My Wild Imagination

Writers have great imaginations. I am guilty of having too much of an imagination. Take my SCBWI conference in LA experience for example.

The Andrea Pinkney, Vice President of Scholastics, critiqued my manuscript and gave me glowing compliments that left me giddy all weekend long.

Andrea said that she loved my manuscript and that it is what Scholastics is looking for. She even told me to promise her to send it to her. She also wanted to see more of my work. The only caveat is that in order for me to do so, I needed an agent because of Scholastic's policy.

Andrea asked if I had one. I didn't.  So she went so far as to recommend a couple to me (which she said she never does) and even had cocktails with one of them to talk about my work (or at least that's what she said she'd do). This is where my imagination begins to unfold.

I imagined:

• my phone ringing off the hook with agents wanting to represent me

• me having the difficult task of deciding who I should choose
• my manuscript being chosen for the Sue Alexander award
• me moving to Big Sur and living in a quiet cabin so I can write all day
• me quitting my day job so I can learn to surf

• my kids bragging about their mom being the coolest

• me taking my private jet to have lunch in New York with Andrea Pinkney 

• Stars talking about me

• Ellen Degeneres or Oprah Winfrey knocking at my door 

• me making news in Time Magazine

Well, I soon realized that it wasn't going to happen.

Rejection after rejection sent me back to reality. 

The truth of the industry held true. 

Writing is a subjective business. 

Just because the V.P. of Scholastics loves your work doesn't mean an easy ticket in.

My imagination got the better of me. The story I submitted to Andrea Pinkney is still sitting in my folder waiting to be discovered and LOVED by an agent.

But wait!

There is something I DID NOT imagine.

It's the fact that, not one, but TWO of my picture book manuscripts was accepted by MeeGenius!  

I am proud to announce that my story THE TUMMY MONSTER is out! You can find it at MeeGenius.

And another, RUNNING BOY will be coming soon!

With every bad news, comes good news!