Gearing up for this weekend's big event...The Tucson Festival of Books...at the University of Arizona Campus in Tucson. Last year's festival drew over 50,000 regional attendees and hosted over 450 authors and presenters. This year is just as promising.
I'll be presenting with award-winni... more

Gearing up for this weekend's big event...The Tucson Festival of Books...at the University of Arizona Campus in Tucson. Last year's festival drew over 50,000 regional attendees and hosted over 450 authors and presenters. This year is just as promising.

I'll be presenting with award-winning author Patricia McKissack (Stitchin' and Pullin'; Friendship for Today; The Dark Thirty: Tales of the Supernatural)...on Sunday from 2:30 -3:30 pm. The session is entitled The Story Behind the Story; Authors Kids Love. We'll talk about our shared experiences during the writing of Patricia and Fredrick McKissack: Authors Kids Love, (Enslow) a biography for young readers that is based on the live interviews I did with this prolific couple.

Award-winning author Alma Flor Ada (Under the Royal Palms; The Gold Coin; Extra! Extra: Fairy-Tale News from Hidden Forest; My Name is Maria Isabel) will also be presenting at the Festival. Alma Flor was the subject of my book Alma Flor Ada: An Author Kids Love.

SCBWI AZ will host a booth (#55) at the Festival where some of our local children's book authors and illustrators will be making appearances.

For more info about the Festival, go to www.tucsonfestivalofbooks.org

~Peggy,
Sorry for taking so long to reply. I have been busy working on my new website and focused on various writing and speaking projects. I hope you are doing well and that things are looking up. It certainly is a different time in the children's book business. Industry "corrections" have imp... more

~Peggy,
Sorry for taking so long to reply. I have been busy working on my new website and focused on various writing and speaking projects. I hope you are doing well and that things are looking up. It certainly is a different time in the children's book business. Industry "corrections" have impacted many wonderful professionals. Colleagues and friends have been reinventing themselves, seeking ways to use their skills, talents, and prior experiences in a variety of new venues. Needless to say you are not alone and competition is plentiful at all levels. It is probably a good idea to keep up a web presence especially on sites like JacketFlap, as well as have your own personal website where people can locate you and see what you have to offer. In addition, SCBWI, is a wonderful organization for networking and making connections. Feel free to send me your vitae and I'll pass it along when opportunities come up. In the meantime, keep in touch and let me know how things unfold.
~Michelle

Michelle: I'm trying to freelance as much as possible. I need to expand my base. Could you share with me any promising places I might contact? I only have a couple of months of unemployment left. I just had a Sesame book come out and they love me but they are having cutbacks, too, and don't hire fre... more

Michelle: I'm trying to freelance as much as possible. I need to expand my base. Could you share with me any promising places I might contact? I only have a couple of months of unemployment left. I just had a Sesame book come out and they love me but they are having cutbacks, too, and don't hire freelancers. Any place at all that I might get some freelance would be a blessing! Peggy