Moving forward...

The end of summer brings a re-assessment of where one is in the overall scheme of life. After several months of changes - wanted and unwanted - it is time to move forward.

I was notified a week ago that my editor is no longer with the publishing company. This was difficult to take in as she was the editor for all three of my books. I had actually visited with her twice and felt comfortable with her. Now she is gone and there is no contact and it leaves an empty feeling. It also leaves me with questions - am I back at square one, what will happen to the mauscripts the publisher is still holding, will I ever talk to her, again? Time to move forward. I will continue to write, research publishers and submit manuscripts. I will continue to file rejections and rejoice at acceptances.

The new school year has begun and I am in second grade for the third year - I am getting better at math! The economy continues to plague the schools with larger classes, dropped subjects and little funding for enrichment. Time to move forward. This afternoon I am picking up brochures for a new way to get an author - me, actually - into classrooms. The basic idea is to give my author visit as a gift to a single classroom to celebrate a child's birthday. The $60 fee includes mileage, reading two of my books, a group activity, Q&A and a signed book for the birthday child. Right now the program is limited to within a 60 mile radius of Bath, Maine. However, when I travel to PA the program would travel with me and include a 60 mile radius around Lebanon, PA. I will be sending the brochures to local schools and it will be available at the Bath Book Shop. If you would like a copy, send me an email and I can email the file to you or send you an actual brochure.

After Zero came out this summer, my publicist asked if I wanted to present at the National Council of
Teachers of Math convention. After I stopped laughing, I politely declined. So she set me up to do a workshop for homeschooling parents on how to use picture books to teach math. I researched, bought books, practiced and had a successful presentation at Barnes and Noble in Augusta at the end of August. And it was actually fun - talking about math - who would have thought? Time to move forward. I am now working on expanding the presentation to a workshop format to present for teachers. I plan to integrate hands on activities to use with specific books so there is an immediate "take home and use" aspect to the workshop.
More on that as it becomes a reality.

I will be at the Educators Event at the Barnes and Noble in Augusta, ME on Sunday, October 10 from 1 - 3pm. This store has invested more space and inventory for teaching than any store I have been in in a long time. There is plenty there for teaching or if you are looking for additional academic support for your child.

So it really is time to move forward and here I go!