I sure have been busy lately.
But really? who hasn’t been?!
My busy-ness doesn’t have much to do with the holidays, though. I’ve been busy writing, and it’s making me feel good!
Let me explain. After decades and decades of querying magazines about story ideas, pleading with agents to give my latest manuscript a read, all that sort of writerly stuff, well, suddenly editors, publishers, and even podcasters are contacting moi to ask if I’d be interested in writing for them or appearing on their podcast.
Let’s start with Cherry Lake Publishing Group, an educational and children’s book publisher based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They found out about me through the work I do for the Easterseals National blog and asked me to write two textbooks for an “Understanding Disability” series they were putting together for elementary school children. My two textbooks, one called “What is the Americans with Disabilities Act?” and the other called “Service Dogs” were released in October, and I’ve already done a few school presentations to let kids and teachers know about them.
And then, seemingly out of nowhere, a podcaster from the Rocky Mountain ADA Center in Colorado emailed to ask if she could interview me for their Adventures in Accessibility podcast. I’d never heard of the podcast before, but when I checked it out and discovered they’d interviewed the likes of Illinois senator Tammy Duckworth for one episode, I said yes. Pretty good company, eh?! You can link to my episode here — it went live last Wednesday.
Then next thing you know, I was contacted by a site called Choose Chicago that is “all about Chicago Things to Do, Events, Restaurants, Hotels & Vacation Planning” and markets Chicago to visitors, conferences, and conventions. They just started a new blog series on the best accessible spots in Chicago for people with disabilities, and the Senior Content manager emailed me wondering if I would be interested in contributing. If my answer was yes, she’d share more details.
My answer was yes. She shared more details.
I enjoy lots and lots of the things Chicago has to offer, I knew it’d be difficult to keep the post short, but I was up to the challenge and got lots of help from the Choose Chicago editors. Accessibility in Chicago: a local shares favorite spots for blind and visually impaired visitors went live last Friday.
It’s been fun – and flattering – to get all this attention right before the holidays, and to top it all off, Cherry Lake Publishing Group has asked me to write another children’s book for them, this one for their Itty-Bitty Bio series, and due by January 15, 2023. Happy New Year!
Oh, Beth! This is fabulous to hear & I am so happy for you. (The “wannabe” writer in me is also fascinated that after regular efforts, there’s a “when it rains, it pours” effect right now!) Good for you, woman! Happy Holidays!
You are involved in so many fun, engaging, educational activities to support the American Disabilities Act! Keep doing what you do – you are educating those without disabilities and supporting so many talented young and old people with disabilities. I can not wait to read the new book and add it to my library.
So flattering to have people like you and William Gordon (above) crediting me with educating people with and without disablities and so on. Truth is, I took on the writing assignments becuase I was so pleased these editors and publishers –and even a podcaster — were reachign out to me now rather than the other way around. You guys really do make me feel good about all of this, thank you so much. Oh, and Marilee, I will have “my people” send out your copy of “What is the Americans with Disabilities Act?” book pronto. You already have a copy of “Service Dogs,” right? I will
This is the most wonderful kind of busy!
Wow. Impressive! Looking forward to checking out all the fruits of your labors.
WOW!!That is so awesome Beth. I’m very excited for you. Looks like 2023 is going to be a wonderful year for you. Will you have time to do the classes?
cj
It goes without saying that I will always make time for our memoir-writing classes. You all provide me with such good material! Looking forward to having you with us when the Zoom class starts up again in 2023.
Your Choose article was fab!
Thanks, Pat. Am guessing you especially liked my mention of Green Mill?
OMG Beth, you are a superstar. This interview is wonderful to listen to. I still get a kick out of your modeling career stories, but this is the first time hearing about the wine and cheese openings. Wishing you and Mike a Happy Holiday Season.
Happy Holidays to you and Jan, too, Mel. And of course I went to those art openings: who can refuse free wine & cheese?
Beth, this is fabulous. You are getting well-deserved recognition — and work. Can’t wait to use your many links tomorrow.
Thanks, Lola. I look forward to your reviews of those links.
whohoo! that’s great!
Thanks, Nancy. And I’ll be working on that Itty-Bitty Bio book when we are in CU with you and Steven for New Year’s Eve and after. Looking forward to being with you both then.
This blog gave me an idea of how busy you keep yourself. I admire you, and you are a good example for all the times I feel lazy!
Aha! Now you know why I liked the essay you wrote about “Home” in our memoir class — I admired your identifying “home” as lying on the couch with a book in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Maybe I’ll try that sometime next week, between Christmas and New Year’s.
It’s so great to hear about all your projects! Looking forward to reading your books with little Julia. Happy Holidays!
Oh, I love that little Julia. How wonderful it is to have your family as neighbors. Happy Holdiays to you, too!
So happy to read about all the ways you are keeping busy. Glad that the world is discovering you. I’m guessing it will snowball and more and more people will reach out to you. You have so much insight and experience to share.
I follow Discover Chicago. Great source for information.
Congratulations!!!!
Thanks, Diana. And I hope you meant “Choose Chicago” because that’s where my guest post is. But who knows, now maybe Discover Chicago will be reaching out to me, too!
Beth, What a wonderful, productive, satisfying and ego stroking way to spend the break from teaching. I have appreciated your skills for years, and it gives me pleasure, as another handicapped person, to hear about the recognition you are getting and the contributions you are able to make to the growing body of literature about handicaps and the ways in which those with handicaps want to live full, rich lives in spite of our limitations. Bravo !!
Great news! How did you even find time to write this on your blog?
Funny you should ask. Truth is, I started composing this blog post on Friday morning, December 16. The next day, December 17, was our annual Finke Family “Homemade Christmas” get together, spent all day Sunday recovering from that and didn’t get this post finished and posted until Monday, December 19!
Hi Beth! Congrats! I cannot wait for the itty bitty bio series launch. Please let us know when it’s officially available. Also, do tell me when and how to register for the next memoir course. Happy Holidays!!!!
Unlike these Johnny- and Janie-come-Latelies, I can honestly say “I knew you when…”
Glad I asked for your and Hanni’s autographs back in the day, when they were still affordable.
Happy you’re so prolific and popular…and why not? Miss you! All best in the New Year.
[…] December, Beth posted here about a couple of children’s books she wrote for a series on disabilities sponsored by Easterseals. She penned two of the books: […]
[…] and she volunteered to move. She did, we sat down, Beth dug into her bag and fished out a copy of one of the children’s books she’d written recently, this one about service […]
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