SUPPORT

This week's entry has taken a turn.  I had planned to get into the nitty-gritty of the format and planning which goes into producing a children's book, but I think that will wait at least another week.  Instead I have decided to focus on something else I believe to be crucial to the creation of anything new.  

I decided to look up the definition of the word support on thefreedictionary.com and came up with so many that I will have to choose a few of my favorites to share. 

sup·port  tr.v.  1. To bear the weight of, especially from below. 2. To hold in position so as to keep from falling, sinking, or slipping. 3. To be capable of bearing; withstand:  4. To keep from weakening or failing; strengthen: 5. To provide for or maintain, by supplying with money or necessities. 6. To furnish corroborating evidence for:  a. To aid the cause, policy, or interests of:  b. To argue in favor of; advocate: . 7. To endure; tolerate: ". 8. To act in a secondary or subordinate role to (a leading performer). Synonyms: support, uphold, back1, advocate, champion

I have been so fortunate that despite a lack experience in this field and that envelope/drawer full of unrealized ideas, I have people in my life who have placed themselves in each of those support roles and are willing to go above and beyond to say and show me that they believe in me and support my dreams.    

My current goal is to prepare for the SCBWI International Conference in Los Angeles this August.  For that, I will be creating a dummy book for one of my manuscripts (I'll tell you about it later) with several finished illustrations and the rest clean line drawings.  I would also like to begin an online portfolio (a must according to my sources) and have a number of promo cards printed to hand out with examples of my work.  

Those are simple sounding tasks that take an incredible amount of time and energy.  Thank you to my daughter's loving father and grandparents who allow me time alone here and there to think about this project knowing that she is not lacking.  Thank you to the friends and family who supply strength when my confidence weakens, to the lovely Linda E. who is making an expensive conference in L.A. possible, to my dear Aunt who flew all the way from Alabama with a handful of her own stories to join me at another conference last fall so that I didn't have to bear the shaking nerves alone, to our local children's librarian, Sheila, who is willing to share her time and expertise, and the list goes on...

This may all sound overly personal, but I want to make a point of recognizing the advocates I have in this venture.  It reminds me that what I am doing is a blessing that can bring joy to many.  It also reminds me to search for ways that I might champion another.  In saying that, I would like to encourage you to check out the writing of a talented young woman and dear friend who will be traveling to L.A. from Vancouver, Canada with me to follow her own dreams and searches for a publisher for her Adventure Fiction novel 'Heaven in the Meat Packing District.'  You may read some of her work at ww.gaiastanding.com/1