The One Where I Need Diverse Books #sol15

Every Tuesday, I participate in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers. Every March, the Slice of Life Challenge is a month-long experience where Slicers post every single day for the entire month. I'm joining in on the monthly challenge this year! For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here.

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In April of 2014, after a discussion between Ellen Oh and Malinda Lo on Twitter, people started to take action and the call for #weneeddiversebooks started. To learn more about their mission and the We Need Diverse Books campaign, you can visit the official website. Of course, I completely, 100%, wholeheartedly, hands-down agree with and support this campaign. But I didn't realize how much I needed it for myself until I was at Nerdcamp last July. 

If you aren't familiar with Nerdcamp or Edcamp, they're educational UNconferences. What that means is, unlike typical conferences, they are free and presenters are not chosen ahead of time. Instead, that day, participants show up and are invited to propose topics they want to talk about and then choose where they want to spend their time learning and sharing. 

Cindy Minnich and Sarah Anderson offered to host a session on "Finding Diverse Lit for Diverse YA Readers" in support of the We Need Diverse Books campaign. Having seen the hashtag, when this topic came up, I had to attend. 

But why I had to attend might surprise you.

It definitely surprised me.

I felt an overwhelmingly strong, physical reaction thinking about what books they might talk about. I was sick-to-my-stomach scared that they might only share books with black or Hispanic characters. I knew I had to be there to add my voice to the discussion to make sure someone like me was represented - someone whose background is white and Hispanic. (You've met my parents, right?) And, having worked with students who are deaf and hard of hearing, I was curious what other types of diverse books would come up, too.

So, I went. 

I shouldn't have been surprised. 

My amazing Nerdy friends had books upon books to share.

You can find all the lists they generated here.

LGBTQ

Biracial

Religions

Family Structure

Disability (physical, mental, etc.)

Beyond Sports

Race (But Not Race)

Social Issues

It makes me cry remembering how overwhelming proud I felt to be in a room with dedicated educators who totally, completely get it. They understand diversity and how important it is to share books that might speak to a reader or expand a reader's perspective of the world.

I marched into the room on a mission to stand up for readers like me who aren't all white but aren't all Hispanic but I'm not sure I even said anything once the conversation started. I sat there speechless and soaked it all in. Part of me was dealing with the surge of emotions that overcame me when I thought I would need to defend and expand how we define diverse books but another part of me was awash in utter awe of my friends.

The one really huge ginormous thing I learned that day:

I need diverse books.

I'm white.

Most of me relates to being white. I fit easily into American culture, I speak English without an accent, my maiden name was Jones and my married name is Vincent, I went to school with mostly white people.

And

I'm Hispanic. 

A big part of my family is from Guatemala, I speak Spanish, I have one kiddo who looks Hispanic (and one who doesn't...), many students and staff in my school district are Hispanic and I find myself advocating for them - a lot.

I need diverse books.

The We Need Diverse campaign helped me realize I have a story of diversity to tell. I've never thought of my story as significant but my reaction at Nerdcamp helped me see it is. Being part white and part Hispanic impacts me. I'll share more of my story as the month continues but for now, this is why 

I support We Need Diverse Books.

To read my previous Slice of Life posts, click on any link below:

Slice #1 - The One With a Hesitant Start

Slice #2 - The One With An Introduction

Slice #3 - The One With a Disclaimer

Slice #4 - The One With My Parents

Slice #5 - The One Where My Mom Is Not Like The Rest

Slice #6 - The One Where I Take a Breath

Slice #8 - The One With My Daddy and His Advice

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (3/9/15)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and I decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them. 

Last Week's Book Adventures:

Jen Says: I'm participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge with Two Writing Teachers so I'm posting a Slice of Life post everyday. I loved listening to Bad Girls by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple last week. I also devoured the new Star Wars Princess Leia comic that came out last week - it's amazing! 

Reviewed Last Week:

 

Slice #1 - The One With a Hesitant Start

Slice #2 - The One With An Introduction

Slice #3 - The One With a Disclaimer

Slice #4 - The One With My Parents

Slice #5 - The One Where My Mom Is Not Like The Rest

Slice #6 - The One Where I Take a Breath

Slice #8 - The One With My Daddy and His Advice

Click on any link above to go read my review/post.

Upcoming Book Adventures: 

Jen Says: I'm co-hosting a #readaloud chat with Colby Sharp and Steven Layne this week so I'll be rereading Steven's newest book from Stenhouse, In Defense of Read Aloud. I thought I knew what I was going to read last week but things didn't go as planned. I'm not sure what else I'll dive into this week. I do have a few fun new picture books from Chronicle that I can't wait to share: I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld, Beach House by Deanna Caswell, and How To Read a Story by Kate Messner.

Also, for the past few years, I've taken time to reread in April. I'm thinking of rereading again in April this year but I would also like to celebrate rereading in general. Whether you reread for fun, reread for meaning, reread to study a mentor text, or reread for another reason, I'm wondering if you would be interested in writing a post for me to share here at Teach Mentor Texts in April. You don't have to take the month to reread with me BUT if you value rereading and are willing to write a blog post about it, please share your interest here.

This Week's Reviews:

Check back throughout the week to read these reviews/posts. 

So, what are you reading this week? 

Link up below and don't forget to check out other blogs to see what they are reading!

To help build our community and support other bloggers, 

we ask that you comment on at least three other blogs before you. 

Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!

The One With My Daddy And His Advice #sol15

Every Tuesday, I participate in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers. Every March, the Slice of Life Challenge is a month-long experience where Slicers post every single day for the entire month. I'm joining in on the monthly challenge this year! For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here.

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On Thursday, I wrote about my mom. I love my mom. Lots. But to be honest, I'm much more of a daddy's girl. I get along well with my mom - because she's just awesome, really, but my dad and I click in a different way.

Last month, I presented at Bartlett High School Writers Week and at the end, I invited the students to ask questions about me and my writing. One of the students wanted to know what inspired me. At first, I listed some authors who have really inspired me as a writer but then I realized that on a personal level, my dad has been the most inspirational to me as a writer but more importantly, as a person. 

Growing up, I lived about half a mile from the bus stop so my dad would drive me there every morning. We would sit in the car and chat while we waited for the bus to come. I can remember lots of times when I'm sure I was complaining to my dad about school or friends. Honestly, I don't remember what we talked about but I do remember the advice my dad often gave me. I believe he read this quote somewhere but I've asked him and he's not sure where he read it. (If you know who this comes from please tell me!)

"Anything is possible

if broken down 

into manageable segments,

stabilized by balance, 

and purified by belief."

-Unknown

Sometimes it was downright frustrating because I wanted my dad to just tell me what to do or agree with me how hard something was. But what I learned from this advice was that I can do anything I set my mind to. He helped instill in me the idea of a growth mindset that I still value and live to this day. 

I think this idea of being able to accomplish anything is probably the biggest thing my dad taught me. It was only his words that taught me this, there were times when his actions showed me this, too. 

• My dad loves to cook. On his day's off, he would spend time in the kitchen, putting together fancy meals that we would eat at the dining room table with soft music and candles aglow. We had to sit up straight with our legs in front of us and were expected to at least try everything on our plates - even if there were mushrooms, asparagus, or brussels sprouts involved. But what amazed me about my dad and his cooking was that he would add different ingredients, taste it, and then make changes. He was never afraid to experiment - to see what would happen and to adjust from there. 
• Any time we were out at a store or a restaurant, he expected good service and would always stand up for this. Sometimes he wasn't the most tactful...but I believe it helped contribute to my high expectations for doing things right and going the extra mile no matter what. I also learned to advocate for myself and for others from watching my dad.
• Remember how I said my mom takes her time to make decisions while I would much rather make a decision and then go from there? Yeah, that's totally from my dad. He sometimes gets flustered with my mom when she goes around in circles trying to make a decision, too. Again, my dad is much more of a go-with-the-flow kind of person. He's good at having a positive outlook and not dwelling on problems. It all goes back to his infamous advice - you can work through anything, just break it into little pieces, don't stress and just believe you can do it.

Taking the time to write about my mom and now to write about my dad, helps me see how much they have influenced the person I am today. I'm again and still so lucky to have them in my life and to know how much they contributed to all I have accomplished in my life (so far!). 

To read my previous Slice of Life posts, click on any link below:

Slice #1 - The One With a Hesitant Start

Slice #2 - The One With An Introduction

Slice #3 - The One With a Disclaimer

Slice #4 - The One With My Parents

Slice #5 - The One Where My Mom Is Not Like The Rest

Slice #6 - The One Where I Take a Breath

The One Where I Take A Breath #sol15

Every Tuesday, I participate in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers. Every March, the Slice of Life Challenge is a month-long experience where Slicers post every single day for the entire month. I'm joining in on the monthly challenge this year! For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here.

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Today is day six of the Slice of Life Challenge and I'm doing pretty good. I feel like I'm on a roll but Friday nights are hard. We're always exhausted on Friday nights but this Friday night, Peanut is sick, the throwing-up, feeling-yucky kind of sick. Blech. Literally.

This is also a busy time of year at school. We're getting ready for PARCC on Monday and some big changes have been announced recently which makes things feel a little unstable. 

And then that brings me to the March Slice of Life Challenge and trying to keep up with daily posts while also trying to revise my novel and a picture book. I'm super excited to be attending a local SCBWI event tomorrow but I'm not really prepared which leads me to...

 Take a Breath 

When I get caught up in all the go go go. 

When I'm lost from too much to do.

When I almost want to give up. 

I take a breath.

When I see oh so so so many possibilities.

When I'm trying to squeeze in time.

When I come close to giving up.

I take a breath.

When I celebrate all the teeny tiny baby steps.

When I'm bolstered by friends and family.

When I know I won't give up.

I take a breath.

Tonight I'm taking a breath but I'll be back tomorrow to talk about my dad as the fun of the March Slice of Life Challenge continues!

To read my previous Slice of Life posts, click on any link below:

Slice #1 - The One With a Hesitant Start

Slice #2 - The One With An Introduction

Slice #3 - The One With a Disclaimer

Slice #4 - The One With My Parents

Slice #4 - The One With My Mom Is Not Like The Rest

The One Where My Mom Is Not Like The Rest #sol15

Every Tuesday, I participate in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers. Every March, the Slice of Life Challenge is a month-long experience where Slicers post every single day for the entire month. I'm joining in on the monthly challenge this year! For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here.

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When my sister was little, she wrote a poem that hung in our kitchen for a long time. I remember this line: "My mom is the best, she's not like the rest." And it's true; my mom's pretty awesome. Actually, now that I think about it, she's the nicest person I know. 

My mom is patient and kind and loving. Of course, I'm her daughter and she's great to me and our family but growing up, I saw how she's just plain nice to everyone. Any time she took me to work with her, we would walk down the hall or in her office and she always said hi to everyone and they all knew her and were happy to see her. She is always willing to help others and give up her own time to help others. Because she is bilingual, she often helps people who speak Spanish but aren't as fluent in English. More than anything though, she sincerely wants to help others. She never complains or gets frustrated, she's glad to help them. She's simply friendly or amable as we would say in Spanish.

While she is always ready to help, she's even more ready to do a good job. I'm going to say she's a perfectionist in the nicest sense of the word. She's not a perfectionist to be competitive, she's a perfectionist because she believes it's important to do things right. I remember working on school projects and she would come over with her ruler to help me measure something or make me erase really good if I made a mistake. She would rather start over and get it right than accept something that could be better. 

I do have to say there are times when our personalities clash and we have to talk through things and come to terms with our differences. See, I'm more like my dad in a lot of ways. I think this means my mom and I balance each other out but it's interesting to look at how we are different. 

• One way we are different is that my mom uses information to understand things while I often use my instincts. She'll read directions, call for information, or go by the book while I'll trust my intuition and make decisions that just feel right. The best example of this is she'll use a ruler and I'll eyeball it. 
• Another way we are different is that she takes her time to make decisions - checking with everyone to make sure no one's feeling are hurt and that she accounts for everyone's needs. I'm much more likely to dive in and then make things work for everyone. There are times when deciding where and what time to meet for breakfast on a Saturday can go around in circles until I finally say it's time we make a decision that works for most of us and it'll all be okay. 
• And finally, my mom is often traditional in her thinking. I think this comes in part from when and where she grew up. Growing up in Guatemala in the 50's and 60's was obviously different from growing up in a north-shore Chicago suburb in the 80's and 90's. One big difference I see in this is that I'm much more independent and even a bit (maybe a lot?) of a feminist compared to my mom. I'm much more likely to break bend the rules while my mom is happy to follow them as much as possible.

While we have our differences, I see how we are similar and how I share many of my mom's values and beliefs. I believe in doing my best and giving my all to whatever I do. I value family and friends and our loyalty to each other. Writing this makes me see how truly great my mom is and again how lucky I am. It's amazing how stopping to gather our thoughts and write them down helps us think more closely upon things that we know so well.

To read my previous Slice of Life posts, click on any link below:

Slice #1 - The One With a Hesitant Start

Slice #2 - The One With An Introduction

Slice #3 - The One With a Disclaimer

Slice #4 - The One With My Parents

The One With My Parents #sol15

Every Tuesday, I participate in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers. Every March, the Slice of Life Challenge is a month-long experience where Slicers post every single day for the entire month. I'm joining in on the monthly challenge this year! For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here.

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In my introduction post, I mentioned my parents. I wouldn't be who I am today if not for them and their support. They're pretty awesome in their own ways - and I'll write about them separately soon - but together they're amazing. 

This year they'll celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. It brings tears to my eyes to write that. I had to count on my fingers and double-check with my husband and it's right. Forty years. That's a long time to do anything let alone with another person. I'm happy to have them as role models and love them both so much.

Here's their story to the best of my knowledge. My mom was born in Guatemala, she grew up there and moved to the United States when she was twenty-one. Her family was still in Guatemala but she did have one aunt who was here in the U.S. After graduating from bilingual secretary school, my mom came to the United States to practice her English. She went to Lake Forest High School at night to learn more English and in the meantime, babysat for a couple different families, living with them in Lake Forest and taking care of their kids.

My dad was born in southern Wisconsin but grew up in a small, farming town in north-western Illinois. After high school, he joined the Air Force and served in the Vietnam War. When he came back from Vietnam, he traveled and did odd jobs around the country, until he found himself in Lake Forest as a "protective coating specialist" (or painter) for the family my mom happened to be working for. 

The way my mom tells it, my dad was persistent and eventually she went out with him. On their first date, her aunt was their chaperone and he picked them up in a fancy car he rented - although she wouldn't find that out until he stopped for gas and she peeked in the glove compartment and saw the paperwork! When she tells this story, my dad laughs and listens and offers playful commentary. 

They only dated for six months before my dad proposed on a park bench looking over Lake Michigan. They got married in Guatemala, surrounded by her family, and then traveled the country making the most of what little money they had, full of love and open to adventure. It's fun to listen to them remember where they went, who they were with, and the crazy things they did on their Honeymoon, young and carefree. 

Afterwards, back in the United States, they lived in the town I live in now until moving to Lake Forest when I was two. There, they rented an apartment, two bedrooms, one bathroom, a tiny space when I visit it now. We lived there until I was in high school when we moved to a house just next door with a bit more room. We stayed there until I was out of college and my sister finished high school. 

I'm so lucky to have my parents. Then and now, they've always loved me unconditionally and believed in me wholeheartedly. I have them to thank for my determination and my strong will, my love of learning - which totally includes my love of books - and probably most importantly, my compassion. 

To read my previous Slice of Life posts, click on any link below:

Slice #1 - The One With a Hesitant Start

Slice #2 - The One With An Introduction

Slice #3 - The One With a Disclaimer

The One With A Disclaimer #sol15

Every Tuesday, I participate in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers. Every March, the Slice of Life Challenge is a month-long experience where Slicers post every single day for the entire month. I'm joining in on the monthly challenge this year! For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here.

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It feels weird to tell my story when it involves other people. I write a lot about my life and I share bits and pieces of interactions with others but most of the time my posts are about me and my thoughts, my ideas, my opinions. 

I've decided this post is a disclaimer. I'm going to write about other people but that what I see and understand and perceive obviously is only my side of the story. And we know that there's at least two sides to every story...if not more than that. 

Over the last year and a half, I've been doing research for a few different non-fiction narrative picture books. I spent a lot of time reading about George Ferris who designed the Ferris Wheel. After reading about the Columbian Exposition and their hopes to out-Eiffel Eiffel in The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, I became interested in learning more about how George Ferris was able to make the Ferris Wheel a reality. 

I read lots of books:

I visited the Field Museum in Chicago and their 1893 World's Fair exhibit:

I visited the Research Center at the Chicago History Museum:

At the Chicago History Museum, I made an appointment to see the Ferris Papers. This was super cool and I finally felt like an official researcher. It was a quiet, cool room and I couldn't take pictures. I had to leave everything at the front desk. As I opened the folder and took my time going over each piece of paper, I felt like I was time traveling, looking back into history, feeling the excitement of the time. 

I finally felt like I had enough information, like I did my due diligence as a researcher. I read everything I could, I delved as deeply as seemed possible. Now I would write the story. Actually, I started the outline and got some ideas down when I was at the Field Museum. I sat on a bench as other museum-goers wandered around. The sounds of the fair all around me and artifacts on display, I wrote about Ferris and his determination to make the Wheel come to fruition. 

And then over the summer, when I visited The Little Shop of Stories in Atlanta, there was my story on a turning display rack, an expository book about George Ferris. And later that year, I discovered Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis. It was exactly the story I had been researching and the picture book I had imagined. It was a major bummer but at the same time, I learned a lot about researching and had so much fun on my expeditions that it was completely worth it. (I also felt a teeny bit proud of the fact that I had spotted a story even though someone else got it published.)

I have other ideas and have done research on these ideas but the hardest part for me is feeling like I'm qualified to write someone else's story. I know the first amendment and freedom of speech and all that but I want to be as true as I can when I tell someone else's story or when someone else's story blends with mine. Obviously, retelling a historical account of someone I don't know and their life is different from my Slice of Life posts but I still want to add this disclaimer - this honest reminder that anything I share here is my experience and my side of the story. Maybe it goes without saying but I feel like I need to point it, if only to assuage some of my writing fears.

To read my previous Slice of Life posts, click on any link below:

Slice #1 - The One With a Hesitant Start

Slice #2 - The One With An Introduction

The One With An Introduction #sol15

Every Tuesday, I participate in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers. Every March, the Slice of Life Challenge is a month-long experience where Slicers post every single day for the entire month. I'm joining in on the monthly challenge this year! For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here.

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As soon as I got my post up yesterday and started commenting on other blogs, I found my friend Kimberly's post where she introduced herself. I loved it. What a great way to start - especially since not everyone participating in the Slice of Life Challenge knows me and my blog but also because I want to tell my story this month. 

So introductions. I'm Jen. 

I'm still 34 but I'll be 35 in June...which feels super close actually. I know lots of people get caught up on age and maybe it's because 35 is still young, but I totally don't feel bad about getting older. I have a few friends who turned 50 in the last year or so, beautiful, vibrant women who I look up to and help me know that I have a whole lot of life to live even when I get to 50. So bring it on, 35.

I grew up in Lake Forest, Illinois, a quaint town about 30 miles north of Chicago along Lake Michigan. My parents rented a little apartment on the west side of town (that's away from the lake - the lake is always east). I'm going to save a post to talk about my dad and another post to talk about my dad but I was lucky to grow up with both of my parents and to still have them in my life today. They are still happily married and probably the strongest rocks in my life. I know I can count on them no matter what and that they'll help me through absolutely anything. That's pretty awesome. I also have a sister who is younger than me and a half-brother who is older than me. 

I'm married to a PE teacher and we have two boys: Peanut, who will be eight in May, and Little Bean, who will be five in July. Peanut is in 2nd grade and Little Bean will go to Kindergarten in the fall. We live a few miles west of where I grew up and both kids were born in the same hospital I was. When I say that, it reminds me just how small our little world is. And as I look through pictures to find which I might include here, it reminds me just how amazing my life is. 

I wrote yesterday about how I'm scared to share my posts this month. I'm scared because the stories I hope to tell this time are different from the posts I wrote when I participated a couple years ago. I wrote about our trip to Disney World and losing socks in the dryer. I'm an optimist. I look for the positive in every situation and try to find the best in everyone and everything. For me, it isn't worth dwelling on the negative. Without a doubt, I know how great my life is and there isn't a day that I don't stop and think about how grateful I am for everyone and everything in my life. But there are all sorts of things that I've experience in my almost-35 years that shape who I am today and that's what I'm planning to explore this month. Thanks for stopping in!

To read my previous Slice of Life posts, click on any link below:

Slice of Life - Day #1 - The One With a Hesitant Start

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (3/2/15)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now...you just might discover your next “must-read” book!

Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and I decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children's literature - picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit - join us! We love this meme and think you will, too. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them. 

Last Week's Book Adventures:

I'm not even sure where to start describing the ups and downs of last week. There were a lot of great moments and a few sad moments. It's amazing how life can move between highs and lows so swiftly, how we life marches on even when we might not be ready to move along. I'm sure I'll talk about it here at some point but for now I have lots of other Slice of Life stories to share. I finished The Doodle Revolution this week and recommended it to a few people. I doodle my notes for two presentations this week and it helped me think through my ideas but also have a visual to refer to as I was presenting. I love it and am going to incorporate visual literacy more now. 

Last Week's Posts:

Click on any picture above to read my posts.

Upcoming Book Adventures: 

I have Bad Girls by Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple to listen to this week - although I need to get the physical book so I can follow along with the images. I'm also hoping to read The Mark of the Thief by Jennifer Nielsen. I'm hoping for a much less dramatic week and a chance to enjoy some reading. On Wednesday, my Princess Leia comic comes out! I'm so excited for it and can't wait to read it. 

This Week's Posts:
It's March and that means the Slice of Life Challenge! I'm joining in again this year!

Slice of Life - Day #1 - The One With a Hesitant Start

Check back throughout the week to read my posts. 

So, what are you reading this week? 

Link up below and don't forget to check out other blogs to see what they are reading!

To help build our community and support other bloggers, 

we ask that you comment on at least three other blogs before you. 

Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!

The One With A Hesitant Start #sol15

Every Tuesday, I participate in the Slice of Life challenge at Two Writing Teachers. If you want to participate, you can link up at their Slice of Life Story Post on Tuesdays or you can just head on over there to check out other people's stories. For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, you can go here. 

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I want to believe those words. I want to believe in pushing my own limits, in taking risks, in putting myself out there. But it's not always easy. Sometimes, it is. Other times, it's not. I'm excited for the March Slice of Life Challenge, where so many of us are making the commitment to write every single day for all of March. I've done it once before. I was optimistic before...but now I know what this challenge is about and this year I have a purpose. And that makes it super scary.

Can I really keep up with writing/posting everyday?

The main kind of scary I'm feeling has to do with not being able to post everyday. I really want to get into the habit of writing daily again, I really want to tell the story that's begging to be told right now, but I know how hard it was last time. It's hard to write something everyday that feels ready to share here on my blog. I love to free write - but if I share something here, I want it to be more polished than a free write. And that means time...which I don't have a lot of these days. But I'm hoping that if I plan a bit and find a few spaces to write, that I can carve out the time to write something meaningful and polish it up before posting.

Can I find enough things to write about for a whole month?

Another kind of scary I'm feeling is that I might not have enough to say. Last time it was so so so so hard to find enough topics to write about. By the end of the month I was cranky and was writing about the most random things...but I did it so I'm sure I can do it again. Maybe I'll capture smaller moments this time and maybe there won't be so much of a moral to every post. I did sit down and free write all the topics I might write about and I have more than enough. It feels a little better knowing that I already came up with some topics so hopefully I can bring them to life.

Am I brave enough to share stories I haven't told before?

The last kind of scary I'm feeling all comes down to being unsure of the stories I want to tell. I've been thinking a lot about the We Need Diverse Books campaign. As I revise my first novel and have started drafting my second, I've thought a lot about my characters and how much my view of the world factors into their outlook on life. I hope to tell some of my own story through them but I'm realizing I have a lot of unpacking to do of my story. And that's scary. I'm honest here but I'm thinking of sharing some really raw feelings and never-been-told before stories that I've never thought of sharing before. And that's mega scary. 

But last week, I presented at Bartlett High School Writers Week and I started with the picture of Peanut above. Look at that guy. This was taken a couple years ago. He looks so little but he was also so carefree and I love it. The title of my presentation was Dream Big. I'm going to listen to my own advice and to dream big this month. I've thought about the Slice of Life Challenge a lot and if it wasn't important, I wouldn't be stressing out so much. But it is important to me so I'm going to do it. My dreams are big, my scared feelings are pretty big, too...but I'm going to do it anyway! We'll see how it goes!