Focusing on Valentine’s Day and on romance can limit the time of year when a book is most likely to sell. As I read the first draft of this story, I imagined myself back at the children’s bookstore I worked at and how I would recommend this story to parents and teachers. I knew I would think of this story in February, but probably not at other times of year.

If we are to make real change in publishing we have to stop lamenting the death of the agent-editor business lunch, and what’s more, we have to start actively seeking creative ways to connect across regions and communities.

I ask every new client, “Who is your intended audience?” Quite often the answer is an enthusiastic “Everyone!” And I’m so glad to know my writer friends are ambitious and inclusive. You must be ambitious to be successful as a published author. And while it’s not always necessary to be inclusive, it is a laudable desire, especially when creating content for children.