When my son, Josh, was about 9 months old, we went into the pediatrician for his well-check. We loved the well-checks, because it was fun to see how he was progressing, and to just be reassured that everything was okay. Josh was our first child, so everything he did as a baby felt amazing and... Continue Reading →
Life is like a box of chocolates…
...at least if you're the winner of Sub It Club's Submission Bingo. I'm happy to announce that Brenda Yun has won our current round. Woo hoo! Congrats, Brenda! Brenda has been querying her #ownvoices work of adult upmarket fiction since late March. In that time, she's racked up 20 rejections, and still has 5 fulls and 2 partials... Continue Reading →
Make a list…or don’t.
I am not the most organized person. Wait. I take that back. I do pretty well for someone who refuses to make a list. My kids get dressed and fed on a regular basis, and sometimes even get bathed. That’s got to count for something, right? But I definitely can be one of those clichéd... Continue Reading →
Plant the Tree.
I love avocados. When we first bought our house in the Central Valley of California, we considered planting an avocado tree in our backyard. The idea of it was so exciting. Can you imagine being able to walk into your backyard and pick a fresh avocado off your very own tree? Hmmm, what do I... Continue Reading →
The Power of Mindset
My 10-year-old daughter, Gracie, is smart. She’s “I get 100% on standardized tests” kind-of-smart. And while these smarts are wonderful and amazing, they bring with them their own set of issues to be worked out. I’ll never forget her coming home in 2nd grade, sobbing. “What happened?” I asked, bracing myself for a skinned knee... Continue Reading →
Babies, the Beach, and Submission Amnesia
Sometimes, when I really stop to think about it, I am convinced that we writers are certifiable. We put ourselves out there; our hearts and souls and words sliced open and served up to the entire world. We optimistically send our work out over and over again, only to be hit in the face with... Continue Reading →