as "create a website" and "improve art skills." By breaking her big goal down into smaller ones, the list didn't seem so overwhelming--and each accomplishment brought her closer to publication!

-Don't forget that there are tons of resources available online and in-person that provide a wealth of opportunities! Aiko took the online course "Make Your Marks and Splashes" (http://howtobeachildrensbookillustrator.com/), and joined both SCBWI and the Ohio Art League. Whether you want to learn more about the industry or hone your craft, there's a community that can help you on your way!

APRIL

 

The April SCBWI meeting featured YA author Debbie Rigaud. Known for writing "comedy with conscience," Debbie spoke on the topic of using humor to bring out the heart in your writing. She credits her sense of humor as a family trait passed down through generations of funny women, and led the group in a Haitian chant of merrymaking. Because humor is universal, Debbie explained that it can be used in numerous ways in writing, including:

-Breaking tension

-Making tough topics more accessible

-Acting as social commentary 

 

-Translating secrets (who doesn't love finding out that a big, burly man is afraid to squish spiders?) 

By skillfully incorporating and balancing humor, you can make your writing more memorable and meaningful. (And don't worry if you don't consider yourself a funny person. Debbie reminded everyone that you can observe humor everywhere--from TV and books to the conversations at your local coffee shop!) So if humor is something you've shied away from, consider giving it a try in your writing project!

MAY

The May SCBWI meeting featured YA author Lisa Klein. To our chapter's excitement, Lisa's book, Ophelia, has been turned into a movie! Lisa shared her fascinating (and lengthy!) journey that took Ophelia from paper to the big screen. It took over a decade for all the pieces to fall into place, starting with an option/purchase agreement back in 2007. Lisa explained that an option/purchase agreement is no guarantee that a book will actually be made into a movie. There are a lot of moving pieces, including:

-a screenplay

-actors

-location(s)

-set pieces/props

-$$$

-all of the above convening at the same time--and within the budget!

When these things don't come together, the "option" can be renewed annually until if/when they do. Fortunately, the stars finally aligned for Ophelia, and filming began in 2017. The producer invited Lisa to attend some of the filming in Prague, which she happily did last summer. Lisa pointed out that all of the movie-making details are usually out of an author's hands, so she feels very lucky that the producer kept her updated along the way and included her at all. Production and filming are both finished and now the movie is awaiting distribution. Hopefully a release date will be announced soon--we're all eager to see it!

BONUS EVENT

 

 

May also featured a bonus event for members: our first Postcard & Query Party! Members came together for a casual evening of researching agents, editors, and art directors, working on query letters, and addressing illustrator postcards. It was a casual evening where members could share submission tips, ask questions, and get some work done--all while snacking and socializing with fellow writers and illustrators. It was tons of fun and something we hope to do again!

And that sums up the past few months of SCBWI awesomeness! A big thank you to all of these great speakers for sharing their time and wisdom with our chapter! If you want to learn more about SCBWI, be sure to visit the website at https://ohiocensouth.scbwi.org/. 

(P.S. Until my schedule lightens a bit, I'll probably keep to this multi-month format. I'm trying to keep a better balance between blogging, writing, illustrating, and making sure I have clean socks to wear. ;))

Note: For more information about our guest speakers and their books, visit:
Tracy Vonder Brink- https://tracyvonderbrink.com/blog/ 
Aiko Ikegami- http://www.aikoikegami.com/ 
Debbie Rigaud- http://www.debbierigaud.com/ 
Lisa Klein- http://www.authorlisaklein.com/index.html
Book cover images in this post are from the authors' websites or Amazon.

The Penny Post

I do not want to write this post. I really really do not want to write this post.

Every time I've thought about writing this post, I'm hit with the pain of the puppy-sized hole in my heart. But here I am, and this needs to be done, and I know I'll feel better once these words have left me.

At the beginning of the year, we had to say goodbye to our beloved Penny. With her diagnosis of mitral valve disease in early 2017, we knew it was coming sooner than later. Her heart was just too big--both literally and figuratively. I'm grateful to say that she had a really wonderful final year and we enjoyed every moment of our time with her--from her last holidays and Halloween dress-up to our final family snuggles. She was wagging her tail and giving us kisses until the very end.

If you've been around my blog over the years, then you know how much my fuzzy family members mean to me. Penny was my constant companion--always by my side while I typed and illustrated late into the night, and making me laugh with her talent for burping. (I don't think a dog has ever existed that burped as much as Penny!) I could easily fill a book with memories of how wonderful she was, and how many people loved her, and what she meant to us. But instead I'll go with the old 'a picture is worth a thousand words' sentiment and let some of my favorite photos do the talking for me.

The day she came to live with us.

 

 

 

 

That time she got a bone stuck in her fur.

 

That time she got stuck trying to follow us upstairs.

 

That time we stuck her in a pillow.

 

Penny's best dog friend, Bailey. He still doesn't understand that she's gone.

 

 

 

Even if we'd had fifty years with her, I'm sure it still would have seemed far too short. I'm honored we got to call Penny our best friend and couldn't be more grateful for our time together. No dog will ever be quite like her, and I hope you enjoyed reading about her over the years. I will always love and miss my sweet Penny-pup.

The Happy New Year Blog Post

Happy (much-belated) New Year! <insert party horn noises>

I realize today is March 26. The tulip buds are poking out of the ground; Ohioans are alternating between snow boots and summer shorts on a daily basis; and we're nowhere near the "new year" anymore. But that's okay--I've never been a first-one-out-of-the-gate sort of person. Better late than never, right?

So now that we're here, what did The Very Busy Kathryn do in 2017?
 
I took a course through the Children's Book Academy. Then I took more classes through Storyteller Academy. I went to conferences, volunteered a ton with SCBWI, and hid in a cabin for several days to write by myself. Plus day-job. Critique-swapping with buddies. Family-togetherness. Spine-stupidness. Various traveling. Ate way more fast food than I should have. Kept stubbornly playing Pokemon Go. (I WILL catch them all!) 

I did so much that I honestly can't remember everything I did. My "2017 Summary of Art" looks like this:

  
I'm fairly proud of that mess.
 
2018 hasn't slowed a bit. So far I've been to Disney World, taken another Storyteller Academy class, passed my 11-year writing anniversary, and (mostly) completed an upstairs renovation of my house and Life Changing Magic of Tidying-Up clean-out.

I'm also trying to keep better track of my life with a planner. (I haven't used one since high school--eek!) Ignoring the fact that I didn't open it until February when writing pal Kristy Boyce forced me to, it has helped me feel more organized. It has also made me realize that, um, I really do do a lot.

Kristy helped me pretty it up with unicorns, too!

All my goals for 2018 can be summed up in two mottos: "Keep Moving Forward" and "Just Keep Swimming." (And yes, those are both Disney quotes.)

On the surface they may seem the same, but I look at them in different ways. To me, "Keep Moving Forward" pertains to the craft and doing of things--the aim to make better art and better stories and not get bogged down by everything else. "Just Keep Swimming" is more psychological--the will to continue working and submitting hour after hour, year after year, with the blind hope that everything will come together someday.

I'm also becoming a huge fan of the "Better Late Than Never" concept. It might just become my third motto.

What's next on the horizon? By now, I'll bet you have a pretty good guess:

More writing.

More art.

More classes.

Repeat.

Keep Moving Forward.

Just Keep Swimming.

Just Keep Swimming, Swimming, Swimming...

Note: Christmas thank yous should be going out in April. You already know my thoughts on that. ;)