Just returned from the VIA Poetry on the Move reception where I read my winning poem, “El Gallo – the Rooster.” The artwork for my poem was done by student Dina Manzano of Edgewood Fine Arts Academy. I love that my rooster has attitude. It was great meeting the other eleven poets and listening to their awesome poems. We viewed our poems and artwork on the VIA bus. Bus riders will be able to enjoy the poems and artwork throughout the month of April on all VIA transit buses. A fantastic evening!
National Latino Children’s Literature Conference. Over the weekend, I attended the above conference in San Antonio, Texas. Authors, illustrators, educators, and students from the downtown campus of the University of Texas in San Antonio (UTSA) where the conference was held were in attendance. Illustrator Carolyn Dee Flores and I were just one of the many presenters. We presented on the topic, “The Importance of Authenticity in Picture Books.” Sessions by noted authors and professors were held throughout the conference.
(L to R: Illustrator Flores, Author & Poet Carmen Tafolla, and author Lupe Ruiz-Flores.
UTSA Downtown Campus
VIA Poetry on the Move Contest. This sculpture of a rooster is so appropriate for my poem, “El Gallo – the Rooster.” The reason? I am one of the winners of the 2017 VIA Poetry on the Move contest. My poem plus those of the eleven other winners will be posted on all VIA Metropolitan Transit buses along with the accompanying art for the entire month of April (poetry month).
Word Counts for Stories. Getting ready to attend a three-day conference this coming week. The National Latino Children’s Literature Conference is being held here in beautiful San Antonio at the University of Texas in San Antonio downtown campus. I will be one of the presenters at the conference and am really looking forward to it. Authors and illustrators plus educators from several Texas universities will be in attendance. It should be an exciting time.
I am also busy revising a historical fiction manuscript plus getting ready for a poetry reception and reading sponsored by the VIA Poetry on the Move contest. The winning poets and illustrators will be celebrating at a reception at the VIA Metropolitan Transit Center. I am excited about it. 
If you’re working on several genres, i.e., picture books, middle grade, or young adult fiction, you might be wondering about the word count for each. Here’s an informative article by Chuck Sambuchino on the Writer’s Digest blog, “Guide to Literary Agents: The Word Count for Novels and Children’s Books: The Definitive Post.”
Keep writing!
Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader. Not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.—E.L. Doctorow
Tips for Writing Mysteries. Here’s a helpful post, “Four tips for building a successful mystery,” if you are into writing mysteries. Check out the post by Jan Fields, freelance author and Institute of Children’s Literature instructor. She lists four tips: (1) Ask the question, (2) Brainstorm answers, (3) Choose the possible answers that could work well together, and (4) Decide the turning point. Visit the website for detailed tips.
Here’s the rest of the four-part series on the blog, Picture Book Builders. This time, an editor was interviewed for this post. He is Neal Porter, founder of Neal Porter Books. One of the questions asked: What’s the hardest thing about the picture book to get right? Part of his answer: From an editor’s perspective? Getting the elements to work in sync. The words, yes, but making sure the illustrations also advance the story. Read the entire article for more answers. 
I’ve never written a mystery, but maybe it’s time to get out of my comfort zone and try it. I never thought I could write poetry, but once I dabbled in it, I got published. Who knew?
“Great is the art of beginning, but greater the art is of ending.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow