Congratulations, Della!

Yesterday I saw Della at the b.s. She's a children's author, teacher and one of the organizers of the local SCBWI conference. She's published two beginning reader books, and an adorable picture book, How Will I Ever Sleep in This Bed? She's another of the wonderful local authors I've had the pleasure to meet through my job. I had just clocked out for the day, so we had some time to chat. She was excited to tell me that she just had her new picture book accepted for publication! Congratulations, Della! Her website, www.dellarossferreri.com has information on all of her books and school programs, as well as charming pictures of her family and her book signing / storytime events.
She also had news about the next conference, in June. They have another very solid line-up of respected authors and editors this year. The keynote speaker will be Laurie Halse Anderson - her first novel, the edgy YA book Speak, has won several awards and was made into a cable TV movie. I've seen Speak and two of her other novels, Catalyst and Fever 1793, on many customers' high-school reading lists. And returning this year is acclaimed local author, KL Going. Her raw and darkly humorous, award-winning first novel, Fat Kid Rules the World, is one of my favorite YA books. Her follow-up novels, The Liberation of Gabriel King and Saint Iggy, are excellent too. The editors who have been scheduled are from some major publishing houses. I've attended three local SCBWI conferences so far, and each one has been excellent. I've learned so much about writing and publishing from some of the best names in the children's book business. So I'm really looking forward to June - my goal is to submit another manuscript for critique. Now I just have to keep on writing and writing... to the finish line.