This post was originally sent through my author newsletter on January 13th, 2023. To subscribe to my newsletter and receive up-to-date news, musings, and more, click HERE.
Last week, I shared that my word of the year for 2023 is Cultivate. This week, I wanted to talk a little about what, exactly, I hope to cultivate in my professional life! What seeds did I plant that I'm ready to nurture? What's on tap for me in 2023?
I have one book release this year: the paperback of Madison Morris is NOT a Mouse! on April 11th. I learned a lot last year, as I released two books in a little over a four-month period. (Technically, I had four book releases in 2022: the paperback of Tally Tuttle, the hardcover and paperback of David Dixon, and the hardcover of Madison Morris!) I am hoping to make the most of this upcoming paperback release, so stay tuned for giveaways, readalouds, collaborations, and more in the next month or two.
The Thirteenth Circle is moving steadily through the production process. MarcyKate and I are waiting on copyedits, as well as a final cover design and a release date. (As far as I know, this book is still slated for winter 2024.) Meanwhile, we've been working on sample chapters for a proposed Book Two in the Science & Strange series! The Thirteenth Circle is about a crop circle phenomenon. Who wants to guess what paranormal thing our intrepid seventh-grade researchers are going to investigate next?
I am also embarking on a new writing project this year. I mentioned several months ago that I was auditioning for a write-for-hire gig...and I got it! This week, I submitted a 10-page outline/synopsis as well as character briefs for all of the main players. Once I get approval from my editor and the client, it's time to start drafting in earnest. I will tell you more about this project once I know what I am allowed to disclose (remember, sometimes ghostwriters are allowed to take credit, whereas other times they stay fully behind the scenes). Suffice it to say, I am so excited that I took the chance on this audition last fall and am embarking on this new adventure! I think it will be a lot of fun.
I did my first few in-person Class Critters school visits in 2022. I not only refined my presentation each time, making it more engaging and more effective (and becoming more comfortable in front of a crowd of kids), but also learned some tricks about reaching out to schools to pitch myself and my books. I am currently in talks with a couple different schools about in-person visits in the spring, which I am so excited about! But also, I am really pushing forward with booking virtual visits. I already have 10 virtual school visits scheduled on and around World Read Aloud Day (February 1st), plus another few virtual visits coming up in March. Speaking of which, if you want me to read/speak to your elementary school students, either virtually or in person, please don't hesitate to reach out! I would love to make something happen. Learn more about my school visits HERE.
In other professional news, this week I led my first professional writing seminar for the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, and it went really well! (You may recall me writing about imposter syndrome as I was crafting the presentation...) The facilitators and the attendees seemed very pleased with the information that I and my Class Critters editor, Erica Finkel, shared. And there were approximately 85 registrants, which blew away my expectations for how many people would attend! While this workshop technically happened in 2023, I'm counting it as a seed planted last year, because that's when I laid all the groundwork. Now, I know that I can lead a successful seminar. I do have valuable insight to pass along to other writers. I am not an imposter! So what else can I pursue in this realm? What other opportunities can I seek out? More workshops and seminars? More podcasts? Guest blog posts?
All of the above is...a lot. I am going to be busy, busy, busy. But I hope to be busy doing what I love—or else doing things that are necessary to support projects I love—and that takes the some of the existential stress out of it. Writing is my job, and I work hard at it, but it's also my passion. I hope that above all, I can continue cultivating enjoyment in my work.
What word is guiding you this year?
~Kathryn
What I'm:
Reading: I've got a long library hold list at the moment, including several holiday-themed romances that didn't hit my account before the holidays, but I've also just started a new middle-grade fantasy novel! (Remember how I said I was going to read more middle-grade this year, in preparation for my own middle-grade debut in 2024?) Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit by Jesse Q. Sutanto is about a boy who must team up with his brother's fox spirit after his brother passes away. Together, the two—who have never gotten along—must uncover why the brother died. I'm only a few chapters in, but I'm enjoying it so far!
Watching: "Willow" just finished its first (only?) season, and it definitely got better as it went along. "Abbott Elementary" is back from winter break, and as fun as ever. Oh, and my husband and I watched "Matilda: the Musical" on Netflix a few days ago, and it was absolutely wonderful!
Eating: Have you ever made a Mississippi Roast? I cooked a version of this in the crock pot a few days ago, and it was divine. (Spoiler alert: there's a lot of butter...)
Loving: I checked my PO Box this week to find a packet of letters and artwork from a group of 1st and 2nd graders I Zoomed with in December! Here are a few of my favorite pictures. Getting fan art from kids is the absolute best.
