Words Have Wings
Spring Break
It’s Spring Break! I am taking a little time off from my weekly blog. I will be spending time with friends and family. I wish you all a very happy holiday. Enjoy every minute!
Writing Your Picture Book Title
Writing your picture book title is key to the success of your book. Sometimes the trickiest part of writing is figuring out what to call your book! I have been struggling with my story titles and decided that I needed to do some homework in the form of research. A trip to the library helped … Read more
Creating a Readers’ Guide
After publishing my first book, I was determined to make my book accessible to classroom teachers. I know that teachers are the busiest people because of my experience as a classroom teacher. I wanted teachers to use my picture book in their classrooms. Teachers need a resource that they can easily implement. It was important … Read more
Thanks for the Feedback
How are you at handling criticism? More specifically, criticism about your writing. I will be honest, I am not one who handles criticism well, especially criticism about my writing. I think it all stems from the dreaded red pen. All those red marks always made me feel as if my writing was not good enough. … Read more
Writing is a Journey
Staying motivated as a writer can be hard. I have my fair share of days when pursuing my writing goals is the last thing I want to do. Writing is a journey and there will be times that you may lack the motivation to push past those moments. It is in those moments I try to … Read more
Picture Book Writing Ideas
If you are like me, you probably have too many picture book writing ideas and you are not sure which one to write. To tell you the truth, I have a notebook full of ideas, which is a good thing for me. At the opposite end of the spectrum there are writers who are looking … Read more
Why I Write Badly
Maybe the reason why I write badly is this typewriter; it has been in my family for years. Or maybe I am not just not a good writer. Does that sound familiar? The last two stories I have written were not very good, in fact they were BAD! I have been looking for someone or … Read more
Groundhog Day Celebration
Groundhog Day is celebrated every year on February 2. This year my Groundhog Day Celebration was extra special because it was a double Gertie Day. Gertie Saves the Day met Gertie the Groundhog at the Wildlife Prairie Park. What is Groundhog Day? Groundhog Day, it is an unusual holiday that can be traced back hundreds of … Read more
(Redux) World Read Aloud Day
(Redux) World Read Aloud Day On February 1, 2023, classrooms around the world took time to celebrate and honor the power of reading and sharing stories and expand the scope of global literacy. As Pam Allyn, creator of World Read Aloud Day, reminds us, “World Read Aloud Day celebrates the power, magic, and influence of … Read more