I've been sitting on some news this past week, and now I'm allowed to share:
YAY!
I am so excited about this for two reasons. First, I've always loved SCBWI, and I am honored they are allowing me to do more for the organization. Secondly, I've been looking around recently, and I realized that while I have a fairly large community of writers/agents/editors/other industry professionals I can turn to for information and support, the majority of them are outside my state/region. I've been wondering the best way to get to know the "locals" as well. So this was perfect timing for me. I can't wait to get to work!
FYI, Sydney Salter is stepping down as RA, and I will miss her dearly (figuratively speaking of course, since she lives close by and we will still work together on The Mixed-Up Files blog). She did such a wonderful job during her 7 years as RA, and I can't imagine SCBWI without her. I am taking over her Utah responsibilities, and I feel the enormity of the shoes I have to fill.
I want to publicly thank her for the amazing job she has done for our region, and apologize in advance for all the emails and phone calls she's about to receive from me during the next few months. If you feel inclined, I'd love for those of you in our region to find her and thank her, too. In fact, check out her blog and leave your thanks in a comment. She deserves more praise, imo.
Also FYI, Neysa Jensen, who was the ARA before me, will be stepping up into the RA position. I am thrilled to be working with her! She will be handling the S. Idaho side of our region (though the two of us will be helping each other out, so it's not like she has to go it alone--ditto for me). I feel so lucky to have her to lean on and learn from!
Anyway, Utah/Idaho people, I'm here to help. Feel free to contact me anytime, for questions, suggestions about activities you wish SCBWI did here, or just to introduce yourself or others in the writing community. I am so excited to get to know you and get started!
P.S. I will be speaking at WIFYR this June. If you are there, please stop by and say hi. And if you are on the fence about going to the workshop, please sign up! It will be well worth the time and expense, trust me. I attended WIFYR in 2006 and it was the best thing I could have done for my writing career. Honest.