Drum Roll, I heard back from Stephen Fraser? What's next?

Sigh. I wish I could report that all my dreams came true with Stephen Fraser's critique. Not so. He e-mailed me back his critique the same day Carol sent my 2000 words. That was fast. It was a critique of my 2000 words, just as promised. It was good to hear his perspective and get insight on what should happen in the first chapter. I was disappointed that he didn't offer me a contract or ask for me to send the rest right away. I'm not finished with the book and I will make it better.
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This past weekend was our annual SCBWI/BSU Department of Literacy Boise Children's Literature Conference, Read, wRite, Revise. Even though I was the conference coordinator, I was still able to attend the sessions. It was so inspiring. 

Alane Ferguson fills the room with her enthusiasm and encouragement. She inspired many writers this weekend including me.

Gloria Skurzynski, her mother, has been writing and publishing for years and is still writing. I learned that she was rejected 57 times before she sold her first book. She told Alane, "If rejection kills you, I would have died 57 times!"

Kate Testerman, the agent and owner of kt literary, moved to Colorado for love. She is the agent for Maureen Johnson who wrote Scarlett Fever. Good book.

I met Sarah Tregay 6 years ago at our 3rd Boise conference. Her first novel, Love and Leftovers, came out this year.

Kate Kae Myers adjusted from writing novels for adults to teen and her first novel, The Vanishing Game, came out this year.

Matthew Kirby, the author of The Clockwork Three, said the phrase which most inspired me this weekend. He took it from Martine Leavitt. "Give yourself permission to think of writing as a career."

Neysa Jensen, the new Regional Advisor for the SCBWI Utah/Southern Idaho Region, did a fabulous job with the conference. I've had the privilege of helping her since she organized the first Boise Conference in 2003.

My writing buddy and friend and finalist in Project Writeway, Monelle, continues to encourage me. We both plan on making great improvements to our manuscripts.