A Golden Kite for Kate Messner

Kate Messner is the award-winning author of over a dozen current and forthcoming books for young readers. Her titles include picture books like Over and Under the Snow--winner of the 2012 Golden Kite Award for picture book text.

Kate opened her acceptance speech with a story of going to her first conference. It was seven years later when she submitted her first book, and she thanked her agent, Jennifer Laughran, who believed in her and vowed to find just the right editor for it.

Indie booksellers have been a huge support for Kate, and she stressed the importance of our supporting them back.Kate then said that although she was receiving an award, something incredible was happening to all of us. And that if just stick with it, we will succeed.

Kate read a lovely poem she'd written for authors, something to make us think about the beauty of writing, and more importantly, the meaning of writing.

"Somewhere a kid who has never read a book on his own... turned a page, and another. Then one more." 

Then that special moment where a child reads your book and thinks, "This was written just for me." And it was.