Gratitude and Looking to the Future

As 2010 comes to an end I wanted to take a moment to thank those of you who have visited this blog, followed my interview series, participated in Book Cover Bingo, and been a friend in general. You’ve helped make 2010 a lot of fun for me, and I hope I’ve done the same for you.

I will be continuing the Creative Spaces interviews in 2011 and I’m curious, whose workspace would you like a peek into? I have a list of writers and illustrators I’m hopeful will agree to an interview, but I would love to know who in particular you would be interested in seeing. Also, are there any questions you’d like me to add to the interview or suggestions for changes?

I’m also planning another round of Book Cover Bingo for earlyish 2011 and I hope you all will participate. (More info to come in the new year.) When I finished the Bingo game last summer I naively thought the beginning of December would be a great time to host another one. I had a lot of fun running the game in July, but I think running it in December in the midst of holiday travel, family visits, present shopping/wrapping/shipping, holiday events, decorating, cookie baking, etc. would have been a wee bit insane, and I imagine you all would have been equally busy and the timing for participating wouldn’t have been ideal either. So instead I’m hoping Book Cover Bingo will be a fun diversion for us from the winter doldrums.

There was something else that kept me busy in December and that was FINISHING REWRITING MY MIDDLE GRADE MYSTERY!!! ***insert ecstatic Jenn jumps and geeky clapping for myself*** It will need one more round of smaller revisions, fine tuning, and polishing before it’s ready to submit, but the overhaul is done.  I’ve put it aside for the last week and a half and will soon be picking it up again to begin working through my last pass. I’m looking forward to having this book finally officially on submission, but possibly even more than that (because as I’m sure you all know, submitting work comes with its own bag of stressors) I’m looking forward to starting my next novel-length project. I have three ideas that have been vying for my attention and ignoring them all this while has been difficult.

Enjoy the last days of 2010, everyone! Here’s to hoping 2011 is filled with the completion of long sought after goals, the beginnings of exciting new adventures, and cuddly animals napping in front of cozy fires. (I had to find some way to tie in the picture of my dog and cat! But I’d be happy to see more of that in 2011.)

Happy New Year!

 

7 Responses to “Gratitude and Looking to the Future”

  1. Bethanie Murguia

    Happy New Year to you as well and congrats on finishing your MG! I always enjoy your creative spaces interviews. How about an interview with Philip and Erin Stead? Amos McGee is so charming.

  2. Linda Lodding

    Many thanks for a year full of amazing peaks into creative spaces. And congratulations on finishing your MG! Wishing you lots of success as you start the submission process. As for more interview subjects how about Barbara McClintock, Randall de Seve, Loren Long, Lynne Chapman (UK), Mo Willems, Lane Smith, or Barack Obama?

  3. Cynthia Chapman Willis

    Congratulations on finishing your MG novel! What a wonderful way to begin 2011! Happy new year to you! I'm looking forward to reading more of your wonderful creative spaces posts–love them.

  4. LadybugSF

    You're welcome! Haha. No, thank YOU! I am so excited and happy for you about finishing. You are my hero. I would love for you to track down Don Calame (Swim the Fly)… just curious!!!

  5. Rebecca Laffar-Smith

    Two authors on my "wish I could peek into their office space" list are: Traci Harding (an Australian novelist) and Richelle Mead (author of the Vampire Academy novels).

    Congratulations on wrapping up your latest rewrites. 🙂 I hope your 2011 brings many more reasons to celebrate writing.

  6. molly (a dazzling distraction)

    Congratulations on finishing the major revisions. I teach fifth grade and focus on a different genre each month. October is "mystery" month, and hopefully we can read yours soon! (However I do understand that publishing is a looooong process, so soon is relative.)

    As for creative spaces suggestions, I'd love to see Laurie Halse Anderson's creative space.