Erin Dealey

It’s April (see below for excuses why I haven’t written!) and next week Goldie, Bo Peep, and I are going to Alaska! (No this is not a belated April fool’s joke!) Alaska Gateway School District–3 hours from Fairbanks– has invited me to be their visiting author for their Young Writers and Illustrators Conference, and help the students write their own books. How cool is that?  [Note: according to the web, actual temps will range from a high of 40 degrees and a low of 7 below. DEFINITELY COOL! ]  I promise to bring my camera (well–actually, it’s my daughter’s camera…)–and BIG DRUM ROLL–share my adventure with all when I get back–(Not in two months–Can I do this?? check back in and see!)

Erin’s Top 4 excuses for not writing in this blog since February: 

I. SCBWI New York was awesome! The best part  was running into Atheneum ‘s Emma Dryden and spending time with my editor, Caitlyn Dlouhy, who is so insightful, and positive, and fun to work with, I consider myself one very lucky writer! Sat in on Caitlyn’s break-out session where she said VOICE and personality are what attracts her to a manuscript. Look at this woman’s desk! (photo right) Do you still wonder why it takes editors so long to respond to your manuscript? : )  

2. Asilomar SCBWI Golden Gate Conference: Despite a bit of rain, my author pals Anne Martin Bowler and Elaine Russell and I were able to squeeze in some walks on the beach and I got to hang out with the amazing Patricia Polacco. If you have never heard Patricia speak, you are missing something fabulous. She mesmerized the room full of writers and illustrators with her stories and her words of wisdom, "We don’t fear failure! (This happens to us every day.) We fear success!" Isn’t that the truth?  I also had the pleasure of meeting editor Randi Rivers (Charlesbridge) who gave me some excellent comments on one of my manuscripts–(see excuse #3), and hear Liz Szabla (Feiwel and Friends) talk about–guess what??–VOICE  (Is there a recurring theme here??)

3. This much I’ve learned: A writer needs to write more than blogs and e-mails. I’m working on three new manuscripts and revising another per Randi River’s request, so I need to end this blog soon!

4. Author Visits! Love, love, love them! Thank you to Kira and Isabelle who wrote to me recently. I’m thrilled you think I’m funny! Yay! Thank you to the Sacramento Area Library Association for inviting me to be part of your Author’s Symposium last weekend, and to the ARRC committee and my workshop participants at the Asilomar Regional Reading Council Conference March 1-2, who dove in and tried all of my crazy theater games! Hi to Korematsu Elementary (Davis CA), Stonegate Elementary (San Jose CA),Visions in Education (Woodland CA), Sargeant Elementary (Roseville CA), Glenwood School (Sacramento CA), Jackson Elementary (El Dorado Hills CA) and all five schools in the Buckeye Union School District!

Time to PBIC and get back to writing!  How about you?