Monday, May 17, 2010

A Wee Happy Post

I found my complimentary copies of the June issue of Highlights High Five in my mailbox on Saturday night. The illustrator, Kristin Sorra, has pictures of the illustration and the illustration with my poem on her blog. Click on her blog, if you'd like to see them. Aren't her animals fabulous? I love how they look like they're sleeping.

If you'd like to listen to the audio on the Highlights website, you can click here. You want the big blue "play audio" rectangle. "A Place on My Bed" is up first. Vicki, if you're reading this, you'll appreciate how they pronounce my name. ;o)

For those of you who submit to magazines or might be curious, I'm throwing in a few details. I first submitted "A Place on My Bed" on August 18, 2008. My editor requested a rewrite on the 28th, and I sent the revised poem back on September 9th. She asked for another rewrite on the 22nd. I mailed it back the next day, September 23, 2008. They sent my contract on January 12, 2009. Yes, it takes just about as long to have something published in a magazine as it does to get a book published. The editing process for eight lines versus a novel is definitely easier though. Sometimes, I don't have to revise at all.

It's always exciting to see what the illustrator comes up with. Highlights has amazing illustrators, and I've never been disappointed.

Thanks for celebrating with me!


32 comments:

  1. lol, I had the exact problem as the child in the poem when I was about five years old. Nicely done and congratulations.

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  2. This is adorable!! Congratulations. I love everything about it -- your poem is awesome!

    (BTW, I gave you an award on my blog. :))

    Amy

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  3. Love the illustration, and the poem, which is so sweet. It's awesome to see your name in a real, live magazine:)

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  4. Thanks, Ryan! My oldest used to sleep with so many stuffed animals. I think she's down to four or five though.

    Thanks, Amy! This is one of my favorites. Let's just say it's my favorite that isn't an alphabet poem.

    Thanks, Krista! You're oldest is just the right age for this magazine. Even if they don't carry it at your library, you can order it from one of the others. I bet he'd love their simplified Hidden Pictures.

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  5. aww Myrna it's wonderful, congratulations. :o) haha I remember stuffing my bed with tons of toys.

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  6. How exciting to see your words pop off the page with those wonderful illustrations! I sold a few stories to children's magazines and you're right, it takes forever to see them in print. A couple of them never did make it to the page, although they paid me for the rights.

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  7. Whoo hooo go Myrna! The illustration is beautiful. Congrats on the poem--it's super cute. I can't believe they actually wanted multiple rewrites for an 8 line poem.

    I'm so glad you shared the process with us--I never would have imagined it could take two years!

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  8. Congratulations! That's a very nice poem. I like it.

    And thanks for the look at magazine publishing. Beneath Ceaseless Skies was similar for me: 1 month to accept, 1.5 months of revisions, then 4 months to publication.

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  9. Congrats! I loved the illustrations and your poem is so sweet. Just like my kiddoes. They sleep with stacks of books in their beds, too. My little nerdlings;)

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  10. Cute poem and fun illustration, too! Congrats!!

    =)

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  11. So exciting!! I'll be looking for it in June. Congratulations. :)
    Winged Writer

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  12. Thanks, Niki! I'd love to see your magazine stories.

    Karen, I didn't know you sold stories to magazines. Congrats!

    Olleymae, they didn't like the direction I went with the first revision, so I had to scrap it and do another. This version is much better than the original, so I'm happy they had me do it. And it doesn't always take so long; the poem before this one took about a year.

    Thanks, Adam! It's interesting to see the process for different areas of publication, isn't it?

    Kelly, your comment made me laugh! My kids would sleep with stacks of books too, if I didn't pull them off their beds at bedtime.

    Thanks, Chris!

    Thanks, Sue! I'm glad you liked it.

    Catherine, I haven't seen you in forever! Thanks for commenting!

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  13. Cute poem, I love it! I also love how they pronounced your name! Hilarious!!

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  14. I knew you'd like that. I always think of you when people pronounce my name that way. hehehe

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  15. Congrats! And that's amazing that it takes so long. Holy Cats! Thanks for sharing. :)

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  16. Thanks for visiting, Susan! It's great to see you here.

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  17. Myrna!!! That's fabulous!! I think I saw too you're only pages away from a draft of your WIP!!! You are on fire this week!

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  18. Thanks, Kristin. I'm hoping to finish tomorrow. I actually have a bunch of church stuff going on this afternoon and tonight. It's been a good week.

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  19. I love the pics, and of course the poem! Congrats!

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  20. Congrats! Those pictures look AMAZING! so adorable :)!!

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  21. Congratulations, Myrna! The poem and the pictures are both incredible - I love it!

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  22. Thank you, Maile! I loved your demo tonight!

    Thanks, Judith! I agree: 100% adorable.

    Thank you, Susan! I can't wait to hear more about your fantasy project - loved the blogfest snippet!

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  23. Your poem is SOOO cute! It made me giggle because that is totally how Eli's bed is! Way to go Myrna! Thanks for all your sweet comments on my blog. I am glad we get to share sam with you even from a distance. HOpe you guys are doing well! Tell the kids we say hi!

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  24. Thanks, Camille! I'll tell them.

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  25. Oh my gosh! That's so exciting and the poem/illustration is adorable. You should be so proud!

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  26. Congratulations.

    I haven't been published in magazines. I didn't know about the length of time from acceptance to publication. Good to know.

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  27. The poem was very cute. I was thinking about magazine submissions recently actually, and I had no idea it took so long! Of course, before I started writing novels, I had no clue about that process either.

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  28. Thanks, Lisa and Laura!

    I'm glad you found it interesting, Medeia. Thank you.

    Thanks, Jesse. I think they're worth the time and effort, but only if you enjoy it. I have experience working with wonderful editors and understanding contracts that I wouldn't have otherwise.

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  29. Esther VanderlaanMay 21, 2010 at 3:44 AM

    How cool!!!

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  30. Congratulations! That was my bed as a kid--and now it's my daughter's bed! LOL!

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  31. Thanks, Esther! I've never gotten 30 comments on a post before. :o)

    I'm glad you could relate, Tara. Thanks for visiting!

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