The Reflecting on Successes Part of the Writing Life

Dear readers, I have one more reflective post to get onto the page before the year winds down. 

Similar to this time last year, I'm participating in Julie Hedlund's 12 Day of Christmas for Writers series. Julie points out that New Year's resolutions traditionally start from a place of what didn't get accomplished in the previous year. She suggests that instead of making resolutions for the coming year, we reflect on, write down, and SHARE our SUCCESSES from the previous year. 

It feels braggy and awkward to do this, but also, I've come to realize how important it is to take notice of the successes, big and small. It's a way to honor my creative journey, let it take up space, and be seen. 

This time last year I talked about how 2024 was a bit of a doozy for me; it turns out that 2025 was even more of a doozy. With this in mind, I anticipated that my creative successes would be very minimal, but as I've taken the time to reflect, I now see that I turned to my creative life as a refuge, and instead of shrinking, my list of successes actually grew this year. Who knew? (Thanks, Julie, for nudging me to take pause and notice). 

In the spirit of risk-taking, I will do what Julie suggests, and publicly share my creative successes of 2025, in hopes that it inspires me to keep plugging along in the year ahead (and maybe even inspire you, my dear reader, to do the same). 

So here goes, all 35 of my success (!) in no particular order, just the way they came to me as I scribbled them on the page:

1. Review/comment/influence the artwork for my next book that will come out in October, 2026.

2. Respond to the opportunity to participate in the renaming of said book (TWICE!) And, on a related note, successfully respond to the request to write additional stanzas for said book, to bring the story into better alignment with the publisher's strategic marketing/placement plan and associated new title. (Curious about the new title that's a keeper? I'll reveal that in one of my next newsletters. Subscribe here, and be amongst the first to know!) 

3. Refresh my author photo. (Soon, I'll be updating the various places my author photo appears, but you can take a sneak-peek here).

4. Keynote at an early literacy conference (not my first rodeo in this role, but still quite an honor).

5. Receive and accept invitations to several tabling events at local libraries and one bookstore. I sold/ signed books at each event -- and had particularly strong sales at the most recent one.

6. Start my first-ever newsletter, entitled Resources For My Readers. I have now published two issues and have real, live subscribers. 

7. Put my broken heart back together after parting ways with an agent I'd planned to go the distance with.

8. Dive into the querying trenches, and learn how to use QueryTracker. 

9. Make some important and meaningful revisions to some stories I love and want to see through to publication.

10. Engage more actively with my local kidlit community once again, after a longish, caregiving-related semi-hiatus. 

11. Watch (nearly!) every 12x12 webinar and book chat that was available this year, and participate actively in the FB group. (Next year I aim to delve into the web-based forums and opt into some of the associated "extras," such as targeted chat rooms and critiques). 

12. Accomplish more than an ounce of creative work during a difficult year for me personally. It turns out the work helped me focus on things other than the hard stuff. 

13. Read/study/transcribe a TON of picture books and read several novels and memoirs. It was a more robust reading year for me than in prior years. (I escaped into reading as well as into writing!)

14. Accept the invitation to lead a super-fun (and extremely well attended) story time event in one of my local parks.

15. Present some fun story time events at a new local indie book store (and meet the owner and the team at three others). My city has a thriving (and growing) book store culture. Yay!  

16. Support TONS of indie musicians. My husband and I went to SO MANY live music events this past year. Not only was this a form of escape, but it was also a source of creative inspiration for me. I listen to live music, and my author brain goes into overdrive!

17. Find myself inspired by ideas that arrive as I read memoirs. I've started keeping a journal of ideas as they come to me. In the coming year, I aim to be more diligent and disciplined in getting more words on the page via this source of inspiration. Read. Write. Read. Write. Repeat. 

18. Write a heartfelt thank you letter to one of my mother's past health care providers, and receive a heartfelt note in response. I aim to write more of these letters in the coming year. Better late, than never!

19. Lean into writing as a way to process various layers and sources of grief.

20. Publish 12 blog posts. 

21. Polish and begin implementing the marketing plan for my 2026 book.

22. Create and share another year's annual year-end holiday greeting. 

23. Raise up two young adults who value the arts (both are creating art and consuming art).

24. Participate in Storystorm. (Registration for Storystorm 2026 is now open!)

25. Attend several inspiring and informative webinars from various sources such as SCBWI and the Author's Guild, in addition to the 12x12 offerings noted above. Put new skills into practice, and act on related submission opportunities. 

26. Help a young person polish and repurpose/revise their resume.

27. Apply for several grant opportunities. (You have to play to win!)

28. Start engaging more actively with the LinkedIn and Author's Guild communities. 

29. Support other book creators via my blog, attending their book events, purchasing/reviewing/requesting their books from my library, critiquing their work, and offering impromptu, enthusiastic pep talks.

30. Expand critique partner network.

31. Participate in a song-writing workshop with a musicial artist I adore and support via Patreon. (Thanks, Maiah! More of this in the new year, please!)

32. Enjoy reading fan mail generated from a classroom who participated in my DIY author visit experience. 

33. Maintain a travel journal for each trip I took this year. 

34. Accept the invitation to write an article for my local SCBWI chapter's newsletter.

35. Discover that the paperback edition of Oregon Reads Aloud (an anthology I contributed to that benefits SMART Reading) sells particularly well at holiday-adjacent tabling events. 

Wow! 35 successes in one (arguably cruddy) year! I'll take it! 

Thanks again, Julie Hedlund, for encouraging me to sit still long enough to notice these successes and to write them down and share them. I'm happy I did. This has helped me get fired up and motivated for the coming year. I hope I've fired up one or more of my readers, as well! (If you feel so inclined, I'd love to hear some of YOUR successes--feel encouraged to drop them in the comments below!)

Here's to a new, creative year ahead, friends. 

**********

The Writing Life is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of over 20 books for young readers and the proud recipient of the esteemed “Pleasure Reading Award” (her most memorable 5th grade achievement). She has devoted her life’s work to initiatives that support literacy and the literary arts, including early literacy enrichment programs; school author visits; writing workshops; and her educational blog. Dawn’s work has been short-listed for the Oregon Book Award; she was named an Oregon Library Supporter of the Year for her library advocacy efforts; and she received the Walt Morey Award in recognition of significant contributions that have enriched Oregon’s young readers. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com. Never want to miss an update? Subscribe to Dawn's newsletter. 

2025 Year-End Post and Holiday Greeting

If you're one of my new newsletter subscribers and/or a regular blog reader, you already know that one of my annual traditions is to prepare and mail holiday greeting cards. Although fewer and fewer folks send out year-end greetings, I continue to prioritize this tradition—as a way to reflect on the past and make way for the future, stay connected with family and friends, and to enjoy another creative outlet. 

If you've read some of my past year-end posts, you know by now that each year I begin the process by paging through my (old-style) calendar, making note of the highlights and ordinary happenings, and identifying themes. I approach the task as an exercise in creative expression, aiming to share our family’s news in a way that is reflective of the world events and/or a major aspect of our personal lives. 

Although I am acutely aware of deep levels of pain and suffering in our world, I often choose to center my annual reflection closer to home and on more joyful aspects of our lived experience. It would be quite an understatement to say that this year was a doozy, and yet still, there were bountiful experiences that brought laughter and joy, including some very special family trips, memorable outings, and LOTS of live music.  

My hometown of Portland, Oregon made national headlines on several occasions this past year, including news stories featuring the Emergency Naked Bike Ride and the Portland Frog Brigade, so it seemed fitting that I'd choose one of those themes to center my greeting on this year. Surprise, surprise, I went with the frogs! 

This theme allowed me to lean into the element of protest that has been a major part of the year, but to do so in a cheerful and playful way (if you're not yet familiar with the Portland Frog Brigade's philosophy and approach to exercising our First Amendment right to free speech, I encourage you to read up on it here.) This theme also allowed me to continue the creative aspect of experimenting with online tools such as Canva and offered the opportunity to lean into my punny side. 

In previous posts I have written about my misgivings about writing silly books in such a serious world, and the same could be said about a holiday greetings, but I always come back to embracing humor and joy.

As I designed, refined, and reflected on this year's update, I was reminded again and again how much I love to laugh out loud and hear the laughter of others; how precious life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is to me; how dear the freedom of speech is to me; and how powerful art can be. 

Here's to another year of hopping along with friends and family, finding our voices, making our art, and creating the world we want to live in. 

The Small Business Saturday Part of the Writing Life

Potty Books by
Dawn Babb Prochovnic and Jacob Souva

I'm so excited to share that I've been invited to present a humorous, potty-themed story time at BOLD Coffee and Books on Small Business Saturday (Nov 29 at 11 AM) this year! I LOVE the opportunities for silliness and laughter this theme affords--and what better day to share this news than today, WORLD TOILET DAY. 

But wait, isn't WORLD TOILET DAY serious business? It sure is. According to UN-Water (the UN's coordination mechanism on water and sanitation), World Toilet Day, originated by the World Toilet Organization and observed November 19 each year, "is about inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and reach the 3.4 billion people still living without safely managed sanitation." This year's theme is "Sanitation in a Changing World," with the tagline, "We'll always need the toilet. 

You can find educational and promotional materials for this year's observance of World Toilet Day on the UN-Water website. A few years back I did a comprehensive round-up of World Toilet Day resources, including other organizations who are working hard to address global water sanitation issues. 

I've also previously written about some of my misgivings about writing silly books in a such a serious world (you can find those earlier posts here and here). In the end, I've come to embrace the importance of humor, especially in children's books, even in (especially in) these trying times. Igniting a child's desire to read is serious business, and kids like funny books. 

So I lean into goofiness when I share my potty-humor books with young readers. For the Cowgirl Pirate Potty Party at BOLD Coffee & Books on Small Business Saturday, we'll read my silly stories, Where Does a Pirate Go Potty? and Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty? (both illustrated by Jacob Souva); learn some fun potty puns; shake our booties in a playful potty dance; and flush my beloved audible toy toilet. I will of course encourage participants to purchase autographed books to help support the intent of Small Business Saturday and the indie bookstore that's hosting me, and I'm encouraging donations of packaged underwear and diapers to help folks in our community while we gather together and laugh until we wet our pants!

(If you want a full run-down of ideas for your own potty-themed story time, you can find a lesson plan here, complete with silly songs, dances, sign language, and book pairings. You can find links to MANY other resources here (you definitely don't want to miss what I've included on my potty-humor-themed Pinterest page!)

See you on the silly side! 

********

The Writing Life is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of over 20 books for young readers and the proud recipient of the esteemed “Pleasure Reading Award” (her most memorable 5th grade achievement). She has devoted her life’s work to initiatives that support literacy and the literary arts, including early literacy enrichment programs; school author visits; writing workshops; and her educational blog. Dawn’s work has been short-listed for the Oregon Book Award; she was named an Oregon Library Supporter of the Year for her library advocacy efforts; and she received the Walt Morey Award in recognition of significant contributions that have enriched Oregon’s young readers. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com. 

The Layers of Meaning and Themes Part of the Writing Life

Photo Credit: Jane Kurtz

One of the things I especially love about being a children's book author is discovering, uncovering, and finding new ways to lean into the themes of my books. I say discovering and uncovering because, even as the author of a book, it's not unusual for me to learn about and discover, over time, new layers of meaning and embedded themes in my own stories, particularly as folks read and respond to my work. Simply put, of course I meant to say something with my book, but in reality, a book's meaning has much more to do with what it means to its readers than what the author might have intended to say. 

According to the official marketing copy (and likely excerpted from my long-ago query letter) for my most recent picture book, LUCY'S BLOOMS, "is a multigenerational story about a young girl who learns from her grandmother about the enduring nature of love, the strength in rejecting labels, and the wisdom of standing with those who are different." That's still spot on, but I've also come to realize that the story is also about kindness and caregiving. It's not a wonder. The story is inspired by my relationship with my own Gram, a woman who spent her life caring for others, and, it was written during a time in my life when I was caring for aging parents and my children. So, I didn't necessarily "set out" to write a book about kindness and caregiving, but those themes definitely come through for readers, as evidenced by the various reviews the book has received since it was published in 2021. 

For example, fellow author, Carrie Finison had this to say:

And, fellow author Kathy MacMillan had this to say:

I love learning about my stories through the eyes of my readers, and I love that LUCY'S BLOOMS inspires kindness. What better time to celebrate that than today, World Kindness Day. 

by Dawn Babb Prochovnic and Alice Brereton

Looking for other books about kindness to pair with LUCY'S BLOOMS? Check out: 

Be Kind, by Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill (Roaring Brook Press, 2018) 

Rice From Heaven, by Tina Chao and Keum Jin Song (Little Bee Books, 2018 - you can read a guest post by Tina and her book, here.)   

The Power of One, by Trudy Ludwig and Mike Curato (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2020)

And any of the books on Kind World Publishing's growing list.

Plus these beauties from Familius, (the publisher of my next book!):

Kindness Rocks, by Megan Murphy and JiaJia Hamner (Familius, 2025) 

1001 Ways to Be Kind, by Dallas Woodburn and McKay Rappleyea (Familius, 2024)

I Dig Being Kind, by Michele Robbins and Ekaterina Ladatko (Familius, 2020)

Looking for other opportunities to #MakeKindnessTheNorm? Check out these resources:

Action for Happiness

The Be Kind to People Project

The Great Kindness Challenge (takes place annually in January) 

The Growing Kindness Project

Random Acts of Kindness Foundation 

And, check out Paul Avellino's (aka the Garden Guinea's) social media posts, like this one. I find his social media feed inspiring and uplifting. I hope you will, too. 

And to quote Paul, "I'd love to hear about a kindness you've received...something simple or life-changing" in the comments below. 

********

The Writing Life is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of over 20 books for young readers and the proud recipient of the esteemed “Pleasure Reading Award” (her most memorable 5th grade achievement). She has devoted her life’s work to initiatives that support literacy and the literary arts, including early literacy enrichment programs; school author visits; writing workshops; and her educational blog. Dawn’s work has been short-listed for the Oregon Book Award; she was named an Oregon Library Supporter of the Year for her library advocacy efforts; and she received the Walt Morey Award in recognition of significant contributions that have enriched Oregon’s young readers. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com. 

Why I'm Voting an Enthusiastic YES on Our Local Library Levy -- Even Though (Especially Because) Community Members are Facing Financial Challenges

Hi Friends.

This post falls in the category of the “Using My Voice,” part of the Writing Life. 

An Example of One of My "Small" Library Hauls

Our local community has a library levy on the current ballot. It’s significant in that the library levy is an increase from past levies (vs. a continuation of the current rate), and if the levy fails (I sure do hope it doesn’t fail!), library services across our county will be significantly reduced.

A neighborhood friend I respect and admire (and who has been a longtime and vocal supporter of libraries right alongside me) posed some questions to me related to the library levy and her current concerns/inner conflicts about voting in favor of it. 

Her first concern is the increase going from 22 cents/$1000 in assessed property value to 37 cents, which she correctly calculates as a 68 percent increase. 

She also notes that since property values have increased over time, and more houses in our area have been built, the proposed increase was in her words, “hard to swallow.” She acknowledged that the library has indicated the reasoning for the increase includes greater demand for services, the higher costs associated with digital book licenses, and other rising costs, etc. but she worried that it is hard for her to justify increasing taxes right now “when our economy is so precarious and we have so many people losing jobs, SNAP benefits, coupled with rising insurance rates, grocery prices, etc.”

She acknowledges her longstanding support of libraries, and the role of libraries helping to “level the playing field even just a bit between the richest and the poorest,” but also worries that the levy increase would be an undue burden our poorer community members. 

She asked for others’ perspectives, including mine. I thought I might just share what I wrote back to her, in case you are a voter in my community or also considering a similar levy in your local area. I wrote this quickly and off the cuff … so please forgive if there are wonky sentences and likely some points I could have gone into more deeply, etc. My response gives the gist of where I fall on this issue:

***

Thanks for reaching out. 

While I can appreciate the concerns you’ve raised, I am not at all conflicted in voting an enthusiastic YES on this ballot measure. 

I don’t actually think framing this issue in terms of the percentage increase is the metric I would narrow in on. For example, the percentage increase would appear as less, if the libraries had raised their ask more incrementally during past levy cycles. The bottom line from my perspective is the library services that the community benefits from via a robust cooperative library system spread across the county is a steal of a deal at the current rate AND at the proposed new rate. 

By my calculation, our household tax bill will go up about $10/month (about 33 cents/day). That’s for HEAPS of borrowed books, ebooks, movie and magazine viewings; borrowings of “things” (from our libraries that have a collection of “things” to borrow); a quiet office area to get work accomplished at no additional cost (not even a need to buy a cup of coffee or other beverage); a gathering place for community groups; and the ability to attend a well curated selection of cultural experiences and community talks all around the county (many of which in turn provide a tad bit of funding to subject matter experts/entertainers/book creators/many different types of artists, etc. etc. who are sharing their expertise with the library community and for which the library programming office pays to them a very small fee). 

Although I realize your concern is with folks who may not be able to afford the small increase in tax to fund this treasure, I would encourage you/others to look beyond that element and think of the social services our libraries are currently providing (e.g. a warm place to rest a body that is without a home, or for a family with limited heat in the home to hang out after school; a place to wash hands and use a clean toilet; free access to the internet; a place to print out something from the internet for about a dime a page (vs. twice the cost at a copy center); a safe place for teens to gather after school (and on occasion, have access to gaming devices they may not have access to at home); a place to seek help in finding a job and/or to find information/resources re: where to access food and clothing; a place for low income families to get a weekly supply of free classes for their children’s enrichment; a place to get free tax advice and support completing tax forms. I could go on and on and on. 

I realize I’m preaching to the choir here, as you, too, are a library supporter, but in my view it is in these tight times that we need to lean into our community spaces, such as our parks and our libraries, as resources that can benefit especially those who are hurting from the current administration’s myriad of wraths. I often feel very small and ineffectual in terms of contributing in meaningful ways to the wellbeing of humanity on a national (and/or international) level. Supporting my local library levy (and vocalizing that support to others) is one way I can make a genuinely meaningful difference in my local community. 

Any opening hours lost will fall the hardest on families working multiple jobs to make ends meet re: their schedules are the least flexible. Any reduction in books/ebooks will hurt poor readers the most — those of us who can afford to just buy the book, will do so. Any reduction in staffing will reduce the level of supports involved in standing up for the freedom to read (book challenges by well-organized right wing groups have cost libraries dearly across the country as they fight for our right to have a wide variety of materials available on library shelves.)

I would also say that many of our lowest income friends and neighbors are quite likely renting and do not own their own homes … yes, the cost will be passed along to them via their landlords, but in my observation (having several dear friends and family members who are at the mercy of a landlord’s whims), those rents are going up, up, up to the state or city allowed maximums as long as the market will bear it … year after year after year … library levy or not. 

So those are my two (well, 25) cents on the topic.

Thanks again for reaching out and sharing your concerns. I always appreciate how thoughtful and well-researched you are in considering various issues. 

***

And thank you dear readers for considering your local libraries and the role they play in your community as you go out to vote this season. I am so very hopeful that our local levy here in Washington County, Oregon will pass resoundingly. 

The Revised Book Title Part of the Writing Life

Hello Readers! In my last post I shared the loonnnnnggg and winding road leading to the publication of my next book, and now I have some teeny, tiny updates: 

First things first, the book I have most recently referred to as MAMA'S HOME! will heretofore be entitled....drumroll please .... MISSING MAMA.  

My last post provided abundant details about the various iterations and working titles for this story over the years, and now that it will soon be published, it's been re-titled yet again.

It's actually not at all uncommon for a book to go through a title revision once the sales and marketing teams get involved, and this book is no exception. The publishing team felt that the working title of MAMA'S HOME ran the risk of being mis-interpreted as being about "the home of Mama." There were several alternate ideas considered to help clear up that potential misconception, and the winning title was MISSING MAMA.

Although it will take some getting used to to call my book by its new name, I'm actually quite pleased with the new title. It puts the energy and focus on what the children in the book are feeling at the beginning of the story, (they are MISSING their MAMA!), and it leaves the excitement associated with Mama's eventual return to unfold over the course of the story. 

I also think these little behind-the-scenes morsels of info are really fun to share with young readers at school and library author visits. Kids always seems to be intrigued by this type of thing.

The second update is that I've now seen all of the final art AND the planned cover art. (I wish I could share some of this with you now, but alas, it is still top secret!) It will likely be several months before I can do a cover reveal, but I'm getting super excited for that aspect of the book publishing journey! (Spoiler alert: The art is ADORABLE! You can get a sense for the treat you are in for by following illustrator, Adèle Dafflon's, work on Instagram. )

And...last, but not least, I've received word from Familius, the publisher, that we now have a tentative publication date for MISSING MAMA: October 13, 2026 ... almost exactly ONE YEAR from TODAY. That seems like a long time still to wait, but alas, there are SO MANY things to do to get ready for this new book baby. Watch this space for updates as they are available. Thanks for sharing this journey with me, dear readers and friends! 

********

The Writing Life is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of over 20 books for young readers and the proud recipient of the esteemed “Pleasure Reading Award” (her most memorable 5th grade achievement). She has devoted her life’s work to initiatives that support literacy and the literary arts, including early literacy enrichment programs; school author visits; writing workshops; and her educational blog. Dawn’s work has been short-listed for the Oregon Book Award; she was named an Oregon Library Supporter of the Year for her library advocacy efforts; and she received the Walt Morey Award in recognition of significant contributions that have enriched Oregon’s young readers. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com. 

The Patience and Perseverance Part of the Writing Life

Hi friends! Thanks for your patience awaiting a new blog post (and thank you for giving this DIY Author Visits post so much attention -- it's become one of the most popular posts in "The Writing Life" series).  

"Secret Garden" in Bronze, by Mark Lundeen (seen in Golden, CO July, 2025) 

While the blog has been quiet, my cup has been overflowing with: spending time with family and enjoying summer travel; supporting the work of musical artists and other book creators; using my voice to support positive change and resist a growing number of deplorable actions by our current lawmakers; reading excellent books on craft (two recent favorites include Laura Stanfill's IMAGINE A DOOR and Maggie Smith's DEAR WRITER)... 

Book Covers of Dear Writer (by Maggie Smith) and Imagine a Door (by Laura Stanfill)

...sharing my own books with young readers at story time events; actively engaging in professional development communities such as SCBWI and 12X12; swapping critiques with longtime critique partners; revising several picture book manuscripts; journaling and finding my way into a new project; actively querying; responding to feedback opportunities related to the (fantastic!) artwork for my next book; and moving into pre-book-launch mode for that very same next book! Yep, another book is on the way, friends. At long last, MAMA'S HOME! is scheduled for release Fall 2026. 

It's often said that bringing a new book into the world requires a great deal of patience and perseverance, and this book is no exception. When I say, "At long last," I mean at loonnnnngggg last. To give you a sense of what I mean by that, here's a behind-the-scenes look at the timeline for this story, from idea to (eventual!) publication: 

-Initial idea comes to me as I'm watching my young son blissfully engage in imaginative play at our local children's museum. I scribble words onto a scrap of paper I find in my pocket and in notes on my (flip) phone. For context, that same son graduated from COLLEGE last year. 

-I'm in love with the idea of a slice-of-life story about a joyful, play-filled, childhood, and begin formulating that idea into a poetic story about everyday, child-centered activities that bring joy into a child’s life. The story is tentatively entitled CHILDHOOD BLISS and is just over 40 words. I share it with my critique group multiple times. 

-As the revision process unfolds, I begin to envision the story in a board book and/or a motion-oriented novelty book format that incorporates American Sign Language vocabulary, my original hook (spoiler alert: that particular hook/vision does not materialize).

-I get the manuscript into "shareable shape" and seek professional critiques at multiple SCBWI-Oregon events. The story and concept piques the interest of several acquiring editors that I meet during these events, and I begin submitting in early 2008 (this is not a typo). 

-I have some great back-and-forth exchanges with multiple editors, (several of whom are now big names in the publishing industry--I won't name-drop, but trust me on this). This is back in the day of snail mail submissions with SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) enclosed for correspondence. Nearly every editor I write to back then writes back to me, often with a personalized response. I continue actively submitting throughout 2008 and feel like the manuscript is going to find a home, but alas, a contract offer does not materialize.

-Around this same time I sign my first book contract, which leads to 16 books in the Story Time with Signs & Rhymes series. For the next several years, most of my creative energy focuses on writing/revising/promoting the books in this series.  

-In 2010, I occasionally revisit and tinker with my BLISS story. (And by tinker, I mean making REALLY minor changes, like changing the title from CHILDHOOD BLISS to A CHILD'S BLISS, lol!) I seek fresh feedback from my critique group and professional (and peer) critiques at SCBWI events. By this time, I am very focused on my Story Time books, so the creative energy for my BLISS project is quite limited. 

-In 2011 and 2012, after the launch of eight additional books in the Story Time series, I once again revisit my BLISS manuscript, and decide it needs more layers and/or a new hook in order to become a book. I experiment with different ideas, and the manuscript evolves into a story about the joyful experience of spending time with an active and engaged grandparent. I focus the text on incorporating non-traditional activities shared between a child and an active, “Boomer” grandma. The story is tentatively re-titled GRANDMA'S HOUSE IS HAPPINESS. The core theme of a joyful, play-filled, childhood endures. 

-2012-2017, I take the story through more rounds of critique with my critique group, and I periodically submit the story to various editors I meet at conferences and/or have developed relationships with over the years. No contract offers materialize. I file the story away, again. 

-In 2015 I'm invited to participate in an anthology called OREGON READS ALOUD. This book launches in 2016. As a result of the promotional process for this book, I meet the team that will eventually acquire and publish my next three books: WHERE DOES A PIRATE GO POTTY?, WHERE DOES A COWGIRL GO POTTY?, and LUCY'S BLOOMS. I focus my creative energy on writing/revising/promoting these new books (two of which are published in 2019 in a pre-pandemic environment, and the later in 2021, in a mid-pandemic environment).

Dawn holding her three latest books for WRAD 2025 event

-2018-2021: My kids are now both away at college. I'm actively working on new stories, some of which are reflective of my current headspace as a mama whose children are now grown, and as an adult daughter who is caring for an aging mother. I once again pull out my beloved BLISS story from the file, and begin tinkering with it again; this time my tinkers are more robust. I begin re-shaping the poetic text into a story about sharing everyday, joyful activities with a parent who returns home after being away for an extended period of time. With this angle, the current title, MAMA'S HOME!, emerges, and I revise the story to incorporate the preparations for and anticipation of Mama’s return home. 

-I am a stronger writer now. I take the story through more rounds of critique with my critique group. My beloved story idea has matured into a 90-word story, with a plot and an emotional story arc, but the reason Mama has been gone is still vague at this point. Through my engagement with the kidlit community, and specifically interviews with other authors for this very blog, I learn about Familius, the publisher who will eventually acquire MAMA'S HOME! 

-In early May of 2021, I submit MAMAS HOME! to Familius. In late May of 2021, Christopher Robbins, the co-founder and publisher of Familius reaches out to me to request revisions. Specifically, the Familius team wonders if I might be open to a more specific reason for Mama being away—the arrival of a new sibling. This brings additional revisions that incorporate the anticipation and preparations for a new sibling along with Mama’s return and features activities that could be engaged in with an infant in tow. For this revision, I also look for opportunities to emphasize and lean into the enduring and evolving nature of the relationship between Mama and an older child. The core theme of a joyful, play-filled, childhood endures. 

-In June of 2021, I send a revision to Familius, and Christopher circles back soon after to say that they like my revision! By mid-June, I have the pleasure of a engaging in a Zoom meeting with Christopher, and soon after, a draft contract is in my inbox. On July 26, 2021 I happily sign a contract with Familius for MAMA'S HOME!, with publication planned for 2024. 

-The publishing industry begins what has become the familiar process of Wait. Wait. Wait. HURRY! HURRY! February of 2023, I learn that my book has been pushed back to Summer of 2025. In November of 2023, that date is shifted again, to Spring of 2026...and then Fall of 2026. 

-October 2024, I learn that talks are underway with the potential illustrator for MAMA'S HOME! Yippee!! This means a book is really happening!!

-December 2024, I learn that Adèle Dafflon has been selected as the book's illustrator. Yay-Yay! Adele's work is full of color and joy. The decision is made to have two older siblings depicted in the illustrations. I love this idea. This is another element that makes the book unique--most "new sibling" books focus on one chid awaiting the arrival of another child. Also, most of these types of books focus on the adjustments required as a new child joins the family--this book keeps the primary focus on the close and enduring relationship between mother and child and the experience of being a contributing member of a loving and growing family. The story is still centered on the original, core theme of a joyful, play-filled, childhood. 

 Image that offers a sense of Adèle Dafflon's artistic style (via a screen shot from her Instagram)

-January 2025, I see character sketches for MAMA'S HOME! for the first time--I love them! I also meet, Leah, the editorial director who will now be overseeing this project. (The prior editorial director, Brooke, whom I've been in communication with since the original contract signing in 2021 is shifting to art directing at Familius, so she will still be involved in the project, but in a different role.) 

-March 2025, I see story boards for the project and get an opportunity to provide feedback. I LOVE this part of the process. It is so cosmic to see my words become interpreted with illustrations. 

-April 2025, I see the first samples of color art and again get an opportunity to provide feedback. I adore the art so much! 

-June 2025, I see several more rounds of color art, and I learn that Leah will be leaving Familius. I meet Gretchen, who is the new editorial director. Some fine-tunes (with both text and illustrations are discussed). The book is really coming together now. 

-July 2025, I'm asked to update my marketing Tip Sheet by the end of the following week (more on that in a future post), but OH BOY!, this means MAMA'S HOME! is now moving into the pre-marketing phase of the life cycle of a book. I'm so excited! I need to refresh my memory about what inspired me to write this story in the first place, so I can properly shift into the promotional phase of author life for this book)--and so, I research and begin to write this very blog post. 

And here we are today, in the first week of August 2025, preparing for the planned release of MAMA'S HOME!, tentatively scheduled for publication in late August 2026. Patience and perseverance. Wait. Wait. Wait. HURRY-HURRY! That's the publishing industry in a nutshell, friends. 

I cannot wait to share more of this sweet story with you! Watch this space (and follow me on Instagram), to keep up with more fun news in the weeks and months ahead! Thanks for joining on the path to publication for what will be my 20th book (21st if you count the anthology!) 

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The Writing Life is an occasional feature of Dawn Babb Prochovnic's blog. Dawn is the author of over 20 books for young readers and the proud recipient of the esteemed “Pleasure Reading Award” (her most memorable 5th grade achievement). She has devoted her life’s work to initiatives that support literacy and the literary arts, including early literacy enrichment programs; school author visits; writing workshops; and her educational blog. Dawn’s work has been short-listed for the Oregon Book Award; she was named an Oregon Library Supporter of the Year for her library advocacy efforts; and she received the Walt Morey Award in recognition of significant contributions that have enriched Oregon’s young readers. Contact Dawn using the form at the left, or learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com.