In this month’s issue of Resources For My Readers, you’ll find:
A recap of my experience at the SCBWI-Oregon Conference
An introduction to Create the World Day
Big News about the Silly Society’s upcoming poetry anthology
More Big News
Save the dates and deadlines, a book recommendation, favorite quote, and more!
It’s been QUITE a month, folks! Here are notable highlights of my creative activities and accomplishments over the past month:
Write another new picture book draft and revise that draft.
Mama’s Home (and Baby Too!) was sent to the printer in early June, and is now available to review on NetGalley! (Authors are typically advised to avoid looking at book reviews, but I couldn’t resist, and I’m happy to report that early reviews have been especially lovely!)
Critique manuscripts for folks who pre-ordered Mama’s Home (and Baby Too!) and got in on my first-ever professional critique Flash Sale. It is a sincere honor and privilege for other writers to share their works-in-progress with me.
Attend the SCBWI-Oregon conference (more on that below)
Author Deborah Williams Holt visited the Birth Stories for Books series my blog with an inspiring path-to-publication story for her debut, Nighty, Night, Dinos. If you are looking for a reason to keep on keeping on with your creative endeavors, this post is not to be missed! (Plus, more guest posts and interviews are coming to the blog, soon!)
Begin working with the marketing team at Familius to brainstorm and develop book enrichments and extras for Mama’s Home (and Baby Too!). We have some very fun ideas in store for you. Stay tuned—I’ll announce and share them here, first.
Big news: My work was accepted for a humorous poetry anthology that comes out later this year. More updates to follow, but you can read a little about the project here.
More big news: I experienced a flurry of interest in a manuscript I started querying; engaged with interested agents; signed with the wonderful Ritu Anand at D4EO Agency; and we are now out on submission with said manuscript. I told you, it was quite a month!
Now, Until?: Mama’s Home (and Baby Too!) is available for review on NetGalley . (Comment below or send me a DM if you’d like to review, but are unable to access NetGalley to obtain the digital ARC.)
Now, Until? : As of this writing, North South Books is still open for unagented submissions. Details here.
Now - July 17, 2026: Final round for SCBWI members to vote for the Crystal Kite Award. More info at SCBWI.org (click on “member home” in the upper right corner).
July 19, 2026, 11 AM - 1 PM: Join in as Dawn presents a special storytime event and book signing at Thirsty Caterpillar, a beautiful, new experiential bookstore and community gathering space in Lake Oswego. Ticketed event. Details here.
July 25, 2026: SCBWI-Oregon Picnic, 9AM-Noon. Details here.
Jul 31-Aug 2, 2026: 56th Annual Willamette Writers Conference Event is in-person in Portland, Oregon and online. Details and registration here.
Aug 7, 2026: Application deadline for Literary Arts Fellowship (recipients will be announced Feb 2027). Application and details here.
Sept 4, 2026: Deadline to submit published works for the 2027 Oregon Book Awards. Details here.
Sept 30, 2026: Application deadline for Oregon Historical Society’s Holiday Cheer event (my absolute favorite book event of the year (event is scheduled for Dec 6, 2026). Application and details here.
Oct 13, 2026: Mama’s Home (and Baby Too!) hits bookshelves. Preorder your copy(ies) now, wherever books are sold (support your local indie(s) as often as you can). Stay tuned for book launch events and details.
One of the best things about being a children’s book author is that learning new things (and going down research rabbit holes) are considered integral parts of the job! I had the opportunity to participate is several excellent learning opportunities this past month, including:
SCBWI-Oregon’s Spring Conference. I got a lot out of all of the sessions, but author Leslie Bernard Booth’s keynote and Melissa Manlove’s breakout session on the business aspects of publishing really stood out for me. Melissa discussed coming up with sales comps (which suggests where a book will be shelved and who will buy it vs. just helping orient a gatekeeper reader to your book). From her perspective as a long-time bookseller, and as an editor who has to sell books/manuscripts in-house, when coming up with comps, she says to think about:
Where your book will be shelved (e.g. what would a bookseller or librarian offer to your readers on this topic NOW?)
Audience: Who is going to be shopping for a book like yours?
Hooks: Why will they choose your book?
When they choose your book, which other couple of books will they have considered buying?
Melissa Manlove also presented a SCBWI International webinar on the topic of critique. This was such a meaty webinar, and I’m certain I’ll refer back to the notes I took, again and again. If you ever get a chance to hear Melissa speak, jump at the opportunity. One of the things she said that really stuck with me is the importance of starting with the best when we give feedback on someone’s story. She said that this is not to cushion the blow of criticism, but rather to:
Help the writer see what is amazing about their work (because they may not yet know)
Prove that you deserve to give feedback to them (and she goes on to say that we shouldn’t take feedback from anyone who doesn’t see the value of our work)
Lean into the idea that creativity comes from a positive place
Never assume what the feedback you share might lead to
Several years ago, two of my neighbors developed Create The World Day, for people to come together to share and celebrate things that they are passionate about or enjoy doing. I attended my first Create the World Day event this past month and learned a tiny bit about SO MANY different things over the course of the day, including: Mason bee farming, emotional regulation/well-being techniques, downsizing techniques, African drumming, rock painting, making 15-minute monkey bread, and composting burial. The event is constructed around the idea that most people can easily talk about something they are passionate about for 15 minutes, and most of us can listen to someone talk about nearly anything they are passionate about for about 15 minutes. The schedule included a myriad of 15 minute chats to attend throughout the course of the day. Mark your calendar for next year’s event: May 30, 2027.
I got to enjoy lots of great live music again this past month, including:
A jazz ensemble, Crosstalk, that played at the Rose City Book Pub. I love the vibe of this place!
A fantastic show by EEL SALLAD at Silver Moon, one of my favorite venues in Central Oregon.
An amazing concert featuring John Craigie opening for Blind Pilot on the patio at the Volcanic Theatre, a new-to-me venue in Bend (right next to The Good Life Brewing, which I also really enjoyed). John Craigie (who could double as a stand-up comedian), and Blind Pilot tour together regularly, and often trade off who opens. If you’ve not seen one or both of these musical artists, definitely check them out— you won’t regret it.
Other happenings and highlights this month include:
Paddle boarding on the Deschutes River.
Gathering with family to celebrate my son’s birthday.
Enjoying a delicious homemade meal by my daughter and her partner to celebrate Father’s Day.
Serving as a juror for a three-day criminal trial. A devastating and positive experience wrapped into one.
Watching my husband and son compete in a tennis tournament. They both competed in singles in their divisions, and they competed in doubles together. My son won the consolation round for his division!
I just started reading Improv for Writers by Jorjeana Marie and will soon be diving into the exercises, er games (IYKYK). You can get a preview of what’s in the book by listening to the author’s interview on Julie Hedlund’s 12x12 Picture Book Podcast (which I also highly recommend!)
“To begin, begin.” William Wordsworth
Wordsworth’s concept is seemingly so simple, but so hard in practice. I aim to find ways to lean into the simplicity of this idea. In Maggie Smith’s Dear Writer (which is now out in paperback, by the way), author Dani Shapiro says, “To begin, begin again.” Her point is, if you put it down on paper, and it’s not right, you can cross it out and start over; write over it; throw it away; burn it; or simply rewrite it. Again and again and again, until it’s something you want to keep and/or keep working at to get just right.
This thinking ties in nicely to what I’m learning and soon-to-be practicing in Improv for Writers noted above.
I recently saw a post on social media about playgrounds in the Netherlands that are designed to collect rainwater. The spaces “allow children to run, jump, and play safely in the water while helping cities naturally absorb heavy rainfall.” Brilliant! (Definitely, check out the cool photos heres .)
Speaking of which, here’s another pic of Sweet Sophs paddle boarding with me, this time on the Deschutes River. My favorite route on this river is to park near Drake Park in Bend, put the paddle boards in at the Tubing Takeout spot near the Galveston Bridge, paddle upriver to the Bend Whitewater Park river feature, then turn around and float back. Sophie doesn’t seem to care what route we take, just as long as there is break in the middle for some cheese!
As noted in previous issues, subscriber fees are shared with a cause/organization I care about (rotated on a quarterly basis). The Oregon Food Bank was the first organization to benefit. Thank you to those who have participated in this way.
The Blanchet House was the selected beneficiary for the second quarter, and I’m going to put them on repeat for the third quarter. Their byline: A meal. A home. A future. They are on a mission to “alleviate suffering and provide hope for a better life by serving essential aid with dignity,” and believe that “everyone deserves food, clothes, community, and hope.” If you’ve found this newsletter helpful, please consider subscribing, or alternatively, donating directly to the Blanchet House (or another nonprofit with a similar mission of your choosing). Together, we can make a meaningful difference in this world, one newsletter, one book, one word at a time.
Stay tuned for next month’s issue, which will include:
A update on the Silly Society’s upcoming poetry anthology
A behind-the-scenes look at the early steps of developing a book trailer for my next book (carried over from the past two months—hopefully third time’s a charm!)
What I’ve learned from doing batches of book reviews
And, more!
Thanks for reading! I welcome your thoughts and feedback. Disclosure: As an affiliate of Bookshop.org, I may earn a small commission from books purchased through the links in this post.
[Reminder: Typos are one of my super powers. I try to find ‘em and fix ‘em, but I’m rarely 100% successful! Know that they are not an indication of the level of care that went into creating this newsletter for you, but rather solid evidence that it’s human-made.]
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