Promotional image for Marvelous Midwest conference, put on by six Midwestern chapters of SCBWI

In-person events will come again

The first weekend in April was reserved on my calendar to attend the Marvelous Midwest conference. This large gathering is on by six Midwestern chapters of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. I was really looking forward to it. During the early planning of the event, I was co-leading the Wisconsin chapter, and I reached out to many of the planned faculty. As I had already stepped down from that role, I wasn’t privy to any decision-making after Sept 2021. However, we original organizers had hopes for an in-person event.

Alas, it was not to be. It was postponed due to rising COVID-19 cases to a yet-to-be-announced date. In-person events will come again. In truth, many are already happening, but event decisions need to made months in advance, and no one has a functioning crystal ball. Those who made their events in person rolled the dice one way. Others are rolling it another. If the pandemic’s taught us anything, it’s that it behooves us to be flexible. And so we have to accept this with understanding and grace.

In a separate act of support for creatives, I just renewed my membership with the Wisconsin Writers Association. I was on their board of directors last year before the big move to New York, and let me tell you, this organization has a lot of great things going on! I’m lucky to be connected to such groups. They really make this creative journey a pleasure.

Promotional image for Marvelous Midwest conference, put on by six Midwestern chapters of SCBWI


Logo for Wisconsin Writers Association, showing a large W above a bar and the words "Wisconsin writers association"