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Books four through nine are in the illustrator’s queue.
The editor’s completing their third and final review of the tenth book, "Bella Brown's Turkey Trot Tizzy."
Literary April: A Month for Book Lovers
April brings us National Library Week (April 6-12) and International Children's Book Day (April 2). As one who believes in the magic of libraries and children's literature, these celebrations are circled in red on my calendar.
Speaking of literary celebrations, April also brings us the birthdays of some literary giants:
• Hans Christian Andersen (April 2, 1805) - Creator of "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," and "The Emperor's New Clothes" He’s my favorite children’s author, and I’m dating myself when I say I love Danye Kaye’s portrayal of him in the movie.
• Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928) - The powerful voice behind "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" She’s one of my favorite poets.
• Charlotte Brontë (April 21, 1816) - Who gave us the unforgettable "Jane Eyre"
• William Shakespeare (April 23, 1564) - The Bard himself, whose plays continue to capture human experience in ways that feel eternally relevant.
I often wonder what these literary giants would think of today's publishing landscape.
Would Shakespeare tweet sonnets? Would Hans Christian Andersen create TikTok animations of his fairy tales? Would Charlotte Brontë post a best children’s author twerk video compilation on YouTube? I shudder to think. Great, now I can’t get that image stuck in my head—Shakespeare tweeting sonnets. My apologies, Will. Wait, you didn’t think I was talking about Hans Christian Andersen TikTok animations…
April's Notable Celebrations
Besides the literary birthdays and events, April brings us:
• Earth Day (April 22) - A reminder that we're all caretakers of this beautiful blue marble. Do your part, volunteer to help clean up the Atlantic Ocean. Okay, fine how about the town creek. How about you just recycle and not litter.
• Total Solar Eclipse (April 8) - Nature's most dramatic light show (visible in parts of North America).
• National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day (April 2) - I hate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but if you love them, remember to have one on this day. With optional crust removed; if you so prefer.
• Scream Day (April 24) - An actual day dedicated to screaming as stress relief. If you see me outside yelling because my editor cut more than 600 words from my 400-word picture book manuscript, now you'll know why. Wait, what…
Religious observances in April 2025 include Passover (April 12-20), Easter (April 20), and Vaisakhi/Baisakhi (April 14), along with Mahavir Jayanti (April 10) and the Bahá'í holiday of Ridvan (April 21-May 2). Bella loves hunting for Easter eggs the Easter Bunny leaves for her, while her Grandma Yetta loves to hide the matzah on Passover.
Author's Education Corner: Finding Inspiration in Unlikely Places
"The most wasted of days is one without laughter." - E.E. Cummings
April includes "Laugh at Work Week" (April 1-7), which got me thinking about the role of humor in creativity. Some of my best ideas have come when I was least serious—often when playing with my cats or talking out loud to myself while writing a scene trying to make it read and flow best (don't judge me).
Research backs this up: Studies show that positive mood and laughter actually expand your cognitive abilities and creative problem-solving. Here's how I incorporate this into my writing process:
1. Scheduled play time - I deliberately set aside 15 minutes before writing sessions for something purely fun.
Okay, that’s a lie, but when I spend too much time researching and writing on the laptop she either mews until I pet or feed her, or sits perched on the arm of the couch with a Cheshire's grin waiting to see how long it takes for me to figure out she’s filled up the litterbox; again. GINGERRRRR!
2. Ridiculous drafts – After I write the first draft, I go back to see where I can add humor and onomatopoeia words, as well as ask and answer the question what’s the worst thing that could happen next with every character appearing in the scene then revise and dial it back, and repeat the process until I’m unable to make any additional revisions.
My best writing happens from pure inspiration.
When the Budsie stuffed animal designer sent me photos of the 16” version of Pip the Domovoi, Pip had splotches of purple on the back of his head. However, because Pip only has blue hair and orange skin, I naturally asked why there purple splotches on the back of Pip’s head are.
Answering this question led me to write the sixth Bella Brown book: Bella Brown—Pip’s Purple Perfect Present in less than a weekend, because I couldn’t stop writing or sleep until I finished the story.
Writer Facts, News, and Metrics
"In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours." - Mark Twain
Three publishing facts for April 2025:
1. Children's book sales typically see a 15% increase during spring months when parents are preparing for summer reading
2. Authors who release content coinciding with seasonal themes see 22% higher engagement rates
3. Manuscript submissions to agents and publishers rise by 34% in April and May, making it one of the most competitive periods |
