Dear Fellow Children’s Writers and friends,

Where did June go? Don’t ask me! 🤷‍♀️ It was quite a transitional time for me as I began to emerge from our communal-stay-at-home-holiday; all be it rather tentatively; still not keen on shopping, or frequenting restaurants, but glad to be back at work. Still, June is gone and I did not want to see July slip away too without touching base. So how have you found adapting to life in these remarkable times, creatively, of course? I sincerely hope you and yours have all stayed healthy and safe.

Do you find a return of your mojo? See it as an opportunity to stretch your artistic muscles, whether creatively or appreciatively or perhaps both. I suspect you may like me have been joyfully inundated and none too proud of all the opportunities introduced and offered by our KidLit community both to each other and to our beloved audience.

What with Podcasts, Zoom Meetings, Midday Storytimes, online launches, homeschooling activities made available often for free, there’s certainly been no shortage of creative opportunities and outlets available to us, or families with kids learning at home, in what, let’s face it could have been and no doubt for some of us, financially, has been a trying time. (let alone any emotional baggage we may be carrying)

But now, I’m heading towards a little downer and that was definitely not the aim of this post. So what has Journeygirl been up to in June and July? June mainly saw me back teaching and nearing the end, also back at my Sacramental Coordinator role in the parish. Still, by now I was on a roll with both decluttering and writing as well as critiquing for my Creative Kids Tales Critique Group, so the last two months have been Busy with a capital B. Busy, but satisfying, with several online launches attended, two rounds of critiques completed (8 critiques and 2 of my mss critiqued by others) one Junior Fiction ms first draft completed, two courses completed, one new NF PB written as a result of one of those courses, one fellowship applied for as a result of the other, (thanks Aleesah Darlison and Karen Tyrell) two rooms fully decluttered and rearranged, two competitions entered, 3 mss submitted for assessment, one amazing Writing Bootcamp experience, one awesome online Conference over three Saturdays (thanks CYA for an incredible job and my family for giving me these full days to myself) and countless online Storytimes either fully or partially watched.

As you can see, Biizzzy! No, I’m not trying to blow my own trumpet, well maybe a little. Hey, I’ve achieved a lot and I’m quite proud of that 😁 and sometimes we creatives ought to say that out loud. The main reason I’m sharing all this, is to say that the Children’s Book Industry has stepped up so much and in so many ways over the last few months and it would almost seem ungrateful if I hadn’t too. There’s been and still are many opportunities out there for creatives, aspiring, emerging and experienced to support each other and to progress their own skills, dreams and careers. So, if you’re feeling a little stuck or just haven’t been aware, look around and grab hold of one of these opportunities with both hands! Pull yourself up and on to the road you want to travel. Answer the door when opportunity knocks- sure, but also seek opportunities out for yourself.

They’re not hard to find and they’re just waiting for you to grab hold.

So fellow travellers, stay safe in these extraordinary times, but don’t let them stop you seizing those opportunities,

Farewell for now,

Savour the quest,

Journeygirl.