The ONE YEAR "WRITE-A-VERSARY"!

WHAT A YEAR IT HAS BEEN!
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Below is a timeline that is the most interesting and the best way to present what went down in my writing career... with a few very important shout-outs at the end. 

March 2020 

• The pandemic started, the world shut down, including our company Global Expeditions Group. I was furloughed because no one was taking international programs anywhere.
• Prompted me to wonder: What am I going to do now? 

August 2020

• Got a job with Creative Learning Center preschool in Richmond VA as an assistant teacher in the Pre-K 4s class. 
• Inspired, read a ton, spent all my time with kids. Prompted me to think again: I should really write my books. 

September - November 2020

• Talked about writing to my husband and close friends. Talked about it. Talked about it. Talked about it. 

December 2020

• My husband said, "If you don't do anything about it, you can't talk about it anymore. You've talked about this for years. You have the time. Do it now or don't talk about it anymore".
• I applied for the one-on-one mentorship with Rosie Pova, got accepted.
• I enrolled in a class with the Writing Workshops of Dallas beginning in January. 

January '21

• Writing Workshops of Dallas class with Rosie: Children's Picture Books from Creation to Publication began. 
• My Mentorship began. 
• I wrote my first manuscript: ISLAND GIRLS: TURTLES IN DANGER

February '21

• I wrote my second manuscript: PARROTS TEA PARTY

March '21

• I wrote my third manuscript: RED
• I was re-hired by Global Expeditions Group.

April '21

• My mentorship ended with Rosie.
• I started the submission process on my own, querying publishers and editors who accept non-agented submissions. 
• I began a discussion with a small international publisher about RED

May '21

• I was invited to spend a weekend in June with Rosie in Texas to write and network. I needed to write three more manuscripts to work on while we were together. 
• I wrote my fourth manuscript: QUEEN BRAINA AND THE TASTE BUD KNIGHTS

June '21

• I wrote my fifth manuscript: MERMAID PRINCESSES
• I wrote my sixth manuscript: BLUE, BLUE, WHERE ARE YOU?
• I flew to Dallas and had a very successful weekend Writing with Rosie
• I received my first offer to publish PARROTS TEA PARTY from a big international publishing house.
• I received another offer to publish ISLAND GIRLS: TURTLES IN DANGER from a small USA-based publishing house.

July '21

• Another offer to publish came on ISLAND GIRLS: TURTLES IN DANGER and QUEEN BRAINA AND THE TASTE BUD KNIGHTS from a small international publisher. 
• I got a request to "revise and resubmit" QUEEN BRAINA AND THE TASTE BUD KNIGHTS from small USA-based publishing house.
• I had no idea what to do, my head spun.
• Hired a literary lawyer to help navigate all of this.

August '21

• Finally got a great agent at Loiacono Literary Agency. Such a HUGE relief!
• Hit the Pause button. Decided not to go with any of these offers yet, some were due to distribution issues, some wanted all of my rights, some were hybrid offers. We aren't rushing anything and wanted to wait for the right offer. This is a huge decision and we don't want to rush it.
• Revised and edited all six manuscripts to get ready for submission with LLA.

September '21

• Finished revisions 
• Manuscripts went out on submission with LLA.
• Gathered endorsements and reviews on my manuscripts.

October '21

• Got endorsements from Animal Ocean, Plastic Ocean Project, Global Expeditions Group, Little Star Communications, Rosie Pova, as well as a few medical professionals, reading specialists, and friends. 
• So excited that people really like my manuscripts and believe they should be published!

November '21

• Developed PR and Marketing Plan to have ready for interested editors and houses.
• Established better presence on social channels.

December '21

• Gathered more endorsements & reviews.
• Went on an "inspiration vacation" to the British Virgin Islands.

January '22

• Things should really start happening in early Q1. LLA is working insanely hard and we should start seeing some "action" soon. (Keep your fingers crossed)
• I was accepted into the 12 x 12 picture book challenge where I will write 12 manuscripts in 12 months. 
• Started writing my seventh manuscript: TITLE TBD 

In short, this really is quite incredible what has transpired so fast. I am proud I have found a passion, something I know I am good at. Even in the short period of time I was querying by myself, it is clear there is interest to publish the stories I am writing. 

I know I've said this a lot, but it needs to be said again. I would not be where I am today without Rosie Pova and the Writing Workshop of Dallas crew. They single-handedly taught me what I needed to know, what I needed to do, and created a very easy process for me to understand and follow. Yes, the stories are in my head and are my own, they are my own imagination and stem from my own creative mind. However, I didn't know where to start or the first thing about the publishing industry and they showed me the way. I am forever grateful to Rosie and Blake who have believed in me from the very beginning. I also need to say thank you to my agent Jeanie for investing her time and energy on my success. It feels pretty awesome to have such great people believe in me and even better that I can call them friends.

I can't wait for the ride to continue, my new manuscripts to come to life, and eventually, the joint book signings with Rosie! It will be such a thrill to see my books on the shelves one day. 

Thank you all for your continued support and interest. It means the world to me.

All my love, luck, and healthy wishes to you all in 2022. 
Blair