I just want to mention some people that had a big impact on me during my week at Chautauqua. There are many more, but let me single out a few.
Bernette Ford, Color-Bridge Books, LLC, was my writing mentor for the week. She has a vast resume in children’s publishing, including years as a vice-president at Scholastic, Inc. and Grosset & Dunlap. I really appreciated her suggestions and encouragement regarding my middle grade manuscript.
Eric Rohmann gave an excellent breakdown on how picture books work. And I enjoyed trading one-liners with him. Here he is eating a “cupcake” (my line , Eric). His book, My Friend Rabbit, won the Caldecott award in 2003. Time Flies was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1995.
Finally, I simply cannot leave out our critique group, dubbed Three Men, Three Mormons, and Stephanie. It has a ring to it, doesn’t it? Many thanks to Erin Shakespear, Colleen Jensen, Jaimi Anderson, Charles Trevino, Jon Egan, and Stephanie Wilson for adding a whole new dimension to the Chautauqua experience.
