Welcome!

I'm not new to talking, sharing ideas, or stating my opinion, especially stating my opinion! After all, I taught elementary school for 30 years! However, my audience has typically been smaller,just family, the classroom, or just talking to myself!

My blog has two goals: be an outlet for sharing thoughts on writing children's books and the path to publication (got my fingers crossed that I'll get there) and a place to chronicle my journey of losing my sight. Sometimes I imagine these two paths will overlap .


Showing posts with label Kidlit Drink Night. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kidlit Drink Night. Show all posts

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Write From the Soul


Atlanta Kidlit Drink Night                              

Now what doesn't sound fun about that, I ask you! Combining children's literature writers, illustrators, librarians- all things kidlit- with a little libation... can I get an amen for that!


This all started when Laurel Snyder (Baxter the Pig Who Wanted to be Kosher) decided Georgia folks needed a gathering like the one in New York City. I think it might have been an excuse to convince buddies living outside the Perimeter to come inside the Perimeter! [translation: people living in the burbs needed to venture intown].

I was psyched to go to it and grabbed a ride from a blogger buddy going. My "goals" in my head were to:
     * talk with at least two new people
     * maybe give some folks my blog address, after all, we love to have others reading our posts, right?
     * enjoy some libation- couldn't list this one first!

Why, you're saying to yourself, is this fool setting goals for a social event? Fair question. The truth is as much as I wanted to go, I was very nervous about actually going through with it. I'm not always comfortable around strangers or new places since I have vision issues. I can be introduced to someone but due to the dim lighting, I might not recognize them 10 minutes later. I also knew I'd need to take a taxi home. Every try telling a dispatcher where you're located when you've never been in the neighborhood? Or try telling them to have the cabbie find you, a woman with a white cane. Just a tad anxiety-provoking, so giving myself "goals" is a way to encourage me to follow through.

Anyway.......
I was delighted to see writer buddies , Vicky A. Shecter, , and Cathy Hall , and Elizabeth Dulemba there, soooo much easier when you know people! I met Laurel Snyder, her friend Kathy, a librarian, Tanya, Tony, Lauren, Mark,and Sally, while in dim lighting and a small space. Yeah, first goal accomplished. I even managed to share my blog and web site - goal #2, go Gail. And that beer helped ease the nerves. Three for three, yay me!

Here are a few snaps I took too.


You know, it was actually fun. Maybe I'll go to next month's gathering too!