#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : #takeaways This was one of the best #KidLit #amwriting & #amillustrating community events that I've ever attended online. Here are a few things that I'm taking away from this experience. (I would also encourage more friends to try next year!) #Childrensbooks #scbwi

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : Share some info about your #process My process is ever changing, but I have recently found a lot of resources that helped to streamline my understanding of my own stories. And just in time for this event! #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : What does your character have now that they didn’t in the beginning? #didit #finishline My character now has knowledge—what her source (of strength, energy, inspiration, et al) is and the need to care for that source and spend time with it. #scbwi #amwriting

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : How would your character react to a surprise party?  #surprise Initially (the GIF response), followed by a whole party's worth of nervous chatty from the social overwhelm. #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : 6am Up and at'em again! Working on my Novel in Verse this morning. #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting @scbwiwestchester.bsky.social

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : Get yourself a treat for getting this far! #stillgoing It's just a virtual treat for me tonight, but I could go for some hot spinach and artichoke dip right about now.🤤 #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : How does your character react to disappointments?  #reaction Overwhelm is definitely my character's initial reaction, followed by some much needed alone time to process. #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : Take your character on a ride! Which is your character’s favorite ride at the amusement park?  #anticipation Answer: Fire in the Hole! (Silver Dollar City @Branson, MO) #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : What's your character's favorite exclamation? #voice Answer: Oof! *Chihuahua stare required.🤣 #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : What weapon would your character choose in a battle? #stakes Can I give a hint again? #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : 3pm check-in 1,128 words! A little long BUT DONE! It's done! I SOOO needed this event today. Thank you again @scbwiwestchester.bsky.social @elizabethsavanella.bsky.social and @kmarcuswrites.bsky.social for kicking things off! #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : 2pm check-in Not so many words this time around. Lunch break. Fueling my brain while it kept on finoodling in the background. And you know what??? Those story keys I've been looking for... Found 'em!😁 #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : 1pm check-in 950 words—it's a little long, pushing toward a page and a half, but ready to put the climax cherry and resolution on top. Then I can start #amrevising for real. #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

Ooo, a hint about my story's obstacle #plotpoint , well... #24hourChildrensBookChallenge #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

#24hourChildrensBookChallenge : 12pm check-in #amrevising while #amwriting my synopsis this hour—now weighing in at 631 words and getting close to wrapping up a full first draft...Let's go! #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

#Characterintroduction : My character's favorite breakfast is Norwegian Pannekaker with lingonberry jam. Though this is a rare breakfast treat for her. #24hourChildrensBookChallenge #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

Wahoo! I got down 392 words of my synopsis in this hour. Will they change? Probably. But off to a great start! #24hourChildrensBookChallenge #Childrensbooks #scbwi #amwriting #amillustrating

For the next 24-hours, I will be working on a synopsis for book 1 of my planned #YA #Contemporary #SFF trilogy told in dual POV. Wish me luck! @scbwiwestchester.bsky.social #WriterSky #KidLit #WritingCommunity

Just a few more hours until kickoff! Looks like my brain is ready to get going now when it should be resting up. Oh, the excitement! #WriterSkey #KidLit #WritingCommunity

For some great insights into early graphic novels and chapter books, check out my interview with editor @emilydaluga.bsky.social and literary agent Rachel Orr. #WriterSky #KidLit #WritingCommunity

Do you write for children? 📚 Do you write spooky stories? 👻 Listen to @kdzpodcast.bsky.social podcast or watch the most recent episode on YouTube for tips on how to write a spooktacular kid's book: www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2-n... #KidLit #booksforkids #gilbertandtheghost @beamingbooksmn.bsky.social

My 6yo decided to do some of the #scbwiArtober2025 prompts with me. Hey look, more costumed worms! Like mother, like son.😁

I did it! This was my first time taking the #scbwiArtober2025 challenge, and boy did it feel good to stretch myself. Here's a few things I'm taking away from this experience: #WriterSky #KidLit #WritingCommunity

Day 31: #scbwiArtober2025 No bones about it! The curse of the grave diggers was real. And these reanimated skeletons rattled Wrigley just as much as any living bird.

Day 30: #scbwiArtober2025 Why did they always have to tell scary stories at a sleepover?

Day 29: #scbwiArtober2025 That billow could only mean one thing--the armadillos were stampeding in again.

Day 28: #scbwiArtober2025 One of these tunnels led out, the other would take them deeper and deeper into the endless maze. Wrigley hoped the grave digger knew which was which.

Day 27: #scbwiArtober2025 Stairs. The Everest of worms. And now Wrigley had to climb them all the way to the witch's attic if he was going to get the...Oh, what was that ingredient he needed to rescue Clod?

Day 26: #scbwiArtober2025 Everyone knew that camping out in an apple-lantern would land you in a witch's pie. But Clod said it was just a silly story, and anyway, his friend the Chicken had dared them. (Can you spot the actual pie in this scene?)

Day 25: #scbwiArtober2025 Strange...Wrigley was sure he'd tied his blanket on. He was going to need it for this movie.

Day 24: #scbwiArtober2025 Missed yesterday's post, but I'm determined to finish this month of sketches out. Caption: In the moonlight, the leaves of Wrigley's midnight snack looked more like they planned to eat him instead.

Such a beautiful #haiku for this beautiful time of year.🙌

Day 23: #scbwiArtober2025 Clod insisted he'd just tripped and ended up tangled in the neighbor's web. But Wrigley was sure that it was the same web he'd seen the werewolf spider weaving in last night's full moon.

Day 22: #scbwiArtober2025 Maybe he'd heard one too many stories, but Wrigley had a bad feeling about knocking at the mushroom house.

You know what this means, don't you? Four great chances to check out your new favorite book! I just know you're going to love Gilbert as much as I do.🤗

Day 21: #scbwiArtober2025 Wrigley couldn't watch. He hated the part where Little Red Squirming Hood's Grandma turned out to be a calico fox ready to gobble her up! He didn't know how she couldn't see it

There's something so satisyingly festive and kidlike about this video.

Hey, hey! Here's a first. I made the top of the #scbwiartober2025 posts with my 6 little views. Enjoying my 15 seconds of algorithm fame.😂

Day 20: #scbwiArtober2025 One thing about being a worm, is that the harvest comes to you. It's not so bad when it's leaves or even blueberries, but apple time is a little trickier.

Many #writers get stuck because they mentally treat their #roughdraft like a more finished draft. Let go of that. It’s called a ROUGH draft for a reason. Give yourself permission to write poorly, explore the story, go down rabbit holes. There will be time to perfect the story later. #writinglife

Check out the end to this #seasonsofkidlit 's Trick or Treating for a very special treat indeed! #WriterSky #KidLit #WritingCommunity www.seasonsofkidlit.com/post/trick-o...

What a cool way to share your writing journey, @eileenruvane.bsky.social ! I wonder what my bookstack poem will say one day when it's my turn.😊

The writing community really is the loveliest! #writingcommunity

Day 19: #scbwiArtober2025 One chicken mask was creepy enough. But a whole room full of them??? (Can you tell who the jokers are in this crowd?)

Day 18: #scbwiArtober2025 How's this for perspective...two worms with a bird's eye view of the town set up for Appleween. (This feels like another sketch that would make more visual sense in color.🙃)

Day 17: #scbwiArtober2025 Wrigley worried so much that Frankenturtle might actually be real, that the monster stalked him in his dreams.

A 24-hour #KidLit Marathon?!?!? I'm in! What an amazing idea. How about it #WriterSky #WritingCommunity? Will you join me and @scbwiwestchester.bsky.social in getting ready for the @scbwi.bsky.social 2026 Winter Conference? www.scbwi.org/events/the-e...

Day 16: #scbwiArtober2025 Wrigley was having a hard time putting the scare in scarecrow.

Happy Book Birthday to I HEAR THE SNOW, I SMELL THE SEA by Janice Milusich! frogonablog.net/2025/10/07/h...

Day 15: #scbwiArtober2025 If Wrigley had known that the charm he picked up would summon the Ghost of Blackbird, he would have left it right where he found it.