Have any of you read “The Celestine Prophecy”? Author James Redfield talks about ‘synchronicity’…a term first used in the 1920’s by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. Redfield explains that coincidences have a meaning personal to those who experience them.
Late last year, one of my blogging buddies, Nancy over at Spirit Lights the Way, suggested I check out a Friday linky of Picture Book Reviews. I hurried over to Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday…and I’ve happily been there every Friday since then! Susanna also hosts writing contests and writing prompts that encourage us to express our creativity.
Connecting with an amazing kid-lit community that followed Susanna’s blog, I met dozens of wonderful writers (one of whom has a birthday today…Happy Birthday, Beth!!!!), illustrators, librarians, teachers, moms…one of those was Julie Hedlund. It turns out that Julie had just organized a challenge called 12×12 in 2012…write a picture book draft every month of the coming year.
My love affair with picture books began over sixty years ago, but I had put away my picture book writing when I started working on my book for parents and teachers, “Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking. Heart beating like a rock-band drummer, I immediately signed up.
And now the year is almost over…so it is definitely party-time! I know WE are all ready!
I have completed twelve picture book drafts…twelve more than I would have had if not for Julie Hedlund! Two or three have been critiqued and polished (hopefully enough) and will be submitted to publishers/editors shortly.
- Caroline’s Flower-Sprigged Hat
- Whom Do I Love?
- The Boots of Dylan McGee
- The Tomato Turner
- No Brother for My Birthday
- Grandma’s Visit
- Confessions of the Tomato Turner
- Hugs Are Not For Sale
- How Can I Learn How to Snow
- The Witches of Fairy Top Hill
- Where Is Buddy?
- Further Adventures of The Tomato Turner
Julie’s blog also provides guest posts by writers, illustrators, editors and others who love children and books…each sharing a journey that motivates and teaches. I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say that we couldn’t have done it without her.
I also have thirty picture book ideas, generated during Tara Lazar’s PiBoIdMo…an amazing challenge in November that I recommend to anyone who has ever thought of writing a picture book or to anyone who has dozens of published picture books…the information and inspiration gained by reading the guest posts is invaluable!
This year has been a joyous one for me…due, in large part, to my immersion in Julie’s picture book writing challenge. It’s kind of like a picture book party where I am always dancing around, scribbling story titles, character names and plot ideas…what fun!
I will be retiring from my ‘day’ job on December 31…lots more time for picture book writing, I’m sure! I’ll be hopping aboard the 12×12 in 2013 train…I’m looking forward to continuing this picture book writing journey…with Julie Hedlund as the engineer!
Related articles
- Don’t Be Afraid…Go Ahead…Write Picture Books! (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
- Make a Dummy to Perfect Your Picture Book Manuscript (onewaytowonder.wordpress.com)
- 12 x 12 | JulieHedlund.com (onewaytowonder.wordpress.com)
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 
I love how one connection leads to another one. Congratulations on all your drafts, ideas and that day-job retirement! I hope to read more of your stories soon.
LikeLike
Thanks, Stacy! With all of the help and encouragement this kid-lit community provides, I know we will all have our books on library shelves before too long. 🙂
LikeLike
Stacy…you’ve been a wonderful encouragement to me! I LOVED the collage/cut paper illustrations you did…they are amazing…you were so right to take that course. 🙂
LikeLike
So cool, Vivian! I love that you are in my critique group, giving me inspiration and encouragement, thankyou. Congrats on your retirement!
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Diane! I love that our group is so INTERNATIONAL…I feel like I have friends all over the globe. 🙂
LikeLike
12×12 is definitely the BEST! And thanks for the Happy Birthday wish!
LikeLike
I hope your special day is brimming with joy, Beth! Glad I was a little part of it. 🙂
LikeLike
You are so welcome, Beth…I need to go and see if I can figure out all of Susanna’s clues. 🙂
LikeLike
Congratulations, Vivian, on finishing 12×12! I’m happy to have gotten to know you!
LikeLike
Ditto, Tina! It’s been an amazing year for me! I’m so happy to be immersed in picture book writing…and I love our ‘international’ pb writers’ critique group. 🙂
LikeLike
Ditto, Tina! I love your writing…and I’m thrilled to be part of your critique group so I can get to enjoy your stories.:)
LikeLike
How exciting that you are retiring soon to write PBs…I’m jealous.
Congrats on all your manuscripts…good job!
LikeLike
Jarm…thank you for your lovely wishes! I know this is the right decision for me…sometimes we put things like this off, thinking we will work a little more, a little more, a little more…and all of a sudden, we are much older and not able to do the things we need to do…I don’t want that to happen to me. 😉
LikeLike
Wow, I just loved reading those tantalizing title, Vivian. I am so excited about all the extra time you will have to write once you retire! Very glad to be on this path with you.
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Joanna…I’m thrilled to be amidst such loving and supportive people…it makes the journey so much sweeter.:)
LikeLike
I hope I was allowed to laugh – love the titles you shared, esp. The Tomato Turner, and then…The Confessions of! I hope we get to meet sometime soon – may just have to make it down to the Springs so I can hang with you and Stacey! I feel so lucky that we’ve been in this together – her’s to 2013!
LikeLike
Yes, Julie…I’m looking forward to 2013 also! I’m sure Stacy would agree…that would be so much fun if you were able to come down to the Springs…maybe you could bring the ‘other’ Julie. 🙂 We could all get together for lunch and conversation.:)Glad you liked the titles…most are fun stories…a couple are…hmm…very drafty. 🙂
LikeLike
Just wait for the drafty titles to find the right current!
LikeLike
Oh Julie…you DO have a way with words. 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
Wonderful post, Vivian. No.7 sounds awesome btw! So happy you can write full time next year too.
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Catherine. I did a Susanna pitch for #7…it’s part of a series of three books about my son, Peter, who always loved gardening and was CRAZY about tomatoes.
LikeLike
Hey, you know what, I think I somehow found a clue! 😉 Great post! I love your 12×12 titles! Congrats on getting 12 too!
LikeLike
Thank you, Erik! I’m proud of all of us…we did some fine work this year. 🙂
LikeLike
Congratulations on completing your challenge! Tomato turner? Now, I’m listening!
LikeLike
Thanks, Milka! It’s been so much fun…especially writing about my son, Peter, who is The Tomato Turner. 🙂
LikeLike
What an amazing year you have had, Vivian! I love all your titles! Caroline’s Flower-Sprigged Hat and The Witches Of Fairy Top Hill (which I’ve read at least a version of if not the final or complete!) sound especially enticing to me! I’m so very glad you stopped by PPBF that day! It has been a joy getting to know you! 🙂
LikeLike
Right back at you, Susanna! I know if it hadn’t been for your blog…and Julie’s…I would not have been on this amazing path.:) Caroline’s Flower-Sprigged Hat is a story about my daughter (Caroline) and an adventure she (or should I say, her hat) had when she was about 5 years old.Hope Beth’s birthday hunt was successful. 🙂
LikeLike
Oh, it sounds like 2013 will be a great year for you. I’m so glad we connected through 12×12. I’m intrigued by Further Adventures of the Tomato Turner. Looking forward to more great things from you.
LikeLike
I’m so happy we have connected also, Hannah! There were too many years during which I knew a lot of very nice people…but they weren’t picture book writers.:) Now I feel like I am surrounded by the ‘warm fuzzies’ of people who are on a similar path…and who encourage each other. 🙂
In the ‘Further Adventures of the Tomato Turner’…Peter’s big wheels is destroyed by the garbage truck (because he forgot to put it away) and he had to find a way to earn money to pay for a new bike. 🙂
LikeLike
I’d love to read, HUGS ARE NOT FOR SALE! I enjoyed reading your titles. Best wishes to you and your new season of life. I wish I could quit my day job to write full time.
LikeLike
Romelle…when it is ready for ‘critiquing’…I’d be happy to let you look at it to let me know what you think. 🙂 I appreciate you stopping by…I am going to enjoy having more time…maybe I can get back to reading the blogs of others that I love (like yours). 🙂
LikeLike
So happy for you Vivian. I really want to know now what a tomato turner is. Congrats on your successful year and wishing you many more to come. 🙂
LikeLike
It’s funny, Jennifer…I read posts from others all about books they are publishing/submitting and events/causes/forums they participate in…and I question the import of what I have done. But then, when I make a list of the year’s accomplishments, I feel a lot better. 🙂
I can’t decide if I should submit the Tomato Turner series to a magazine like Highlights (it seems to me very much what they print)…or to an editor/publisher as 3 picture books. 🙂 Each book spotlights an important life lesson.
LikeLike
Great idea to post the titles! And the fact that you have two polished and ready to go–super impressive. I’m a new blogger so I’m glad I found you on the 12×12 linky links.
LikeLike
Hi Wendy!
Isn’t 12×12 fantastic?:) I’m so happy to meet you.
For me, offering the titles and talking about the stories makes them REAL…and spurs me on to make them a reality. 🙂
LikeLike
Vivian, congratulations on completing the 12×12 challenge! I can’t wait to read more of your wonderful stories.
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Carrie! I thought I’d have part of today to read everyone’s 12×12 post…but my husband ended up in the ER this morning…so my plans went out the window. Fortunately, everything is ok…but now I am behind again…can’t wait to be able to call those 4 days of work my own. 🙂
LikeLike
Congratulations, Vivian! It has been so great to connect with you and the other PPBF’ers 🙂 Congrats also on having more time for pb writing. Happy 2013!
LikeLike
I’m 100% in agreement, Loni! What a great community this is. 🙂
LikeLike
Rock band drummer?? You need to be in my video next year! 🙂
Seriously, Vivian, you are so generous of spirit and support. It’s been an absolute pleasure getting to know you this year. I’m glad we Internet-connected our way to each other. I also LOVE the titles for your manuscripts. I am terrible with titles, so I may have to consult you on a few of mine.
Here’s to another great writing year in 2013!
LikeLike
It’s been a year of bliss for me, Julie…and you have been such a large part of that. 🙂 Glad you like the titles…I’m excited for 2013…it looks like it is going to be quite an exciting year for all of us!
LikeLike
I love the titles of your picture books! It has been wonderful getting to k now you this year and I look forward to following your progress in the new year!
LikeLike
Thanks, Rebecca! I feel the same way…this is an amazing community of generous and like-minded folks…I’m proud to be part of it. 🙂
LikeLike
Retiring? Congratulations. Now you’ll have so much more time to write when you aren’t playing Grandma.
LikeLike
Oh yes, Kirsten…that is definitely the plan. 🙂 I am excited to have more time to write…and play Grandma. 🙂
LikeLike
Congratulations! I love what you’ve accomplished this year in 12×12 AND that your retirement will give you even more time to follow your bliss.
Write on!
LikeLike
Nancy…right on! You have been a super supporter of my work…in fact, it was YOU who steered me to Susanna’s Perfect Picture Book Friday gang…I am deeply grateful. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us this year, Vivian. I’m still undecided about joining in the 12x12x13 because I just didn’t get that many ideas what with my brother dying and all that. but to see how the kidlit community is so understanding and supportive just brings me to tears with it’s goodness. How could I not be a part of it. I missed out last year.
Congrats on all your drafts and on your retirement starting in Dec 31st to write full time. I know you won’t regret your decision. I am so glad I was one of your connections you made from following Susanna’s blog. 🙂
LikeLike
12×12 has been a joy…in large part because of all of the amazing people like YOU, Clar! Sadness and tragedy are, unfortunately, a large part of life…I’m so sorry for your loss. We all benefited from your participation.:)
LikeLike
Kudos Vivian! I watched you blossom and bloom this year… Wishing you mega success in 2013. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you, Eliz! You were my first blogging supporter. 🙂 May 2013 be a year of much joy and good health and success for you as well!
LikeLike
Amen for both of us! 🙂
LikeLike
I read The Celestine Prophecy years ago but I still remember the bit about synchronicity–definitely funny how often synchronicity comes into play. Congrats on your 12 x 12 success!
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Cathy! It’s been an amazingly joyful year for me…it started as soon as I picked up my pen and started writing picture books again. 🙂
LikeLike
You have certainly been quite busy. Congrats to you on your mss this year. I can’t wait to see what the Great Vivian has in store for us next year!
LikeLike
Oh my, Courtney…those are big shoes I will have to fill, I think. The ‘great’ Vivian…sounds like a mind-control illusionist. 🙂 The best thing for me has been to connect with all of you. 🙂
LikeLike
Pingback: I’m on board the 12×12 writing locomotive! « Mum-Mum's the Word
Pingback: JULIE HEDLUND TELLS THE TRUTH! « artblog4you
Pingback: Whistle for Willie…Building Self-Esteem « Positive Parental Participation