I've Landed

It's one of those days that I'll forget later was really successful. So I figured, since I actually have time and I'm always bemoaning to myself the fact that I don't blog as often as I should, I'll recognize it here.

I've written and edited nearly all day. I sent off a piece of memoir/nonfiction to Red Fez, which I hope will be published in the not distant future. I've finished an initial edit of the Billy Bobble sequel (still aiming for the end of the year on that one!), and I also finished a book review and a Q&A for work.

It's nice to mark "Done" on my list of things to do for a day or a week. I add things as I go, too, so those lists are never really done. But that's the way it is with anything. Whether it's doing the laundry, feeding the kids, cleaning the cats' box, tasks both enjoyable and uninspiring greet us each day. I've been able to accomplish ones that meant a lot to me today. And I've even been able to blog about it.

To be sure, I have loads of things to do still. We've closed on submissions for the horror anthology, and while our review team and I check the stories out, I just want to say it's been wonderful to discover new voices. We'll be trumpeting a bit more this year at the Elephant's Bookshelf.

Hope your Sunday is at least as successful as mine has been and that your week is even better!

Giving Back and Giving Credit

As anyone who knows me well is aware, I'm a strong believer in giving back to one's community. It's something that I've been able to incorporate into Elephant's Bookshelf Press, with perhaps the most obvious example being Steven Carman's Battery Brothers, for which all the profits will go to the Starlight Children's Foundation, which fulfills wishes of sick children and works to improve the lives of kids and families overall.

We all belong to many communities. It's not just about where we live or where we work, but also the places where we thrive and help our peers survive. In that light, I'd like to call attention to R.S. Mellette, who was recently recognized for his volunteer efforts with his local chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

R.S. is an important part of the EBP family, but he's also become a huge part of the SCBWI community out in California. I wanted to call attention to his dedication to writers; it's at least as strong as his faith in readers. Great job!