What an amazing day!
Tyrabbisaurus Rex was recognized as a Finalist for the Thorpe Menn Literary Excellence Award at a luncheon earlier today.
I had two of my nieces with me, which made it even more special. My youngest niece, Josie, is T-Rab's biggest fan, so she was super excited to see him honored, while my older niece, Tobi, is one of MY biggest fans, always encouraging me and asking me how my writing's going.
When I accepted the award, I thanked them both, acknowledging the very real impact they've both had on my writing. As I said in the moment, "Between the two of them, I'm definitely kept on track when it comes to my writing goals."
The other person I thanked (she was actually the first person I mentioned) was Jeanine Henning, the artist who brought to life the Tyrabbisaurus Rex character, in a way I wasn't even sure was possible when I began my search for an illustrator. I've never been so happy to have been wrong. Jeanine literally breathed life into T-Rab's character, somehow managing to showcase his enormous attitude without ever losing his utterly adorable bunniness. As I said when accepting the award, "The book wouldn't be what it is without Jeanine's amazing cover and brilliant illustrations."
The award was sponsored by the Kansas City chapter of the American Association of University Women and the Kansas City Public Library. I'll leave you with a picture of the absolutely gorgeous award they presented me with.
