2025 Successes - My Year as an Author

I had to go over my activities in 2025 for a webinar on writing goals with Javacia Harris Brown, but in Julie Hedlund's 12 x 12 Days of Christmas for Writers day 3, I had to list all my successes. and I realized that they are the same list. Here they are!

Published in 2025

No Tail, No Problem

Cows! Cows! Cows!

Dogs! Dogs! Dogs!

Cats! Cats! Cats!

One Duke

The Adventures of Eddie Elf

A Night in Lacey Manor

Book Launch Events

June: Halloween in June, for A Night in Lacey Manor

August: Cows! Cows! Cows!

Presentations

Writing for Children at the Gadsden, AL Library

Self-publishing at the Gadsden, AL Library

Author Visits

Vincent Elementary School, Vincent, AL

Read across America at Donehoo Elementary School in Gadsden, AL

Book signing at DeDe’s Book Rack, Trussville, AL

Organizations

Gadsden Writers: Continues even though it’s limping along.

SCBWI: monthly meetings/workshops – shop talks, critiques, webinars

AWC: Attended a conference in September and volunteered to be the  “in person” event chair

Accepted as an author in the National League of American Pen Women and attended monthly meetings in Birmingham

Chesapeake Bay Writers: I am a Past President and continue to help them and I maintained the CBW website

12 X 12 Challenge:

Wrote 12 picture book manuscripts in 12 months

Watched 24 webinars on writing children’s books by agents and traditionally published authors

Critiqued over 36 picture book manuscripts

Formed a Critique group with 12 x 12 members and met every first Monday from March to November and critiqued around 50 picture book manuscripts in this group.

Story Storm 2025: A month of creating story plot ideas

Festivals/Book Fairs/Markets

June: Impact Book Festival in Fultondale, AL

October: Foothills Book Festival in Jasper, AL

November: Rocky Top Farm Christmas Market, Salem, AL

November: Winter Wonderland at the Venue at Coosa Landing, Gadsden, AL

Volunteer

Reader for Storytime at the Gadsden, Library

Photographer for the Gadsden, Library events. (Snakes, Ballerinas, tea parties, author visits, and more)

Photographer for Cruisin for a Cure, a fundraiser in Southside, Alabama