The time between the end of last school year and the beginning of this one passed in (snap!) an instant. Each authorly opportunity that popped into view led to the next, and before I knew it, we were shopping for school supplies!
What even happened?
I never want to forget these incredible experiences, so I decided to capture them for posterity’s sake! Thanks for flipping through my scrapbook - here goes!
March + April 2022
This spring, I started a new job as the Parent Programming Coordinator at The Nora Project - I’m so honored and excited to join this rockstar team, to help bring TNP’s mission of promoting disability inclusion to parents, specifically. Around this time, the UK Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome group invited our family to join their country-wide celebration virtually, which was a blast.
To my complete shock, my picture book Dancing with Daddy (illustrated by Ziyue Chen) was selected for three honors — named a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, a Christopher Award winner, and an SCBWI Crystal Kite Midwest Finalist. The month also brought several book events, which allowed me to chat with lots of new readers: the Eggstravaganza at Geneva Commons, school visits in Olathe, KS, and the Comicon convention in Kansas City.
May + June 2022
The month of May started with a real doozy… as I spilt tea INTO MY LAPTOP - who even does that? I thought all of my family photos were lost forever! But on Mother’s Day, no joke, the team at uBreakiFix saved my life and restored all that I thought I’d never see again. I shall never yoga, webinar and clean cat kibble at the same time, ever again. Lesson learned!
May included virtual and in-person school visits and a story time + dance party at the Geneva Public Library. Hokey pokey, anyone? Batavia boutique Wonder & Wander hosted a Father’s Day weekend read aloud. Then, picture book friends from across Chicagoland came to Geneva for our second-annual Kids Day Story Time during Swedish Days. Thank you Lisa, Jacob, Jennifer, Alison (my crit partner!) and Sarah for being there, and Mayor Burns for emceeing. Books, books and more books!
With the help of my colleagues at The Nora Project, I wrote a blog post called How we talk about disability, which takes a look at commonly used phrases that can cause harm. It kind of blew up! We have been so encouraged by the response and interaction with the post. Please take a look, and share! My TNP colleague Jo Tolley and I co-hosted an Instagram LIVE on the topic (watch it HERE), which was such a thought-provoking chat.
July + August 2022
Things kept on rollin’ in July and August! I visited three Chicago Public Library branches in one day, including the stunning Harold Washington Library Center and Thomas Hughes Children’s Library. Wowza. The Nora Project’s annual training camp at the Chicago Botanic Garden was unforgettable - great instruction for TNP teachers and soooo many wonderful speakers.
A foundation that supports children with GRIN2B syndrome and their families invited me to speak at the org’s national meeting in Rosemont. I was so excited about the opportunity that I locked my keys in my van. For the second time this summer. Yikes. And yet…
Despite my frenetic shuffling, summer was 100 percent awesome and concluded with a celebratory wrap. The Nora Project’s gala at Steak 48 was a tremendous success. It was such an honor to meet emcee Kevin Kling. His remarks were FIRE. I had the opportunity to interview outdoor adventurer and accessibility ambassador Enock Glidden for The Nora Project on Instagram LIVE (watch it HERE), which was way too much fun. And my Christopher Award medallion, an honor I share with Ziyue, arrived on the same day I recorded a podcast for the Christopher’s radio show. Phew!!
Now, the kids are back in school, and all is well - and I’m charting a course for the months ahead.
Spoiler alert: Fun stuff is happening!
Things on deck include a book festival, an author panel, library visits, Holiday Book Drive Chi year six, a new book deal announcement (eeps!!!)… and the cover reveal of my second picture book, Willow and Bunny, illustrated gorgeously by Christopher Denise. I can’t wait to share it all with you!
**PS: If you’d like me to visit your school or library to talk about writing, dancing, disability and inclusion, please let me know! Just drop me a note through my Contact form, to start the conversation.
Talk soon!