SUMMER MELTS INTO FALL

October Update:

I’ve had an incredibly busy summer and fall this year, taken more photos than usual, ventured to a few in-person writing events, and hope to save enough to attend the BRMCWC Conference again since my 2019 trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

I continue to enter writing contests and attend classes online. One of my favorite art communities, Creative Powerhouse Society, has an incredible library and live events which keep me on my toes.

While I have one foot in writing and the other in illustration and art, I’m finding less time to finish projects, but I’m refreshing goals, priorities, and making some hard choices to both balance finances and time.

Please pray for me when you think of me.

I’ve been encouraged to get more sleep. I agree.

But I digress.

Below are some new affiliations and awards this past year.

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Here’s what you might have missed:

I placed 1st in Poetry at SCWC in July for my poem called Enough-ness. This poem is now published in Lyrical Iowa 2025 Poetry Anthology.
I attended the children’s picture book workshop intensive called Whispering Woods Workshop at a quaint retreat in the eastern part of Iowa and immersed myself in study and research and refining my children’s books. Thanks to WCCW (West Coast Christian Writers) for the gift of a micro-grant. And special thanks to the ladies at the retreat center.
Earlier this summer, I discovered I placed as a finalist in the Cascade awards and a finalist for the Serious Writer of the Year Award. This fall I found that although I did not advance, but relish the award announcements that often precede my meeting with others.
As one of the conference directors of the ACFW Kingdom KidLit Contest, the May through August calendar consumed most of the work space and energy this summer, and we are now in the planning stages for 2026. Would you like to help?
I judged one of the categories for the Annual National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) this summer. I judged around 150 poems! What a delight.
I placed 1st in the NFSPS Contest #37 with Fickle Hearts. A variation on a sonnet based on Pride and Prejudice in the digital age.
ACFW KidLit Awards celebration was held mid August. Congrats to all the winners.
I entered the Aurora Contest for YA/Sci-Fi this year and moved onto the second round in the Sci-fi category. Praise the Lord!
I traveled to southern Missouri to the ACFW National Conference. My first time. I loved it and met so many people I’d seen only online. Thanks to ACFW KidLit Chapter for the gift of attendance this year.
Then I signed up for the ACFW Master’s Pen Christian Writers Conference which is free for members! Great networking sessions.
I entered two more contests, sent in a proposal to speak at BRMCWC, and updated the contest and conference freebie calendar subscription.
I spoke at one of the monthly meetings by ACFW Virginia Chapter. Brainstorming and Mind Mapping Mayhem is one of my favorite topics. I had a blast.
And remarkably, I braved a quick visit to my childhood home and spoke with the current owner, reminiscing about the house my dad designed in the 60s.