On Saturday, I took Cathy-on-a-Stick with me to an SCBWI schmooze where author/illustrator Susan Nees put on quite a lovely show. Er…presentation. I am happy to report that Cathy-on-a-Stick behaved herself, but Melissa Abigail Rose (whom everyone calls “Missy”)? That scamp of a protagonist in Susan’s illustrated chapter books was quite the character.

Okay, okay. Hold the groans, people. I mean, I could’ve come up with plenty of  (worse) puns. After Susan shared her publishing journey and tips, and after listening to critiques of fellow writers’ first pages, my brain was about to burst with ideas and writing know-how and creativity. So really, I could’ve produced puns of epic punniness. But I’m saving my creative spillover for a manuscript revision. I need to apply some of that brilliant writing wisdom to my latest picture book draft.

I wish I could share here all the gems I gathered. But it was one of those events where you really had to be there, listening, to learn.

I can, however, share this gem: if you have the opportunity in your community to hear an accomplished writer speak, for FREE, go! Listen! Learn! Make connections, meet new writer friends! Broaden your writing horizons! For FREE!

I think I enjoy free writing programs just a little bit more than the ones I pay to attend. I suppose that’s the frugal side of me coming out. I mean, something for nothing? You canNOT beat a great freebie, right?

And in that spirit, I’m going to give away the Susan Nees’ chapter book in the pic with Cathy-on-a-Stick. (Leave a comment, and if you leave a punny comment, I’ll give you an extra entry!) You’re going to love reading Missy’s Super Duper Royal Deluxe Picture Day-–and you just might learn a little something something about writing, too.

(So, yeah.  Cathy-on-a-Stick’s a little jealous of Missy. Two characters in the house is one too many…)