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Momentous Milestones in Author Life (UBC Day 9)

How did I keep going and meet momentous milestones in author life?

I am a lifelong learner. And I was an elementary teacher for 34 years. Now I’ve been a writer for three decades – wow!

When I was young teacher, I hoped to write and participate in changing minds. I knew the worksheets crossing my desk, their details and graphics, were wrong. Inaccuracies needed to be corrected.

 I talked about Native people living in the present. My students didn’t believe me -even when I said I was American Indian. (terminology has changed over the years.) I didn’t know how I was going to help, but knew that someday what I needed to do was to become a children’s author. 

Hope is not about knowing how things will turn out - it is moving forward in the face of uncertainty.

Keep Going

If you want something bad enough, you’ll keep going. 

I searched for the best idea(s) and went through a whole bunch of bad ideas. I know I have at least 10+ manuscripts that may never reach publication. Fully written, picture books, middle grade stories, and poetry. One of my middle grade works-in-progress took more than five years of research, interviews, and drafting. These books are shelved….but I don’t see them as failures. I see them as practice. Over the years, I’ve changed. I know I’ve grown in my craft of writing. Practice is a part of that process.  

After 20 years of practice (don’t get discouraged, everyone’s journey is different) my first book was published. 

Momentous Milestones

I’ll leave you with some pictures of my author milestones.

Whatever you hope for… keep going because you never know how things will turn out!

Wishing you all the best,

Andrea

First Writer Retreat 2014
First Look at My Book
SCT Book Launch
First Author Book Signing
First RCBF as a sitting author (I volunteered 2003-2016)
First Podcast
First TV Interview 1
FIrst TV Interview 2
First Out of State Book Fest 1
First Out of State Book Fest 2
First South Dakota Author Event
First Author Visit with 100+ Audience
First NCTE Conference 2022 (CLA Board Member)
First Time Co-Chairing a CLA/NCTE Event 2023
Picture of Andrea

Andrea

Children's Author and Educator

More to Explore

Picture of Andrea

Andrea

Children's Author and Educator

Read More!

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