- my wife, for being my #1 fan…it’s all dedicated to you
- Robin & Eve, for making the road to publication so much fun (somehow, even the depressing parts)
- SLOW for Children, for giving me the tools to polish my craft…I can’t imagine a more talented critique group
- Lin Oliver, Stephen Mooser, Sue Alexander, and the entire SCBWI staff, for the encouragement and connections you’ve given me over the years…oh, and the money was nice, too (I will make you proud!)
- Nancy H., for teaching a class called Children’s Lit. Appreciation and introducing me to a lifelong passion
- Kathleen Duey, for telling me “it’s going to happen” over and over and over and not letting me feel too discouraged that it hasn’t…yet
- Henry Winkler, for throwing my world into a new orbit with the possibility of writing for a television series…dude, I wanted to be you when I was a kid!
- Chris Crutcher, for telling me I was working on something really special (my fingers are crossed that you won’t be disappointed)
- Roxyanne Young at SmartWriters.com, for the exposure and believing in my work
(let me pause to say that this list of people I’m afraid of disappointing is starting to freak me out)
- Arthur Levine, John Rudolph, Michelle Frey, Krista Marino, Caitlyn Dlouhy, and Kate O’Sullivan, for asking me to continue sending in my work…one day, I hope you’ll love something enough to publish it (because that’ll mean I just sold six books!)
- Leighton, Elizabeth, and Jennie, for giving me a chance
- Arthur Levine (again), for being the coolest editor…though not my editor (yet?)
- David Diaz, for being the coolest Caldecott winning illustrator
- Gordon Korman, for not minding stale Krispy Kremes
- Debby Garfinkle, for giving me hope that there is a market for funny books and for asking me to critique a published author’s manuscript (you were my first…I hope you weren’t disappointed)
- Jessica Lee Anderson and Tracey Baptiste, for asking if you could take a picture with this bearded mermaid and then keeping in touch afterwards (and for writing such awesome books)
- David Steinberg, for being hilarious and introducing me to your editor
- Genevieve and Ellory, for reminding me why I write
- Mom, Dad, and my little brother Nate, for giving me a childhood that I love revisiting again and again
Love,
Jay
3 comments:
What a very nice blog entry! I'm honored to see my name here, especially right next to Gordon Korman's!
I'm grateful to you for being a friend, not to mention giving me such a helpful critique.
Jay, I'm so glad we've kept in touch. You have such talent, plus, you're the most handsome/beautiful mermaid that I've ever seen. Hope you all have a Happy Valentine's Day!
Jessica
Debby, you and Gordon are two of my favorite humorists. You're the Ma & Pa of funny books. Gordon Garfinkle...it's got a nice ring to it.
Jessica, it's all in the make-up. Robin and Eve went to town on my "mermaid face" so I'm giving all the credit to them.
- Jay
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