Little Chairs and Wide-Eyed Wonder

The Main Character

I've been spending time in the children's section of the local library, sitting on a little chair surrounded by a pile of books. Reading. Noting little details. Scribbling "things to remember" in my little spiral notebook. Trying to move into the world of wonder and awe that a child has over stories with imaginative pictures and storyline. Exclaiming in delight when characters step off the page as new friends and mentors.

This evening on the stand in the hallway outside my office I have three hopeful envelopes ready to mail in the morning with manuscripts for a picture book story for preschool age children. Knowing all the odds, and knowing that rejection is part of the proces, I still will send them off. There is a chance that one of these publishers will think my story is delightful, marketable, and would be a lovely addition to their next catalog. At the very least, I'll learn something helpful for future stories.

Like so much of life, writing children's books is a process of learning, jumping into the unknown, falling, getting back up again, trying over and over, until it's just right. Like the little kitten in my story, I'm going to risk getting my paws dirty for the adventure of it.

You can check back with me in six months or so to see if I've heard back yet about the kitten story. I'm told the turn around time is about as long as Pinocchio's nose.

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Here's a delightful little ragtime piece that will put you in a playful kitten mood:

Kitten on the Keys