2024 Year-End Post and Holiday Greeting

As I’ve shared in this space before, one of my annual traditions is to prepare and mail holiday greeting cards. Although fewer and fewer folks send out year-end greetings, I continue to prioritize this annual tradition—as a way to reflect on the past and make way for the future, stay connected with family and friends, and to enjoy another creative outlet. 

If you are one of my regular readers, you know by now that each year I begin the process by paging through my (old-style) calendar, making note of the highlights and ordinary happenings. I next look for themes. I approach the task as an exercise in creative expression, aiming to share our family’s news in a way that is reflective of the world events and/or a major aspect of our personal lives. And, while I am acutely aware of deep levels of pain and suffering in our world, I often choose to center my annual reflection closer to home and on more joyful aspects of our lived experience. 

There were some very difficult experiences for our family this year, including the loss of my mom which I mentioned in my last post. But there were also many joyful events, including my youngest child graduating college and our family taking TWO very special trips together. Our most recent family adventure was visiting Italy, which is dear to us all for many reasons, including the friendships we developed through hosting a most wonderful exchange student from Milan back in 2017 and both kids studying abroad in Italy during college, (one in Florence, one in Siena). Add to that my mom's Italian heritage and her love for pizza (eating it and making it), and a slice-of-life pizza theme seemed the right choice for this year's greeting: 

As in years past, this year's greeting involved the creative stretch of using more graphics (even if it doesn't look very fancy, it challenged me a bit!) and gave me an excuse to continue experimenting with online tools such as Canva. Like most years, the greeting format required me to prioritize what I wanted to communicate and be concise in my wording—also a challenge! This practice continues to support my growth in other aspects of my creative writing journey. 

As I designed, refined, and reflected on this year’s update, I was reminded that pizza (and life) is a collection of ingredients and slices that come together to make the whole pie. Some bites are glorious. Some are a little harder to swallow. Some pizzas are so enticing, we jump right in and take a big bite...and might burn the roof of our mouth! Other times, we fill up before the pizza is finished, and we have something left over for the next day. Pizza for breakfast (I like mine cold) is a completely different meal than piping hot pizza for dinner or lunch. And it's a good reminder that pizza, like stories, can become something new (and potentially even tastier) when stored away to revisit another time. It's also a good reminder that we all have our favorite go-to toppings, but it's also nice to step outside of our comfort zones and try something completely new. This idea can be applied to our creative lives, too! 

With this in mind, I'm currently participating in fellow children's author, Julie Hedlund's 12 Days of Christmas for Writers series for the first time. In today's module, Julie pointed out that New Year's resolutions traditionally start from a place of what didn't get done or achieved in the previous year. She suggests that instead of making resolutions for the coming year, we reflect on, write down, and share our SUCCESSES from the previous year. Given that 2024 was a bit of a doozy for me, I was quite surprised that I was able to quickly scribble down 20 successes. I share them here as a way to try something new in my creative life and as a way to build a foundation (and inspire myself, and maybe you?!) for next year. Here is my list: 

1. Signed with a literary agent (thank you Gaby Cabezut for bringing me into the Seymour Family, and to fellow author, Stephanie Shaw, for being one of my kindest, and most supportive friends and fans).

2. Started (and finished!) a new manuscript that I had been noodling for quite some time, but had not yet put on paper. I adore this story, and it is currently out on submission. (Thank you again, Gaby!)

3. Made significant revisions on two additional stories (that I also love), one of which is also now on submission (Thank you again, Gaby -- do you see a theme here?!)

4. Obtained my rights back on several of my previously published works, allowing for agent Gaby to now market some previously unexercised rights.

5. Participated in several fun and successful in-person book festivals / book signing events. 

6. Was invited to participate as a guest blogger for Tara Lazar's Storystorm (a great honor, as a longtime participant-participant). 

7. Hosted an Ask me Anything (AMA) session over Zoom that I really enjoyed. I want to do more of this!

8. Was interviewed for two different in-depth "meet the author" features. 

9. Celebrated the release of my longtime critique partner's debut picture book.

10. Met some lovely people and got to know some other author friends better as a result of hosting them on my blog (find a summary of these posts here and here)

11. Participated in Julie Hedlund's 12x12 challenge for the first time, making new friends and learning a lot along the way.

12. Enjoyed the heck out of giving away several copies of my book, LUCY'S BLOOMS, in celebration of World Kindness Day.

13. Was honored that several of my signed books were given to beloved children for the holidays. 

14. Had the pleasure of helping and encouraging several aspiring authors on their own creative journeys. 

15. Shared friendship and support with a few of my longtime author pals. 

16. Had some great school visits and enjoyable stops at bookstores.

17. Had friends reach out to me to share pictures of my books spotted "out in the wild." (This is always such a treat! Thank you, friends!)

18. Enjoyed interacting more regularly on Instagram (and dipped my foot in the BlueSky pool).

19. Applied for and was accepted for several author festival-type events that will take place in the coming year. 

20. Was hired to present the 2025 keynote address at a major early learning conference where I've presented several breakout workshops in the past.

So there you have it ... a quick recap of some of my successes in the past year. And here is the really cool part: There were likely several other successes that didn't pop into my head right away, that will come to my mind over time, now that I've focused my thinking in this way, written it down, and shared it with you, here. Cool beans. Thanks for the nudge, Julie!

And now back to pizza: As the New Year gets underway, I anticipate there will be opportunities to settle into some familiar favorites, try out some new-to-me ingredients and other opportunities to let today's creations sit and chill for a bit before digging back in. 

Here’s to a pizza topped with Peace, Love, Joy, and Creativity in the New Year. 

Buon Appetito to you and yours!  

P.S. I would love to hear some of YOUR successes in the past year -- feel encouraged to drop them into the comments! 

The "It's Been a Doozy of a Time" Part of the Writing Life

Hello, dear readers. It has been a LONG time since I've shared something here in this space. 

Flowers that Brought My Mom Joy
Gifted by Loved Ones, K & H

As the title of this post implies, it's been a doozy of a time since I queued up my last guest posts (in May!) and since I've contributed my own posts (in January and February!) 

I'm pretty sure I've not gone this long between posts before -- and I'm pretty sure I've not had so many events in my life tugging at my heartstrings and occupying my time as this past several months has "provided." 

Over the past few months, the gifts of "real life" have been giving a little more fully for me than the gifts of fiction. And so, I have tried my best to be present for real life, knowing that for every time there is a season, and for this past several months, the season, for me, has been more about living in real life than writing about life.  

Each of these events could fill an entire blog post, but for now, I'll just give a quick snippet rundown of what life has looked like for me since my last post in May: 

-My youngest child graduated from college.

-Our family of four (my husband and I, and our two grown kids) traveled overseas to share time together and celebrate the aforementioned college graduation.

-My husband and I celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary with a trip up to Whidbey Island, with a side-visit to see a dear friend and her beloved grandchildren in the Seattle area.

Upon our return home from that trip, my life went very topsy-turvy: 

-My mom, who has had a long list of health issues, and whom I have closely cared for for many, many years came to stay at our home on a Tuesday, during what looked like another challenging health journey in which I did not feel she was well-enough to stay in her home by herself, and exactly one week later (and a lifetime of living in between), my mom passed away in my home, with loving family by her side. 

-The next several weeks were spent attending to my mom's affairs, including cleaning out her apartment before month's end. 

-My sister and I finished the very last of my mom's apartment move out / clean out needs at about midnight on a Friday. By mid-day the very next day, I was on the road up to the Seattle area (about 4 hours from my home) to pick up my dear friend (the one I had visited earlier), who had had an unexpected illness and hospitalization, and took her back home with me to recuperate after her hospitalization. 

-About two weeks later, my friend returned to her own home, and my husband and I took a respite break to our home in Central Oregon. I worked diligently on some remote get-out-the vote work, such as text banking during that "respite break." 

-We returned home to vote and to continue with several more days of intense get-out-the vote work. 

-And then the election happened -- which knocked me for a very big loop. 

In the weeks since the election, I've walked around feeling like a bit of a zombie and done my best to engage in some self-care: 

I've taken long walks. I've fed my family. I've gone out to listen to a bunch of live music (to soothe my soul and to support local businesses and local artists). I've helped a friend whose own parent became ill, entered into Hospice, and just passed away. I've spent time with family, including my dad (long divorced from my mom), who just celebrated his 80th birthday. I've read books.

And, at long last, I've started writing again, including here, in this space. 

It's possible there might be another long gap before I write again in this space (or maybe not ... we shall see). What I do know, is that right now, I'm putting most of my writing energy into the stories I write for children, and into getting the books I've already published into the hands of young readers. 

Speaking of which, if you find my blog helpful, please consider ordering one of my books. It supports me and my work. 

Click here for earlier posts from me on the topic of The Writing Life. 

Have Swag Will Travel: Planning Events that Align with a Book's Theme, by Carol Gordon Ekster

Dear Readers, it's time to buckle up for another great Have Swag Will Travel guest post. 

Today's guest, Carol Gordon Ekster, is a retired educator with several books to her credit--AND she is one of my "agency sisters" at The Seymour Agency. She has visited the blog previously to share her path to publication stories for YOU KNOW WHAT? and SOME DADDIES. Today she's stopping by the blog to share her book event experience and planning tips with us. Take it away, Carol!  

Image Source: Carol Gordon Ekster

Have Swag Will Travel: Tips for Planning Book Events

by Carol Gordon Ekster

When you have a book coming out, you need to brainstorm: Who might be interested in your title? What type of event could you join that might tie into the theme of your book?  Of course, children's book festivals are great. People come to buy books! All of us would think of bookstores and libraries. One of my critique groups meets in my local library, so we reached out to see if they would plan a local author fair. And they did! That's perfect because people who come are interested in buying signed copies of books and want to meet you and chat with you. 

And what if you could enhance a library or bookstore visit by offering your visitors more? My book, TRUCKER KID, Capstone, 2023, illustrated by Russ Cox, was a perfect example of a picture book to connect with transportation events. A brilliant librarian, Amy Martin, invited me to the Peobody Institute Library in Danvers, MA, and she also connected with the Department of Public Works in their town, to send over a couple of trucks to accompany my reading. We first met inside and I shared the book, we sang the Trucker Kid song from my book trailer, and moved around the room like trucks. I had some activity sheets for kids to work on if we needed them while we waited for the trucks to roll into the parking lot. Soon they arrived honking their horns, inviting the kids to climb aboard and explore the town's trucks. If you can get a nice day and a bookstore involved, fantastic! Someone suggested I partner up with a Touch a Truck event and I've reached out to a few and will hopefully be able to connect at some point in the future. 

Image Source: Carol Gordon Ekster  

Not all books lend themselves to specific events. But sometimes there may be a type of store that isn't a bookstore, but would be happy to carry your books. I've reached out to a local store that carried baby outfits and they made a lovely display with my books in case people wanted to gift a book with a onesie. I offered to come in and sign books for anyone who asked. I did sell a few before the store closed. For Ruth the Sleuth and the Messy Room, Mazor Publishers, 2018, illustrated by Kimberly Soderberg, I reached out to a bakery, because the story's plot has to do with chocolate chip cookies. I sold a few there as well. How many people spotted the titles? How many people bought the book after their visit to the store or bakery? I don't know. But we need to do what we can to get our books seen and read. 

Some Daddies, Beaming Books, 2022, illustrated by Javiera Maclean Alvarez, is easier in that I can promote it each Father's Day. But what other family gatherings can I do a reading for? Almost every family has a daddy or daddy figure. Reaching interested buyers for your book is not necessarily easy, but shine some of your creativity onto your marketing endeavors and you can figure out some excellent possibilities for your title. And if you're in a critique group or have #kidlit friends, find a time for a planning session where you can brainstorm together the places to promote each creative's books. Team work makes the dream work! 

Authors Carol Gordon Ekster, Kirsti Call, and Carrie Finison

And if even only one family shows up to something you've planned, you never know where that can lead. Try not to be discouraged. Have faith and carry on. Share your books wherever and whenever you have the opportunity to do so. Good luck! 

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and insights with us, Carol!  I am definitely inspired by your creative book promotion ideas. And I agree whole-heartedly with your encouragement to think outside the typical framework for book promotion. One of my favorite events last year involved a collaboration with a florist -- a fun match-up for Lucy's Blooms! 

And now, dear readers, you know what to do. The best way to thank an author whose insights have been helpful and/or inspiring to you is to support their work. Buy their books. Request them from your library. Read and share them with others. Carol's books, including her latest, TRUCKER KID, and SOME DADDIES are available everywhere books are borrowed and sold, including your own local, indie bookstore. 

Image Source: Carol Gordon Ekster

Carol Gordon Ekster was a passionate elementary school teacher for thirty-five years. Now retired, Carol is grateful that her writing allows her to continue communicating with children. She is the author of Before I Sleep: I Say Thank You which won 3rd place in the children’s category of the Catholic Press Association Book Awards and was also a finalist for the ACP Excellence in Publishing Awards 2016. Her picture book, You Know What?, came out first in Dutch (Mama, Wist Je Dat?), December 2016 with Clavis Books. The English version released September 2017 and was a CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards Nominee for Talk (2018) and a finalist for the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award in the New England region, 2018. The Korean language edition came out 2019 and Arabic and Chinese editions are in process.  Some Daddies, illustrated by Javiera Maclean Alvarez came out May 2022 with Beaming Books. Trucker Kid, illustrated by Russ Cox came out spring 2023 with Capstone. When Carol is not in a critique group or at her computer she might be doing yoga or biking. She lives in Andover, Massachusetts with her husband Mark. Find out more at www.carolgordonekster.com .

And connect with her here: https://linktr.ee/carolgordonekster 

Have Swag Will Travel is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of multiple picture books including, Lucy's Blooms, Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?, and 16 books in the Story Time With Signs & Rhymes series. Dawn is a contributing author to the award-winning book, Oregon Reads Aloud, and a frequent presenter at schools, libraries, and educational conferences. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com.  

Have Swag Will Travel: Yearlong Author Residency, by Tracy C. Gold

Dear Readers, I have a very special Have Swag Will Travel guest post for you today. 

Author, Tracy. C. Gold, just launched a beautiful, new picture book into the world: CALL YOUR MOTHER (Familius, 2024). As the author of multiple books, Tracy has participated in several unique book events. Today she shares her experience and tips for planning a yearlong author residency.  

by Tracy C. Gold and Vivian Mineker

Take it away, Tracy!

Have Swag Will Travel: Yearlong Author Residency

by Tracy C. Gold 

I have done quite a few events now that I’m on my fourth picture book, but since I debuted during the pandemic, school visits have been slow. So I was absolutely thrilled when school librarian Alicia Danyali reached out in summer 2023 about setting up an author residency for the next school year. 

She works at Krieger Schechter Day School which is local to me (so—have swag, will travel ten minutes down the road, in this case). She wanted to revive an author residency program the school had before Covid, the Silverman-Brown Residency. We had the opportunity to work together to shape a post-Covid version.

I jumped at the chance and had a really fun idea, if we could make it work. Ever since my book "Trick or Treat, Bugs to Eat" came out in 2021, I’ve been looking for a school that would install a bat box to go along with a school visit. Hint: do NOT write emails with the subject line “A bat in your ear,” even if you know the recipient well, as this does not go over well with those with a phobia of bats. Oops!

KSDS is a certified Maryland Green School, with a gorgeous community garden and a commitment to serving the environment, so they were up for the bat box! After trading lots of emails, talking on the phone, and meeting at the school’s beautiful campus, Alicia and I made a plan. 

We would do three visits, and on the last, the school would install bat boxes. Alicia involved the Art and Woodshop teacher Gigi Smith, who helped the fifth graders make bat boxes themselves. So cool! 

Here’s a quick recap of each visit, and then some tips for pulling something like this off: 

Visit One: October 2023

I met with first grade and kindergarten all together, with lots of help from teachers. I did a quick presentation about how I get my ideas, read "Trick or Treat, Bugs to Eat,” and then set the kids loose to color and cut out their own bats from an activity kit Sourcebooks made for the book. 

Then I met with second and third grade. I did the same talk about how to get my ideas, but with these more advanced learners, we embarked upon a yearlong project: making their own books about wildlife (well, this ended up being a book about anything they wanted, but a lot were about wildlife). For their activity, they looked through library books and made lists or mind maps full of ideas.  

Image Source: Tracy C. Gold, Mind Map

Then, teachers collected their brainstorming documents so we could save them for my next visit, which would focus on drafting. (Kudos to Alicia’s organizational scheme that kept track of all of these over the course of the year!)

Visit Two: January 2024          

We crammed a lot more into this visit! I met with fourth graders and talked with them about the drafting process and structure in picture books. Then I read "Hide and Seek, Nuts to Eat,” and asked them to identify which structures I had used. We ended with a freewriting exercise.

I did a similar presentation for second and third grade, but instead of freewriting, we pulled out their ideas for books, and they started drafting a book. I pushed them to add some structure—maybe a plot with a beginning, middle, and end, or for a non-fiction book, perhaps they could chronicle a year in the life of an animal. 

I also did an interview with the school podcast, and talked a little bit about the ecology of bats with the fifth graders who were making the bat boxes. Whew! 

Visit Three: April 2024

The final visit! I had been in touch with Alicia throughout the year, and she confirmed that the bat boxes were well on their way. 

She also sent me a few pieces of student writing to review ahead of time before meeting with a few students in pairs or individually. This was so fun! KSDS has some wonderful budding authors and it was great to hear their excitement. One of them even gave me a book that she had written and self published with her grandfather. Then, I had a quick meetup with some fifth graders. I talked about how I get ideas and shared my newest book, "Call Your Mother.” 

Image Source: Tracy C. Gold, Meeting with Students

After that, I got to see the second and third graders for the third time! They were familiar faces by now, though I admit I didn’t remember names as much as I had hoped to. We talked about revision, and I shared some of the revisions I had done on "Call Your Mother.” Then, it was time for them to revise their wildlife books and start transferring them to cardstock to be stapled into actual books. As we expected, we didn’t have enough time for all of the students to finish. Alicia will be helping students finish during their time in the library.

Last, it was time to install the bat boxes! Facility and maintenance employee Ray helped hang them alongside the community garden. We celebrated the installation with the fifth graders who built the bat box. A photographer from a local paper even came! (To be determined if the photo will run in the news, but thanks to my publicist at Sourcebooks for reaching out to local media!)

Image Source: Tracy C. Gold, Student with Bat Box

Of course, expect the unexpected with school visits—a parent expressed concern that children might end up accidentally handling bats in that spot, so the bat boxes will be moved to a more remote location soon. I’ll keep this in mind for future schools interested in a bat box.

By the end of the residency, I had gotten to know students and staff and felt like part of the KSDS community. I would love to do a yearlong residency with other schools! This was a really special experience. 

If you’re thinking about doing this with a school, here are some tips and lessons learned:

· Alicia Danyali, the school librarian, put in a ton of work to make this happen and to arrange the schedule so that students from as many grades as possible could participate. (Without making my head explode.) She came up with a plan, involved several stakeholders within the school, and did a huge amount of work wrangling schedules. I don’t think this residency would have been possible without Alicia’s hard work. 

· I would probably only try this if you have more than one book published. I’m not sure three visits would have made sense with only one book. It was great to have a different book to share for each visit. 

· Don’t try to cram too much into a day. I was grateful that along the way Alicia sent me a proposed schedule. As excited as I was to meet all the students…I did have to push back and say “let’s spend more time on fewer things,” which, in hindsight was a good call. We ended up fitting most of the schedule into the mornings, because that worked best with everything else going on at the school. I honestly don’t know how teachers manage their fully scheduled days. Sure, it’s partly that I’m meeting all new people in an all new place and trying to bring my max energy, but whew! Respect to teachers! 

· Expect the unexpected. We had a few hiccups along the way but were always able to make the best of them. On my end, whenever I plan a school visit, I block out the whole day on my husband’s schedule so that he knows he’s on the hook for watching our daughter if she can’t go to school. Good thing I did that—for my April visit, my kid’s school was closed due to a water main break. That was a fun email to get in the morning. Because my husband knew I would be unavailable that day, he could take off work without major issues. Funny enough, in the past I’ve also had to reschedule a school visit due to a water main break on their end! What is with these pipes?

I think that’s it! I am happy to answer questions in the comments about the visit and share any advice! 

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and insights with us, Tracy! This sounds like such an excellent series of visits for all involved. And yes, props to the school librarian who was with you in this all the way! (And to ALL of the educators who give so much of themselves to young learners each and every day.)

And now, dear readers, you know what to do. The best way to thank an author whose insights have been helpful and/or inspiring to you is to support their work. Buy their books. Request them from your library. Read and share them with others. Tracy's books, including her latest, MAMA'S HOME, are available everywhere books are borrowed and sold, including your own local, indie bookstore. 

Photo Credit: Ruut DeMeo

Tracy C. Gold loves writing about families and nature. She is an author, freelance editor, and mom living in Baltimore, Maryland. Her published and forthcoming picture books include “Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby,” “Call Your Mother,” “Trick or Treat, Bugs to Eat,” and “Hide and Seek, Nuts to Eat.” She also writes short stories, essays, novels, and poems. Her work has been published in several magazines and anthologies. Tracy earned her M.F.A. in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts at the University of Baltimore and earned her B.A. in English from Duke University. When she’s not writing or editing, she’s playing with her kid or hanging out with horses and dogs. You can find out more about Tracy at tracycgold.com, by following her on Threads, Bluesky, and Instagram at @tracycgold, or by liking her Facebook page. 

Have Swag Will Travel is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of multiple picture books including, Lucy's Blooms, Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?, and 16 books in the Story Time With Signs & Rhymes series. Dawn is a contributing author to the award-winning book, Oregon Reads Aloud, and a frequent presenter at schools, libraries, and educational conferences. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com.  

Birth Stories for Books, JUST LIKE CLICK, by Sandy Grubb

Back in October 2018, I started a blog series called, Birth Stories for Books, Posts About Paths to Publication from Published Authors and Illustrators. My first post featured Oregon author, Jody J. Little, and her debut middle grade novel, Mostly the Honest Truth.

Fast forward six years later (! -- I hadn't realized I'd been doing these features for that long!), and I received a message from fellow SCBWI-Oregon member, Sandy Grubb, sharing the good news of her debut middle grade novel, JUST LIKE CLICK. Sandy and Jody are longtime critique partners, which is how Sandy became familiar with my blog series (I love these kinds of connections!) 

by Sandy Grubb

Anyhow, Sandy goes on to congratulate me about receiving the Walt Morey Young Readers Literacy Legacy award, and shares with me that Walt Morey was the very first author she ever met in person back when she was a third grade teacher in Idaho. Meeting Walt Morey inspired Sandy to aspire to publish one day.

Wow! Does this tie into the remarks I gave this time last year when I received the Walt Morey award, or what?! 

So here we are today, and Sandy's debut book, JUST LIKE CLICK is now out in the world (Fitzroy Books, April 2024). I'm so excited to be able to share Sandy's birth story for this book with you here today. Congratulations, Sandy! Take it away:

A Boy, a Book, and a Superhero
by Sandy Grubb

I was in college when I dared to dream that I’d like to write and publish a book one day. As an English and French Literature major, I fell in love with the beautiful novels I read. Several years later, I was teaching third grade in Nampa, Idaho, when the author of Gentle Ben came to town. I walked my class downtown to meet Walt Morey. I was so impressed with him. I’d never met an author before. It was then, I was inspired to focus on writing for children.

Now that’s fine and good, but next I needed to figure out what to write about! So, the dream kept percolating for quite a few years. I snatched at ideas and places and premises and people and made a few scribbles in a notebook. 

It turns out, the idea for my story started nearly 90 years ago, of course long before I was born, when two creative, talented men, the writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, created my favorite superhero, Superman. Just as my book didn’t happen overnight, it turns out Superman didn’t happen overnight either. Jerry and Joe first pitched the idea for a superhero comic strip, hoping to be syndicated in the newspapers. They were met with rejection again and again. They tried for five years to sell different iterations of “The Superman,” the first version using superpowers for evil, the next striving to be more sensational but still evil, and finally the Superman we know today who uses his powers for good. 

Jerry and Joe gave up on selling to the newspapers and sold their Superman story to Detective Comics (which later became DC Comics) for $130. Unfortunately, they also signed away all rights to the story. The rest of their lives they (and their heirs) were in and out of court trying to retrieve as many of those rights as they could, which as you can imagine became worth millions of dollars. With that sale, no one could have anticipated the multi-billion-dollar industry that was birthed.

The first Superman comic was dated June 1938 and released in April of that year. The emergence of superheroes coincided with the end of America’s Great Depression and the beginning of WWII. One could reason this was a time when people were looking for a superhero to save the world, but many reflected later that superheroes inspired Americans to believe they could save their own world. Today, readers are drawn to them for entertainment certainly, but also to inspire them to believe they can become something greater, to give their worldview moral clarity, and sustain the hope that justice will prevail.

The majority of today’s popular superheroes were created in the 30s and 40s, with another surge in the 60s. Interestingly, most were created by Jewish immigrants, like Jerry and Joe. Jewish people were harshly discriminated against for many years in many countries, including the U.S., causing them to feel like outsiders. They felt forced to change their names to hide their identities in order to get jobs and housing. Many jobs, including positions in traditional publishing, were closed to them. Stan Lee, the creator of Spider-Man, was one who changed his name from Stanley Lieber. Siegel and Shuster didn’t need to change their names; their parents had already done so. And so, it’s no surprise that most superheroes they created also hide their true identities, live as outsiders, and struggle to find their place in the world.

Image Provided by Sandy Grubb

Just Like Click is a type of superhero story. I’m calling it a superhero story for a new era. It’s not like the old Superman. It’s not in the DC universe, nor the Marvel universe—though my protagonist Nick idolizes all those classic superheroes. Stan Lee gives this definition of a superhero, “So in order to be a superhero, you need a power that is more exceptional than any power a normal human being could possess, and you need to use that power to accomplish good deeds.” In my book, Nick steps off the comic book pages he creates to become Click, a powerful undercover superhero, to save his dad’s job and his home at Black Butte Ranch, which would all be a lot easier if he had actual superpowers. At its heart, Just Like Click is a story of friendship, family, and finding yourself. 

As the story begins, Nick feels a kinship with undercover superheroes as he very much feels like an outsider, misunderstood in his own family and among the peers he’s grown up with. Superheroes, along with some new friends, help him dig his way out of the black hole he’s fallen into and find confidence and affirmation. With warmth and humor and fun comic-book-style illustrations, Just Like Click is a fast-paced adventure story. Kirkus Reviews tagged it “compulsively readable.”

So, I discovered my premise, my characters, my setting, and some fun twists and turns for my plot. My grammar and punctuation were impeccable, but I still needed to learn how to write a good story. After many SCBWI workshops and reading Lisa Cron’s Story Genius and Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat Writes a Novel, the light broke forth. In all, I spent five years drafting and revising Just Like Click, four years searching for an agent, two years on submission with twenty-six rejections, and two years in production after signing a publishing contract. The result is my debut contemporary middle grade novel.

I hope every young person who reads Just Like Click will come away believing they are superheroes, with superpowers they can use to change the world for good.

On my website at sandygrubb.com, you can find discussion questions, activities related to Just Like Click, and some fun how-to-draw-a-comic templates. I hope you will enjoy my book and share it with young readers you know.

What an inspiring story-behind-the story, Sandy (and an important cautionary tale about protecting our rights)! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. I especially love that your book is set in Central Oregon and your hook, a superhero story for a new era. Brava! 

And now, dear readers, you know what to do. The best way to thank an author whose insights have been helpful and/or inspiring to you is to support their work. Buy their books. Request them from your library. Read and share them with others. JUST LIKE CLICK is available where books are borrowed and sold, including your own local, indie bookstore. 

Image Provided by Sandy Grubb

A former elementary school teacher and a longtime member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Sandy Grubb has an English and French Literature degree from Stanford University and a teaching certificate from U.C. Berkeley. Passionate about making life better for children around the world, she serves on the Board of World Vision U.S. Sandy and her husband live outside of Portland, Oregon, overlooking the beautiful Mt. Hood, where they enjoy hiking and skiing. Learn more at www.sandygrubb.com .  

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Birth Stories for Books is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of multiple picture books including, Lucy's Blooms, Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?, and 16 books in the Story Time With Signs & Rhymes series. Dawn is a contributing author to the award-winning book, Oregon Reads Aloud, and a frequent presenter at schools, libraries, and educational conferences. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com.  

Birth Stories for Books: THE SEA HIDES A SEAHORSE, by Sara T. Behrman

Hello, readers! Today's Birth Stories for Books interview is extra special. Our guest is my longtime critique partner, friend, and now DEBUT PICTURE BOOK AUTHOR, Sara T. Behrman. Whoo-hoo! I previously introduced Sara's book here, and today we'll take a deep dive into Sara's path to publication experience for her beautiful new picture book, THE SEA HIDES A SEAHORSE (illustrated by Melanie Mikecz, published by The Collective Book Studio, April 2024).

by Sara T. Behrman and Melanie Mikecz

Dawn Prochovnic: Welcome to the blog, Sara. As your longtime critique partner, I am SO EXCITED to interview you about the path to publication for your debut picture book, THE SEA HIDES A SEAHORSE.

Although I've had the pleasure of reading various iterations of this beautiful book during critique group sessions, I must say I don't recall the inspiration that sparked the idea for you, or the process and timeframe between your initial idea for the book and the story that was formulated enough to submit to an editor. Can you refresh my memory on this?

Sara T. Behrman: The inspiration for this story came from a visit to Australia, the second stop on a yearlong world traveling adventure. We spent three months traveling around this beautiful country, observing animals we’d never seen before. When I saw my very first seahorse at the Sydney Aquarium, I was hooked! I’d thought seahorses were imaginary creatures, like sea monkeys and unicorns. I wanted to learn more, and as I researched these amazing animals, I wanted to share what I’d learned with others. 

Starting in 2007, I tried writing my story in a variety of genres —first as a nonfiction picture book, then as an easy reader and chapter book. Nothing worked as well as I’d hoped with what I first called Papa Seahorse, then Salty the Seahorse. Then, in 2013, I had a breakthrough. My book group (we called ourselves the No. 1 Ladies Book Discussion Group) read Just Kids by Patti Smith. As I read about the life of this poet-songwriter, I wondered what my seahorse story might be if written as song lyrics. That approach led me to multiple rounds of very helpful feedback from my critique group, which in turn resulted in the final version I first began submitting to publishers in 2019 and sold in 2021.

DP: I am so glad I asked that question, because I had forgotten many of those twists and turns! 

When you compare one of your earliest drafts of this story to the version in the published book, what stands out for you in terms of what is most different? Likewise, is there anything in particular that stands out that was included in your earliest drafts and survived the revision process?

SB: My earliest notes from 2007 to myself: “Use rhyme and cadence to convey life in the sea and to emulate the constant motion of these animals.” So, why didn’t I follow my own advice for years? Why did I have “papa seahorse” talk to other characters? My finished version most resembles my early nonfiction picture book manuscripts because my interest in the changing colors, behaviors, and habitats of seahorses remains front and center.

DP: Ah, yes, the ole, "notes to self" that somehow get carried away by a current for a time. I think we all have those! So glad you found your way back to what interested you in the story in the first place. 

Reflecting on the journey from idea to published book, is there any one moment along the way that you credit with opening the door for this particular story to find its way to publication? 

SB: When I examine the timeframe between having a polished manuscript ready to submit (2013) and actually beginning the time-consuming process of researching publishers, preparing book proposal forms, and submitting the manuscript for consideration (2019), it’s clear my journey was a long and winding road. Despite working as a full-time grants consultant who dealt with submission deadlines on a daily basis, I just couldn’t seem to apply the same sense of urgency to my own creative submissions. Ultimately, it took the COVID pandemic to help me realize I had to reduce my client portfolio and make my creative writing and submission process a priority. I submitted The Sea Hides A Seahorse to West Margin Press in June 2020 and they acquired it a year later.

DP: Yes, we were ALMOST publishing house siblings! 

But alas, you experienced some unique bumps along your path to publication related to changes at the original acquiring publisher, West Margin Press. Can you share any valuable learnings from that experience that might be of help and interest to our readers?

SB: Initially slated for release in April 2023, The Sea Hides A Seahorse was entering its final production phase when West Margin Press was bought by Turner Publishing Company in October 2022. Suddenly I knew how a seahorse felt when experiencing rough seas! I clung to my optimism when I was told in November that Turner had opted not to acquire a number of picture books in production, including mine. Jen Newens (West Margin Press publisher) reassured me that she and Ingram Content Group (the distributor) were committed to finding a new home for the book. But then the entire West Margin Press team lost their jobs, and Ingram terminated my book contact in February 2023. Just three months shy of what would have been my book’s birthday, I wanted to throw a pity party! 

However, I decided feeling sorry for myself interfered with my creative process and I focused instead on the new stories that were bubbling up inside me. I also reached out to my former West Margin Press team – my editor, Michelle McCann (McCann Kids Books), and my former publisher, Jen Newens, to thank them again and ask if they had any leads I could pursue. Michelle kindly submitted my “production-ready” manuscript with some others orphaned by the Turner acquisition to a publisher, who declined all of us. So, in March, Jen pitched my book to my current publisher, The Collective Book Studio, who loved it so much they immediately acquired it!    

DP: I'm SO GLAD you were able to shift from planning a pity party to planning your book launch party! (NOTE to readers: Sara has several book events coming up, including a storytime at Powell's City of Books on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 10:30 AM, and a book launch party at Green Bean Books on Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 2pm. Join in if you can!)

Image provided by Sara T. Behrman

DP: As I understand it, The Collective Book Studio is a hybrid publisher whose books are distributed by Simon and Schuster. Can you share with us a little bit about your experience working with a hybrid publisher, and how that might be similar/different to publishing with a traditional publisher?

SB: Since I haven’t experienced the entire publishing process with either a traditional publisher (West Margin Press) or a hybrid publisher (The Collective Book Studio), I don’t know that I can really describe how the experience might be similar or different. What I can say is that I loved working with the folks at West Margin Press, and I love working with the folks at The Collective Book Studio. My book wasn’t acquired by The Collective Book Studio in the usual way, and I was able to keep my advance from West Margin Press because Ingram terminated the book contract. The production process was accelerated because the book had already gone through the final editorial and artwork process. Planned for release in June 2024 (about 15 months after acquisition), The Sea Hides A Seahorse will now be released on April 2, 2024. The book contract for both types of publishers is similar, but authors retain many more of the rights typically reserved by traditional publishers, and the royalties are much higher with a hybrid publisher because the author contributes a portion of the production costs up front. These are called “creative fees” and I was able to use my author advance from my traditional publisher to make a substantial downpayment on my share of the creative fees. Since I’ve only experienced the marketing process working with a hybrid publisher, I can say that they are willing to handle a large chunk of the promotional work, and will work with you to prepare a reasonable marketing budget that is shared by the publisher and author.

DP: That's great to hear, Sara. 

When you compare your creative process for writing children’s books to your creative process as a longtime professional grant writer, what are some of the key similarities and differences? 

SB: My creative process for writing children’s books is completely different from my professional grant writing experience. Writing for children requires me to use my imagination and unique voice when telling a story; grant writing requires me to mimic my client’s voice and marshal facts in a logical, sequential way to write a persuasive grant proposal. It might take me years to write a 500-word picture book, while I can write an 80-page grant proposal in a week. I work on scores of drafts for stories, but rarely prepare more than one draft of a grant proposal before sharing it with a client for final review. Children’s manuscripts are always double-spaced, but grant applications might be double or single-spaced, depending on the funder. 

There are some similarities: comprehensive research is required to assure all details are accurate and consistent, whether world-building or application writing. In children’s books, there are rules to follow about word count limits for specific genres, while grant applications often limit the number of characters you can use, including spaces! You have to know your audience in both processes. You have to respond well to editorial comments, while protecting critical writing elements. Lastly, you cannot take rejection personally. (I find calling this step ‘a decline’ is less traumatic than using the word ‘rejection.’) 

DP: Thanks for all of the informative pro tips, Sara. 

Speaking of which, one of my favorite parts of being an author is connecting with young readers at school, library, and bookstore visits, and I’m always looking for new pro tips in this regard. Given your experience as a popular presenter at the Oregon Writing Festival, longtime book talker, and former professional librarian, what professional advice or suggestions do you have for fellow author/presenters in terms of planning successful (in-person and/or remote) book events? 

SB: Like you, I love connecting with young readers wherever they are. I like being around children; I like their energy, curiosity, authenticity, and openness. I know children respond to the same traits in adults, so I try to be my most energetic, curious, most authentic, and open self when interacting with them. I tell funny stories about myself and share the world travel adventures I’ve had. I want to hear their questions and I want to answer their questions honestly. When I engage with young readers, it’s really all about them. Whether I’m doing a classroom-based writing residency, or a one-day writing workshop, I always remind them that “they are the boss of their story.” (Kids love being in charge!) My stories, whether published or as adventures retold the top of my head, just facilitate our conversations as we connect. 

Advance planning is key. Bookstores and libraries need about 4 to 5 months of lead time to plan an event, and special venues (e.g., aquariums) need at least 6 months. When pitching your event, be sure to talk about how your event advances the venue’s mission and will benefit its target audience. Since I didn’t know a lot about marketing and promotions, I took advantage of the free webinars offered by The Author’s Guild and learned a lot.

DP: Great advice, Sara. Thanks! 

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your pre-published self? Or, said another way, what do you know now, that you wished you would have known a bit earlier?

SB: Dear Pre-Published Self,

Did you really think your stories would be published without having to invest at least five hours every week in a well-researched agent/editor submissions process? Did you think your creative responsibilities ended after a few years of writing, rewriting, and polishing a story? Think again, little monkey. Getting a children’s book published is a lot harder than pitching and publishing feature articles for adults. There are so many gatekeepers standing between you and the young readers you want to reach. There’s no easy path to publication; no one is going to discover your manuscript on a restaurant table, and then become so smitten by your talent they’ll want to sign a book contract to publish your next 10 manuscripts.

So, if you really want the stories that only you can write to find a publishing home, you’ve got to submit them when they are as ready as they can be. You’ll also have to organize your submissions process, keeping track of submission dates, editors/agents, and titles of manuscripts. Then, if you are really lucky, one day you will have an agent to help you with the part of publishing that doesn’t feed your creative soul.

Don’t despair. 

Warmly,

Your Much (MUCH) Older Published Self

P.S. Remember when you couldn’t wait to be old enough to escape your childhood home, but time passed SO slowly? “Publication time” passes at a similar glacial pace.

Image provided by Sara T. Behrman

DP: What a wonderful, encouraging letter to your younger you, Sara! 

Is there something you wish someone would ask you about your path to publication for THE SEA HIDES A SEAHORSE, that you haven’t had the opportunity to share yet? 

SB: I wish someone would ask me about my finger puppets. I have about 50 of them positioned around my home office. I recently organized them according to their preferred habitat; all of my marine finger puppets are grouped together on one stand. How did having finger puppets help me on my path to publication, you ask? Well, finger puppets are great when practicing dialogue aloud. Since writing is a solitary activity, I can talk to my finger puppets when I get lonely or need to let off steam. Finally, there’s nothing like looking into their tiny faces when my imagination needs a boost.

Image provided by Sara T. Behrman

DP: Love it! (and I see some of your finger puppets in the background of this photo!)

Do you have anything you’d like to tell us about what you’re currently working on? 

SB: I’m currently working on a bunch of very different creative projects. I’ve been revising what I call my “Moishe Pupik” collection of stories, all of which transform well-known tales into a celebration of Yiddish culture and traditional Jewish food. My agent also suggested I consider crafting another piece to complement The Sea Hides A Seahorse, so I’ve written two: The Sea Hides a Sea Star, and The Sea Hides a Sea Slug. Lastly, I’m hoping to workshop my children’s musical, Zombie Rodent, starring an undead squirrel named Flatty, within the next year or so. 

DP: Thanks so much for sharing your Birth Story for THE SEA HIDES A SEAHORSE with us, Sara! I can't wait to hear more good news on the way for these other projects, as well.

Dear readers, you've heard me say it before: the best way to thank an author whose insights have been helpful and/or inspiring to you is to support their work. Buy their books. Request them from your library. Read and share them with others. THE SEA HIDES A SEAHORSE is available for pre-order everywhere books are borrowed and sold, including your own local, indie bookstore. 

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Sara T. Behrman is a children’s book author, technical writer, and former librarian. She loves to travel and, like seahorses, has found her way to all five of the world’s oceans: Arctic; Southern; Indian; Atlantic; and Pacific Ocean. Sara now lives in Portland, Oregon, which is about 80 miles from the Pacific Ocean. 

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Birth Stories for Books is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of multiple picture books including, Lucy's Blooms, Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?, and 16 books in the Story Time With Signs & Rhymes series. Dawn is a contributing author to the award-winning book, Oregon Reads Aloud, the 2023 Walt Morey Award winner, and a frequent presenter at schools, libraries, and educational conferences. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com. 

Birth Stories for Books: THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW, by Sue Heavenrich

Hello readers! I'm delighted to welcome author, Sue Heavenrich, to the blog. Sue and I first met when we were in a book launch group together a few years back. It's been exciting to see her continue to welcome new books into the world. Today we'll learn about Sue's path to publication for her latest picture book, THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW (illustrated by Chamisa Kellog, Sleeping Bear Press, August 2023). 

by Sue Heavenrich and Chamisa Kellog

Dawn Prochovnic: Welcome to the blog, Sue. I'm looking forward to learning more about your latest book, THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW. 

You've shared in other interviews that the line, "This is the seed that Molly sowed" got planted in your head and wouldn't leave until you wrote it down, and that was the seed from which this story eventually grew. You've also shared in another interview that an earlier version of this story sat in a drawer for about three years before your agent encouraged you to revise it. I'd like to hear more about how this story tucked away in a drawer caught your agent's attention, and also about the process and timeframe between your agent's nudge to revise and the story that was formulated fully enough to submit to your eventual publisher.

Sue Heavenrich: We were having a conversation one day, and my agent asked: hey, do you have any stories hanging out in the back of your file drawer? THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW was one of those, so I dusted off the folder and read it over. I emailed it to her, and she asked whether I might want to start with the seed (originally I started with the pumpkin). It seems like a no-brainer now, but just changing that one thing made a big difference. I had to rethink word order and find new rhyming words … a challenge, but also the sort of fun a writer relishes.  

DP: That's a wonderful behind-the-scenes detail, Sue. It's so true that the right question, or observation, or suggestion can make all the difference in the world. 

Reflecting on the journey from idea to published book, in addition to what you've already shared, is there any one moment along the way that you credit with opening the door for this particular story to find its way to publication? 

SH: Finding the right editor for a story is a skill, and I was grateful to have an agent who knew editors who might resonate with my story. She sent it out in February, and by mid-March we had interest.

DP: Wow, that's fantastic, Sue. I'm not surprised. It's a great story.

When you compare your path to publication for THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW to your experience with one of your earlier books, such as 13 WAYS TO EAT A FLY, what are some of the key similarities and differences in terms of the publication journeys for each and/or the similarities and differences between the editors/publishers that you've worked with on these books?

SH: I didn’t have an agent when I submitted 13 WAYS TO EAT A FLY. I had met the editor (Alyssa Mito Pusey at Charlesbridge) at a retreat where she expressed interest in the story. When I submitted it to her, she liked it but something just didn’t click. She invited me to revise and resubmit. That revision process took me three years as I looked for a way to make the original manuscript less “listy” and more fun. I am so thankful that Alyssa was willing to take another look, because we had a good time making that book. I learned so much about the teamwork of publishing with that book.

My experience with each publishing house has been different – but one thing has remained the same: creating a book is a team effort. The editors, art director, illustrator, publicist … everyone works together to make the vision become a printed reality. 

DP: Well said, Sue! That's been my experience as well.

You have excellent activity guides for your books that incorporate a variety of different learning extensions and curriculum tie in's, including math tie-in's (perfect for Pi Day, arguably one of the math-iest day of the year!) I'd be interested hearing how your creative process for writing children’s books compares to your creative process for writing supporting materials such as activity guides. What are some of the key similarities and differences? 

SH: Thank you. I’m glad you like them. The teaching guides grew out of my experiences as a classroom teacher and homeschooling parent. I was always looking for hands-on ways to explore the material in a book. That might have grown out of my own school experiences as a visual-tactile learner with a dash of neurodiversity.

I started sharing hands-on STEM activities on my blog. My goal was to create a resource for homeschoolers and teachers who might be seeking a fun way to integrate science into their day. Activity guides seem like an extension of that. Developing an activity guide for a book turns out to be every bit as creative as writing the book. Plus it gives me a great excuse to do experiments. My goals are to include activities that connect across the curriculum. I look for ways kids – and teachers – can reuse stuff they might find around the house (or in a recycling bin) and try to include nature activities that can be done in your neighborhood. 

Photo of pumpkin getting ready to cook, supplied by Sue Heavenrich

Photo of seeds germinating, supplied by Sue Heavenrich

SH: Since we’re celebrating Pi Day, I need to make a confession: I am not a math person. I had lots of problems with math as a kid – memorizing math facts was not my strength. Thankfully, I finally made it to geometry and algebra, and they made sense. My kids inherited their “smarty math” genes from their dad (who was a math teacher, one in a family of math teachers…) and I had another chance to learn math when I homeschooled. I love celebrating Pi Day because: Pie! I mean, how can you not like math with a delicious connection? 

DP: Agreed! I hope our readers will check out the activity guides on your website as soon as they finish reading this interview, Sue. It's packed with Pi Day and other STEM/STEAM activities.

On a related note, in addition to writing books for kids, you are an active blogger, hosting your own STEM/STEAM focused blog, https://archimedesnotebook.blogspot.com/ and a contributor to GROG blog. How do you balance and manage your time between these competing calls to write?

SH: Balance – that’s the thing, isn’t it? I love writing book reviews for my blog and my Wednesday “explore outdoors” features (I think of them as 5-minute nature field trips). And I love contributing to the GROG blog. Over the years I’ve tried different things – adding a Monday author interview feature to my blog, for example – but discovered that I need to keep it simple. Also, when things feel like they’re piling up, I take a break. Some years I take July off from my blog. This winter I took mid-December to mid-January off, so I could work on a project. 

DP: I love the idea of 5-minute nature field trips! (And it sounds like you've developed some good techniques to find balance amongst your various creative endeavors.)

Before we leave the topic of resources, I also see that THE PIE THAT MOLLY BUILT was featured for a Fall Storytime with the National Head Start Association. How did that come to be?

SH: I have no idea! It was a complete surprise, and I am so happy they found my book perfect for their program.

DP: What a happy surprise! It's a great feature! 

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your pre-published self? Or, said another way, what do you know now, that you wished you would have known a bit earlier?

SH: Write what you are passionate about. Do it because you love it. PLAY! And when you no longer take joy in your writing, take a break. Do something else that feeds your creative soul. Also, go outside every day and look for beauty in the world: a sunset, a birdsong, the smell of leaves in the fall...

Author Sue Heavenrich with a Stack of THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW books

DP: That is wonderful advice, Sue--and it's very apparent in your books and supplementary resources that you do indeed focus on things you are passionate about. Brava!

Thanks so much for sharing your Birth Story for THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW with us, Sue! 

Readers, the best way to thank an author whose insights have been helpful and/or inspiring to you is to support their work. Buy their books. Request them from your library. Read and share them with others. Sue's books, such as THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW, are available everywhere books are borrowed and sold, including bookshop and your own local, indie bookstore. 

SH: Thank you for inviting me to join you today. Shall we share a piece of Pi? 

DP: Ha-ha! I'd love to! Happy Pi Day, friends!

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Author, Sue Heavenrich 

Sue Heavenrich is a curious naturalist and is continually amazed by the diversity of insects and other wild things that visit her garden and hang out in her yard. She followed ants in the desert, tagged bumble bees in the Rockies, and taught science to high-schoolers. After covering environmental and community issues for local papers for a couple decades, Sue traded her reporter’s notebooks for composition books and began writing for children. When not writing, she counts pollinators as a community science volunteer. Every day she looks for beauty in the world around her. 

Website: https://www.sueheavenrich.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SueHeavenrichWriter

Blog: https://archimedesnotebook.blogspot.com/

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Birth Stories for Books is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is a nature enthusiast and award-winning author of multiple picture books including, Lucy's Blooms, Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?, and 16 books in the Story Time With Signs & Rhymes series. Dawn is a contributing author to the award-winning book, Oregon Reads Aloud, and a frequent presenter at schools, libraries, and educational conferences. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com.