Update roundup: conferences, creativity, coworkers, and the calendar

Life always seems to get busier this time of year. A few updates:

-I spent last weekend at the New England SCBWI conference. Here is lots about the learning side of that. It was also, as always, a great place to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones, and to chicken-scratch lots of ideas for various writing projects, in hopes that those ideas will still make sense when I get home.

-There are various writing projects! (And most of the chicken-scratch does make sense a week later.) There's an ongoing one in a revision phase that feels reinvigorated, and a new one that dreams about being anywhere near a revision phase. And of course, there's Parodies for Charities; if anyone in your life (say, someone in need of a Mother's Day/Father's Day/graduation/transitional-time-of-year gift) would appreciate a personalized silly song or scene, you know where to find me. Proceeds are currently going to The Trevor Project.

-I am super-proud of Siân, who's about to become the Children's/YA editor at Shelf Awareness. Even though it means my office mornings will contain about 43% less discussion of Harry Potter houses, 56% less debate on what constitutes an acceptable breakfast, and 85% less rhapsodizing about whatever she's excited about on a given day.

-May approaches rapidly, but I am resisting turning a certain meme into a song parody for the sake of your earworms. You're welcome, and happy spring.

Parody, squared

There was one true statement in yesterday’s post: I am having a lot of fun with Parodies for Charities. But as I’ve said, P4C aims to make the world a better place, and enlisting me to solve your math problems would not further that goal.

Contrary to yesterday’s claim, my math skills aren’t dazzling, but I do have the ability to read a calendar. Happy Day After April Fools’ Day.

My businesses are multiplying!

I’ve been having so much fun with Parodies for Charities that my mathematical side wanted to get in on the equation. Introducing Solutions for Contributions! Got math problems? Send ‘em my way! (You’re on your honor not to send me your homework.) I will dazzle you with my cunning calculations in exchange for a donation to the Number One Foundation, a charity that does the important work of looking out for its members. Starting rate is the square root of $100; a 50-cent surcharge applies if you need that square root calculated for you.

Your problems are my problems. Email for solutions.