Writing is a solitary business but even so there are many people and organizations who have encouraged me along the way and here is how to get in touch with a few of them.
My favorite booksellers:
Constellation Books is my cousin’s bookshop. I’m so proud of her for following her dream of owning her own bookstore. If you are in Reisserstown, MD stop by.
My nearest independent is Annie Blooms Books, a 30 year veteran of the neighborhood. My local independent children’s only bookshop is A Children’s Place, and I wouldn’t be a Portlander if I didn’t mention Powells.
Regional favorites in the book selling world are Third Place Books and Secret Garden in Seattle, A Rediscovered Bookshop in Boise, Title Wave bookstore in Eugene, and Aunties Books in Spokane.
If you just happen to be in India, you can find my book in English at Flipkart.
Book reviewing Bloggers:
Here are some bloggers who have generously reviewed Heart of a Shepherd or Daddy’s Home.
Jen Robinson of Jen Robinson’s Book Page
Cynthia Leitich Smith of Cynsations
Shelf Elf
Author Link
The Mother Daughter Book Club
Janet Fox
The Awesomeness that is Oregon
Here’s my home state team.
If you are lucky enough to be a writer living in Oregon and you haven’t applied for a fellowship from Oregon Literary Arts, do it today! These are the folks who bring us the famous Portland Arts and Lecture Series, the Delve Readers Seminars, the Oregon Book Awards, and my personal favorite Poetry in Motion which puts great poems in front of riders on the Trimet bus and MAX train.
For the finest in writers conferences and retreats, personal in scale, professional in presentation and 100% focused on writing for children, try the Oregon SCBWI (society of children’s book writers and illustrators). I’ve gone to them every year for the last 10 at least because I learn something valuable every time.
Two organizations which support writers in all genres are the Willamette Wrtiers and the Oregon Writers Colony. I got my first taste of literary recognition from the Willamette Writers years ago when they gave me a Kay Snow Award, and I am very proud to be the 2007 winner of the Oregon Writers Colony short story contest.
