December 6 question - As you look back on 2017, with all its successes/failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently?
LOL! That would be quite the list.
There are a lot of things I would do differently with Dancing Lemur Press. Part of that would include adjusting my time to include more of my own writing. I got a Rocketbook Notebook for Christmas last year and sadly I’ve still not filled it. (When I do, I get to nuke it in the microwave and clear it out for another use.)
2018 will include more writing time for me!
One thing I wouldn’t do differently is the annual anthology I do with middle school kids. It’s a joy to visit the schools and walk the kids through creating their very own character. The result is the best stories created with those characters end up in the anthology - a middle grade book written by middle graders.
And this year’s anthology just came out:
Edited by Michelle Rutledge & Shanna Williams
Print ISBN 9781939844415
EBook ISBN 9781939844422
Ride along for some otter good fun!
From the worlds of fantasy and science fiction to kids fighting real life battles, you’ll speed along from one adventure to the next.
Written by youth, these stories will amaze you with their creativity, thoughtfulness, and delightful spirit.
Journey in search of dragons. Fight along superheroes. And face the bullies head on!
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo
What would you do differently?
This will be my last post until January 3rd and I'll be mostly offline for the rest of December. Everyone have a wonderful, Minion Christmas!
Great cover on Otter Tales!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you're going fit in more writing time next year. :)
That's awesome that you do the anthology with middle graders. I'm with you on wanting to write more for me next year. We'll see how that goes. Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteI love that cover - the otter is so cute! Enjoy the festive season and your break.
ReplyDeleteI just love it when kids get to have a chance at being published authors! Sweet. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, Diane!
ReplyDeleteBest. Christmas Yard Display. Ever!
ReplyDeleteOtter Tales looks so cute! Love the cover and the title. Good luck with your writing goals for the coming year. And Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
ReplyDeleteGreat cover indeed. That is awesome what you do with middle graders. Hopefully more writing comes do and a Merry Christmas is had by you.
ReplyDeleteThose anthologies sound delightful, I'm glad they'll be continuing. I'm planning to power down for Christmas too. Happy holidays!
ReplyDeleteCute idea for an anthology. I bet the kids love it.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed Christmas!
What a neat idea for middle school students! They love to see their work in print. Have a great Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThat cover is so much fun! Have a very happy Christmas and see you in the new year. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the Otter Tales concept. The kids must be so excited to see the book when it's done!
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays!
Way cool idea for an anthology, and Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteOtter Tales looks fantastic! It goes to show what kids can do, and is so empowering. Congrats to the kids.
ReplyDeleteHave a Merry Christmas, L.!
Such a cute cover! Here's to more of your own writing in 2018! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteBest Inflatable Ever.
ReplyDeleteHaving middle schoolers write for an anthology is a wonderful idea. I bet they come up with some great stuff.
That is the best idea for an anthology! The cover is adorable.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!!!
Love the otter. Love the idea of kids writing for kids!
ReplyDeleteLove the cover of Otter Tales.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane, most of us wish we could have written more in 2017. Lets hope we can focus more on our own writing in 2018.
I'm not too worried about the mistakes I made this year - as long as I don't repeat them in 2018.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI hope you take the time next year to fill out your rocket book notebook.
All the best and I'm wishing you a successful crossover into 2018.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Merry Christmas. Great book cover! Love minions too.
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays and IWSG
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
I do support the making-time-to-write idea. It's amazing how much life and work can take over if we don't watch out. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Glad to hear that 2018 will bring you more writing time. Having a publishing business is good, but sometimes you just need to create. See you in January.
ReplyDeleteThat anthology by middle schoolers sounds like a wonderful project.
ReplyDeleteAnd I can't even begin to tell you how much I love that Minion pic! The Minions are the best! :)
Amazing Cover! I hope you'll get tons of writing accomplished in 2018!!!
ReplyDeleteIs that your Christmas Minion deco? So cute.
ReplyDeleteWishing you the best holiday ever, Di.
I love the idea of going into schools and letting the students create their own anthology, though you're stronger than I am for doing it with junior high kids! I have too many bad memories of junior high to voluntarily set foot in one of those schools again.
ReplyDeleteEverything. Just...everything.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a nice holiday. See you next year!
What a great idea for an anthology. I bet the kids enjoy having something of their own in print. Happy holidays.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea for an anthology. I bet the kids enjoy having something of their own in print. Happy holidays.
ReplyDeleteSo now I'm trying to remember if you told me about the Rocketbook or did one of my kids? I remember reading (and promptly forgetting) about it. You'll have to keep us updated on how it works. Wait, did I see it on Shark Tank?? Maybe that was it?? I think I did...hmm. Now I'm going to check. :)
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Elsie
Putting those anthologies together must be so rewarding and enlightening! What a fun yearly project. Enjoy the holidays and here is to a lot more writing in 2018 for all of us!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very busy year, but more writing time. I definitely identify with!
ReplyDeleteGreat cover, and a wonderful treat for the kids!
Have a very Happy Holiday and the best of New Year's!
Middle Graders have the best story-imaginations! I love that you have done these anthologies - like Otter Tales!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
Thanks for your comment on my blog today and I may just reach out for some advice.
ReplyDeleteStephen, I think so! We have the biggest blowup in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeletePat, I am going to start filling it this month.
Sandra, yes it is. We got it just before Christmas last year.
Carrie-Anne, I have visited high schools and they are far worse.
Elsie, I don't remember if I mentioned it or not.
Thank you, everyone. I loved what my illustrator came up with for Otter Tales. Proof I need to just let him do what he does best.
Yay for getting more writing time in. I let my designated writing time slip this year. :( Getting back to a routine will be good. Have a great holiday.
ReplyDeleteYou're doing a wonderful thing for young writers. They must be so excited. The book looks fantastic.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your writing.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
That's an awesome anthology! Yes, fill up that rocketbook. Have a happy holiday. See you next year.
ReplyDeleteLove the middle school book! That's completely awesome!!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a minion filled Christmas!! :)
That is awesome that you published an anthology of stories by middle schoolers. How trilled they must be. I hope you'll make time to write, if only for your own enjoyment. Best wishes for 2018.
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas, L Diane! Thanks for all you do for the blogging, writing community! All the best in 2018!
ReplyDeleteWonderful cover for Otter Tales. Best wishes to you and your Dancing Lemur in the next year, and many more years to come.
ReplyDeleteI think this year I will make a resolution to get more writing done. I have so many stories, both in my head and started on computer. Time to do something with them.
ReplyDeleteA notebook you Nuke and start all over again? Wow.
The Otter Tales is adorable. Great of you to put it together with the kids every year.
See you next year. Have a great month.
I love the cover for Otter Tales.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a special Christmas and a great New Year.
The middle school anthology is such a great idea. Have a wonderful holiday. Is that your minion decorations?
ReplyDeleteI think it's wonderful you do an annual middle school anthology. Kudos to you and the kids.
ReplyDeleteHa! That Minion car is the best.
ReplyDeleteMerry, merry Christmas to you, cheers to more writing time for you in 2018.
The middle school anthology sounds like a wonderful idea. I wish I'd had that kind of encouraging thing when I was in school
ReplyDeleteLet's all keep on writing. Have a great holiday season!
Lee
Tossing It Out
just wanted to say thanks for supporting me - I can always count on you for a great comment and more!
ReplyDeletebtw, I’m looking into writing a YA Christian urban fantasy novel that I doubt my publisher would take on and thought of Dancing Lemur press - i’ll let you know if I go through it
merry Christmas!
I'm sure putting the kids' stories in the anthology will encourage many of them to be writers. What a wonderful mission for you. Happy Holidays. Enjoy your break. Wait, does a publisher ever get a break???
ReplyDeleteJQ @ JQ Rose
Enjoy your holiday.
ReplyDeleteThe Anthology looks like fun, and I be the kids had a great time seeing it published.
Glad you've resolved to make more time for your own writing in 2018. The idea of having kids write their own fiction is fantastic. I'd love to know how other kids--those not involved, who aren't friends or family of the writers--receive it.
ReplyDeleteI wish I'd made better use of my time this year, but given that my world got completely turned upside down this spring/summer, I'm not beating myself up too much.
Merry Christmas!
I can imagine how difficult it is for you to have time to devote to your own projects. You're so busy working on everyone else's! The Otter book sounds cute.
ReplyDeleteHave a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Yes, definitely include more writing time in 2018! Hope you have a very minion Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHi Diane - have a wonderful Christmas and New Year - you're such a help to everyone ... and Dancing Lemur Press is a brilliant idea. You, your hubby and your minions enjoy your month off ... and all the best for a successful 2018.
ReplyDeleteThat anthology with the kids looks to be a great idea ... and so beneficial for them all ... potential budding authors - cheers Hilary
Great cover!
ReplyDeleteMore writing time is a perennial wish of mine as well.
Hi Diane,
ReplyDeleteI'm dreadfully late in commenting. I otter know better. Having read your post I would say what I'd do differently is let the dog do more writing on my site.
Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas and a hopeful 2018.
Penny's human dad,
Gary
OMG the minions! I love it.
ReplyDeleteThe Otter book looks really adorable.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best in 2018. Here's hoping it's the best year ever.
ReplyDelete