Celebrating the Winter Wonders Season with Donna Marx

I’m thrilled to celebrate the Winter Wonders season with Donna Marx, the author of Good Luck, Puck!, which will be published next month.

Welcome, Donna, and congratulations on your debut picture book! It’s so exciting that your book will be published during the time of the 2026 Winter Olympics! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me about your writing journey.

Me: Do you have any special plans for the winter? Or are there any activities that you participate in related to the season? Do you have a favorite season?

Donna: Our winter season is spent watching our grandsons play ice hockey. I live in Missouri, and winter can be brutal at times. However, we are sometimes blessed by a run of unseasonably warm days. My favorite season is summer. I love being outside in the sunshine and going on family vacations to the beach.

Me: How long have you been writing?

Donna: I started writing picture books in 2021. However, my career as a teacher involved writing curriculum and grading essays, so I think that counts too! After I retired, I spent a lot of time reading picture books to my grandsons. One day, I thought, “This can’t be THAT hard.” So I started keeping track of ideas from my interactions with the boys. I admit that my early stories were more tell than show – the first lesson many aspiring authors learn.

Me: What, or who inspired you to write this book?

Donna: My grandsons and I were playing hockey in the driveway. The puck kept getting away from us and rolling down the street. So every time that happened, we would shout, “Runaway Puck!” It reminded me of a book we read called The Runaway Pea by Kjartan Poskitt. It’s a story about a pea that rolls off the plate and into some adventures. So I started writing the story – with a similar pattern – that turned into my debut book, Good Luck, Puck!.

Me: Tell me a little bit about this book’s journey to publication, were there any bumps and bruises along the way, obstacles you had to overcome, aha-moments? You can share the good, bad, ugly lol, or not.

Donna: I had been working on this story over the course of three years. During that time, I joined Rate Your Story, worked with Lynne Marie (owner of Rate Your Story) as a mentor, and joined a couple of critique groups. Of course, since this was very early in the process of learning and investing in my craft, the number of revisions got frustrating at times. However, each one was essential for adding the “missing” elements: stronger stakes, the right combination of adventures, a better setting, more layers, a catchier title, more kid-friendly language, etc. Finally, the critiques became more focused on choosing the right words and less about the essential elements in a marketable picture book. I took advantage of a First Pages opportunity at the Girl Power Conference (hosted by The Little Press). After receiving some glowing feedback, I submitted it to them, which resulted in an offer. I do think one of the most challenging aspects of getting published is that your solo vision becomes the collective vision of others, i.e. publisher, editor, illustrator, and even the distributor (they suggested we make the hockey players more generic – as opposed to Team USA – for a broader appeal). Just like Puck, I had to be a team player and have confidence that the changes they were making were in the best interest of the book.

Me: What is one piece of advice you can give to writers who are just starting out, or who are still in the query trenches?

Donna: This blog is reaching many other talented writers. I feel fortunate about my accelerated path to publication. The key to that unexpected success was having the right idea, at the right time, in front of the right person. Today’s publishing market is very crowded. Therefore, writers should always be thinking about ideas and concepts that are unique. Never stop learning and persevere through those critiques and numerous revisions. One comment or suggestion could be what your story needs to get the attention of a publisher.

Me: What are your plans for the future? Writing or otherwise, traveling, hobbies, etc.

Donna: I plan to polish other stories I’m working on and make an effort to write more new manuscripts. I have lots of ideas, as well as some great manuscripts that need more revising. Finding and making the time to write is my biggest challenge. We have plans to travel to London and cruise the Mediterranean within the next two years. And, of course, attending our grandsons’ sports events is always a top priority!

Me: I’d love for you to share a recipe with me, I have a collection of recipes from friends and family that goes back many years. I would love to include yours, as well as share it with my readers.

Donna: I am sharing a super simple appetizer dip.

Cheddar Cheese Dip

1⁄4 cup roasted pecans (broken into small pieces)

4 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, and cooled

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

green onion, sliced thinly

1⁄2 cup mayonnaise

salt, to taste

In a serving bowl, combine roasted pecans, bacon crumbles, cheddar, green onion, and mayonnaise. Season with salt. Serve with your favorite crackers or apple slices. Enjoy!

Thank you for allowing me to participate in your spotlight of debut authors and sharing my journey with your kidlit community!

Me: You’re very welcome. It’s always fun getting to know kidlit friends, and I love the way your grandchildren have inspired you. I can’t wait to read Good Luck, Puck! I’m sure you and your family will celebrate on publication day! And thank you for the cheese dip recipe; I can’t wait to try it. 🙂

You can connect with Donna here:

Celebrating the Winter Wonders Season with Chelsea DiCicco

Welcome Chelsea and thank you for taking the time to chat with me about your writing journey. I always enjoy reading your blog at Chelsea’s World of Books and I feel honored to have you join me here.

Me: Do you have any special plans for the winter? Or are there any activities that you participate in related to the season? Do you have a favorite season?

Chelsea: This winter, I’m planning to cozy up by our electric fireplace and drink lots of coffee. I also plan to wear each of my sheep sweaters (currently I’m up to three… I have one in red, one in green, and one in blue). This winter (as of November), I’m also out on sub with my first manuscript with my agent. We’re taking a pause in December, as publishing often shuts down this time of year, and then we’ll be back at it again, fresh starting in January 2026. Currently, for my writing projects, I’ve just completed the first draft of my third book in my early reader series and am now starting on the fourth. I will be sending both off to my editor toward the end of December 2025 and the beginning of January 2026.

Me: How long have you been writing?

Chelsea: The short answer is always. Literally as far back as I can remember. I’ve always had stories running through my head, and it only seemed natural to let them out by writing them down. I feel like it’s the only way I could think clearly or get anything done. Otherwise, my brain would be crowded with noisy characters making all kinds of ruckus.

As for my writing career, I started with independent publishing back in 2015. I published a few young adult novellas and a children’s book with my younger sister. At that time, I wasn’t really looking at my writing as anything more than a creative outlet and was writing just for the joy it brought me. But that changed with the publication of my first picture book, ADHD and Me, which was published in its first edition in 2017. This book was received with a great deal of love from readers. And suddenly, the writing wasn’t about just what it brought me anymore. It was about what I could bring to others.

A few years later, in 2019, after several life events that had me sidetracked, I found my way back to writing, and at the start of 2021, I made the decision to seriously pursue traditional publishing for the children’s market. And I never looked back. I fully immersed myself in the literary world, dedicating myself full-time to learning the craft of writing for the traditional kidlit market… something I had no prior knowledge of. I learned everything I could about all there was to know about kidlit rules and industry standards, from word counts, story structure, voice, pacing, age-appropriate problems, you name it. I formed my first critique group and joined organizations like Julie Hedlund’s 12×12, SCBWI, Courage to Create Community, attended webinars and took classes with writing schools like The Writing Barn, and Write Academy, and began participating in writing events and contests like Storystorm, Fall Writing Frenzy, 50 Precious Words, and many more.

Fast forward to four and a half, nearly five years later, my perseverance paid off. I landed my first four-book deal with an editor in August 2025 and signed with my dream literary agent in November 2025.

Me: Congratulations on landing your dream agent, that’s wonderful! So, what, or who inspired you to write your book, ADHD and Me?

Chelsea: ADHD and Me was a labor of love inspired by my childhood and personal experiences and feelings while growing up with ADHD. I wrote this book because I desperately wanted to give a voice to kids like me who shared these, or similar, big feelings and struggles, but didn’t know how to express them. And that is exactly what this book has been able to do.

The response I’ve received from parents and children at events I’ve done at local bookstores/schools, /libraries has been nothing short of wonderful. When I see someone tear up while reading (which happens often), and they thank me for writing this story for them, for their grandchild, or someone else close to them, or when a little reader tells me “that’s how I feel sometimes,” or a parent says, “I feel like my child is truly seen,” it touches my heart and brings me a happiness that I can’t fully put into words. I think at the core, what it really brings me, and the reader, is a special moment of connection, belonging, and recognition. It’s a moment that says, “I see you. You aren’t alone. You are loved.” For me, that’s the greatest feeling to share with another person.

Me: Tell me a little bit about this book’s journey to publication. Were there any bumps and bruises along the way, obstacles you had to overcome, aha-moments? You can share the good, bad, ugly, lol, or not.

Chelsea: The route to publication for this book was definitely a learning experience. From book formatting, marketing campaign, hiring a contract artist, connecting with local community businesses, arranging events, and the list goes on. I learned so much during this time. And the experience helped me to make an important realization about what I wanted for my writing career. I realized that I wanted my books to be as easily accessible as possible to all kids, and for me, that avenue was through school and library distribution, so I knew that moving forward, I wanted to pursue traditional publishing to help reach that goal.

Me: What is one piece of advice you can give to writers who are just starting out, or who are still in the query trenches?

Chelsea: The first piece of advice I have is to identify the answers to the following questions: 1. Who do you want to write for? 2. What avenue of publishing do you want to take and why? Different paths will lead you to different places. It’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. One answer may be right for someone and not for someone else.

For example, if you’re writing a memoir and simply want to publish a book that you can hold in your hands and maybe share with a few close friends or family members, there are a lot of indie platforms that you could use to help you accomplish that, at a relatively low cost, and within a reasonably short period of time. But if you want to publish a novel and see it sitting on a Barnes and Noble shelf, that’s an entirely different story. That will require a lot more time, and most likely, you’ll need an agent, or at most, an editor, at a traditional house/press, to accomplish that goal.

For myself, I had to figure out what my goals were as a writer. And my goals aligned with the school and library market, which meant that I needed to go the traditional route. This all being said, make sure that you know your big why for writing. Why do you write? What does it bring you? And what do you hope it will bring others? If you don’t know what your “why” is, find it. The publishing industry is full of roadblocks, rejections, and setbacks. It requires a great deal of patience and perseverance to stay on the path for the long haul, and if you don’t know why you’re here, it will be easy to give up. But I hope you won’t, because you and your story matter.

Me: What are your plans for the future? Writing or otherwise, traveling, hobbies, etc.

Chelsea: I plan to publish many books! Or at least as many as my editor/agent can manage. As of right now, I do have set plans for the first four books of my early reader series to come out with Capstone in the spring of 2027, which I’m ecstatic about. These are my first “traditional” books- so really, it’s my debut! I’m also going out on sub with two picture book manuscripts at the beginning of the coming year, 2026. I’m very excited about this because both manuscripts mean a great deal to me. And one of them is the one that landed me my agent!

Me: I’d love for you to share a recipe with me. I have a collection of recipes from friends and family that goes back many years. I would love to include yours and share it with my readers.

Chelsea: Oh, a recipe. Hm… I’m really more of a “wing it” kind of gal when it comes to recipes, and I’m always adapting/adding things. My husband is very good at following the rules, but me… not so much. I get rather creative in the kitchen… and just have fun trying to figure out my measurements!

But, let’s see… I do love making low-carb bagels. I found the recipe online, and it’s very simple. You just take one cup of plain Greek yogurt and one cup of self-rising flour and combine them. Then, if you want to make them “extra fancy,” you can do an egg wash coat on the top to help them turn that pretty golden-brown color in the oven, and you can add everything seasoning to the top before baking. I bake mine in an air fryer for about 12 minutes at 300 degrees, or until they’re golden brown. Some ovens/air fryers may vary, so I suggest just using this as a jumping-off point and experimenting. It’s always more fun that way anyway. At least, in my opinion. And the bagels really are quite delicious.

Thanks so much for having me join you and your readers today, Patricia. I appreciate you and all that you do for the kidlit community!

Me: Thank you for the kid words and for your time, it’s always fun getting to know writing friends! I look forward to seeing many more books of yours in the future. And of course, to trying those low carb bagels. I hope you have a wonderful day.

You can connect with Chelsea here:

Lighthouse Literary Agency