Flapping My Wings

/ roughwighting

woodpecker, Flicker, spring birdsI’m supposed to be heralding the publication of my new book.

And heralding I’m trying, but unlike my other posts, this one is just….not…writing…itself.

So I’ll follow the birds outside my window, who are heralding the signs of spring. Flapping their wings, singing songs, tapping on my outside windows – Look! LOOK!

Can you see my wings flapping? I wrote about Bert and Bessie the birds 35 years ago, and I could hear them singing from the inside of my file drawers.

I shared their story with a friend, who sent it to another friend, who read it to his artist wife, Shelley.

children's picture book, birds

© Shelley Steinle

Flap FLAP!

She fell in love with Bert and Bessie and drew them in gorgeous color. Their joy jumped off the page.

Tweet Tweet!

I made a mock-up of my words and the artist’s drawings and mailed it to a friend who teaches elementary students. She loved the story and encouraged me to flap my wings harder.

© Shelley Steinle

Look LOOK!

That friend shared my mock-up with a woman who used to live in the same college dorm we did. That fellow dorm-mate chirruped and trilled about Bert and Bessie.

Joy JOY!

She happens to be a publisher.

And I realized that to share a creation, we need to follow the birds’ example:

children's book, sparrow

© Shelley Steinle

Sing it outloud.

Flap our wings.

HERALD!

 

Bessie and Bert uncover each other’s fears and, through a newfound friendship, re-discover the delight in being birds.  Ages 3 & Up. Pub date 4/15. Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

129 thoughts on “Flapping My Wings”

  7. Isn’t it amazing what can happen when we stay open, engage with others, take a few changes … and embrace life!

    How wonderful — both the release of the book and the story of its having come to be. Yay you!

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    • You get the entire gist of what I was trying to say in my flapping kind of way. I could not have accomplished this (for me) wonderful endeavor of a beautiful picture book without the help of my friends. Without networking. Without my “village” of supporters. Sigh. We are so lucky to have that. Many thanks for YOUR support and good wishes, Erik. BTW, aren’t you loving this warm Boston Easter weather?! 🙂 Enjoy our special Marathon and Patriot’s Day. I’ll be watching an early-morning Patriots Day Parade, celebrating all that our nation can be.

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      • Hi, Pam. I’m sure you got that “changes” in my comment should have said “chances,” but I thought I’d clarify anyway. Yes and yes to your reply! I’ve loved having the windows open, taking walks, hearing the birds and seeing the new growth daily.

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    • The 35 year thing is rather amazing. You know how you write a story and everyone tells you it’s good and you agree and then you lose it in a file drawer for a while – like a coupla decades? My excuse is that I had a bunch of other stuff to accomplish before Bert and Bessie could be re-discovered. xo

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    • Thanks a million birds, Jill. 🙂 Actually, have you put out your hummingbird feeder yet? We’re not expecting them to reach here until May 1, but my guy said he’s putting the feeder out NOW, since we read that the males come ahead of time to find just the perfect feeding spot for his female. ❤
      In the meantime, I'm flapping along with the sparrows in our trees. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Congratulations!! The book looks amazing! How wonderful it came to be with the help of your contacts. It takes a network to create a book. Keep flapping those wings.

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    • I always heard about how networking is important in “business,” Darlene, but didn’t attach that to the book business until I got serious about publishing my children’s book. WOW. And even more important? Make sure your networkers are friends. xo

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    • Well, your comment makes me wish you were back teaching grade one so you could read my book too. 🙂 I’m going to be reading my new book to the ‘library’ class of my 2nd grade grandson and my 3rd grade granddaughter next week. I’m surprisingly nervous. ;-0

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Lovely post. Congratulations on your book. It seems promoting ones work is almost as difficult as writing it 🙂 ❤

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    • I’d go one step further and say promoting my work is HARDER than the writing. :-0 We writers aren’t use to tweeting out our good news. Thank you so much for the congrats. xo

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    • Hope you’re having a terrific trip to Germany and will be home soon, Gerlinde. The rain has almost stopped in your gorgeous town, and Bert and Bessie will be anxious to meet you. 🙂

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  38. You have reason to flap and chortle as you fly onto your next round of success, Pam. I admire your accomplishments and bold example here of pairing art and writing. Congrats all around!

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  41. Wonderful news. I’d flap my wings too If I had published a beautiful books such as yours. I really like how the birds are portrayed. I see that you have a flicker coming to your window. Lucky you again.

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    • Yes! I hadn’t realize that big woodpecker is called a Flicker. We get him and his entire family now – he’s a big dude! Maybe he’s hoping to meet Bert and Bessie from my book. 🙂 Thanks much for the congrats.

      Liked by 1 person

  49. Hi Pamela! I posted this on my Facebook @angelanoelauthor. I couldn’t tag you, unfortunately- but it’s there!I love the illustrations, and the story. Thanks for sharing!

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  52. Sing it aloud! Flap our wings! Such nice little journeys your life will take you on 🙂 My spirit animal is a bird (specifically an albatross), so I love reading anything about these amazing creatures. The artwork is beautiful as well!

    Liked by 1 person

  57. Pingback: readilearn: Introducing Pamela S. Wight, author of Birds of Paradise – Readilearn | Norah Colvin

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