A Loss for Words

I haven’t posted in a few-ish weeks (yikes!) I’ve started a bunch of posts, but then just didn’t finish them.

I wanted to tell you how I brought the unwrapped Christmas presents down too soon from the attic and put them in my closet. My 6yo discovered these very quickly. When I told her not to go in there, she cried

“BUT IT’S ALWAYS JUST BEEN A CLOSET! I DIDN’T KNOW!” 

Luckily she bit her tongue and didn’t tell her little sister what she saw.  

I wanted to tell you about how when I needed to get a revision done, I let my kids tattoo me for 15 minutes. They were surprisingly prolific. Sidenote, temporary tattoos stay on for a long time!


Then John Cusick’s blog post yesterday kicked me in the pants. I just needed to start a post with whatever blergh came out of my brain. If I worried so long about what I was trying to accomplish with my post I was sure to accomplish nuthin’.

I need to tell you all about when I submitted to an agent in December and got a response that the agent was closed for submissions as of yesterday. Ack! Reminder: Read the submission guidelines one more time before you submit, even if you just did it a few days ago! I also got a no thanks from an agent but with helpful personal comments, so all was not lost. :)

I started my 2014 accomplishments post as I was reading the flurry of posts after New Year’s. I haven’t finished it yet, but I did count up all the critiques I did in 2014: 
62  
Wow. I love getting critiques, but it feels really great to know I've contributed to 62 stories which may one day make their way into the world.

I also read a brand new subversive picture book called While You Were Napping by Jenny Offill and illustrated by Barry Blitt. I realized I had no idea which category it fit in from my subversive research in the fall. This delicious picture book features a big sister explaining to her little brother all the things he missed while he was napping in a way that only a real stinker of a big sister can do. It’s terribly inappropriate (babies light fireworks), but so good.





Two lovely bloggers nominated Lauri’s Stories for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Please visit their fabulous sites. If you like MG and YA, Leslie Zampetti is a librarian who does great video reviews. If you like people who spell their name's L-A-U-R-I then you have to visit Lauri Fortino's Frog on a Blog. Thank you ladies!!


Ahhh. This post was rambling and disjointed, but it was a start! Here’s to a 2015 with lots of action and less worry about whether the action is the perfect one for this moment. 

Comments

  1. Sorry for the closet/Christmas present incident! I'm loving the tattoos! very nice :-)

    Thanks for another pb to add to my list! I loved her book Sparky! so I'll bet this one will be just up my alley!

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    1. Right back atcha, because I hadn't thought to look up other books by her. I'll have to check out Sparky:)

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  2. Oh gosh it's a miracle that hasn't happened in our house yet but I don't get tattoos. My youngest loves them too much on herself and putting huge stickers on her bedroom wall. Way to on critiques!

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    1. I know right? You know you are either special or they are really bored when you get all the tats:)

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  3. Thanks for the shout-out, Lauri! Glad you are "back" and ready to kick some 2015 butt! Love the little stories about your kids. (I was a big time closet snoop at Christmas time.)

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    1. Well, yeah I was a closet snoop too- but I didn't let my mom find out! Thanks again for the VIB award.

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  4. I did notice you haven't been posting, but I assumed you were busy with manuscripts...a good thing! And 62 critiques is amazing. You are a giver. You deserve the Very Inspiring Blog award, Lauri. P.S. I have tons of tattoos you can have. I just cleaned out my boys' drawer. ;)

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    1. Yes, there's not nearly enough spiderman tattoos around here! Thanks for saying all the right things Romelle:)

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  5. Man, I'd hate to guess what you would have to do if you needed an hour to revise.

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    1. Um, yeah, me too. This morning I tried to do a few things while they insisted on creating static electricity in my hair with fleece pillows. Little one starts kindergarten next year though!

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  6. Never heard of this books, Lauri, and I'm so surprised you didn't like that tattooed look. It's so stylish! ;) Also, I didn't know Leslie did VIDEO reviews!

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    1. Her video reviews are fabulous. She's a cool librarian:)

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  7. Good luck! Glad to see you back! :D

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    1. Thanks Erik - You know you never take a break AND you have schoolwork AND you have to be a teenager. Your days must be packed!!

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