by Bethany | Jan 24, 2024 | blog, Courage to Create, Milestones Met
A Milestones Met Interview
Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
My picture book biography of PFLAG founder Jeanne Manford, LIKE A MOTHER BEAR (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster 2027) was recently announced in Publishers Weekly and Publishers Marketplace. This book is very close to my heart and when it was acquired by editor Feather Flores, I was over the moon!
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
I have been writing for children for over 30 years, about as long as I have been an educator. There have been many chapters to my writing life, including working with critique partners, being a part of SCBWI, taking workshops at the Writing Barn and Highlights, and completing my MFA at Vermont College of Fine Arts. My agent Lori Steel of Red Fox Literary has been key in helping me to present my best work and stay focused on my goals. She believed in LIKE A MOTHER BEAR from the moment I signed with her. I was part of the inaugural season of Courage to Create, and that was very exciting. The CtC community keeps me grounded and it has given me perspective and the tools to deal with the ups and downs of the publishing world.
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
I love that there are CtC members who are experts in ways that I am not, so I can learn from them about various aspects of the publishing/writing world. I also have more of a long view of my own publishing journey thanks to CtC, which has helped me both enjoy the good moments and deal with the disappointments and challenges. Being part of a great community of writers had provided me with a lot of information and insights from people ahead of me in their journeys.
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
My Big Why has to do with what I call “ordinary magic” — celebrating small moments, quiet yet powerful changemakers, and unsung heroes. My big why also has to do with my hardworking family members/ancestors. I honor their labor and journeys by doing my best work and being my bravest self. Finally, I still work with young children every day; being with them feeds both my writerly inspiration and fills me with respect for the dignity and worth of every child.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
Focusing on goals and not milestones was a big help to me. I’m a dedicated 5 a.m. writer, and each day I focus on moving my project forward. I have multiple projects going at a time, and when I hit a wall, I shift my energy to another project to refresh and invigorate myself.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
There is only one you, with your set of experiences, your family history, and your way of looking at the world. Hold onto that as you craft your stories and encounter obstacles. Don’t forget to rest, refresh, and lean on friends.
Mary E. Cronin writes fiction and poetry from her home on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, where
she is an elementary school Literacy Coach. She spent her early years in the Bronx, NY, where
she fell in love with reading, writing, and libraries. Mary’s poems have appeared in numerous
children’s anthologies and in The New York Times. Her picture book biography of PFLAG founder Jeanne Manford, Like a Mother Bear, illustrated by J Yang, will be published by Atheneum/Simon & Schuster in 2027. She is represented by Lori Steel of Red Fox Literary. You can find her at www.maryecronin.com.
by Bethany | Aug 25, 2023 | blog, Courage to Create, Milestones Met
A Milestones Met Interview
Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
I recently signed with agent Natalie Lakosil of Looking Glass Literary & Media!
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
I have been writing for several years but started to take my writing career seriously in April 2020. At that time, I started taking classes and joining communities of writers. Courage to Create program was very helpful to me in my journey. The programming, monthly classes, and community meetings were very useful and helped me to learn a lot about the publishing industry and also about how to be a better writer.
In May 2022, CtC hosted an “Ask an Agent” session and Natalie was one of the guests. She offered a submission opportunity to CtC members and I was excited about that. I queried her in August 2022, then we got in contact in July of this year and I signed with her new agency.
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
Being part of a great community of writers had provided me with a lot of information and insights from people ahead of me in their journeys.
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
My goal is to create entertaining and informational books for kids. I believe that learning needs to be fun and go beyond reading the book. A successful book, in my opinion, is the one that stays with reader, ignites their minds and thinking, and inspires them to ask questions and feel the need to learn more about the topic. Children should be allowed to explore, ask many questions, research, and look for answers.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
Yes of course! We get many “NOs” until we hear one “YES”. Those rejections were hard and it was not easy to stay motivated. But again, being in a community of writers with similar experiences made me feel that I am not alone. I got encouraged by the writers who reached their milestones and I would tell myself that my time will come too.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
Keep on it. Work on your craft. Write more books. Listen to the feedback. Query agents and editors. You will get your YES!
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
It takes THE TIME IT TAKES.
Alia Khaled is an engineer, a researcher, an educator, and a lifelong learner. Her objective is to create entertaining and informational books for kids. She is a native Arabic speaker and has published many books to make learning Arabic fun, enjoyable, and accessible to non-Arabic-speakers who wish for their kids to learn the beautiful language of Arabic. Alia holds a PhD degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, USA and a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Cairo University, Egypt.
by Bethany | Aug 17, 2023 | blog, Courage to Create, Milestones Met
A Milestones Met Interview
Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
My picture book Mole and Tell was released in May 2023!
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
I started learning how to write children’s books more than a decade ago. Since joining CTC in early 2022, I’ve developed a deeper understanding of the craft and business of children’s literature.
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
With CTC, I’ve become more mindful of my writing journey. That has helped me process what my book release means to me. At the same time, CTC has helped me manage the work after a book release. I’m grateful for the CTC Book Launch Checklists!
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
I believe that literature can do all sorts of things, from soothing aches to tickling funny bones. If one of my stories can help a child, then my hard work was worth it.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
I appreciate how CTC gives me space to process feedback. Writers constantly face feedback, from critiques of drafts to reviews of books. I’m glad that I can share my thoughts and feelings about feedback in a safe place.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
Please don’t feel bad about rejections. A rejection is a redirection along the journey to publication.
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
It takes THE TIME IT TAKES.
Catherine (Cathy) Payne is a writer born and and raised on Guam. Working there as an English instructor, she finds inspiration in her tropical surroundings. She loves to compose stories that reflect the good in the world.
by Bethany | Aug 2, 2023 | blog, Courage to Create, Milestones Met
A Milestones Met Interview
Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
My debut picture book, Sonia and the Super-Duper Disaster, in which a girl uses coping skills to manage ADHD and anxiety while whipping up a super surprise for her Mom, was recently announced. It will be illustrated by Kelly Kennedy, and published by Free Spirit Publishing in Summer of 2024.
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
If my debut comes out in 2024 as scheduled, it will have been 7 years from first draft to publication. I started seriously pursuing my dream of becoming an author in late 2016. I hit the ground running, joining the SCBWI, then 12×12. I was convinced that if I worked hard enough, I could be published within three years. So I attended every class and meeting I could find, wrote, revised, sought out critique partners, read tons of picture books, joined twitter, started a blog, applied for mentorships, and participated in pitch parties. I spent every spare moment working on my craft or querying. I had a few close calls in 2019 (champagne passes, R&R’s, etc.), which was encouraging. Then the pandemic hit and everything turned upside down. Life was suddenly exhausting. I felt demoralized when I saw people using the pandemic to get extra writing and querying done. I was having trouble doing ANYthing. I kept writing and querying, but at a snails pace. I kept having close calls, but as the years passed they started to feel more like a cruel tease than a promising sign. I joined Courage to Create in Fall of 2022, hoping it would help me recapture my creative passion and joy. And it did. The personal coaching sessions were particularly helpful in encouraging me to keep going. In October of 2022 I participated in a Twitter pitch party on a whim (something I hadn’t done in quite some time). I got a like from an editor and submitted to her with extremely low expectations, and by January of 2023, I had a contract in hand!
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
I think that the same CTC beliefs that sustain us through that long journey to our first book sale will sustain us through whatever comes afterwards. I see now that it’s an up and down journey that never becomes easy, and there is no finish line.
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
Writing feeds my soul. I write because I have something to say, and saying it in writing makes me happy. It also helps me process, learn, and grow. I love touching people with my words. In particular, I hope to help children who have ADHD and anxiety like me, by writing about my own experiences with honesty and compassion.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
Yes, my lowest point was the couple of years from the start of the pandemic to the book offer in December 2022. I joined CTC in Fall of 2022 because I was really struggling and on the verge of giving up. The biggest thing I got out of Courage to Create was permission to feel all the feelings, encouragement to keep going, and a huge dose of self-compassion. CTC helped me accept that it takes the time it takes, and that passes are not a reflection on my worth or talent. It helped me focus on my goals knowing the milestones will come. But most importantly, Bethany and the rest of the CTC community helped me believe in myself and keep going when I was feeling on the verge of giving up.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
I never would have guessed that my debut picture book would come out of an un-agented deal with a small press, through a Twitter pitch party. In fact, I had very low expectations for that event, having pitched multiple times in the past with only a couple of likes that led nowhere. My take away is that you never know where your next “yes” is going to come from. You have to accept that it will take hundreds of tries and hundreds of no’s to find that right connection with the right editor at the right time. But if you don’t try, it will never happen. So keep trying. Keep putting yourself out there. And keep believing in yourself.
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
Ambition is the NATURAL IMPULSE to share our gifts. Don’t make yourself guilty for having it. Or not owning it.
Rachel Funez is an Adult Third Culture Kid (ATCK) who was born in the U.S., spent most of her childhood living in Latin America, and is now an Attorney raising multicultural children with her Honduran American husband in Peru. As a neurodivergent writer with ADHD and anxiety, many of Rachel’s books celebrate children with special brains or address social-emotional topics with humor and heart. When Rachel isn’t writing or working, she enjoys walking her Bearded Collie, playing board games with her family, dancing like nobody’s watching, and rainy afternoons with a hot beverage and a good book.
by Bethany | Aug 2, 2023 | blog, Courage to Create, Milestones Met
A Milestones Met Interview
Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
My debut picture book, Fish Friends Forever, about a spunky child and her friendship with and loss of her beloved pet sold to Lauri Hornick at Penguin/Rocky Pond Books this past Spring! The book will be illustrated by the talented Aliaa Betawi and is due out in Summer of 2025.
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
August 2023 marks *five years* of focusing on the genre of picture books. Wow. I signed with my agent Sara Crowe in the Summer of 2022, and we went out on submission with this book early the next year and it sold that Spring. I have always been a writer, but I am finally doing the hard work of getting out of my own way to become more comfortable with and confident in sharing my stories with a wider audience. Courage to Create has helped with this oft less-discussed side of writing — the emotional one. CtC has provided a community of writers who understand writing isn’t JUST the act of writing. It’s so much more than pen to paper — when it’s good, it’s deeply personal and hugely vulnerable. I’m getting better at sharing despite my instincts to always hold things close to the chest.
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
These stories and books we make are important. And the careers that build up around them are, too. This is all very hard work, isn’t it? CtC has helped reveal how taking the long-view is vital: to celebrate the successes and to grieve the failures knowing that both are essential parts along the path to becoming the best author I can be. I so appreciate the weekly check-ins acknowledging the ups and downs of each week — knowing that I’ve had both as well. We are not alone!
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
I write stories to reveal the Power of a Child (and Childhood) and acknowledge the Magic of the Every Day. Kids are incredible humans — and, as both my audience and my inspiration, they are at the heart of what keeps me working toward new milestones.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
Everything takes SO LONG in publishing. We all have heard that. But I REALLY heard it through CtC programming. That was *so* reassuring as I lived (and continue to live) right through it — all the WAITING and WAITING and WAITING. OF IT ALL. Having a community who understands that, who talks about it, who can laugh about it, and who knows tactics to deal with it is really valuable.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
You will!! You will!! If you are here, I think we know you mean business and you are putting the good work in. From there — It takes the time it takes. Oh! How many times have I repeated that as my daily mantra?? But it’s true. I really, truly believe that. You’ve got this! xoxo
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
It takes THE TIME IT TAKES.
Kerry Ferguson writes stories for kids and their families for the page and for the stage. A professor, poet, playwright, and picture-book author, she lives in Spartanburg, SC with her fun and funny family of humans, dogs, and rabbits. She is repped by Sara Crowe of Sara Crowe Literary Agency. In addition to her ongoing book projects, she was recently commissioned by The South Carolina Children’s Theatre (Greenville, SC) to write an original play for thier youngest audiences. The result of that partnership is D is for Dance Party! An Alphabet Play, which will premiere there in January/February 2023.
by Bethany | Aug 2, 2023 | blog, Courage to Create, Milestones Met
A Milestones Met Interview
Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
I recently (and for the first time ever) signed with an agent, Jennifer Mattson of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
My writing career has spanned many years – I have 22 published books for children, and my first picture book, IF I WERE PRESIDENT, has been in print almost a quarter of a century (25 years next year!) and was recently made a part of a new school curriculum. However, in all that time, I had never worked with an agent. And I knew it was time. Joining CTC was, in part, a step I took toward the goal of seriously moving forward in connecting with an agent. But at CTC I’ve found so much more – a community of wonderful, supportive creators and numerous programs that supported my writing life. This year, I did sign with an agent – the incredible Jennifer Mattson of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Information and insights I gained as a part of CTC – including watching panels of agents who presented to our members – added so much to my knowledge and insights on the process of approaching agents (one of those events was even with the Andrea Brown Agency). I also learned about all I should consider discussing when “the call” with an offer of representation took place. And then — and this is no small thing — I had a community with which to share the news of my new representation, a community that really, truly understood the significance of this BIG step. Working with agent Jennifer Mattson has been life changing. I now have someone in my corner, advocating for me and my work. I appreciate the ways that CTC enriched my knowledge and prepared me for this milestone.
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
For many of my books, my “Big Why” has been this: I hope to share with others a glimpse of a world that is bigger and more amazing with more incredible opportunities than they ever imagined. Also, I have been exhilarated, enlightened and sometimes comforted by what I’ve read in books – how wonderful and fulfilling to be able to, through my work, create something that may stir or support someone out there who opens my book. That does keep me going!
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
Yes, I have had some near misses/champagne rejections from agents! But the agents who presented on the CTC panels reinforced something that was so important: That I needed to create a collection of really original, really strong picture book manuscripts so when the “send me more of your manuscripts to review” requests came through, I was prepared with the best work I could possibly produce.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
Take a deep breath, get to work on something you love, immerse yourself in as many select opportunities to learn and connect and grow in your writing or art as you comfortably can (but please don’t overextend yourself or stress out – that’s counterproductive). And know that reaching one’s goals may not happen overnight – it truly does take the time it takes.
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
It takes THE TIME IT TAKES.
Catherine Stier is the author of 22 traditionally-published children’s books, including the picture books IF I WERE PRESIDENT, IF I WERE A PARK RANGER and WHEN A KID LIKE ME FIGHTS CANCER. Her A DOG’S DAY chapter book series received a Kirkus starred review. Stier’s work has also been recognized with an SLJ starred review, a Library Media Connection’s Editor’s Choice Award and two Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year designations, among other honors. Stier holds a Masters in Reading and Literacy and has served as a children’s literature researcher, magazine writer, newspaper columnist and writing instructor. Currently she is the Assistant Regional Advisor for the SCBWI-Southwest Texas chapter, a San Antonio family nature programs volunteer – and a national parks fan!
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