LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD was an idea first brought to me by my friend and fellow author, Corey Rosen Schwartz.

“I’ve got a title and I can’t do a thing with it!” she exclaimed in my kitchen one day. “I should give it to you; it’s perfect for you!”

“What is it?” My eyes were wide with wonder.

“Little Red Gliding Hood.”

You might think it hyperbole, but my eyes got even wider. (I’m like Marty Feldman, I am.)

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“I’ve got it!” And you know what, I really did.

Well, not at first. I started writing notes about the possible project and I couldn’t figure out what Red’s problem should be.

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My initial idea was that Red was known as “Riding Hood” but she really wanted to be known as “Gliding Hood.” Umm, terrible.

As you can see by my notes, I had awful ideas, like the muffins for Grandma spilling all over the ice.

(Julie Falatko misread my notes and gave a thumbs up to “mulling spice all over the ice”. And I thought, Julie, that’s far better than what I had. Far. Perhaps I should go far, far away and not rewrite this fairytale!)

But I persisted. Remember that word, perseverance? Yes. THAT.

When my agent submitted the story to Heidi Kilgras at Random House, she was enamored with the idea but thought the manuscript needed more development.

So I revised. And my agent resubmitted.

And Heidi thought it was better, but it wasn’t ready for an offer.

So I revised. And my agent resubmitted.

By this time, Heidi went on maternity leave. And since that time, I have met her most adorable son. I mean, pinch-his-cheeks-forever kind of cute. But back then, I had to wait another six months to get an answer. Folks, that there was tough times.

But yes, an offer came. And after that? An editiorial letter.

So I revised. (Are you seeing a pattern here?)

Yep, you guessed it. Another letter, another revision.

And I still had Grandma’s final line to figure out. That took MONTHS. But thankfully, I finally got it right.

And so now, almost 4 years after I signed the contract, LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD is ready to meet the world. She is released into the enchanted forest today!

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Many thanks to Troy Cummings for making her world come alive!

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And to Heidi for making me work harder, knowing that I had it in me.

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She is available where fine books are sold.

So skate on over to your local bookstore, fast!

Or, she’s available here, here, here and here.

Thank you for the support!

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