I promised you all that I’d post an announcement yesterday and even though it was the longest day of the year (Happy Summer Solstice), I didn’t post. Perhaps you are reading this on your tablet next to some pool, or you’ve just dropped off some child at camp and you’ve decided to check your email… whatever the situation, please forgive me and thank you for coming back during your weekend.

I’m so proud to announce that I’ve signed with Alexandra Penfold of Upstart Crow Literary. I love this explanation of the agency name Upstart Crow from their website:

To begin with, it is an insult slung at the young Shakespeare in 1592 by older, more-established, but less successful playwright Robert Greene. His obvious irritation at the younger artist’s pluck and nerve is, we think, typical of the response of the old guard toward any new talent. There is something in the phrase that speaks of courage and brio and daring, and we feel we should all be upstart crows when it comes to our writing and our work.

I wish I could say that I was a young artist, but my journey has been too long to claim that. (Ten years? Thirteen?) What is courageous, however, is to persevere despite the obstacles, and daring to dive into craft and care more about the journey than the outcome. I had finally gotten to that point. I had finally reignited my love of writing for writing sake. I had decided to open up my schedule and say to the universe (often aloud into the trees around my home) writing is my priority. That was when good things started to happen. First, the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children’s Book Discovery Award and now representation by Upstart Crow.

Of course this is just another step in my writing journey, but I couldn’t be more pleased than to have the smart, savvy, connected, experienced, communicative, compassionate Alexandra Penfold on the journey with me.