Category: My Writing Journey

Sharing tips, experiences, and everything in between, from my writing journey.

AN EXCITING LOOK AT MY WRITING YEAR: 2023

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts

Hello book loving friends and welcome to my summary post for my writing year in 2023. Whether you love writing books, reading them, or more likely, both, it’s a pleasure to have you with me. If you’ve been following along my kidlit writing journey, you probably know this year has been busy busy- and next year is set to be EVEN busier. With 24 wonderful literary guests lined up for Feature Interviews on Chelsea’s World of Books Blog in 2024, shifting this special segment from once a month to bi-monthly (first and third Wednesday of the month), and an added monthly newsletter (the last Friday of each month) we’re on track for an amazing 2024. But before I jump ahead into the new year, I always like to take a moment to reflect on the progress of the journey. Each step counts. And each one should be appreciated- and celebrated! So, without further ado, here are the highlights.

JANUARY

It was a busy January with Tara Lazar’s Storystorm, Storyteller Academy’s Children’s Book Challenge Week, with special guest Author/Illustrator of Mixed A Colorful Story, Arree Chung, and a Feature Interview on Chelsea’s World of Books Blog with local Children’s Book Author of Bird and the Tree, Brittany Wuthrich. And we can’t forget the start of a new year with Julie Hedlund’s 12X12 Picture Book Challenge, SCBWI, Picture Book Society Critique Group, and webinar with Children’s Book Author and host of 12×12, Julie Hedlund and visiting guest literary agent with Andrea Brown Literary, Paige Terlip; How to Impress an Agent In Today’s Picture Book Market.

Are you a children’s writer or illustrator looking for answers on these topics?

  • How to self-publish children’s books
  • Where to find an illustrator
  • Where to find an author
  • How to handle commisions
  • How to promote your book

Read Brittany Wuthrich’s Feature Interview HERE

FEBRUARY

February was a fun-filled month of events! I enjoyed the January replay Bookchat on 12×12 with Children’s Book Author and host, Julie Hedlund and her guest, Children’s Book Author, Razeena Omar Gutta and attended February’s Book Chat live with 12×12 Featured author of Justice Makes a Difference, Dr. Artika Tyner. And, we can’t forget #PBPitch Twitter Event (now X) and February’s Feature Interview with local artist and freelance illustrator and library director, Alycia Neighbours, on Chelsea’s World of Books Blog.

Interested in finding out more about Alycia and learning answers to question like “Where can I find work as a freelance illustrator?” or simply want to see some of her artwork? Visit her Feature Interview HERE.

MARCH

March was another fun month of activity with Vivian Kirkfield’s 50 Precious Words Contest, which I entered with my story MONDAY MORNING CUPCAKES. On the blog this month, I enjoyed hosting visiting guest, Children’s Book Author, Janet S. Johnson.

Read Janet S. Johnson’s Feature Interview HERE.

APRIL

In April, I entered the PBParty Contest, hosted by Mindy Alyse Weiss, with one of my picture books, and was awarded an Honorable Mention for 2023. I also entered the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest, hosted by Kaitlyn Sanchez, with my entry WAKE UP WORLD, IT’S SPRING! and applied for the Picture Book Rising Stars Mentorship Program, founded and hosted by Ebony Mudd and Kailei Pew. And I enjoyed having visiting guest Children’s Book Author, Ellen Leventhal on my blog for a Feature Interview.

MAY

May is a time for hunkering down in the library… and putting finishing touches on all the preparations for Summer Reading Program. This month, I completed our prep for my library. And… I started writing a new middle-grade novel. I also enjoyed hosting TWO guests on my blog this month for a DOUBLE Feature Interview; Children’s Book Author Marzieh Abbas and special guest, Punjabi-Canadian illustrator and video game artist, Anu Chouhan.

Read more about Anu Chouhan and Marzieh Abbas’s publishing journeys in their Feature Interview HERE.

june-july

Summer is here! And the library is BUZZING with activity. This summer, our Summer Reading theme was ALL TOGETHER NOW. From community rock painting in the courtyard, to hosting local community markets and a variety of other fun activities for families, this summer kept me on my toes with delightful adventure. And not just inside the walls of the library… I also made multiple author visits and appearances at local bookstores, and had two author book signings with my book ADHD AND ME at different Barnes and Noble locations. One in Kentucky, one in Tennessee. I was also thrilled to have visiting Children’s Book Author, Nancy Churnin on the blog in June and Children’s Book Author, Aya Khalil in July.

Read more about Nancy and her publishing journey in her Feature Interview HERE.

Read Aya Khalil’s Feature Interview HERE.

AUGUST

Summer reading is finally wrapping up… and I can BREATHE again. Which means… it’s time to rejuvenate my writing juices. This month I attended the Mini Picture Book Summit and registered for October’s special Picture Book Summit with Julie Hedlund, Nikki Grimes, Erin E. Stead and Philip C. Stead, Emma Walton Hamilton, Katie Davis, Angela Dalton and special guest, Julie Andrews! Joining me on the blog this month was guest Children’s Book Author, Jess Townes.

Learn more about Jess Townes author journey in her Feature Interview HERE.

SEPTEMBER

In September I was thrilled to be able to go on a Librarian & Author School Visit with my fellow librarian friend, Connie Clark, Children’s Librarian. We enjoyed visiting Ms. Garret’s first-grade classroom at Indian Lake Elementary School and talking about the history of books and libraries. I was also able to offer the class a copy of my book, ADHD AND ME, along with some activity sheets, color pages, and lesson plans, found on TEACHER CORNER of my website. This month, I also applied for the WNDB (we need diverse books) mentorship program and welcomed debuting Children’s Book Author of BIG TRUCK PLAYDATE, Laurie Carmody onto the blog to discuss all things kidlit and publishing.

Read more about Laurie Carmody’s books and journey at her Feature Interview HERE.

OCTOBER

October was a BIG month for me. I received requests for more work from TWO agents! Woo-hoo! I also entered the Fall Writing Frenzy Contest, hosted by Kaitlyn Sanchez, with a neurodiverse story about music. I attended the Picture Book Summit and pre-summit Pajama Party. I had my first agent call! And I applied for a Writing Barn Scholarship. And I enjoyed hosting visiting guest Children’s Book Author, Heather Stigall, on the blog for a wonderful conversation about all things publishing. I also opened submissions for 2024 Feature Interview Lineup and received over 150 applications!

See my entry here.

Read Heather’s Feature Interview HERE.

NOVEMBER

This month I announced my final 24 finalists (out of over 150 applicants) for the 2024 Feature Interview Lineup on Chelsea’s World of Books Blog. I also welcomed Children’s Book author, Songju Ma Daemicke, onto the blog for a fascinating conversation on publishing. We discussed querying and rejections, cultural representation in books, publishing secrets and resources, the journey after publication, and more.

Check out Songju’s Feature Interview HERE.

DECEMBER

We’ve arrived at December. And it’s been a full year, littered with tiny wins and priceless experiences. Near misses? Sure. But there’s simply nothing like the journey! Continually growing and working toward your goals is the key to success. If you’re like me (that is, human) you’ll face minor setbacks, discouragements, and have moments where you may feel like throwing in the towel. On days like those, I like to remind myself of all the wonderful things I’ve been able to enjoy because of this community. So many precious moments shared. Something I’ve found to be very helpful when I’m dealing with these thoughts and feelings is to create a jar of positive things. That’s actually how my annual SUMMARY post came to be. Each small achievement or milestone adds up. And before you know it, you have a year FULL of successes! Keep in mind: not everyone’s successes will look the same. Why? Because we are all DIFFERENT. IMPORTANT: DON’T MEASURE YOURSELF WITH OTHER PEOPLE. It’s not an accurate measurement… because you will never BE that other person who you’re comparing yourself with. You’ll only ever be YOU. And what a special gift that is. So cherish it! Measure your successes, by your standard of the very special YOU who you are. Understand your limitations and respect them. Set up boundaries for yourself. And remember: HAVE FUN!

And now… here are some of the things that I’ve had happen this December. I was able to attend Adventure Beings at Your Library Summer Symposium with a number of outstanding speakers, founder and creator of Story Be Told, and former educator, with 30 years of summer reading under her belt, Jen Strauss, CSLP’s Managing Editor, Alyssa Graybeal, and West Baton Rouge Parish Library, Early Literacy Manual Chair, Angela Germany to name a few. I was also able to attend the QUERY QUESTIONS ANSWERED Insider Secrets to Soaring out of the Slush Pile webinar, live with with Emma Walton Hamilton & Julie Hedlund.

Read about Howard Pearlstein’s road to success in publishing HERE.

SUMMARY OF 2023 PHOTO GALLERY

2023 Fall Writing Frenzy Entry by Kidlit Writer, Blogger & Librarian, Chelsea DiCicco

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts

Hello kidlit friends, are you as pumped as I am? The only thing more exciting than pumpkins in October is the #FallWritingFrenzy!

Writing contests are a great way to find community and discover new and wonderful stories from diverse creators all over the world. Speaking of which… if you’re a kidlit writer or illustrator, please take a moment to subscribe to my blog. Trust me- you won’t regret it!

Among the many helpful blog posts I put out for readers like librarian-recommended book lists specific to reading group age or genre, one of the most exciting things I offer are monthly Feature Interview segments. On the first of every month, I publish feature interviews with members of the writing community, where we discuss all things publishing.

These interviews are an INVALUABLE resource for creators at all stages of the publishing journey. We talk about writing workshops, resources, diversity in literature and why it matters, where to find support and community, how to improve writing craft and set goals, how to deal with setbacks, disappointments, and waiting, helpful tips and suggestions for aspiring authors and illustrators, querying agents, contract negotiations, book deals, and time frames, and of course- new books!

Now that I’ve shared that little tidbit with you… back to our Fall Writing Frenzy!

I’m so excited to share my story with you all.

But before I do, I want to explain a little bit about the background of what this story means to me and why I wrote it.

From a very early age, I had a deep emotional connection to music. Though I enjoyed all music, I found a “home” in orchestras and symphonies because they allowed my mind to form a connection of understanding that I had never before experienced with people. For me, a symphony is a neurodiverse lullaby.

Being on the neurodivergent spectrum (ADHD), my mind doesn’t always stay on one path or at one volume. It ebbs and flows, sometimes unexpectedly. This can present challenges for me in everyday verbal communication because my emotions and thoughts don’t translate or flow into words in the same pattern as many of my neurotypical peers. The chaos and structure in my mind play out differently… much like a symphony.

So, now that you have an idea of my inspiration, here is the image that I associated with this story. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

All my love,

Chelsea

Photo 7 by Jonas Mohamadi

My Mind is a Symphony (199 words) by Chelsea DiCicco

When I hear the rushing sounds of the clarinet…

The zip of the flute…

The swish of the violin strings…

The calming purr of the cello…

The sharp squawk of the oboe…

The gentle strum of the harp…

I am home.

My mind whirs

Tumbles

And dances

To the warm embrace of chaos and structure

Quick! LOUD bursts

And slow, soft melodies

Blended together to create something spectacular

Like my thoughts

Never staying in one place 

…Or at one volume

S c a t t e r e d

Like wild notes

Strewn across a sheet of music

One moment, fast and excited like Flight of the Bumblebee,

The next, calm and smooth, like Moonlight Sonata.

A constantly moving orchestra of dreams…

Leaping, wriggling, cascading off one another.

Flitting from one idea to the next.

I shut my eyes and take a deep breath,

Letting the vibrations pulse through my brain,

Like a kaleidoscope of butterflies.

Fluttering

Frenzied

Free!

An ensemble of energy fills me from head to toe.

Here, only here, is my mind in complete harmony.

Finally, at peace.

My thoughts echo every long pause

And shift of volume…

And mirror each sudden blast of sound and change in tempo.

My mind is a symphony.

Thank you for reading!

If you have a friend or family member on any spectrum under the neurodiverse umbrella, and are looking for a list of neurodiverse reads (for any age) be sure to check out my personalized list of over 100 book recommendations + resources. Additionally, if you’re looking for a gentle picture book, (with gorgeous watercolor illustrations) that explores ADHD/Autism and embraces themes of finding beauty in your differences- aka “gifts,” take a peek at my book, ADHD and Me.

And now, a round of thank you’s

For everyone reading today, please give a warm thank you in the comments to all of our guest judges & prize donors who have worked so hard to volunteer their time and energy to sift through these gems and select winners from among them, to help mentor writers on their path to growth and publication. And of course, we can’t forget our wonderful host, Kaitlyn Sanchez! I believe 2023 marks the fifth year of this wonderful annual contest. If you don’t know who Kaitlyn Sanchez is… please, by all means, go and visit her website! Not only is she a champion and supporter of writers and illustrators as a Literary Agent, she’s also the host of various writing contests and events like the Spring Fling Contest, Kidlit Fall Writing Frenzy Contest and Kidlit Zombie Week, – and she offers a ton of fantastic resources to other fun writing contests and events on her website, so please, take a moment to stop by.

Host X Handle

@kaitlynleann17

Guest Judges X Handle

@Ms_Holliday93 @ebonylynnmudd

Prize Donors X handles

@AndreaYWang @chanastiefel @JStremer @amandarhill32 @AutumnLeaflet @HovorkaSarah @readbystephanie @Ms_Holliday93 @SerendipityLit @BrianGehrlein @IvanTaurisano @ErDiPasquale @ShannonStocker_ @ebonylynnmudd @kaitlynleann17 @AReynosoMorris @DianaMWrites

Barnes & Noble Book Signing in Bowling Green KY, With Children’s Author & Librarian, Chelsea DiCicco

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts 
Hello everyone! I'm thrilled to announce I'll be visiting the Bowling Green Barnes and Noble, located at 1680 Campbell Ln, Bowling Green, Ky 42104 on Saturday, July 8th from 1 PM- 4 PM, for an author book signing. If you live locally and would like to stop by, I'd love to connect with you! 

In addition to the book signing, I'll be bringing all sorts of fun giveaway prizes, freebies, and goody bags. 

Freebies:
💙 lollipops 
💙 word searches/spot the difference worksheets 
💙 lesson plans grades k-3rd 
💙 family resource packets with websites, book recommendations, and tips for neurodiverse families.

NO PURCHASES REQUIRED


Goody Bundles:
💜 Semigloss laminated bookmark 
💜 Free author autograph 
💜 Special edition "believe in yourself" stickers 
💜 Special release ADHD AND ME coloring book 
💜 Packet of crayons 

FREE WITH THE PURCHASE OF BOOK ADHD AND ME, DAY OF SIGNING, AT BARNES AND NOBLE. SIMPLY BRING YOUR RECEIPT TO THE SIGNING TABLE TO CLAIM YOUR GOODY BUNDLE!

Prize Drawing:
Interested in winning prizes? Post a review of ADHD AND ME to Barnes & Noble website: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/adhd-and-me-chelsea-dicicco/1143058981?ean=9780997933413 (AND/OR post a picture of the book, ADHD AND ME to your Instagram, tagging @chelseasworldofbooks account), the day of the signing and claim your prize drawing slip from the signing table! The winner will be selected at random from the first 10 participants!

Please note: if your Instagram account is set to private, tagging will not work, so make sure to leave a review of the book to claim your drawing slip for a chance to win the giveaway prize!

MY SPRING FLING KIDLIT 2023 ENTRY: WAKE UP, WORLD! IT’S SPRING! BY CHELSEA DICICCO

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts 
First off, I'd like to thank the fabulous hosts, fellow librarian and kidlit Author Ciara O'Neal and Literary Agent Kaitlyn Sanchez for yet another amazing Kidlit opportunity to not only showcase our work but to just have fun with our community! 

This has been such a terrific way to make friends, build relationships, and overall branch out with other writers.  I speak for myself and my critique group partners when I say, we are all so grateful for events like these that help make this line of work even more enjoyable. 

For most of us, writing can be very solitary work so fun events like these really add a breath of fresh air and get our creative juices flowing.

If you're not familiar with what the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest is, no worries! I'll be sure to include all the rules and details below.

So, what IS Spring Fling Kidlit?

Your challenge, should you accept it, is simple.
Find a gif and write a spring-inspired story. That's it!

Here are the official rules from Ciara's website:

1. Your story should be geared towards kids ages 12 or under.

2. Choose a gif to inspire your story. be sure to share where you found your wonderful gif. (The website or if you created it yourself!)
​
3. All gifs should be child appropriate and in no way be derogatory towards any faith, race, etc.

4. Now for the dreaded word count! You have 150 words. That’s it! No more but less is always welcome.
(Your title is not included in the word count.)

5. No illustration notes pretty please.

6. Your gif should be the only visual with your story.

7. The Spring Fling contest officially begins on Saturday April 1st and closes April 3rd, post your gif and story on your blog.

8. On April 1st, we will post a google form on this blog. (You can use the quicklink above titled "official rules" to get to the blog post.) Fill out the form, paste your blog website and story, and you my friend, will be entered!

9. Deadline for posting your story or the link to your story is April 3rd at 11:59pm CST.

10. Only one entry per contestant is permitted.


****If you don't have a blog, no worries, you can put your whole story on the google form. The form will open on April 1st. If you want others to read it too, feel free to post your story in the comments with the link to your gif.***

And that's it!

Now... the moment we've been waiting for; my entry for this year's 2023 Spring Kidlit Contest. This year I wanted to write a story that incorporated not only spring but sharing it with a beloved friend and who better to splash in puddles with than your dog?! So, without further ado, I give you my entry: WAKE UP, WORLD! IT'S SPRING!


Title: Wake up, World! It's Spring!
Written by: Chelsea DiCicco
Word Count: 121

Dewdrops dance on dainty petals.
Tweets and twitters fill the air.
This can only mean one thing…
“WAKE UP, WORLD! IT’S SPRING!”

Padding paws and racing feet.
Hurry, scurry; we can’t wait!
Nature’s calling- here we come!
“WAKE UP, WORLD! IT’S SPRING!”

Butterflies outstretch their wings.
Bees are buzzing off to work.
Mower’s roar, and flowers bloom.
"WAKE UP, WORLD! IT'S SPRING!"

Showers sprinkle in the sun.
Puddles are for everyone!
Happy slappy splashy feet.
"WAKE UP, WORLD! IT'S SPRING!"

Wagging tails and cheerful eyes.
Dirty paws and sun-kissed skin.
Shaking, quaking, laughs and barks.
"WAKE UP, WORLD! IT'S SPRING!"

Hoots and chatters fill the night.
Evening stars pierce the sky.
Look! There goes a firefly.
"Rest up, world. It's Spring."

This GIF was created by Chelsea DiCicco (me) on Canva for the purpose of being used for my 2023 entry for the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest.
Wake up, World! It's Spring! GIF by Chelsea DiCicco
Wake up, World! It’s Spring! by CHELSEA DICICCO

50 PRECIOUS WORDS ENTRY FOR MARCH 2023, VIVIAN KIRKFIELD’S PICTURE BOOK WRITING CONTEST, MONDAY MORNING CUPCAKES BY CHELSEA DICICCO

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts 
Hey guys,

So, we've just started March, and so far, 2023 has been a busy year; full of activities in the writing community, like the amazing #PBPARTY *which I participated in* and the Twitter #PBPITCH event for picture book writers seeking representation, *which I also participated in.* Since the #PBPARTY entries take a few weeks to get results, I've been trying my best to stay busy. Because waiting is hard!

Ways I've stayed busy include: gardening, playing with my pets, doing research on writing projects, reading books, trying to write new stories *and finding my inspiration outdoors* -it's almost SPRING!  Curling up in my hammock and getting sunshine. And of course, my library work. Planning new programs and events, working on new activities for my Homeschool Group and Crafternoon and family Nature Walks behind the library.

One of the things I've also done to stay busy is to participate in OTHER events, which brings me to my purpose for posting today.

This year, I participated in Vivian Kirkfield's Picture Book Contest, 50 precious words. This is my first year - hooray! And my wonderful critique partner is also participating with me. Another hooray!

I found out about this awesome event back toward the ending of last year, (2022) while watching a YouTube interview with Literary Agent, Kaitlyn Sanchez, hosted by Maria Dismondy, of Cardinal Rule Press.

After the interview, I visited her website where I found a whole list of great resources for writers. You can find it under her "RESOURCE" tab and click "CONTESTS." Or you can just click this link here and it will take you directly to her page.

So, without further ado, here is my entry for the 50 Precious Words Contest. I hope you enjoy this little sweet treat.


Monday Morning Cupcakes
By Chelsea DiCicco
IG @chelseasworldofbooks
50 words

I smell them from the kitchen.
Sweet, SUGARY goodness.
A treat for each hand.

There they are. A perfect baker’s dozen!
Oodles of sprinkles and colors. Frosting for days.
Yum!
A magical Monday miracle.

“CUPCAKES!”
Pack them, stack them, steal a taste.
Safe in my lunch box. I can’t wait!


If you'd like to view the original post on Vivian's Website, you can follow this link here.

A summary of my writing year in 2022

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts 
Wow, wow, wow. What a year! I made a few posts on my social media accounts, but I wanted to share them here on my blog for anyone who may have missed the updates.
Here goes...
Whew.  So that was my "sappy and a little cheesy" post. At the beginning of 2022, I decided I wanted to make a collage to help remember the journey. I think sometimes as writers we can feel a little bogged down or lost at times. Rejections can be disheartening. Waiting can be difficult. And let's face it, we all feel discouraged sometimes. So, I wanted to make sure that this year I wrote down all my accomplishments and saved them. That way, whenever I was having a day that I was dealing with imposter syndrome, I could go and look at my list of happy moments and achievements. Every step counts!

So, if you are a writer, pre-published or currently published, I encourage you to do the same! This made me feel so good and I wanted to share it with you. 

Also, if you have done something like this or have a positive comment or achievement you reached this year, I would love to hear about it in the comments below! Feel free to link your website or social media as well so that others can take a peek. 

I think the one thing that has truly benefited me more than anything this entire year is finding my writing community and fully emersing myself in it. It makes such a difference to have friends who can encourage you and understand what you're going through on this journey. We all learn and grow from eachother, so please please share anything you'd like below! I would love to hear from you.

P.S. Another thing I did this year that I heard from another writer in a conference, and I loved the idea so much, was I got myself a jar and labeled it "positive comments" and every time someone told me something positive about my writing, I wrote it down and placed it in the jar. That helped pick me up and motivate me so much throughout the year! If you can, I suggest doing this too!


And now, without further ado, *drum rolllllllll* Chelsea's 2022 stats and inspirational photo collage of tiny victories!

My 2022 stats:
Groups joined: 6
Conferences/workshops/webinars attended: 9
Events participated in: 21
Books written: 28
Revisions made: 63
Critiques given: 64
Submissions/queries sent: 55
Wonderful connections made: too many to count!
#writingcommunity #2022 #progress #endofyear

January-Februar

March-April

may-june

july-august

september-october

november-december

Moral of the story: "It's not the destination, it's the journey."

Enjoy your journey! Celebrate every small victory! Learn from every small setback.


And KEEP. ON. WRITING!

ARE YOU NEW TO WRITING?

If you are new to writing and looking for some great places to start making connections and building your craft, here is a list of just a *few* groups & events I recommend looking into.

Events & Contests

Zidlit Zombie Week
Fall Writing Frenzy
Storystorm
KidLitPit 
Kidlit411 

Groups & Community

Julie Hedlund's 12x12 Challenge (membership fee)
SCBWI (membership fee)
IBPA (membership fee)
Storyteller Academy (membership fee)
Children's Book Academy (membership fee)

Remember, you don't have to join every group and participating doesn't always cost money. You can be a writer on a budget. Just make sure you stay active and find your community! Personally, my favorite group has been Julie Hedlund's 12x12 group. It's PACKED with resources, webinars, videoes, links to upcoming events *many contests that are free* and it's a great community! And it's where I met my amazing critique partners, who have been invaluable to my growth!

By the way... one of my amazing critique partners, Terri Clemmons, has her debut picture book coming out in Spring of 2024, Mara Hears in Style. You can find out more on her website.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you found this helpful! Don't forget to share your positive achievements below. Or, just some goals you might have for 2023!

November 2021 Mental Health Expo for Families and Children, Hendersonville TN Public Library

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts

If you live in Hendersonville, TN, or a surrounding area, we warmly welcome you to attend our upcoming mental health event! This event will be held on November 20th, 2021, from 10:00, am- 12:00 pm.

Join us on Saturday, November 20th, 2021, at the Hendersonville TN Public Library in celebrating our differences and supporting those around us in the community who are dealing with mental health problems.

Our speakers will be sharing a little bit of hope, comfort, and understanding, as well as providing resources to help aid children and families.

Local children’s book authors Chelsea Radojcic-DiCicco and Mary Elizabeth Jackson will be sharing topics on how to empower your children today as well as how to help children in school and within the family.

Chelsea’s picture book entitled ADHD and Me follows eight-year-old Malory, who has ADHD and shows life through her eyes. It describes her daily interactions with her family and tells her perceptions of school life from the teachers, students, and herself. Throughout the story, Malory shared her observations of others around her while also navigating her own feelings.

Mary’s *newly released* middle-grade book, Cheers From Heaven, navigates the emotions of five students who bullied a boy with cancer. After his death, the five students befriend one another and journey to find the boy’s notes that he left behind. This story handles grief, forgiveness, and healing.

Crisis Counselor Jason Scruggs will be addressing the acknowledgment, assessment, and addressing of your child’s emotional well-being.

And Cary Massey, President of Next-Level Consulting, will be discussing how to build healthy relationships. If you’re in the area, stop by! We would love to have you.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GUEST SPEAKERS & DISCUSSION TITLES:

Mary Elizabeth Jackson

Empowering Our Kids Today

Chelsea Radojcic-DiCicco

Helping Children at School and Within the Family

Jason Scruggs

Acknowledging, Assessing, & Addressing the Emotional Well-Being of Your Child

Cary Massey

Building Healthy Relationships

Mental Health Matters, September 18th 2021, Gallatin Public Library Event for children, family, and community.

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts

The Mental Health Matters Event inside of Gallatin Public Library was featured this afternoon on Special Needs TV, hosted by Bridgetti Lim Banda, and was streamed live from Cape Town, South Africa. Bridgetti interviewed participants of the event, Mary Elizabeth Jackson, (Chelsea Radojcic-DiCicco) Chelsea’s World of Books, and Jason Scruggs, on who they are and why they came out today.

The presenters’ common goal in joining together today was to provide mental health aid and support to the community, families, children, and educators. Despite the heavy rains, the group was able to band together and find creative ways to reach their audiences at home. Thanks to Mary’s quick thinking and resourcefulness, she was able to get ahold of her co-host of her Special Needs TV show, and Bridgetti, the show producer, was gracious enough to bring us on live to share our message with viewers.

The rainclouds were filled with silver linings today! Thank you to everyone who came out to support the effort, and if you weren’t able to make it out, you can see our our interviews on Facebook > Special Needs TV > Mental Health Awareness EXPO > posted 09/18/2021.

Thank you for visiting! 🙂

Gallatin TN Public Library Event For Children, Teachers, and Parents

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts

This event theme will be surrounding children’s education, empowerment, mental health and well-being.

Join us for our special Children’s Learning Event in Gallatin Public Library! Guest speakers in attendance: Children’s Book Author, Chelsea Radojcic-Dicicco, Author and Autism Advocate, Mary Elizabeth Jackson, and Children’s Crisis Counselor, Jason Scruggs.

Event Topics:

  • 10 AM : “Neurodiverse Learning” (given by guest speaker, Chelsea Radojcic-DiCicco)
  • 11 AM : “Acknowledging, Assessing and Addressing the Emotional Well-Being of Your Child” (given by guest speaker, Jason Scruggs)
  • 12 PM : “Empowering Our Kids Today” (given by guest speaker, Mary Jackson)

This event will be hosted at no charge, and open to the public. We encourage parents, and educators to come in and visit! We have lots of fun freebies and resources to offer, so if you’re in the area, stop by and say hello. We look forward to seeing you there!

Who is this event for?

  • Parents
  • Children
  • Educators
  • Family
  • Friends

If you are a #elementaryschoolteacher PLEASE stop by and pick up your FREE LESSON PLANS, GRADES K-3RD GRADE.

You don’t live local? No problem! Download your free pdf interactive lesson plans (that correspond with ADHD and Me) on my website under the free lesson plan tab, or simply follow the link in text.

If you have any questions, please call (615) 452-1722 and ask to speak to Gabby Cato, Operations Manager of Gallatin TN Public Library.

ABOUT THE GUEST SPEAKERS

The first guest speaker, Children’s Literature Author, Ms. Chelsea Radojcic-DiCicco, will be discussing the topic ‘NEURODIVERSE LEARNING’ at 10:00 AM. Afterward, she will be participating in an author signing of her book, ADHD and Me. (Available for purchase on Amazon, iTunes, Lulu Bookstore, and Kindle.)

Resources, Free Stuff, and Merchandise

  • Informative banner will be displayed at the booth, featuring the topics: SUPPORT SYSTEM, LEARNING DIFFERENCES, and MESSAGE TO PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND EDUCATORS.

There will also be:

  • Promotional bookmarks
  • Spiral-lined “embrace your differences” school notebooks
  • Inspirational Stickers

And last but certainly not least, there will be:

  • FREE INTERACTIVE LESSON PLANS

Lesson plans will be made available for educators or homeschoolers in attendance, grades K-3rd. The curriculum includes games, projects, and learning examples designed for a group or in the classroom. Hurry in and get your free copies while supplies last!

For anyone interested in author interviews, having an in-person or virtual reading, or Q&A with the author, there will be a signup sheet provided at her booth.

Our next guest speaker, Children’s Crisis Counselor, Mr. Jason Scruggs, will be delivering his discourse on the topic ‘ACKNOWLEDGING, ASSESSING, AND ADDRESSING THE EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING OF YOUR CHILD’ at 11:00 AM. Mr. Scruggs’s wealth of experience and knowledge is invaluable, and we look forward with great anticipation to his presentation! He will also have a table set up with information for families and will be available to meet and greet patrons and answer questions throughout the day. Scruggs is an educator, professor, and counselor with two Master’s Degrees and works for the Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit in Bowling Green, KY.

https://www.facebook.com/jason.scruggs.50

Our final guest speaker, Special Needs Advocate, Author, and Autism Ambassador, Ms. Mary Jackson, will be delivering her talk on ‘EMPOWERING OUR KIDS TODAY’ at 12:00 PM. Ms. Jackson will also be participating in a book signing at her booth and will have other resources and pamphlets from local branches from our learning community with her as well.

Ms. Jackson is the co-author of Poolicious book series, as well as the co-founder and co-host of The Writers Corner Live TV Show and the Special Needs TV Show on Facebook and YouTube. To find out more about Ms. Jackson, please visit her website at www.maryejackson.com. We are looking forward with deep enthusiasm to seeing you all!

https://www.instagram.com/maryjackson444/

https://www.instagram.com/chelseasworldofbooks/

Special Author Event at the Gallatin Public Library in Sumner County, TN- September 18th, 2021

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in My Writing Journey, View all blog posts

Calling all local Sumner County TN residents! Are you a parent or educator? Visit us on September 18th at the Gallatin Public Library.

We’ll be discussing special needs in education, neurodiverse learning differences and how to build healthy support systems within the family unit and tackling how to identify and assess problems and acknowledge and validate your child’s emotions.

Guest speakers: Local Children’s Author & Blogger, Chelsea DiCicco, Autism Tennessee Community Ambassador, Indie Author & Co-Host of Amazon Live Special Needs TV show, Mary Elizabeth Jackson, and Jason Scruggs, Children’s Crisis Counselor. (Read more about similar local Sumner County, Tennessee events in the article published here.)

Who is this event for?

  • Parents
  • Children
  • Educators
  • Family & friends

If you’re elementary school teacher, PLEASE stop by and pick up your FREE LESSON PLANS, GRADES K-3RD GRADE (or simply download them HERE.)

Don’t live local? No problem! Download your free interactive lesson plans, worksheets, color pages, spot the difference sheets and other fun freebies and resources under the TEACHER CORNER tab of my website.

We hope to see you, September 18th, 2021! 10:00am-2:00PM Gallatin Public Library