Under The Weather

I promise that this is not an April Fool’s joke.

So, I have not been blogging lately due to sickness most of February and March but nevertheless, my mind is still whirling around with stories. I was supposed to go to a book festival but that did not happen. While I was in the emergency room, as you know you must wait a long time, I wrote some future stories and finished another half of a future story I plan on doing with another children’s book author. Why not! The hours just seemed to be forever, but I tried to make use of the time.
 
The cool thing about this trip that I could not go on due to sickness was that the coordinator, Tony Dalhous, which was nice enough to order my book for the event. This was amazing since it was only two days before the event so I was not sure the coordinator would get the book in time. This book that I was supposed to read there was “Nicoli Picoli”. The book did show up and the coordinator had an intern read my book at my normal designated time to be a reader.
 
After being sick for some time, I did have some good news. My video from Facebook from Read Across America is downloadable for me since Facebook is deleting videos after 60 days.
 
Then, I registered for an upcoming Oklahoma Writers Federation Inc Conference where I submitted all the books I have written, the stories in the anthologies I submitted, and a personal blog. This was for the Famous Author Presentation. Another part of the conference is the Writing Contest in which I entered a published book and some unpublished manuscripts for review and possible award. I just will not know until May banquet which is on the second night of the conference. I was so excited that I won a “one day conference " scholarship. I just had to pay for a second day. https://www.owfi.org/
 
Another turn of events, I did not win in the national portion of the National VA Creative Arts Festival. Only three winners won in Oklahoma City but not in Creative Arts. There were over 6,000 entries I think from Veteran’s Administration Clinics and Hospitals. The results came during late January.
 
Next, I put my book “Nicoli Picoli” in the Oklahoma Book Award through the Oklahoma Center for the Book. This was very competitive since only 38 out of 177 entries were nominated.
 
My philosophy is that I still enter contests. Of course, it is nice to win. However, If I did not, that is okay too. At least, I tried my best.
 
During this past week, I have been interviewed by Diana Kathryn Penn, a Michigan Author. The interview just came out on Facebook. The questions were fun to respond to. I really appreciate this opportunity given to me.
 
My next couple of months will be busy besides my appearances at different venues, I will be doing an Indie Read Aloud of “Eli’s Shenanigans” on YouTube, will appear in a magazine spread for kids, and was approved to be interviewed in June on a podcast by Quill Hawk Publishing. I think I have another one scheduled in August this year with a different podcast.
 
In the meantime, I am working on two children’s books with two different illustrators. One book is in the works now which is a fourth-fifth grade book through my illustrator of “It Happens”! and “Nicoli Picoli!”, Iris Davydenko. I should get some sketches back this week.
 
Then, my next book is a second-grade book which will be illustrated by Allison Vandenbosch (artful allie on Tik Tok). I hope to have both books done during the fall. For the fall, I will be hopefully working with a publisher to publish my third military story for children.
 
If it all works out, my fourth book to work on this year will be collaborated on with another children’s book author. My creative juices are still flowing since I have some other stories, I wrote that will be hot off the press between January-March 2026.
  
So, I am back in the saddle for more fun adventures and venues this year. Stay tuned for more!

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