Verse in Highlights High Five Magazine, Submission to Publication Journey

Tah Dah! A Tree, verse by me, Diana Ting Delosh with art by Marta Alvarez is published in the April 2023 issue of Highlights High Five magazine on Page 4.

The submission to publication journey for these 4 short lines began last spring, when I saw a call for submissions by Highlights for their Magazines in the May 2022 issue of Children's Book Insider. I actually almost didn't submit, A Tree, because it is sooo short and simple. But I did submit it along with 2 others in mid-May. About a month later, the editors passed on the 2 that I thought had a better shot. But no word about A Tree. I waited, wondering if it had been overlooked. Waited a bit more. Then on August 31, while I was on vacation, I got an email from Highlights saying that they are delighted to accept, "A Tree" for publication. 

WOO HOO!

Then more waiting. Finally on December 12, I receive a PDF  to check for typos on my verse and to let me know that it's scheduled for the April 2023 issue.  All in all it took about 10 months from submission to publication.

YAY!

Note: Highlights use Submittable.com for all their submissions. You can do multiple submissions BUT each submission must  be sent individually. What's nice for us, doing the submitting is that: Submittable sends a confirmation letter for each of your submissions and you can check on your submission status yourself. Submittable also sends you an email to let you know when the editor has reviewed and  passed on your submission, title. You don't have any direct contact with Highlights until they accept your work.

You can find me at:

Website: dianadelosh.com

Instagram: @dtdelosh

Post: @dtdelosh

Check out my illustrations on products at:

Greeting Cards: greetingcarduniverse.com/dianascards

Gifts: zazzle.com/deloshdesigns*

Art Prints: wingedrabbit.imagekind.com

 

April 2023 Holidays

Ah-choo - It's Spring! But seriously, I love all the green shoots and unfurling leaves even the tree flowers and blossoms and pollen. If only I didn't have allergies.

April Fools Day - April 1

Flying Pig April Fool's Day Card

Passover - April 5

See ALL my Passover Cards HERE

Easter - April 9

See ALL my Easter Cards Here

Eid Ul Fitr, Ramadan ends - April 21

See All my Eid Ul Fitr Cards Here

Administrative Professional Day - April 26

See ALL my Admisnistrative Professional Cards Here

You can find me at:

Website: dianadelosh.com

Instagram: @dtdelosh

Post: @dtdelosh

Check out my illustrations on products at:

Greeting Cards: greetingcarduniverse.com/dianascards

Gifts: zazzle.com/deloshdesigns*

Art Prints: wingedrabbit.imagekind.com

Sometimes You Hit a Brick Wall

 

sketch of a bunny backpedaling in reverse.

©Diana Ting Delosh

Sometimes you're busy, busy, busy. Humming along, being inspired, productive, creative and then BAM, you hit a brick wall. OKAY not really, but it feels like it. You're in a mood and all you want to do is scroll on social media or binge junk, TV, food, you name it. Of course while you're doing all that you're feeling guilty because YOU SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING! And now you're feeling like you've gone in REVERSE, not only have you not been moving forward, but all this meandering has made you loose whatever progress you've made!

Sigh.

Personally, the above has been happening at an alarmingly regular rate. Part of my problem, is that I don't allow myself regular day offs. If I'm in the studio, I expect to create and produce something. This is all due to my awareness of my own mortality as well as the fragility of what we consider our usual. I suppose this is partly due to the pandemic. In the last few years, I've had a few unexpected losses of family and friends. That certainly shook up all my assumptions of my world. Which goes back to my feeling like I could be running out of time and I don't even know it. Mind you I'm healthy and up to date on all my shots. Still, there's that old saying if you're standing still you're actually going backwards.

What to do?

I've come to the conclusion that I need to plan a day off on a regular basis. In hopes that I won't be waylaid by my brain/body deciding to have a rebellion. Allow myself to goof off.  And enjoy it. Dammit.

HA! Right after I typed the above, I'm tempted to take it back and make it only a half day off but only if we really need it. 

But I won't. In the pursuit of finding balance we will give Goof Off Day a shot. I also need to remind myself that pre-pandemic and other current responsibilities I had a weekly errand day. But Errand Day back then actually involved, aside from errands, meandering off  to the library or mall or wherever to play a game of look.

Do you gift yourself a day or time off on a regular basis? Or are you stingy about it like me?

You can find me at:

Website: dianadelosh.com

Instagram: @dtdelosh

Post: @dtdelosh

Check out my illustrations on products at:

Greeting Cards: greetingcarduniverse.com/dianascards

Gifts: zazzle.com/deloshdesigns*

Art Prints: wingedrabbit.imagekind.com

 

March 2023 Holidays

Welcome to the first of the spring holidays. Do you celebrate any of these March holidays? I don't. But I think a New Year that begins on the first day of spring rather than the middle of winter makes a lot of sense.

St Patrick's Day - March 17 

See all my St. Pat's cards HERE

This design is also available on T-SHIRTS  and other gifty things in my Zazzle shop

Persian New Year - March 21

See all my Persian New Year greeting cards

Wheat Grass is also available as an Art Print in various sizes with/without custom framing in my ImageKind shop

The month of Ramadan begins on March 22, 2023

See All my Ramadan Greeting Cards

Arabian Night is also available as an Art Print in various sizes with/without custom framing in my ImageKind shop 

You can find me at:

Website: dianadelosh.com

Illustration Blog: dtdelosh.blospot.com

Instagram: @dtdelosh

Post: @dtdelosh

Check out my illustrations on products at:

Greeting Cards: greetingcarduniverse.com/dianascards

Gifts: zazzle.com/deloshdesigns*

Art Prints: wingedrabbit.imagekind.com