New Book Contract!

Hello, hello friends!

I have signed my first book contract! My Children’s book is called “Mouse Malachi Discovers the Sabbath” and will be published by End Game Press! It’s scheduled to release THIS Spring, 2023. I’m beyond excited!

My agent, Cyle Young, has been working with me for over 10 years and contract day has finally arrived! I am so thankful that Cyle believes in my stories enough to place them in tiny hands to read or be read. End Game Press Publishing is a wonderful publisher that has many books available in various genres.

More details coming soon!

Thankful and Blessed at OCWC!

(Sorry for the delay in this post, technical issues!)

I have just returned from the Ohio Christian Writer’s Conference, a smaller version of the one I’m used to at Black Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference, but I must say I really enjoyed it. It was very well done and my brain is struggling to find space for all the wonderful info that was squished into it in 3 short days. Thank the Lord my daughter, Winter, was able to come with me and help with keeping me at the right place at the right time, as well as taking care of all the techy stuff. She is essential to my writing endeavors. We were able to meet and speak with my agent, Cyle Young, as well as editors, publishers, accomplished authors and fellow writers, asking questions and received advice and invaluable information that can only come from a writer’s conference such as this one. A huge hug and thank you to everyone that made OCWC possible.

Oh, and I took first place in Children’s Book category of the writer’s contest and second place in the poetry category! I was so surprised it took a minute to realize that they called my name, I’m so very thankful and honored. My prayer is to thank my Lord for the opportunities he has allowed me on this journey.

Bible stories to excite children and soothe adults.

Writing stories for children is a true passion and calling for me. I am excited and thrilled at the thought that someday little hands will be holding one of my books, turning each page with anticipation as mommy and daddy read to them all snuggled down together, giggling, in a big cooshy chair, *sigh*! Old fashioned and sappy, maybe, but that’s my dream.

There is actually another reason I am writing these stories that is also very near and dear to my heart.

Many of you may know that my sweet mother went home to her Father after the complications of Alzheimer’s disease. She suffered for many years, most of them being confused and lost inside herself, becoming more and more childlike.

Before this, she had diligently read her Bible every day, so I began to read it to her when she became unable, but over time I realized that she seemed to respond to and enjoy children’s versions. The simple words and rhythm were soothing and more comforting.

Because of this, I recently began to gear some of my Bible stories not only with a child in mind, but with my mother as well, books that I would have liked to have read to her.

These stories are for the child needing a little more information than a toddler, but not yet into chapter books. They have clear story points and familiar themes, still with rhythm perfect for children, as well as certain stages of Alzheimer’s and other challenges.

The most important tool in my Box

First, there’s the Box. It is what holds everything in place, and has a place for everything. My Box is God. Everything I am and do comes from Him. There are many, many “I’m sorry’s and please forgive me’s,” but everything good in me is from God, my Box.

When the Box is opened the first tool I take out to use on this writing journey would be the Black Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference (BMCWC). I have attended this conference for 6 years and cannot sing its praises loud enough. Nearly everyone that attends is an author, or aspiring author; pair that with all the editors, agents, speakers, social media guru’s and published authors and you have a great big pot of “what am I waiting for” soup!

If you’re a writer of anything and haven’t attended a conference, I recommend this one. It’s down to earth, but inspires lofty dreams, all God honoring and focused.

This, my friends, is the most important tool that my Box holds for me right now.

My writing to publish journey began about 7 years ago. My family and I were participating in a mission project in Black Mountain and Swannanoa, NC; something we had done every year for 10 years. It was wonderful! The mission team would work on houses for the needy and help throughout the community. A different church volunteered to serve us every meal for the whole week to ensure that we were well fed.

One evening at dinner in a baptist church in Swannanoa I walked past the reception desk and a brochure caught my eye, it was about a Christian writer’s conference at Ridgecrest Conference Center in Black Mountain…the very next week!

I knew I had to go. I had never done anything of this sort, ever. That kind of thing is usually planned months in advance, I had days, and so I went.

To say that it was a wealth of information in all genres of writing and social media would be an understatement! They like to say that this writer’s conference is like trying to drink from a firehose, and I certainly agree.

I’ve been fortunate enough to attend for 6 years, so far. Last year was the first time I was able to muster up the courage to pursue an agent, which is how I became a client of Cyle Young at Hartline Literary Agency. Several of my children’s books are now being sent out to various publishing houses for consideration. Prayers please!

This process is slow, painfully slow, and never brings any guarantees, but most things worthwhile take time! Drat!

BMCWC is held every year in May at Ridgecrest. It is expensive, so you may need to start a “conference fund,” but I promise it’s with it. Once you’re there, everything is included. Check out their website at: www.blueridgeconference.com

Pictured below: My agent Cyle Young & me (Dreama Archibald)

A year of firsts; things that are happening and how.

Let’s say you’ve been a writer a long time, but have never tried to do anything more with your work than write for your family and friends. There is nothing wrong with that; let’s say one day something changed and BAM! you want to get your work published!

That’s me in a nutshell. The road to writing children’s books for publication has been, and still is a long one. It’s well worth the journey and I am just enjoying the scenery along the way.

There have been several key elements that helped guide and teach me the basics of publishing. This blog will be a 101 of tips and experiences of how I am becoming an author.