I was so honored to receive the Prairie Writer Award for contributions to literature and literacy! Honestly, I still can’t believe it!
Here’s what I wrote about validation:
If you know me, you know I believe in celebrating every step. In every page. Every epiphany. Every friendship. Every yes, no, not now, and get back to it.
Well, I had one of the best weeks ever for counting my blessings! This week, at the Illinois Reading Council conference, I was given the Prairie State Award for Excellence in Writing for Children. This award recognizes an Illinois Children’s/young adult author whose body of work demonstrates excellence, engenders a love of literature, and embraces an important part of the mission of the Illinois Reading Council—to promote lifelong literacy.
For me?
It was a thrill.
An honor.
I hardly feel worthy.
(And it’s very pretty!)
It makes we want to double down on what I do–what we all do. Sharing our stories. The personal. The profound. The sad, funny, scary, and everything in between.
Are you writing a story?
A novel? A picture book? Fiction? Nonfiction?
DO NOT GIVE UP.
#ItHappens