Picture Book Manuscript Done

Hidden Falls above Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park

Whew! It's finished--at least until it gets to an editor at a publisher. Now I'm ready to search out a publisher, find an agent and get to work on the next book project. I also have a few more children's articles up my sleeve that I want to tackle.

The book, The Tail of Chessie--The Heart of God, is nothing like the original version I wrote last summer. It underwent a complete overhaul keeping only the major premise--teaching children about the character of God through a dog. The long process included a professional edit by a children's author, several critiques at Mount Hermon's Writer's Conference, and last but not least, the scrutiny of fellow members of Inspire Christian Writers critique group. It has been seen by no less than nine pairs of eyes with sharp pencils. I really like the book in its current state.

And now for a treat, here's a link to Julie Cantrell's blog on how she got lucky and landed a fabulous agent. Julie is the newly published author of the companion picture books God is with Me through the Night and God is with Me through the Day. I will be following Julie's outline on her blog to make my query and proposal as perfect as possible.  Hope this helps you in your publishing journey.

Heads Spinning and Job Afar

The last week of July, Bob and I were leaders at Vacation Bible School (VBS) at our church. Bob had eight 11-year olds and I had ten 7-year olds--5 boys and 5 girls. We had a blast! When I look at my little charges, the familiar nursery rhyme comes to mind. 

What are little boys made of?

Snakes and snails, and puppy dog tails,

That's what little boys are made of.

What are little girls made of?

Sugar and spice, and everything nice,

That's what little girls are made of.

My February post, Real Life Stinks, recounts the event that shocked our world--Bob lost his job. On Friday, July 31 after VBS, Bob had an appointment to present his reinvented self to a potential client/employer. That led to an interview and by the next Friday--one week later--Bob had a job! He started work on August 5th. Whew! Our heads were spinning. Note to job hunters: If you're getting no traction with your current job search, think about emphasizing a different aspect of your experience. Something more relevant to the current economic conditions.

Bob is part of a new senior management team working to correct troubling issues at a medium-size community bank.

Just one snag. The job is in Nevada City an hour and a half away via country roads and a major highway (not freeway). Since he'll be working 10-12 hour days, he will be setting up an apartment to stay during the week. UGH!

So here I am typing my blog, missing my hero... and that's the saga of life.