My nature sonnet is in an anthology with Lerner!

From PW: Carol Hinz at Lerner/Millbrook has bought Thanku: Poems of Gratitude, edited by Miranda Paul (l.) and illustrated by Marlena Myles in her picture book debut. The anthology explores themes of thankfulness and gratitude through poems written by contributors including Joseph Bruchac, Margarita Engle, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Naomi Shihab Nye, Charles Waters, and Jane Yolen. Publication is planned for fall 2019; Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself in the deal for world rights.

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And I forgot to blog about it! In my excitement over getting another manuscript on submission, writing picture book biographies, attending a Highlights workshop on narrative nonfiction (it was spectacular!) and heading to The Writing Barn for a middle grade weekend (also lovely), I was a little busy! Add in a trip to Michigan and a flurry of other exciting things I can't talk about yet -- so many wonderful opportunities are opening up! And did I mention I WENT TO ITALY? WHEEEEEEE!!!! Can I just move to Firenze now? Or Arezzo? Or Lucca? Italy is such a sweet place. I felt like I had finally come home -- not that I don't love my own beautiful city. 

And I'm so excited about speaking at SCBWI-Carolinas. I can't wait to share what I've learned about writing lyrically. Meanwhile, here are ten book recommendations (in no particular order) that I think will be especially helpful for anyone planning on attending my session the conference:

The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas and Erin Stead

Libba: The Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten by Laura Veirs and Tatyana Fazlalizadeh

Carmela, Full of Wishes by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson

A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano and Lane Smith

​Whale in a Fishbowl by Troy Howell and Richard Jones

Ocean Meets Sky by brothers Terry Fan and Eric Fan

If I Had a Little Dream by Nina Laden and Melissa Castrillon

You Belong Here by M. H. Clark and Isabelle Arsenault

What Color is the Wind by Anne Herbauts

The Sound of Silence by Katrina Goldsaito and Julia Kuo

BONUS: I couldn't find this book in our city library system, maybe because it's French? But it's charming and sweet and wonderful.

This is a Poem That Heals Fish by Jean-Pierre Siméon and Olivier Sorman

And then, of course, my book Hildegard's Gift is written in lyrical prose. 

More later on the thing I can't talk about. Stay tuned!