I’d been starting to wonder if I should keep trying to write for children.

Kidlit can be a tricky industry to break into (along with publishing overall), and sending my work out was starting to feel like shouting into the void: no one was answering. Meanwhile, my short fiction for adults was getting published. Maybe I was shouting at the wrong place?

I submitted my middle grade manuscript to the Association of Jewish Libraries’ Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award, figuring nothing would come of it, and I went about my day.

… and then I won.

I really wasn’t expecting to win. I’m still pinching myself. It feels amazing to know the committee liked my story, and that this award could help me someday get it into readers’ hands.

Also, I love golem stories! I’m mildly obsessed. See: my current writing notebook. (Not shown: golem pin, golem laptop sticker, golem desk figure, various golem books.) It’s especially great to be recognized for writing about something I love.

Even if it is frustrating to have watched the topic get timelier every year since I started writing the story. But that’s another post.

I thought I needed to stop writing middle grade, but it looks to me like I should keep going.

So if anyone needs me, I’ll be writing.