San Francisco Book Festival Award Ceremony 2014

I'm just back from the San Francisco Book Festival Awards Ceremony that took place on May 17, 2014 at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco, CA and I'm still in awe of all the other authors that I met there. All of the winners, runner ups and honorable mentions that were in attendance got a chance to talk a little bit about their journey as a writer and I felt so humbled listening to all the struggle and strife others had to endure just like me. It takes passion and perseverance to get yourself out there and even though my little story about a boy learning to be more careful around the house, seemed so insignificant to all the other books in the other categories, I'm still an author with a story to tell, that has to battle rewrites and rejection and time - like all these other authors that I heard speaking at this event. It was nice to know I'm not the only one who has been through a long process. And my 7 years getting this done had nothing on other authors that journeyed through 10, 15+ years!

If I could do my speech all over again I would probably say just that, but of course I'm a terrible public speaker and stuck with what I had written down. It was nerve racking and I kind of felt like holy crap - how did I get here? I felt so unworthy. All of these real authors here with real stories and then there's me. I have to keep reminding myself that I am worthy of recognition and that this is a picture book worthy of acceptance. I believe in the potential of this as a series and I'm so proud to have been among the selected few that were all present in that banquet room that evening. Some of these books that were honored were best sellers and have been very successful. My book, which was selected out of thousands of entrants - received honorable mention that night and I couldn't be more proud. What a way to start this part of the journey.

"A Little Goes a Long Way" receives Honorable Mention at the San Francisco Book Festival 2014!

May 17 in Sir Francis Drake Hotel

Ashley Mills Monaghan was among the selected few award winning authors from the San Francisco Book Festival 2014 to attend the awards ceremony that took place on May 17, 2014 at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco, CA. "A Little Goes a Long Way" received honorable mention in the Children's Book category. This is Ashley's first published book, first submission to a festival and first award received for the publication of "A Little Goes a Long Way."