We have been to the moon, we have charted the depths of the ocean and the heart of the atom, but we have a fear of looking inward to ourselves because we sense that is where all the contradictions flow together. Terence McKenna

Still in the process of mailing out Cave Wall #18. A sloooow process this year due to broken bones, vacation, plumbing disasters, more broken bones, mental health stuff, slow address verifications, and so many undelivered issues. Apparently lots of Cave Walls are floating out there in the aether.

Many thanks to @rhetttrull.bsky.social for including my poem “Concert Dress” (based on memories from my past life as a musician) in Cave Wall #18! #poetry #poets #poems #poetrycommunity #poetrylovers #poetryreaders #cavewallpress

Author Quote of the Day from the one and only Kate DiCamillo: “I don't know what I'm doing. And I think that that's a helpful message for everybody to get because you never quite figure it out.” #amwriting #amreading #picturebook #kidlit #PBSummit #booksky

“How to begin an essay on stillness. Insofar as an essay is a broaching, an interference, a disruption, a breaking in of me upon you–your mind a quiet lake, me jumping into it–we start with some discussion of quiet as disquiet. That is to say, Helen of Troy.” Anne Carson #writer(s) #poetry

Got my 8yo a pocket knife for her birthday and my parents got VERY upset. 😳😭At what age did you get your first pocket knife?

Don't forget that submissions close on February 29th for our annual winter reading period! We can't wait to see what you've been working on. 🫶🏼 psalteryandlyre.org/submissions/ #writerscommunity #writersmagazine #writersofig

HUGE critique giveaway for PB writers & author/illustrators planning to enter the 2024 #PBParty contest on February 22. We have 88 prizes. Wahooooooo! 🎉🥳 I'm so grateful to all the generous prize donors. Thank you all so much. (((Hugs))) mindyalyseweiss.com/pbparty-2024... Good luck everyone! ✨✨

We are RELAUNCHING The Queer Kidlit Mentorship Program in 2024! If you are a traditionally published kidlit creator who would like to help an LGBTQIA+ creator on their publishing journey, please apply here: forms.gle/PbNHk5D2rUsk... until Dec 18th! #kidlit #kidlitart

A poem for thanksgiving, a poem for feeding strangers. "Red Brocade" by Naomi Shihab Nye poets.org/poem/red-bro...

My mom, the moment they first brought me to her.

"I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain." — James Baldwin

I will repost Lucille Clifton every time.

I’ve been accepted into a long-term study of bipolar patients, following each one for 15-20 years and I am super excited about this for some reason. YES study me. Study bipolar brains and figure out more about how they work and what will help. I want to be part of that.

If you write picture books—or want to—check out this great opportunity: 12 x 12 is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I learn so much here each year. And it’s a supportive, joyful, AWESOME community.

No matter who’s doing it, indiscriminate killing of civilians is always terrorism. But for some reason, we’ve grown to accept terrorism from governments in a way that we won’t tolerate from smaller, disenfranchised groups.

This poem by Louise Glück from Winter Recipes from the Collective, FSG 2021 #poetry “…although you could not speak you were not lost?”

Rejections don't bother me. I'm used to 'em. And as an editor I know how much good work is competing for an editor/agent love. But, um, 3 agent rejections the same week we got hit with HEAD LICE (my girls and me, our long, thick hair), seems like a little much. Full on crisis mode at my house.😩

Graphic noveling is SO MUCH FUN!!! 16 years ago when I worked in a comic shop, this kid❤️ who came every afternoon, & was my shadow, kept telling me I should write comics. “Poetry & comics. You should do both.” He was right. I am getting high on page turns and panel layout and ALL OF IT!

Some nights it takes my 11yo, who has a severe anxiety disorder, 2-3 hours to fall asleep. This is one of those nights. I am up with her. Back rubs. Lullabies. Waiting. I haven’t posted much here so thought I’d say hi. Hi!!!

Did you know that #12x12PB hosts a FREE book chat with one of our members every month? Join us Oct. 12 at 8pm ET to take a glimpse into how @chelseaauthor.bsky.social turned ODE TO A BAD DAY from a draft into a published #picturebook. Open to everyone. #kidlit www.12x12challenge.com/chelsea

Both livid and sad about the treatment of editors and staff at Gettysburg Review. I hope the lit community will speak out against the sudden shuttering of the magazine.

So grateful to Shannan & Karan for making something so beautiful as ONLY POEMS & letting me bivouac there. 🧡

A recap of the NC Poetry Society awards meeting. My love poem to friendship, "The Stars Align Themselves in Ancient Sisterhoods of Light," is featured. And if you scroll all the way down, you'll see my 11 yo mid-performance at the open mike. griffinpoetry.com/2023/09/29/n...

I spent 1 1/2 hrs searching through agents yesterday and of the 30 I researched... Only 2 --TWO!-- are open to queries from author-only picture book writers. (Actually, 3 but it appears one has closed as of this morning.) So...um...hello #kidlit agents?! Anybody out there?

It has been a week, y’all. 11yo bully situation that’s been going on since spring got so bad. I can’t even. School finally filed report, called the girl’s parents. But my kid sits alone at recess and cries. My parents took kids to beach this weekend to try to give us all peace/joy.But last night…1/2

I'm in love with the bluesyness of this poem. "Incantation" by Helena Mesa on SWIMM poetry journal today. open.substack.com/pub/swwimmia...

I just won a thing and had to send a photo. Apparently the only photos of me alone in the past 5 years involve costumes or hats. So I took a new one and made it my profile photo. But here are the ones more “me.”