JOEL'S IMPACT ON MY WRITING CAREER

During a family night of storytelling, Joel was impressed by the story I told off the top of my head about a little mushroom character named Sheldon. He said, "That sounds like a real story. You ought to try to get it published."

I didn't know much about writing for children or publishing a book. After doing some research, I submitted my story to several publishing houses and was rejected or did not receive a response. Joel and I decided to self-publish the book in 2005. It was rewarding to hold my published work, but I was curious to know why other publishers rejected my book. I did more research and discovered the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Joel  encouraged me to attend my first SCBWI conference in New Jersey in June 2007. I was a homeschooling mom, and had eight children at the time I attended the conference.

Joel was dedicated to my learning more. He accompanied me to the conference and stayed in the basement to care for our infant son while I participated in workshops and spoke with editors from major publishing houses. It was a very englightening experience, but after listening to the keynote speaker outline her writing routine of waking early in the morning and writing 5 hours a day, etc. I  left the conference very discouraged. I told Joel, "I can't be a writer." He asked, "Why?" and I told him, "I don't have time."

Joel was adamant about me pursing my writing. He said, "You are a writer. You don't have to write on someone else's time. You can write on your own time." It was encouraging advice, but I didn't see how I would manage to do it. Joel took matters into his own hands and did his own research. He found out about Lee and Low Books offering a New Voices Award to new writers. He remembered hearing my dad's story about intergrating the schools in North Carolina during the 1960s. Joel suggested that I write my dad's story. I thougth it was too complicated for a children's book. Joel said, "Try." We read several books that Lee and Low Books had published, mainly the ones that had already won the New Voices Award.

I interviewed my dad and wrote his story. I used Paula Yoo's book, SIXTEEN YEARS IN SIXTEEN SECONDS as a mentor text to revise my manuscript. I submitted my dad's story to Lee and Low Books in September 2007 and in December 2007, an editor from Lee and Low Books called me and said I had won the award! I was so excited. After getting off the phone with her, I immediately called Joel, and of course he said, "I told you so." 

Winning the New Voices Award had the same impact on me as winning my school's poetry contest in second grade. It convinced me that I was a writer and I could win contests for my writing. Joel's marketing, advocating, and promoting went into full effect. He supported me in every aspect of my writing journey: from traveling with me to events, to taking time off work to watch our children when Lee and Low Books flew me out to Chicago to attend ALA Conference, to staying up with me late at night to help me write more stories. He was the "fire" behind my writing.

After losing Joel in November 2014, I didn't think I would write again. But after winning a student-choice award for AS FAST AS WORDS COULD FLY, I was invited to meet all the students who had chosen my book. During the visit, a student asked me, "Are you going to keep writing?" Seeing the impact my dad's story had on the students, enough to garner their award, I responded, "Yes."

Joel believed in me before I really believed in myself. His encouragement kickstarted my writing career and paved the way for other books I'm waiting to share.