2018 Successes/Accomplishments– Writing and Art

I’m participating in Julie Hedlund’s 12 Days of Christmas which she’s offering via emails and in a facebook group. The goal to get our creative writing juices flowing for the New Year. Today’s prompt is to focus on our successes. We were all challenged to come up with a list of our success from the last year–fill a page, focus on our accomplishments instead of New Years resolutions, and then… blog about them. So… I’m taking the plunge, haven’t done this before all in one place but here goes…

2018 Successes/Accomplishments for Writing and Art–

–Taught 3 Picture Book Illustration Classes at the Evanston Art Center, launching 12 plus students with their stories and picture book dummies.

–Created over 221 poems throughout the year-not including ones that are still waiting to reach my computer…

–Wrote 17 poems for a children’s poetry book-and reviewed them with my critique group.

–Revised 3 picture books.

–Participated in April’s #NaPoWriMo, October’s #Inktober, December’s #Haikuforhope.

–Submitted poetry to Rattle, Hunger Mountain, Reader’s Digest, Haiku Society of America.

–Submitted picture book dummies and stories to two publishers and one agent.

–Submitted stories, poems and art to Highlights and Cricket Magazines.

–Submitted a chapbook to PSA Poetry Society of America- reviewed by my critique group.

–Made it through the first rounds of Madness Poetry.

–Began tagging my poetry with their respective poem form.

–Began organizing art and writing submissions by month.

–Participated in Poetry Friday all year, and Summer and Winter Poem Swaps.

–Art featured in: Frogpond, Haiku Society of America.

–Artwork featured on Irene Latham’s Live Your Poem postcard for April.

–Art Exhibits/Art Cards, bookmarks, prints at: Studio b. Gallery, Three Oaks MI; Oakton Community College, Des Plaines, IL; Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL; Gallery 1070, Chicago, IL; Glow Gallery, Chicago, IL; and Booked– Children’s book store in Evanston, IL.

–Art purchased by Biological Sciences Department of the University of Illinois at Chicago.

–Attended SCBWI-IL Prairie Writer’s Day Oct. 2018-receiving a strong critique on a picture book story; numerous poetry workshops at the Poetry Foundation in Chicago, handful of Author and Illustrator book talks.

–Registered for Renée LaTulippe’s Writing Lyrical and Rhyming Picture Books-via Julie Hedlund’s site– which was excellent!

–Attended a few of the Chicago Sponsored online Kidlit Nation Webinars-many focusing on diversity.  

–Created art and a poem for Irene Latham’s call celebrating her new book Love, Agnes: Postcards from an Octopus.

–Created a poem and art in memory of Jamal Khashoggi in response to Tabatha Yeatts call for commemorating the UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

–Poems included in two new poetry anthologies, Imperfect poems about mistakes: an anthology for middle schoolers, Tabatha Yeatts, editor; The Best of Today’s Little Ditty: 2016 (Volume 2),compiled by Michelle Heidenrich Barnes.

Thanks for your ear…
Happy New Year
Happy Writing and Creating Art!