PUBLISHED GRAD

What is the name of your book or article? Who is the publisher?
Dash to the Rescue

illustrated by Vickie L. Kastl

Doodle and Peck Publishing

Give us a short summary of your book.
Dash, a young Mongolian, nomadic girl, finds a way to save the nucleus of her family’s livestock from destruction from a brutal, winter storm. By applying the the story of Noah and his ark to the problem she gives her family peace of mind.

Tell us a bit about your path to publishing, from idea to submission to published.
My idea developed after reading an article about the how the nomads of Mongolia lost their entire livelihood when their animals froze to death during frigid weather. I submitted the subsequent story to about 15 publishers before it was accepted by Doodle and Peck.

How long have you been writing?
20 years

What’s your favorite genre to write and why?
Picture books/multicultural

Which courses have you taken with us?

Writing for Children and Teens

Writing and Selling Children’s Books

How has taking our courses helped your writing and/or career?
It was a way to turn my passion into practical steps. I learned a lot during this first step.

Have any of your class assignments been published? If so, where and when?
No.

Do you have a favorite writing tip you’d like to share?
If you have a passion to write, NEVER give up.

If you could travel back in time and give yourself one piece of writing advice, how far back would you go, and what would you tell yourself?
Don’t assume a piece is ready to submit even though it sounds good to you. Find someone to critique it.

Please tell us the best or most valuable thing you learned from your experience with ICL and IFW.
The courses and the contests have furthered my education in the field of children’s writing.

Jan Fenimore is an award-winning author with published works in magazines, a self-published a novel, and two picture books. She has won or placed in numerous contests.