PUBLISHED GRAD

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

The Lonely Dragon–read aloud stories published by Knowonder!

Nessa’s Celebrations–read aloud stories published by Knowonder!

Chicken Soup for the Soul–For Mom With Love published by Chicken Soup for the Soul

I have a story in each of the above books.

Tell us a bit about your path to publishing, from idea to submission to published.

I have always had a desire to write but let life get in the way. Finally, in my early 50s, I took the ICL course of Writing for Children and Teens. I had been a teacher in my 20s and still loved the thought of writing for middle grade kids. My first story was published in Guide magazine. I had several stories in magazines and ezines through the years and branched out into writing for ‘grown-up kids’ I’ve written and been published in creative nonfiction, memoir pieces, poetry and articles on the craft of writing. Once I got started, I kept right on writing and growing as a writer.

How long have you been writing?

Around 25 years

What’s your favorite genre to write and why?
Hard to choose a favorite but memoir is at the top of the list, stories that are aimed at both children and adults

Please list the course or courses you’ve taken with us.

Learning To Write For Children [Renamed as Writing for Children and Teens]

How has taking our course helped your writing and/or career?
It gave me the springboard I needed to have the self-confidence and courage, as well as the knowledge of how, to submit my work for publication. My ICL instructor told me in her final evaluation that I had the ability to write within and she had only helped bring it out. For which I am ever grateful!

Have any of your class assignments been published? If so, where and when?
Yes. A character sketch turned into a story that was published in The Christian Science Monitor.

Do you have a favorite writing tip you’d like to share?

I have two keywords that I repeat frequently in my blog for writers. They are ‘patience’ and ‘perseverance.’  Writers need both every day.

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?
I would go back to my twenties and tell myself to get started writing immediately, not let other things in my life take precedence.

Please tell us the best or most valuable thing you learned from your experience with ICL.
The most valuable thing that I learned from The Institute of Children’s Literature is tenacity. I always keep in mind that the hours of text book reading, writing assignments, practice assignments, reading and analyzing classic literature will be rewarded with successful publication. It is imperative to be consistent and persistent.

Please tell us the best or most valuable thing you learned from your experience with us.
I learned from early lessons to the final ones that I could and would grow as a writer if I practiced the craft on a regular basis. I also learned to have enough self-confidence to begin submitting my work to publishers.

Have you ever written a middle grade novel?

Yes. My novel is historical fiction based on my own grandfather’s experience. He was taken from school at age 9 and sent to work in the coal mines of Iowa. He worked in mines all his life. The boy in my novel does everything he can to get out of the mine and back to school. The story is set in the late 1800’s. I have written several drafts and had promising remarks from publishers but no takers. Yet!