WAITING FOR GREGORY

Writing a picture book is not easy. At least it isn't for me. I wrote the first draft of WAITING FOR GREGORY nine years ago. Even after several revisions, it was terrible and deserved the rejections it received.

A few years later, my editor and I were having lunch and she told me that she thought the story had potential. When I asked if she meant the premise or the text, she smiled and said, "The premise."

That said, I didn't bother to retrieve the manuscript from the file drawer. A couple of years later a new storyline came to me, though. This time, the story was better because I had read and studied hundreds of picture books by then. I still had many rewrites ahead of me, but the new story gave me the energy I needed to go through each revision.

Of course, a picture book isn't finished when the words are in place. The illustations complete the circle. Gabi Swiatkowska's work is brillant. I'm honored that she agreed to illustrate this book.

I've often said that time is a writer's best friend. WAITING FOR GREGORY is an example of that. The book comes out in April. It was a long sweet journey. I hope you like the results.

If you want to read about the original inspiration for the book, go to the WAITING FOR GREGORY page and click on Inspirations.