Happy 300 to Me!!

**UPDATED** Yep! My 300th post! Wow, I am chatty! LOL! I chose this alter-ego of mine (Mimi has my original) as my illustration as this is how I skipped through my SCBWI conference yesterday! "I'm a writer! Look at me! I'm a writer!" I am secure in calling myself a writer but sharing breathing space with some of the most creative and talented people on the planet just brings it all home! -----------o0o------------ Well, thanks to those of you who commented prior to even knowing what the contest was. So, here's the scoop. As always, I am writing, writing, writing...I have numerous kids books written, all of which have passed with flying colors if you ask my writing instructors, my critique groups and other writer friends. FLYING COLORS I TELL YOU! Just haven't matched with the right agent. I have spent hours writing books for kids, I have polished them, re-written them, scrapped some and started series for others. I have characters such as Macy-Sue LaRue, Morton the Moose, Henrietta Hamsterface, Lola Littleton and even a Doogie Howser-esque kid named Jake. But I am patient, my day will come. I dream of that day when I can sit at Barnes & Noble and look out across a sea of little faces as they giggle at my words. I think about the fun activities I will do with them after the book. Cute tie-ins for holidays and the changing seasons. The teacher in me thinks a lot about the last part. I am friends with children's authors and we chat quite often about cool ideas and trends. Peter H. Reynolds, Linda Oatman-High and Elizabeth Kann are only some of my sounding boards on any given day! I vent to them when I am frustrated with my thousandth rejection (I don't really have that many) and I throw out ideas to them and ask them about their agents and publishers. I don't spend all this time writing and researching for any other reason than...children are my passion. They always have been. Children are like little sponges. They soak it all in. There is so much out there in today's world that I hope mine don't soak up. So much hate and evil. If one child can get lost in any one of my books and feel like they have a place to go when their day is less than something to smile about...then I have succeeded. So, on that note...this CONTEST is going to be fun! It is going to take a little work on your part but you will enjoy the fruits of your labors. I want to CELEBRATE all the amazing children's authors that help kids escape when they need to. I would like for each of you to choose your favorite children's book (from your childhood or something out now) and write a post on YOUR blog about WHY it's your favorite. Please, include a cover photo and link to it on Amazon. Don't forget to link back to me and invite your readers to join in the fun. Comment on this post so I know we can ALL come peek when you have your choice up. It will be like a virtual tour of the best of the best of the children's section of the library. The person who chooses one of my top 3 favorites (which you will only know if you live in MY head and although there are lots of voices up there...I don't think any of them are yours) will win an original illustration from Moi...cuz I'm all artsy, too. I apologize to those of you who don't have a blog. Maybe you need to start one of your own!!! :) Get busy! Go find your favorites and inspire us! You have until Friday....get movin' people!