Happy Turkey Day

Happy
Turkey
Day
(just a few days late.)

Well, we survived Turkey day. And it was a great day, too -- so they tell me. I was inside doing the preparations while others enjoyed the 60 degree weather. Then it crashed down to freezing and we had frost last night. Good-by nice weather. Hello normal late fall.

Friday we braved Black Friday sales. Nothing we bought was on sale. There's something wrong with this picture. Oh well. That's what I get for simply following the Christmas lists from my children.

Saturday the 7 (almost 8) year old spent the day with her best friend, so I rushed around doing errands and picking up a few gifts for her. Plus, I had some quiet time in my office, so I sent off three more manuscripts and two queries to agents.
Total manuscripts worked on and sent out is now up to 8. Worked on the Mother's Day book a little bit more. I wonder if I'll get it done in time to include it in the November count, or will it be a December submission? Time will tell.

-wendieO

Nonfiction Matters

It was quite a shock to realize that Thanksgiving is Thursday. Yikes! Thursday of THIS WEEK.
The month disappears quickly when you take a week off from the day job.

I sent another manuscript out this evening.
This publisher wanted submission by e-mail. My first time doing this. I hope it works.

Total November submissions is now 5.
One of my online writer's groups used to have a theory that we needed to have at least 10 manuscripts out there before one of them will get bought. I'm halfway there. Crossing fingers and toes. (It's kinda hard to write that way)

If you are an avid fan of nonfiction for children, like me, you'll love Marc Aronson's blog at SLJ. In his day job, he's an editor of YA books. But in his other life he writes great nonfiction for upper elementary readers and up. In fact, one of his books won the very first Sibert Award given by the American Library Association. And now that he also blogs for School Library Journal, all of us can peek into his mind. His blog is not just a rehash of his SLJ monthly column. He posts messages about nonfiction on his blog every few days.

Good Heavens! The auction for Robert's Snow Snowflakes begins tomorrow! Bid for the one you love. As for me, I love too many of them.

-wendieO

Vacation, day five

What did I do today?

1) Spent the morning writing. Went over the Halloween story and two others, printed them out and mailed them. (four mailed out this week)
2) The afternoon was spent going down the list I made yesterday. Completed most of the things oon it.
3) Dinner -- centered around baked yellow squash with bacon on top.
4) In the evening I joined other Pine Grove Elementary School parents in the school Cafetorium being chaperones for the school dance. An elementary school dance? You gotta see it to believe it. Large group dances -- Electric slide, Hoky Poky, the chicken dance and more.

-wendieO