The DIY, Virtual-Virtual Author Visit Part of the Writing Life

I've mentioned many times that one of my favorite parts of author life is connecting directly with young readers. 

I love all kinds of author visits: in person, one-on-one virtual visits, and also special occasions such as World Read Aloud Day, aka, WRAD. Sometimes schools and classrooms aren't able to host me for an in-person or virtual visit (or students are absent for scheduled author events), and for these folks,  I offer a Self-Guided Virtual Author Visit (aka, DIY Virtual-Virtual Author Visit), using a comprehensive collection of free remote resources that I've compiled. here . It's not quite the same as a personalized virtual visit (or an in-person visit), but these resources do allow young readers to connect with an author in some fashion. 

And...one of the most fantastic things about connecting with young readers is sometimes they send written notes, and sometimes they ask more questions in those notes. 

Letters from Young Readers are THE BEST

Whenever students write to me after an author visit, I do my best to write back to them, and DIY visits are no exception. Here is the letter I recently wrote to the students in Mrs. Fallon's class that had to miss out on their originally planned WRAD visit: 

*****

May 13, 2025

Dear Mrs. Fallon’s Class, 

Thank you for reading my book, LUCY’S BLOOMS, and for taking the time to write to me to share your comments and questions. My responses are below:

1. Abigail said my story reminded her of summer and spring! That’s exactly what I was thinking about when I wrote it! 

2. Claire mentioned that her grandma and grandpa on her mom’s side have a gigantic garden! My grandma on my mom’s side had a very small garden, but I very much enjoyed the flowers she planted in that garden when I was a young child.

3. Natasha encouraged me to make a new book, and I’m currently doing just that! My next book is called MAMA’S HOME!, and it will be available next year! 

4. Alex X. encouraged me to keep writing books. I will do that for sure! (I hope you will, too!)

5. Nguyen mentioned liking the title of the book. I’m so glad to hear that. I like the title, too. Here’s something most people don’t know: The title for my first draft of this book was, BEST BLOOM WINS (I like that title, too, but I prefer the title, LUCY’S BLOOMS).

6. Clara pointed out that weeds can become beautiful dandelions. Lucy and I agree completely!

7. Teddy shared that the story shows how much you can love a plant, no matter what the plant is. I’m so glad that message came through for you. I also think the same is true for people! 

8. Jackson said that he liked that Lucy worked so hard. I like that about Lucy, too! 

9. Owen suggested I should write a story that goes even further, where Lucy finds a flower that harms the weeds, so she has to choose to give up the weeds or give up the flowers. That is quite an idea. I think you should write that story! When you create new stories that incorporate characters and/or expand on plots from other book(s) that you like, you are writing something that is called fan fiction. Lucy and her blooms would LOVE to be the subject of some fan fiction! 

10. Sareena asked if I like HELLO KITTY books. I do! (And, I’m actually working on a new book of my own with a cat character named Kitty – not Hello, Kitty, just Kitty ;)

11. Oliver said I was a good writer. Thank you very much! Here is a tip: The easiest way to become a strong writer is to read and read and read some more! Of course, you have to practice writing, too, but reading is the best way I know of to become a better writer! 

12. Angel asked about my favorite thing to do. I have many favorite things that I like to do! I love to read (and write!), and I also enjoy bicycle riding, hiking, paddle boarding, gardening, laughing, teaching, and traveling!  

13. Krishan (and someone else who didn’t sign their name!) said they thought LUCY’S BLOOMS was amazing. Thank you both very much!

14.  Lexi, Calvin, Charlotte, and Miles thanked me for the story. You are all very welcome. Thank you for reading it and for writing back to me! 

15. Lulia said she would like to know more about me. Here are some fun facts about me:                                              

Favorite Author as a Child: Judy Blume                    Now: Anne Lamott

Favorite Animal as a Child: Horses                           Now: Cats

Favorite Music as a Child: The Beatles                     Now: Paula Cole

Most Amazing Places I’ve Visited: Greece and the Netherlands

Can’t Wait to Visit: Thailand 

And here are the answers to some questions I am asked frequently: 

What got me interested in making books?

I first started writing books with a goal of becoming a published author because I wanted to share my love of American Sign Language with more people than I could directly teach in the sign language workshops I taught for young families. Eventually I branched out into writing other types of books for young readers. Here is a blog post where I talk about my path to publication for my very first books in the Story Time with Signs & Rhymes series: https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2012/02/my-path-to-publication.html

And here is a blog post where I talk about my inspiration for Lucy’s Blooms: 

https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2021/04/the-inspiration-part-of-writing-life.html 

Why do I like making books?

I love making books, and I love being an author. I think it’s one of the best jobs in the world. One reason is I like words. They are powerful. They get things done. They help people understand one another. Words give people a voice. I like when my voice is heard. I have written an entire blog post with some of the other reasons I like to write. You can find it here: https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2012/04/why-do-i-like-to-write.html

 I will also say that I love reading books, I have written a couple of blog posts about why I like reading. You can read those here: https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2018/09/the-reading-part-of-writing-life.html

and here: https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2019/03/the-reading-part-of-writing-life-part-2.html

I also credit my fifth-grade teacher, Mr. Snook, for inspiring my love of reading, which greatly contributed to my love of writing. (And as I already mentioned above, in my experience, reading books is one of the easiest ways to become a better writer!)

A couple of years ago I was honored with a literary award and mentioned Mr. Snook in my award acceptance speech. You can read all about that (and also find link to a video of my acceptance speech) here: 

https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2023/04/the-literary-legacy-part-of-writing-life.html 

How old was I when I wrote my first book?

The first book I ever made was a poetry book that I hand-wrote as a Mother’s Day gift for my mom back when I was in middle school. 

The first book I had published, See the Colors, came out in 2009. (I’m currently 57, so you can do the math to find out how old I was when that book was published!) The most recent book I’ve had published was Lucy’s Blooms, which came out in 2021. I also had two humorous books that were published in 2019: Where Does a Pirate Go Potty? and Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?

Image of author Dawn Babb Prochovnic holding her three most recent books.

How many books have I written? 

I have written 20 stories that have been published into books. You can learn about all of my different books here: https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/p/blog-page.html

You should be able to find all (or most) of my books in your local library. Here is a link to help: https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=dawn+prochovnic&offset=1 .  If you can’t find my books in your library, you can find videos of me reading them (and songs to go along with my most recent books, including Lucy’s Blooms) on my YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/user/dprochovnic/featured

Thank you again for reading LUCY’S BLOOMS and for writing to me. If you’d like to read more about my life as a writer, you can visit this section of my blog where I talk about my writing life: 

http://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2018/04/the-writing-life-summary-post.html

Write On! 

Sincerely, 

Dawn Babb Prochovnic

*****

Please get in touch if you'd like to schedule your own personalized in-person or virtual author visit, or please feel encouraged to utilize the comprehensive collection of free remote resources for Self-Guided Virtual Author Visits that I've compiled here: https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2025/02/the-wrad-part-of-writing-life-2025.html . (And you do utilize the DIY Author Visit materials, I'd love to hear from you and your students, and I'll do my very best to write you back!) 

Write On!   

The Literary Legacy Part of the Writing Life

Last week I was honored with the Walt Morey Young Readers Literary Legacy Award, an award presented by the Programs for Writers Advisory Council and the Board of Directors of Literary Arts to a person or organization in recognition of significant contributions that have enriched Oregon's young readers. Literary Arts is a community-based nonprofit with a mission to "engage readers, support writers, and inspire the next generation with great literature." 

Photo Credit: Andie Petkus Photography

To say I was in utter shock and disbelief when I received word of receiving this award is quite the understatement. Walt Morey is a big name, and his legacy runs deep. It’s been hard for me to comprehend how I’ve been selected for an award in his honor. 

This is not me being humble. 

Last year my publishing income shrunk to the point that my accountant said I was at risk for the IRS considering me a hobbyist because, and I quote, "They frown on people who are bad at their business." I’ve been rejected by many an agent and editor, but now by my accountant and the IRS?  That was hard to hear. 

And so I hollered out to the Universe: “Hey, I need another book contract with a nice advance. Soon.” 

And the Universe replied, “How about a highly esteemed literary legacy award, instead?”  

“Say, what?”

I am not a hobbyist. I am, in fact, quite serious about my work. And, like the main character in my picture book, Lucy’s Blooms, I’m as persistent as all get out. But you can’t fault me for wondering how my name got flagged for this meaningful acknowledgement. What one big thing had I possibly done to take someone’s notice in a field of literary giants, many of whom would be sitting in the room when I received my award?

These questions prompted me to reflect on the work that I've done. The work that I hold most dear: teaching early literacy workshops, writing books for young readers, advocating for strong school libraries, mentoring aspiring writers, amplifying the voices of other authors via my blog, writing to my lawmakers to let them know where I stand on key issues, knocking on doors to remind my friends and neighbors to vote, caring for and advocating for my family members and the community, the world, that we live in.  

I am the poster child for small steps, and in my experience, little action items add up to bigger action items.  This is what I thought about as I wrote my acceptance speech, which I've shared below: 

***

Thank you Literary Arts and to the kind people who nominated me for this award. I am honored and humbled. Thank you to my family for all the love and laughter, and to my parents for filling my childhood home with books.

 

I'd also like to give a shout-out to my fifth-grade teacher, Mr. Snook, for his annual reading contest. The student who read the most books each year won the coveted Pleasure Reading Award; a trophy I proudly brought home in 1978.

 

That cheesy award trophy, now glued together in places, continues to motivate young readers when I share it at author visits. I also like to share tattered copies of some of the titles I breezed through to boost my book count, books like The Digging-est Dog, A Fly Went By. Back then I thought I was gaming the system by including quick, easy reads on my list, but as Mr. Snook likely knew, all of the reading counted. The lyrical sounds, rhythm, and rhyme in these stories contributed to my love of language, and similar patterns found their way into my own writing. Writing that eventually became books for a new generation of young readers.  

 

Such lovely things were just said about me. What wasn’t said is that I currently have a myriad of manuscripts sitting in slush piles. I’ve yet to find an agent. The publisher I worked with on my last four books was recently sold to another company, and my next book with another publisher just got delayed to 2025. Not quite the resume one imagines bringing home big awards. 

 

Over the past weeks, I’ve heard from friends and colleagues who wanted to share their reflections about Walt Morey. Although his books certainly made a lasting impression, what people most wanted to talk about was meeting him at school author visits, decades ago. One person summed it up best saying, “Walt Morey engaged with us as if we mattered.” 

 

And that’s when it hit me that our body of work, our literary legacy, extends well beyond the books that we write and manage to get published. 

 

Each of us in this room has the power to influence the literary landscape in our communities, in our schools and libraries, and within our families.

 

Someone in this room read a book by a local author to a child today. Someone else made a purchase at an indie bookstore. I’ll bet someone volunteered at their local library, someone gifted a book to a classroom teacher, and someone wrote a kind letter that will be read and re-read again and again.

 

Mr. Snook held a reading contest in 1978 that played a part in this year’s Walt Morey award. 

 

What if tonight’s gathering inspired each of us to take one more seemingly small action to benefit a young reader, or a children’s book author, or a professional who gets books into the hands of young readers. Imagine the legacy that together we’ll leave.    Thank you. 

***

Home Video of Armin Tolentino's introduction of Dawn and Dawn's Acceptance Speech.

 

I will treasure Armin's words, and this award, for a long, long time.

Here I am celebrating with family and friends:

Photo Credit: Andie Petkus Photography

Photo Credit: Andie Petkus Photography

More photos of the event by Andie Petkus  Photography   can be found here.  

Last, but certainly not least, here I am with fellow author, Stephanie Shaw. She's the person who spearheaded the award nomination, and she is an amazing author and literacy advocate in her own right. Her latest book, All By Myself, JUST hit bookstores. NOW would be a great time to support HER work and your favorite local indie bookstore.

Image Credit: Family of Stephanie Shaw

Need some additional ideas on how to make a difference in your literary landscape? Get in touch. It doesn’t have to be something big to make a difference. I promise. 

****

Media mentions about the award announcement: 

Oregon Public Broadcasting: https://www.opb.org/article/2023/04/04/portland-oregon-book-awards-writers-authors-local-pacific-northwest/

Portland Mercury: https://www.portlandmercury.com/books/2023/04/04/46439433/new-literary-names-sindya-bhanoo-and-casey-parks-win-big-at-the-2023-oregon-book-awards

Portland Tribune: https://www.portlandtribune.com/lifestyle/heres-who-won-oregon-book-awards-for-2023/article_5b3d87a0-d32c-11ed-9ec6-57321260fecf.html

Oregon Artswatch: https://www.orartswatch.org/sindya-bhanoos-seeking-fortune-elsewhere-wins-oregon-book-award-for-fiction/ 

READ and READ and READ Some More!

I'm currently sharing the key learning points discussed in my young writers'  workshop entitled, "Gotcha! How to Find and Capture Great Writing Ideas."

This week's post is about Big Idea #4:  READ and READ and READ some more.  Reading is the EASIEST way to become a better writer! 

I begin this section of the workshop by asking students to share why they think the above statement is true.  We talk about how reading exercises the muscles in the brain and how a stronger brain can write stronger stories.  We talk about how reading other authors' books can help writers come up with their own ideas.  We talk about how re-reading your own notebook or journal can remind you of writing ideas you forgot you remembered! We also talk about how reading a good book can be relaxing, which might be just what your brain needs to help you come up with good ideas.

This is when I bring out my beloved trophy. I let students know that this is the only trophy I've ever earned.  I tell them that I earned it in the 5th grade, and I invite students to make guesses about how I earned it. (I'm always touched that some kids guess it's an award for my current books!).

I eventually tell students that this trophy is the coveted Pleasure Reading Award that I earned in Mr. Snook's 5th grade class.  Mr. Snook ran a pleasure reading contest each year.  The student who read the most books during the school year won the award.  I explain that I started at  one end of my school library and snaked my way around the room.  I do not remember how many books I read or how far I got into the library's shelves, but I do know that I read the most books that year.  I also know that all of that reading contributed to my being an effective writer today.

And this brings us to the last learning point, Big Idea #5:  WRITE and WRITE and WRITE some more, which I'll discuss in my next post.