THANK YOU

It's funny how life sweeps you up and carries you away in its tide. It's also funny how you sometimes get anxious thinking about how you haven't posted anything to the blog in weeks but then realize that you are a dry lake of ideas.

But then you realize that your creative story muse has been on fire and ideas are spilling over and you can't write them down fast enough. The ideas are hammering you left and right and you can't decide what to do or which one to write first! Well, I'm happy to say I'm working on it - boy oh boy - am I working on it. You can ask my agent - because I am bugging her all the time with my ramblings of ideas.

Wow, I got off track there... let's get the train back on the rails. Okay, ahem, test test...

As turkey day approaches faster than a greased butterball on ice skates (see what I did there?) it has made me think a great deal about all the things that I am thankful for.

More than anything I am grateful for my amazing wife and two beautiful kids. They are my life and inspiration. They give me the strength everyday to work hard at being the best husband and father I can be. They are my sunshine and my moon and everything in between.

I am grateful for my parents and their constant support and cheer leading. When I first came to Los Angeles I think it was a scary ordeal for them - always wondering if I would be okay and if this business would chew me up and spit me out. So far, only a few good sized dings to the armor and a high percentage of my mental well-being still intact.

I'm grateful for my agent Bree Ogden who is not just my agent but my friend. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful teammate and guardian. We have been in the trenches for over year now and I look forward to the many years ahead.

I'm grateful for all the amazing friends and cohorts that I have made since diving head first into the kiddie-lit pool (the best career decision I could have ever made). I feel like this is going to be like an Oscar speech but I have to shout out to these amazing people for whom I would not be as inspired, as motivated, as geeky, or humbled without them.

Liesa Abrams

Lisa Yee

Tom Angleberger

Kellie Celia

Alan Silberberg

Rebekah Joy Plett

Virginia Grenier

Mary Cunningham

James Riley

Siike Donnelly

Jason Smith

Jonathan Auxier

And OF COURSE all of you that read this blog and visit me from time to time. I am honored. I could go on for days about all the amazing bloggers and authors that I have had the privilege of speaking with but I think my adoration for them is apparent my postings.

I wish each and every one of you a wonderful holiday and the hope of something to be grateful for everyday.