Guest blog by Janet Costa Bates and Nancy Tupper Ling 
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 You head to the bookstore to do a storytime event. You’re all set to read to the little ones and enthrall them with your story.

 But what do you do when no one shows up?

No one.
Not one kid.
Not one adult.
Not even some drenched stranger
​looking to get out of the rain.

You hope.
You pray.
But, still, not one single soul.
What do you do now?

​​First, be grateful that you had your book buddy with you instead of going it alone. (This may not always be the case, but it’s a good idea when you can make it happen.)
 
Decide that since your book buddy is with you, you might as well enjoy each other's company. Walk, or better yet, skip around the store together. 

​You can act a fool and have fun. You can even take pictures or videos of yourselves acting a fool because - why not?   

​And since you weren’t able to entertain anyone while you were at the store, you can post the pictures and entertain people online. You might as well get some mileage out of the experience.
 
Make sure to thank the bookstore staff. After all, they likely tried their best and, like you, were hoping for a good turnout.
 
Lastly, assess. More social media promotion might help attract a crowd, but it might not. What else can you do to assure a better turnout next time?

• Try reaching out directly to family and friends who might be interested.
• Are there any nearby kid-related organizations that might bring in some families or at least post about your event?
• Do you know anyone close to the bookstore who would be willing to share the event with their friends, neighbors, and/or local organizations?
• Maybe you could arrange a giveaway for those who show up for your storytime. (MUST be present to win!)
• Be sure to talk to the bookstore manager or events person to see what they’re willing/able to do.

 
There are many things you can and should do to better your chances of having people show up for your event, but there’s absolutely no guarantee that anyone will. So, just in case, team up with a book buddy, have fun, and enjoy hanging out together. You’re in a bookstore, after all.

Janet Costa Bates is the author of Time For Bed, Old House (Candlewick, 2021) which received four starred reviews and was an NAACP Image Award Nominee. She is also the author of the Rica Baptista chapter book series featuring a Cape Verdean American girl navigating family and friend relationships. Two books in this series are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selections. 

To learn more about Janet visit www.janetcostabates.com/ and purchase her books here and here. 
To learn more about Nancy visit  www.nancytupperling.com/ and purchase her books here and here. 

by Kristi Mahoney
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​There is nothing more exciting than when we get to celebrate one of our own. Today we’re thrilled to announce that Amanda Smith, one of the founding members of 24 Carrot Writing, has a poem “Wonder” in a beautiful anthology launching this month. Bless the Earth: A Collection of Poetry for Children to Celebrate and Care for Our World (Convergent/Penguin, 2024) is a stirring collection celebrating our awe-inspiring planet.

Lessons We’ve Learned from Amanda
 
Perseverance
Every writer knows the sting of rejection in this industry. Whether from feedback on a manuscript, a pass from an agent, or a “not for me” response on a submission, those stinging rejections can make us consider giving up our craft. Amanda once told us that she thought about not writing anymore, but quickly reconsidered as she contemplated what she would do with the characters and stories still inside her.
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Amanda not only follows her heart in all her writing endeavors, but she listens carefully to the stories and words inside her soul. Those tales pour forth with the calming and beautiful thump-thump of a heartbeat that makes those lucky enough to read Amanda’s words instantly fall in love with her work.

Thank you, Amanda, for reminding us that if we are truly passionate about writing, we must continue until there is not a story in our hearts asking to come out.
 
Nailing the Ending
Every month, a group of us at 24 Carrot Writing read picture books and discuss them from a writer’s perspective. Amanda is skilled at knowing the optimal time to end a story. (Hint: usually it’s sooner than we think.) She’s pointed this out on several occasions during our discussions, and now we find Amanda’s voice in our heads as we’re writing book endings. We find ourselves asking: Is this going on too long? Is there a better way to end this? What would Amanda say? Endings are so important to stories and we’re grateful that Amanda is constantly pushing us to polish them up until they shine. And more importantly reminding us to resist the urge to keep writing past the ending. (Did we mention the ending is usually sooner than we think?)
 
Limitless Creativity
As writers we all create. But Amanda has taught us that we shouldn’t limit ourselves when it comes to creativity. She has taken this to heart and has written drafts in many genres, from poetry, to picture books, to graphic novels, to young adult and, most recently, middle grade. Amanda’s creativity also transcends the writing world. She dabbles in painting and refers to herself as a “budding potter.”  However, anyone that has seen her pottery can attest she’s being modest because her pieces are true works of art. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Big Magic, once said, “A creative life is an amplified life.” For years, Amanda has shown us this through example as she continues to weave her many creative passions together to make writing magic.
 

​Amanda - All of the members of 24 Carrot Writing agree that we are incredibly thankful to have found you on this beautiful Earth. Congrats on your recent published work! We feel truly blessed to know you. 

Amanda is a high school English teacher, an immigrant, a full-time mom, a budding potter, a joyful poet, and an enthusiastic writer. Several of her poems have been published in anthologies, most recently “Wonder” in Bless the Earth: A Collection of Poetry for Children to Celebrate and Care for Our World (Convergent/Penguin, 2024) which will be released in March 2024.

To learn more about Amanda visit her website. To order a copy of Bless the Earth click here. ​