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After a few days in sunny Santa Monica, I headed for Minneapolis and the Public Library Conference. It was massive - I think there 15,000 attendees - mindboggling! And so many stands, with so many books... it'll feel like Christmas when my parcel arrives, because once I'd decided to send a box it seemed sensible to fill it properly.

Minneapolis is also the home of Lauren Stringer, the artist who's just started working on my picture book text, One Night. Her home's a fascinating old house, a type I've always wanted to live in, full of amazing art, and it was one of those rare and wonderful meetings that feels much more like picking up an old friendship than meeting for the first time. I can't wait to see what she does with the story.
One of the first books that I saw of Lauren's was 'Our Family Tree', which is quite magical - and I also really love her latest, "Winter is the warmest season".

We held a preview screening of Nim's Island for the conference attendees on the Thursday night; it was a lovely atmosphere; people laughed and clapped and asked great questions afterwards - very encouraging as to what audience reactions were likely to be when it actually came out. Best of all, at least on a personal letter, was that I was able to relax and see it as a film, separate from me, and just enjoy it, so I didn't even cry till Nim did, near the end.

I also met Ingrid Lawes, author of Savvy, at dinner after the movie. The book has gone in my box to read when I get home, but the first sentence convinced me - I predict a great future for the book, and for Ingrid.

It was also great to meet some young Nim fans at a signing at Barnes and Noble in Maple Grove, and then the many librians who came to the signing at the conference the morning after the screening.

Of course Minneapolis was a good reminder of northern winters; there was still snow on the ground, and a snow storm prediccted for the Friday we were due to fly back to LA - I was quite happy that didn't eventuate!

It's time for the final check in for the 30 Day Challenge. Comment below by 11:59 pm EST to be entered for a surprise!

I have to say, I had a tough time getting motivated these past couple of weeks to write everyday. Life kind of blindsided me with too many things. My creative ability had been somewhat stifled in my writing and my blogging.

My youngest celebrated a birthday. She's been giving Spiderman some quite a bit of competition in the Cling-On category--this child summons up all her incredible holding powers on my leg when we're walking into her preschool. My middle child is on oral prednisone to clear out the gunk in her lungs and her eczema encrusted body. My eldest is fluctuating between the needs of an eight year old and demands of a teenager. She has also had a hard time staying asleep these past couple of weeks and has been waking me up at 3 a.m. to keep her company. And that in itself, is almost enough to do me in.

Not that I'm complaining and all. All these puzzle pieces I need to figure out and put together to make everything right again is totally okay. That's what I do best. However, it has been leeching away at my writing time.

So here's what I did. I brought my laptop to my little one's school. That way the forty five minutes spent at her school, is balanced with some writing time in the peace of my car. I've also taken to writing notes in a little book I carry with me while I'm waiting in the doctor's office, or waiting in the car line to pick up the kids, or am running on a schedule that's completely out of whack.

I was able to write four days last week. One hour of total brilliance, the others, well, we'll have to see. But, I've also decided that I did pretty well for having a week or two from a place I really don't want to go back to for awhile.

So, how did you do? Remember to let me know in the comments here or over here by 11:59 pm EST to be entered for a surprise! The prize winner will be announced tomorrow!