You Gotta Have Friends

Blog & website of children's book author Tara Lazar You Gotta Have  Friends March 2, 2011 in Children's Books, Children's Writing, Picture Books, Writing for Children Writing can be a solitary profession. That’s why you gotta have good writing friends. When my oldest daughter was a toddler, I met a woman with a little girl and we arranged regular get-togethers for themâ€"and for us. Like me, the woman was a writer. I had only recently began writing children’s books, and she told me about a friend who had recently moved to New Jersey from Manhattan. This friend had already published a picture book and she suggested putting us in touch. I hesitated at first. I didn’t want the author to think I was only interested in her friendship for helping me to achieve publication. I didn’t want to be a nuisance or a bother. And, I thought this author would poo-poo all over pathetic, unpublished me. Wow, I couldn’t have been more wrong! Interestingly, I don’t remember exactly when Corey Rosen Schwartz and I met, but I do remember it was after a few botched attempts on my partâ€"forgotten dates at a local cafe. When we finally did meet, we clicked immediately. Corey was never snobbish. In fact, she’s got a charming self-deprecating personality. Corey was indeed instrumental in helping me get my agent and my first picture book contract. I’ll let her tell you howâ€"and how I rubbed her back…well, err, back. The next part of our story will be on her blog later today!