Submitting and rewriting is not an easy chore. When submitting I find writing the cover/query letter difficult. Finding quality time is not found to finish stories requiring a lot of polishing. I repeat to myself over and over that I am thankful for the time I am provided.

Exclusive submissions submitted to children's book publishers:

• Cheezie Denise
• No one Wanted Me/Dachshund: The Come Back Dachie Series
• Squeaky's Adventure
• Polly Wants a Cracker
• Two Naughty puppies and That Cat
• Trail of Fears

I have two more ready to go:

• Bodoom and Scooter and the Wild Tail
• The Sea Captain Fights the Sea Serpent

Children's magazine: Jimmy's Bubblegum Tooth (a short story)

Three poems to a literary magazine:

• Faded Dreams
• Autumn's Fears
• Winter Trees

Four short articles to an e-zine and a regional magazine.

July 3rd, I start my creative writing classes for kids ages 8-12 at the Baxter County Library. This is my third year. I enjoy teaching the kids for they are enthusiastic and willing to teach me as I teach them. This a sharing time to create excitement about writing short stories and poems that will extend a lifetime.

Korean Memorial -MVPA Convention: On 25 June, 2007, at 10 a.m. the Korean Veterans Memorial Ceremony will take place at Gen. MacArthur Park in Little Rock, Arkansas to honor the men who fought in the Korean War. To learn more click on www.arkansaskoreanwarmemorial.com.

June 28-30 the Military Vehicle Preservation Association will hold their 32nd annual convention in Little Rock. To learn more click on www.armvpa.com , the Arkansas MV Travelers website, a chapter of the National Association.

Book signings and writing: I have been running in circles with many different tasks on the menu. My mind races with ideas and half-finished stories as my feet carry me to and fro. I worked in the garden and submitted a couple more children's book manuscripts, a story to a children's magazine, worked on several articles and prepared three poems to get in the mail. Last Friday, I attended Steve's signing at Hastings. We had a long discussion about promoting.

I spent most of last Saturday at the library during the children's program from 10-11 a.m. with Kathy Z. Price, author from New York City. I watched and carefully listened to her read from her book The Bourbon Street Musicians, and how she weaved her guitar playing into her story telling. It was fascinating watching how she kept the young children involved. It reinforces what they teach in poetry reading: Move while using gestures and emphasize words which create action and emotion - pulling the listeners in. Kathy knows how to do it successfully for she is a poet. She has published a book of poetry and is the editor for A Gathering of the Tribes, a literary magazine. She answered question about the ups and downs of writing and the publishing world and now has a novel making the rounds.

When I came home for lunch in-between programs, I had an email from the editor at Salute, a military e-zine requesting a couple of small articles and photos. Boy, was I busy. I submitted them Monday morning. I hope they work out as she is holding another article of mine.

Upcoming workshops and conferences: If you are interested in writing for the children's market click on www.geocities.com/scbwimo (I find it quicker by placing SCBWI Missouri in the search engine.), Ozarks Writers League www.ozarkswritersleague.org, White County Creative Writers www.whitecountycreativewriters.org, and the Ozarks Creative Writers Inc www.ozarkcreativewriters.org.

An interesting article on "Point of Views" can be found at www.sfwrite.com it applies to all genres. Click on http://darcypattison.livejournal.com Darcy Pattison Revision Notes. Darcy is the author of several children's books and she teaches creative writing. It is filled with solving many problems you have encounted with picture books and teen novels. Read Hotdog on TV by Karen T. Taha, a Dial Easy-To-Read with three chapters (40pages), A BEAR FOR MIGUEL by Elaine Marie Alphin, a level 3 for grades 3-4 with five chapters and 60 pages, and THE BARN by AVI with 28 chapters and 105 pages. List of (publishers) members click on CBC - The Children's Book Council, Inc., and a list of the latest books.

Harriet Hamilton, an Arkansas author, I have never met has friends who want you to remember - she may have left us when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but, her book RIBBONS OF THE SUN will keep her alive. Harriet just received several awards for her book. Her critique group and friends, Karen Taha and Jan VanSchuyver shared this good news with the AR/SCBWI members.

Authors, conferences, actors and magazines: Check out local writer Laurel T. Sheridan's article Quigley's Castle Rocks in the May/June issue of The Ozarks Mountaineer magazine and you'll find it on their website http://www.ozarksmountaineer.com/

Baxter County Library at Mountain Home, Arkansas will have Children's author Kathy Z. Price who wrote The Boubon Street Musicians presenting folklore in oral tradition for children and how to make a Krawdad Kazooz craft on June 16, from 10:30 am to noon. In the afternoon she will have a workshop from 2:00-3:30 pm for writers. She will share her experiences about networking tools to meet editors, literary agents, what to know before signing a contract and many other aspects of the writing business. For more information http://www.baxtercountylibrary.org/ or call 870-425-3598, est.29 to register.

June 15, from 4-7 p.m. at Hastings at Mountain Home, AR, Steve Whisnant, member of the Fiction Writers of Central Arkansas will be signing his novel and sharing his experiences and The Baxter Bulletin's Editorial Page Editor, Thomas "Sonny" Garrett will be signing his book"A View From the Hills" June 30, 1-5 p.m. The books will be filled with his favorite editorial columns he has written over the years.

Western Writers of America ( http://www.westernwriters.org) will be holding their annual convention in Springfield, Missouri for five full exciting days June 12-16, with over 200 writers discussing Western fiction, non-fiction, poetry, movies and audio books. My friend Dusty Richards will receive two Spur Awards, plus friends Max McCoy and Ellen Gray Massey and many other authors will be doing book-signings at the PFI Western Store, 2816 South Ingram Mill Road (1-800-222-4734).

Actors and extras are needed in a film about Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri. Filming will take place August 9-12. Auditions will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 21. For more information check Wide Awake Films of Kansas City at www.nps.gov/wier.history/cuture/people.htm

Conferences be sure and enter their contests: Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators of Missouri presents A Writing and Illustrators Workshop, July 14 in Springfield, Missouri for more information check on www.geocities.com/scbwimo. Sue Bradford Edwards, Regional Director at suebradfordedwards@yahoo.com

Gardening is magical with daily discoveries. We had a slow drizzling rain with heavy morning dew and the air was filled with mist. This brings magical fungi/mushrooms appearing on the woodland floor. I discovered among the bed of wild violets what I believe is a finger fungi; tall, thin and white. Scattered in different areas were yellow, peach, and purple colored mushrooms and ones that appeared as little brown cups or birds nest and a large white one with black gills. One of the yellow ones I picked to see how it would dry. The fungi/mushrooms,/toadstools quickly disappear for the squirrels and chipmunks enjoy the favor of several such as the peach and dark tan.

I took lots of photos where later I will research for names. To an amateur many look alike. They will be added to the book I am writing.

In the midst the birds were squawking at me as they flew low trying to remove me from what they believe are their woods. The Three-toed box turtle and the South Painted turtle were quickly heading out searching for insects or a mate. The Mississippi Mud turtle is still living under the dirt near my deck steps.

A few days ago, I put in my herb garden. I had dill and oregano coming up and my faithful chives. The weeds, stonecrop and cypress vine was taking over. The dill and parsley are for the swallowtail butterflies. One year we had ten caterpillars all different sizes eating on the dill. The sweet basil, sage and rosemary I use fresh, dried and added to vinegar. Some herbs I use to keep insects away and to freshen up the closets.

I created a few garden ornaments from clay pots and odds and ends. My deck is full, so I need to find the right place in my garden rooms to display each one.

Nature's song sings to me to explore and enjoy for God has blessed the earth.