I pledged 2017 as the Year of the Book. my year to sell a book manuscript. I’m a bit late with this second quarter report, so I’ll extend my coverage to the end of August.
Poetry: My chapbook manuscript, Chicken Fat, will be published in October by Finishing Line Press. Heartfelt thanks to those of you who purchased pre-sales copies.
Creative Nonfiction: I postponed an online class from Creative Nonfiction magazine that I had initially signed up for this fall. I want to be able to place all six essays I wrote during last spring’s courses. Two have found homes so far.
Novels in Verse: The first 30 pages of my Holocaust work in progress was workshopped at the Tent: Jewish Children’s Literature program at the National Yiddish Book Center in August. It’s now with my agent. At the brilliant suggestion of Carolyn Yoder at her August retreat at Highlights, I rewrote my YA biography as a novel in verse. Am I now the poet of tragedy? We also settled on a topic for another novel in verse, related to both America and the Holocaust. I’m applying to a residency to work on that next summer.
Picture Books: I still have a few in progress, but I’m focusing on the novels in verse right now.
Other projects: While reading a Holocaust survival story, I got some ideas for revising a YA historical novella I wrote a couple of years ago during Camp Nanowrimo. I discussed a few projects with the PJ Library staff; those are still in ideation phase. And, I am thinking about a couple of academic articles for peer-reviewed journals.
Question 4U: How is your Year of the Book coming along? Please share!
The Whole Megillah 
You always inspire me, Barbara. I’m glad you are having such great forward momentum and success.