Writers Conferences & Workshops: April 4-6 Arkansas Literary Festival in Little Rock http://www.arkansasliteraryfestival.org. April 11-12 The Arkansas Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, Brewer-Hegemon Center University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR. Speakers Jennifer Emmett an executive editor of children's books at the National Geographic Society, Lisa Graff an assistant editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers and she is an author, check her blog http://lisagraff.blogspot.com and www.lisagraff.com, MelanieHope Greenberg is an illustrator of 16 books, 6 of which she wrote, and Darcy Pattison is the author of picture books and novels. April 11-13 Missouri Writers' Guild Writers Conference in Columbia, Mo www.missouriwritersguild.org. August 30, White County Creative Writers Conference www.whitecountycreativewriters.org. Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc Conference www.owfi.org. Springfield Writers Guild Conference http://www.swgsite.org, Ozarks Creative Writers Conference www.ozarkscreativewriters.org, and May 4, Books in Bloom, Eureka Springs www.booksinbloom.org. For more information on conferences go to http://writersconferences.showguides.com

Websites and blogs: On Being a Writer http://vbrotherton.blogspot.com and my new website under construction at http://marynidasmith.homestead.com

Thanks for dropping in, continue to write your dreams into realities.

Storytelling is fun and a rejection letter can be helpful. I love to listen to a storyteller it reminds me of a one person play. Valerie Goetz, a Native American started with a question which pulled us into the story, then she continues to built the plot, making us listen close to hear and see what is going to happen next. She brings it to a close with the main character solving its problem. It is like someone reading their picture book. I read somewhere it takes twenty minutes to read 1,000 words. While she was telling stories we were making a "Dreamcatcher" A bag of material was given to each person attending her program at the Baxter County Library. We had two flute players presenting Native music. It was a fun two hours.

Don't forget to read Darcy Pattison's blog "Revision Notes" www.darcypattison.com, she is reporting from the 08 winter SCBWI Conference in New York City.

Today, I received a rejection on a children's picture book manuscript(325 words) that had been out since May 9th, 2007. It was with editor Liz Waniewski at Dial Books For Young Readers, whom I had met at the Arkansas SCBWI conference last Spring. I love this type of rejection letters. It soften the pain of rejection. It is one that is thoughtful and helpful. I will continue to send it once again. But, in the meanwhile I will take her suggestions to heart and rewrite it. I will read both the rejection and manuscript at our next children's writers meeting. I know they will give me some helpful suggestions. Write on and stay warm.

Information for writers: In future blogs I will try to provide websites to search and books to read that will help the beginner writer. Today I will start with the few listed below.
www.childrenswriter.com (For all ages)
http://www.stonesoup.com
http://www.kidsmagwriters.com
http://janfields.com
http://www.CBCbooks.org

Check out your favorite authors websites they provide a lot of helpful information.
Don't ever forget your library for they provide sources for writers in the adult, teens and children's area. If you can't find the books ask someone.

Tuesday evening the tornado had us in hiding at the library. Thanks to author Darcy Pattison she continued reading her wonderful books and shared how she got her ideas for writing each one. Plus, we had a workshop on how to write a scene and to revise. The writer writes, then the writer revises until it is a story that jumps off the pages and readers wants to read it over and over.

Baxter County Library is buzzing with excitement for they were awarded a $9.8 million grant from the Donald W. Reynonds Foundation to build the beautiful new library. Our wonderful library was small but was busting at the seams with exciting programs. Libraries, newspapers and culture art centers are very important for they create excitement and build hope. Hopefully, tonight the weather will not put a damper on the special programs provided by author Darcy Pattison. Darcy will share with the children from 5-6 pm, and the adults and teens at 7 pm. I have been looking forward to seeing Darcy for several months. Come and join us by calling the library today. Bring pen and notepad.

Darcy will awake the sleeping writer in you or if you are a working writer she will excite the spirit to continue. The library has a large selection of books for writers in all genres-check them out.

Stilllife by Mary Nida Smith (c)

Home grown tomatoes

I love creating stillife. Most of my stilllife photographs was created when it wasn't popular.