April Fools!

Well, I finally heard from Red Cygnet and they are shifting some things around in their '09 catalog and they are going in a different direction. The good news is (which is actually how they posed it to me) that my submission was among the top ten that were under consideration before the re shifting. There were 90 submissions - so I have to keep the positive in perspective with the disappointment. I was very grateful that the publisher took the time to write me a personal note - that doesn't happen very often (extremely rare). He did say that they will keep in touch, because they did really like my submission, for future catalogs (the catalog is how they sell their books to distributors - like any books they publish in Fall of '09 is their Fall '09 Catalog - seems simplistic, but you never know who's familiar). Hopefully "The Panacake Dance" will happen at some point. There was a great illustrating team with it as well - fellow SCBWI member (one of their illustrations below). The most disappointing aspect is that there have been two different projects that have been really promising with a great illustrator (renowned) on board and it just didn't come to fruition. Anyone who has submitted in this industry knows that it is so super hard to break through, but when you get so close I think it's the hardest.

Illustration by Livia Coloji

Back to fun stuff ~ April Fools! I would've loved for my message last night to have been a prank from the fun loving publisher, but it was a couple of hours too early pacific coast time! I played a few pranks this morning - switched out my husband's contact case for one with just solution, switched my ipod for his (to which he's addicted) and gave my son water instead of the allergy medicine (which is clear) that he was wincing to take. It was pretty fun - I also emptied my hubby's underwear drawer by hiding every pair... my son enjoyed some green milk with his cereal ... hopefully he'll enjoy his lemon wedge mixed in with his orange slices I put in his lunch :)! That'll teach them to fall asleep before me...Have a great April Fools everyone!