Who Designs Baby Gear Anyway?!

My little rainbow is 3 1/2 months, I can't believe it.  I also can't believe how easy I thought it would be to update my blog, cook dinner, and clean the house all while having a baby who sleeps happily in her crib for naps.  This hasn't happened.  Instead, my little girl wants to cuddle non stop, and while this would cause a lot of stress for some, for me?  I'm in heaven.  


However, I do have some gripes.  Not about the typical lack of sleep - no, that I welcome, because it means I brought my baby home.  My gripes are about baby gear.  Who designs this stuff anyway?

First, let's talk onesies/one-pieces/bodysuits.  These are designed to be worn solo, or with a cute pair of pants so that my little girl looks like she's wearing adult clothes.  Putting pants on is not a foreign concept, and obviously pants will come up to the waist. So why do some of the designs go so low?  For example, my daughter's adorable lime green onesie with a turquoise whale and pink hearts ends up looking like a crocodile when she wears pants, with only an eye sticking up from above the waist line.  Or am I mistaken?  Perhaps she is meant to wear her pants as hip huggers at such an early age?  Take a look at this monkey.  That tail is a goner.

Second, let's talk socks.  I know that her socks will inevitably end up getting lost or eaten by the washing machine, so I bought a lot.  But they won't stay on.  Ever.  First I thought it was just the booties.  But then I noticed that with any degree of squirming (and she squirms a lot!) the socks slip down and then with one well-timed squirm, off they go.  This wasn't a problem in summer, but now that we're approaching fall?  She's going to get cold.  Can we make baby socks a little higher please?

Third, let's talk burp cloths.  Again, babies drool, spit, throw up, and emit many types of liquids.  And when they're teething, they drool.  A lot.  So who came up with these small and dainty burp cloths that are good for one swipe of the mouth?  I end up having to use four a day.  Don't get me started on bibs...

It's not like babies haven't been around for a long time.  And it's not like I'm picking on some brand new baby item that everyone has to have.  These are items that babies have been using for a long time.  So let's see some changes!

My Rainbow Baby Has Arrived!

Just over a month ago, we welcomed our sweet daughter Callista to the world.  After a stillbirth and two miscarriages we thought she would never arrive, but she did.  And as I sit here holding her, I'm amazed that I was able to bring her home.  Her full head of hair is as wispy as a dandelion and blonde.  Her eyes are that piercing newborn blue, and will probably stay that way.  She's long, as she was born at just under 22 inches, and just over 7 pounds.  

We are in love.


Yet this doesn't take away that there are children missing.  There is a two year old that should have been running around under my feet as I struggled to stay awake breastfeeding my daughter.  There could have been another son or daughter too, and their absence is profoundly felt, even more so when I visit the cemetery, this time with my rainbow baby in my arms.


The picture book that I wrote?  I finally have someone to read it too; a new reason to seek to be published.  I cannot wait to hear her laugh, and I cannot wait to see her try to hold her first book, even if it goes straight into her toothless mouth.


A study I read jointly published by the USA and UK states that baby loss mommies only start to truly heal two years after the birth of their rainbow baby.  The study was done to find out what could be done for pregnant women who had lost babies before, to ensure that the women received help before she developed post partum depression or any other psychological disorder.  


My rainbow baby is here.  I truly hope that she touches that place that has been locked since I lost my son.  I will never forget, but hopefully I can heal, and I look forward to the journey.  

The Pregnancy "Advice Zone" - The Epidural

Once you reach a certain point in your pregnancy, the horror stories and advice start emerging. A baby loss mom takes this in a much different light. With all of the people out there trying to convince me of the horrors of labor, I'd like to remind them that I have been through labor, and what I have been through is far more horrible than anything they encountered. I was told that my son "may come out in pieces", and I was told that they could not help, he was breech, and then I was wheeled out of Labor & Delivery with empty arms. Now while I am aware that there are further horrors in the delivery room, none can compare to that type of experience.

One of the biggest topics to open Been There Done That Mommy's mouths, is when I mention that I am going natural. I do not want an epidural. I do not want a needle put into my spine, no matter how small. I'm not doing this for a medal, I'm not doing this to compare myself to my friend who is happily getting an epidural (and I am happy that she knows what she wants and is going for it), I'm doing this for me. For me, this is a rite of passage and something I need to do for myself. You would think that's all that needed to be said, but people still find a way to offer their unsolicited opinions.

So I've come up with a solution:

For anyone who tells me that I will end up with an epidural and fail at my natural birth plan, I'd like $20 please. Please put your money where your mouth is. I would be happy to take that money and put it in my child's college savings fund because apparently you don't know how stubborn I am, or how serious I am. With as many people who have made this comment to me so far, I'm pretty sure I will earn at least a few hundred dollars for my child's education.

Sounds like a good start to me.

Geek & Nerd Gift Websites for Babies & Toddlers

Every time I go into Babies R Us (which isn't a whole lot, since that store only reminds me of my son), I'm reminded that they really don't have a good selection for the geek mom. They have the typical baby outfits, the outfits full of pink ruffles and/or sports motifs, both of which I am terrified will end up in this house by someone well-meaning. Anything with a dragon or Star Trek? Forget it. They have typical baby toys, things that teach your mini-me to stack up blocks that are made of plastic with "A" is for apple, but where is "A" is for astronaut or atom or Alien? It's hard to find outfits and toys for baby that are uniquewithout scouring the web, so I have done some of that for you. Check out these fun items and stores for your own geek baby or a geek baby that is due soon to one of your friends.

1. Star Trek Onesies, Fantasy Hooded Towels & Nerd Flas

hcards @ ThinkGeek

Who doesn't want to dress up their little munchkin in support of all things Trekkie-dom? ThinkGeek o

ffers these in different colors (depending on what your little one will do on the ship, of course) and

has a plethora of oth

er fun geek and nerd baby and toddler fun to check out. And stuff for you too, of course! Don't forget The Baby Owner's Manual!

2. Baby's Personalized Arrival QR Code @ Etsy

Etsy is a haven for geek gear made by

people who are much craftier than I am. This one functions as beautiful art work and everyone who comes to see the baby can have all of the stats without having t

o ask!

3. Monster & Zombie Loving Onesies @ My Baby Rocks

This site has a ton of unique punk, goth, geek, and monster related goodies for your infant or toddler. They even have diaper bags and maternity wear!

4. Ninja & Other Evil Genius Ideas for Mom & Baby

This site goes through CafePress which means if you like this design for your baby and you want a matching one for you, you're all set! Adorable and sassy onesies and bibs and shirts abound!

Surviving a Rainbow Pregnancy

Primary Rainbow. Source: Listentoreason @ FlickrCommons

I've been quiet for a couple of months, and that's because I've had my head in the sand. The husband and I were blessed with another pregnancy shortly after Dragon Con, and after having a stillbirth and suffering two miscarriages, being pregnant again requires a great deal of concentration and introspection. This is a rainbow baby, the rainbow that comes after the storm of loss after loss after loss. This is also a rainbow baby due on the same day that I lost my son, almost two years ago.

This time is different. I'm on Lovenox and have to give myself a belly shot once a day at 10 pm. I'm on baby aspirin every morning. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 14 weeks and that means four finger pokes a day and dietary adjustment (though thankfully in my case, that primarily means removing juice). It means every other week doctor visits and additional visits supervised by a MFM (Maternal Fetal Medicine) who specializes in cases like mine, where the woman can get pregnant easily, but doesn't keep it.

This time is different. I have had seven ultrasounds now, and all have showed wonderful growth and a growing happy, healthy baby. I will be 26 weeks on Tuesday, the point in time where I learned that my first child, Alistair, had died. As I sit here typing this, my little one is kicking happily away bringing tears to my eyes.

This time is different. I have more fear coursing through me than, arguably, someone going to war. I am terrified at every turn that I will lose this one too. That I will have grown too close to this baby to have it taken away from me. When people say "Congratulations" I stare at them blankly, wondering why they are congratulating me if I don't have the baby in my arms yet. When people ask me what I'm having, I say I don't know and I don't care, because just getting a living, healthy baby at the end of this is my primary concern, not whether or not it will be wearing pink or blue. When I found myself registering at Babies R Us yesterday, I wasn't walking through the store with a glazed happy look on my face, I was remembering when I had done this for my son and that he had died a few short weeks before his shower and I felt like with every scan I was jinxing things. Not to mention the music that they played just happened to be songs from when I had lost him.

But this time will be different. I will bring home this baby, healthy and breathing. I have a support network of friends and family both in person and online who are helping me through and holding my hand. And although I yearn to once again work on my novels, I know that right now all I am capable of is taking things one step at a time. If the bathroom doesn't get clean because I am crying, because it has been more than an hour since I have felt the baby move, it's okay.

I've learned that I'm a survivor, and regardless of what happens, I will continue to survive. My dreams of becoming published will still be there, and hopefully I can continue working towards that when my rainbow baby arrives at the beginning of June.

Gift Guides for Zombie, Werewolf & Vampire Lovers

Urban fantasy author Suzanne Johnson has put together some very nice collections of zombie, werewolf and vampire lover gifts that she has stumbled upon, mostly upon Etsy. So if you're like a vast majority of Americans and haven't gotten your shopping finished yet (and only noticed that we're 1 week from Christmas Day), you may want to check these out!

Recommended Reading for 2011 by Fantasy Book Critic

With all of the wonderful Fantasy/Sci-Fi books for 2011, where do you start? I'm desperately trying to catch up from 2009-2010, however, for those of you who are well ahead of me, Fantasy Book Critic has put together a wonderful list of recommended reading from 2011. Even better, you can view the tantalizing covers for yourselves before purchasing them. Don't forget to click on the list of titles near the top for a link to Goodreads, where you can view more information on these wonderful books.

Link to Fantasy Book Critic's site here.

DragonCon 2011: Day 1 - Friday, September 2nd

I started my official Day 1 with a ride on the Holiday Inn shuttle. This was the free shuttle that the Holiday Inn Capitol Conference Center employed to take its guests to and from anywhere within a 3 mile radius during most normal hours. The shuttle was a great idea in theory, but was poorly executed for DragonCon. I don't think that they were aware of the sheer number of people that were going back and forth, nor did they coordinate with its guests on where to wait at the specific hotels. Therefore there was often a 30 minute wait only to have the shuttle pull up to the Marriott and have 30 people rushing at it from all directions and then, another 30 minute wait for the next shuttle. Again, great idea, but definitely an area to improve.

I dropped off the husband in the line to see William Shatner about an hour early and ran off to the Write a Story in an Hour. For a writer, this was one of the best ways to start off DragonCon. Not only did I get to meet other writers, but the suggestions thrown out by members of the audience as we attempted to create a story complete with hero, supporting character, villain, and basic plot was both educational and hilarious at the same time. Members kept wanting to find a way to add ninjas to a story that started with fog, a shipwreck, and a clock.

We chose to spend most of the time until the Sanctuary panel wandering around, people watching, shopping, and just having a great time. One of the highlights of our meandering was the Space track who set out telescopes to view the sun. My inner 8-year old astronaut was so geeked I could hardly contain myself. A huge thank you to those who ran the event for giving me the opportunity!

The Sanctuary panel was the huge draw for me that day. Amanda Tapping began by sticking her head out of a curtain and viewing the audience, most of whom didn't even see her. One of the things that I enjoy the most about Sanctuary and the cast is that they truly care what the fans have to say. Amanda wrote a multitude of notes to follow up on, one of which involved inviting the wrongly cancelled show Eureka star Colin Ferguson on to Sanctuary. The cast were both kind and funny. Instead of the panel being led by a moderator, the cast let the audience ask questions.

Friday night we ordered dinner from a Chinese Buddhist restaurant called The Green Sprout. They had quite a bit of trouble finding our hotel, however, once we did receive the food, it was absolutely delicious. It's not often that a vegetarian has so many choices, especially fake meat versions of the dishes that we used to eat before we turned vegetarian, like sweet and sour "chicken".

The night was supposed to cap off with the Masquerade Ball, an event that was supposed to celebrate DragonCon's 25th Anniversary. Unfortunately we were six people away from getting in when they locked the doors, with hundreds behind us. I cannot understand why the signature event would have been placed in a smaller room. Saddened, we stumbled upon a group of people dressed as Spiderman breakdancing. Paired with a beer or two, and this was a fun stint to watch.

More people watching followed, as well as a duck in to see The Last Dance playing who I enjoyed, though the speakers in the room made the music a little hard to enjoy without plugging my ears to drown out half of the volume. It was a great first day at DragonCon. Stay tuned for Day 2.

DragonCon 2011: Unofficial Day 1 - Thursday, September 1st

This past Labor Day I had my first DragonCon experience, four chaotically packed days where I was always wondering what would happen next. Dragon Con takes place every Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, GA, where about 40,000 people converge upon the city, most in costume, to have what may be the largest geek family reunion in the world of family you didn't know you had.

The official start to DragonCon was Friday, but the parties truly kick off on Thursday, that is, after you stand in the epic line to get your badge. It took us 1 1/2 hours to get ours, but since we heard that the new computer system had gone down and last year it had been 4 hours we considered ourselves lucky. Once we were on the inside of the hotel someone would scream "Marco!" and about 200 people would scream "Polo!" back. The feeling of geek camaraderie was intense and I lapped it up!

Here's me gushing over my first DragonCon badge.

We went to dinner with the Brit Track to Haveli's and enjoyed a delicious Indian buffet as well as fantastic company. After that it was all about meeting people and enjoying the costumes that were starting to come out.

I knew my con experience truly started when someone screamed "Sexy Alien!" and a few people ran down one of the walkways that connect two of the hotels for a picture. These two jumped in a photo and the smiles on their faces make me laugh every time.

My next favorite was the Storm Trooper that had found himself in the middle of a John Travolta movie.

We also attended an Emerald Rose concert, a fantastic pagan/celtic band whose catchy pagan/celtic tunes get me moving every time.

Here's a couple more pictures of things we saw Thursday night.

More to come as the pictures are uploaded. I'll also post a couple of videos that I shot of the panels and the parade, so check back in a few days!

Defining Your Novel's Genre

I am at the crossroads of a seemingly impossible task, one of defining my novel's genre. In a world where genre-bending is as common as houseflies, when submitting a manuscript to an agent or publisher, it is still necessary to know where your novel belongs.

Let's look at my manuscript Gorgon-zola!, a manuscript that can seemingly fit on many bookshelves.

First, it's a book about a feisty Italian 30-something woman who finds out that she's the reincarnated Medusa, and you can imagine the boy trouble she has. After all, it's difficult to settle down with a man when every time she gets angry, she's in danger of paralyzing him. She does find Mr. Romeo, in the guise of a reincarnated hero, who just happens to have a fear of snakes. But is it romance? Not unless it's a main component of the story. Whereas my heroine and hero definitely have the hots for each other, unless the story is about my heroine finding true love, then it's not romance.

Second, it's a book with multiple Grecian gods and goddesses playing a starring role. They can disappear and reappear at will, and even summon martinis. So is it fantasy? There's no different world, different culture, and no fantastical creatures.

Third, it's a light summer read, one that I can see a woman taking to the beach for her most personal of relaxation times. She can struggle along with my heroine as she tries to master her powers and she can identify with a woman who sometimes just wants to be left alone. Does that make it chick lit? There's not as much humor as Bridget Jones' Diary.

Fourth, it deals with issues like trust, and solitude, and even briefly touches on religion. After all, it's kind of hard not to when Greek gods and goddesses are forcing you to take sides. It's also for women, so does that make it women's fiction? Women's fiction typically requires greater stoicism, and the tone of my book just isn't ready to go there.

Fifth, it takes place in "real life" and has a magical twist, so does that make it magical realism? Magical realism is often literary fiction with just a dash of "something else" thrown in. Gorgon-zola! is definitely a far cry from literary fiction.

So what's an author to do? Sometimes when you're at your wit's end and you want to call your novel a jack of all trades, you can fall back to those who have come before you. Find a book that you love that reminds you of your own precious novel, and head over to a review site, or read the back of the book. How was this novel described? Another idea is to pick the one that comes the closest and use the tried and true "chick lit with a touch of fantasy". Or ask a critique partner what they think.

And just remember, it's okay to be wrong. It's your compelling query and writing that will capture the eye of an agent and publisher. The market is continuously changing and combining genres in new and interesting ways. Just maybe, the next big genre catch phrase will be that perfect home for the novel you've just written.

Photo of the Week: The Temple of Philae

Rising up like The Lady of the Lake's secret abode, the Temple of Philae in Egypt struck me as one of those magical places that are seldom visited. To get there, we sat aboard a small motorboat which noisily pushed itself in the most economic unfriendly way towards this island. Egrets wandered by with a sense of apathy, as if they've seen far too many tourists before. This was a pilgrimage site for those who worshipped Isis, and as the Egyptian goddesses of magic, she definitely had a hand here.

Photo of the Week: Technicolor Floor Cleaner in Spain

Since I'm abysmally slow in updating my friends and family with pictures I've taken while travelling around the world, I'm going to start my picture of the week feature. This way I can post a tantalizing piece of my journeys every week. I hope you enjoy.

I took this picture in a grocery store in Barcelona. The colors are so vibrant, it looks a bit like kool-aid, but its not. It's floor cleaner. Imagine leaving this type of thing around with a small child. Yikes.

NPR's Top 100 Science-Fiction & Fantasy Books

Wondering if people adore your favorite sci-fi/fantasy reads as much as you do?

NPR conducted a survey this summer to find out. The ballots have been counted, all 60,000 of them, and NPR has just posted the winners. There's a convenient printable top 100 list, and the complete list of 237 finalists. What a great way to spend the rest of your summer, curled up with an old favorite, or with a fresh, new paperback on the hammock.

Top 100 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Books

Complete List of 237 Finalists

How to Outline Your Next Novel

One of the single biggest questions asked of any author is "did you outline?" If you ask three different authors this question, it's one of those times where you will get five answers, all of them different. It's one of my favorite questions to ask at any panel, just to prove a point: there is no single right way to write a novel. Everyone does it differently. The point is learning your own style. Sometimes this means following in another's footsteps, and sometimes this means muddling through on your own.

If you do want to outline, how should you begin? I have come across more than a hundred blog posts and articles discussing the merits of outlining or letting your characters have their heads and run freely, but not very many on how to actually outline. If you need a how-to, check out one of these wonderful websites:

• Randy Ingermanson's "Snowflake Method". This theoretical physicist designed this method for growing your novel. It has step-by-step detail on how to outline, as well as a link to software that you can purchase.

• Alicia Rasley's 1998 Article on sff.net called "Outline Your Novel in 30 Minutes". A quick and easy way to get started.

• Creative Writing Now's "How to Make a Novel Outline". Here you can find a simple method, tips and dangers, and worksheets for novel, character and scene development.

Review of Naomi Novik's Temeraire Series

I stumbled upon the first of Novik's Temeraire series when at a library book sale several months ago. Since then, it's been sitting on my immediate queue bookshelf, waiting for me to pick it up. Every once in a while I would pick it up, read the back, and laugh over the fact that someone wrote a book about dragons in the Napoleonic era. What a silly idea, I thought.

I was so inconceivably wrong.

Four books later into the series, I am in love with these books, and could wait no longer than to post a review of the four I have read thus far. Books five and six arrived yesterday and I cannot wait to tear into them.

Most of the time, dragons are relegated to a) the villain or a villain's side kick, and/or b) an unthinking beast, hording jewels and gold, and barbecuing everything and everyone in its path. This is exactly the opposite of the dragons in Novik's series. Dragons are much like humans, some a little slow, some incredibly witty and intelligent; some are large, some are small. They are different colors and sizes and there are different breeds, depending on a dragon's birthplace in the world. The Chinese dragons are put on pedestals and erudite, and the dragons in other parts of the world breathe fire and spit acid. Dragons are mostly used as mounts in this world, and Novik does an exceptional job in detailing exactly the types of harnesses, riders, and other dragon needs that need to be attended to. She leaves nothing to chance. At the end of the first book, there are even drawings of several of the breeds to further illustrate this lush world that we know so well, yet with dragons.

In most countries (and I will say most, since Novik has been taking the reader all over her world), dragons, once hatched, acquire a "captain". This works much in the same way as a captain of a ship. The captain acquires a crew and lets his crew know what to signal to the other dragons in a formation, similarly to a ship's fleet. My favorite part, however, is the deep bond that is created between a dragon and its captain, at least in most cases. The main two characters, Captain Laurence and Temeraire, embark on a relationship that include them fighting together, to Laurence reading to Temeraire every evening by lamp light. The humorous scenes come frequently, and it's difficult to remember that this cute little dragon who makes inquisitive comments such as that he thought humans also hatched from eggs, is actually a beast that fits well over forty people on his back.

Their relationship begins when Temeraire all but falls into Captain Laurence's lap. A naval captain, Laurence is not eager to join the corps, those who work with the dragons, but when Temeraire selects him as his captain, Laurence has little choice. Through the four books, Laurence and Temeraire learn how to fly and fight together, visit Temeraire's home, and learn of an impending enemy, one who has a very familiar shape. Between dragons who get sick and sneeze acid, to dragons who with their captains are holding back the French from crossing the channel, the reader is swept up in this beautifully reimagined world. Saying much more, sadly, would contain spoilers, even with where Temeraire is from, because half of the joy is learning what type of dragon he is, and why he is so insufferably intelligent.

If you're not a history buff, never fear. Novik does an excellent job in having the series take place in the Napoleonic era (and even includes Napoleon himself), however, Novik does an excellent job of explaining what is happening, without bogging you down with details that would lose your interest. If you are a history buff, however, those details that are overlooked by those of us not as well versed in Napoleonic era terminology and/or events, are given in detail, and you will feel as if you're a part of it. You will also especially appreciate how accurate these details are, especially since Novik is a self-professed Napoleonic era history buff.

I highly recommend picking up this series for any lover of fantasy literature. I will be delving into book five soon and know already from history that it won't disappoint.

Does Merging Characters = Killing Characters?

I can breathe a sigh of relief now that I just completed my fifth major rewrite of Gorgon-zola! After receiving a few comments about how too many things were happening at the beginning, I wanted to consolidate. One of the biggest things to consolidate were two characters who only had mediocre personalities. They were more than one-sided, however, I just didn't feel like both of them individually added to the story.

So I merged them. Alec and Daniel became Daniel. My husband thinks I should have made a hybrid name since the character is new and improved with character traits with both. What I do know is that the character has never been so well-rounded, and where I initially feared to take one out, I find myself loving the result. It's a bit like the Power Rangers or Captain Planet, combining powers to equal one super powerful character.

This got me thinking to the psychological ramifications of merging characters. There are so many blog posts and questions at conferences about killing characters: if it should be done, if the author sheds a tear, or if the author does it heartlessly for the good of the story. For me, I hate killing my characters. This is my second completed manuscript, and sadly, I've had to end the life of a couple of dear friends.

Did I just do the same thing here? Or can I be happy knowing that they can live on with each other?

Is This Your Dog?

If so, your dog is adorable.

While roaming around Oahu a few weeks ago on an eco-tour, we stopped at a fantastic beach along the North Shore. Sadly, I can't remember the name of the beach, but what I do remember is this big guy, sitting in the driver's seat of this van. I suppose this is what Scooby Doo would have looked like driving the Mystery Machine.

Getting Your Fruits & Veggies in While Writing

When all you can think about is your book and how you're going to get one character out of their latest mess, or how you're going to find an agent, or what the title of your newest manuscript will be, it's hard to remember to eat. It's especially hard to find healthy recipes that don't take much time at all to whip up. So in that vein, I've discovered one of the best summer slaws. It's a great way to get a mix of vitamins and minerals, and enough to keep healthy. Now that I sound like an infomercial, here's the recipe!

Apple Slaw

1 small bag of cole slaw mix, or the equivalent amount of cabbage

1 red pepper, chopped

1/4 cup toasted sunflower kernels

1 apple, chopped

1/3 cup mayo

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 T lemon juice

Mix the first four ingredients. Mix the last three ingredients. Combine, chill, and enjoy! This is also great with blueberries instead of apples, or broccoli slaw instead of cole slaw mix.

When Phobias Go Too Far: Fear of Bananas

The banana has many uses: the inside peel is good for curing poison ivy rashes, it's a great source of potassium (especially if you suffer from a deficiency), it's great in a smoothie, in pancakes or waffles, and who could forget the banana split. But did you know that there are people who are afraid of this lovely yellow elongated fruit?

Apparently there are. Not to fear, this woman has undergone extensive therapy to be around these terrifying fruits.

Freud would have a field day.

Read the article here.

Free Online YA & Children's Writer's Conference in August

For those of you who have a hard time attending a writer's conference, either because of time, money, or perhaps your unswerving devotion to having your butt in the writer's chair, this conference might be for you. The 2nd Annual WriteOn-Con will happen August 16-18, 2011. Last year's conference had over 11,000 participants. There will be hourly events, live chats, videos, online forums, and it is a great chance to network and connect with fellow writers, illustrators and agents. Many of those agents will be prowling for new talent as well and you'll be able to post your work.

So if you're a children's or YA writer/author, register for the conference by going to their website here. Not all information may yet be available, so if not, bookmark that site and keep checking back!