What a wonderful turnout at the Hamilton Township Public Library’s Children’s Author Festival On April 15, 2023. Thank you all for joining us! AND a BIG thank you to Head Librarian, Colleen Affrime.
At last, I can joyfully announce that my first picture book is now published. My journey was long, and I encountered many obstacles, but I finally made it happen! Publishing is certainly not for the impatient. And I’ve learned that temperance and perseverance must be your best friends.
It’s truly difficult to fathom but I, Tracy Conti Potash – yes that’s me – TCP is officially in the next chapter of my life. Just like that…twenty-five years of educating children and young adults, complete, done, over, finished! I can now profess that I am a RETIREE. Wow, it really does go by in a blink.
In the months leading up to THE DATE, everything seemed to move in slow motion. My twenty-minute drive to work was almost like a work of art. The colors were more vibrant, the winding roads seemed like a journey to nowhere, and the sky almost felt like a comforting blanket draped over me. I will admit that initially, my emotions were a muddled mess. I wasn’t sure how to feel exactly. But all that did change, and that “new chapter” was becoming very exciting! While I will terribly miss the connections with all the kiddos, I will also miss seeing the smiling faces of all my wonderful colleagues, listening to their grunts and groans, and laughing at all our crazy antics! To ALL OF YOU, I say, “Thank you” for being a wonderful part of my twenty-five-year journey. I never believed in coincidences, so I know our paths were meant to entwine. Some of you were in my life for a reason, a season, and some for a lifetime! I thank you all. Ending something is never easy, BUT I just know…chapter 2 is going to be amazing! My goal for the future is to use my gifts in other ways and to always channel my passions and energy into something new to inspire and challenge children and educators.
SO…I am – over – the – moon – excited to announce that my new chapter will be…Published Author! A writer of picture books. My first book will be released soon. The title is SWISH – SWIRL -SWOOSH, and it is all about how The Gusty Wind finally meets his match. So get ready to twirl and whirl, swish and swirl in this lyrical story about a little boy who uses the gusty wind’s power as his transportation to make his dreams of adventure come true. Together they relish leaping into haystacks, yahooing it up on galloping stallions, walking the plank with Yo-Hoing pirates, and swimming with dolphins long into the dark, dark night. And, it’s all because the Gusty Wind and the Little Boy share something in common – Their love of ADVENTURE! The boy and the wind venture from farms to deserts to vast oceans, then back home where the boy snuggles back into bed, dreaming of what tomorrow’s wind will bring. After all, “There’s No Place Like Home!”
I guess it took a pandemic to catapult me back into my writing sweet spot. Because of several unexpected circumstances over the last two years, my writing had to take a back seat to other more pressing matters. But writing is and always will be a part of me. It’s who I am, and how I deal with the emotions of everyday life. Even when I wasn’t physically in my “writing chair,” I garnered any opportunity to jot thoughts, feelings, words, phrases, and even doodles that help to express the momentary surge of creative ideas. Picking up the pen, whether literally or figuratively, silenced the outside world around me and breathed life into the blank paper before me. It was my little slice of peace.
Now, the world is silenced like never before: The roads eerily quiet without their travelers, and the airports and travel destinations desolate and longing for visitors. The schools heart brokenly empty without their students and staff. Musical concerts and sporting events put on indefinite hold. Celebrations of life and love paused, and the end of a beautiful life held in isolation with tears from afar. Yes, the world is silenced like never before! A momentary time out, yet in this silence there is an opportunity to rethink our “normal,” to heal.
For in this new normal, silence has given our Earth a chance to recapture its beauty and to regenerate its resources. Families are finding one another once again; daily family dinners that were once a glimpse of life past, made a resurgence. Quality time spent talking, real conversations without the interference of technology are happening. Laughter on the sidewalks and streets as kids play once again with one another until the streetlights gleam are a common occurrence. Neighbors chatting with one another, of course within the six feet boundary and offering assistance if needed are seen throughout neighborhoods everywhere. Teens stepping up and helping out where needed, at home or in their communities. They are stronger, more resilient then they knew.
The silence has inhaled new breath. Amidst all the uncertainty and chaos, Mother Nature has spoken. She has given us our little slice of peace in the silence. I urge you to use it to fuel lasting change, create new memories and traditions. But most of all, find the gratitude in your daily existence, and immerse yourself in the silence because that is where you will find your peace.
After incredible reading moments, thousands of people voting, countless hours spent thinking, and much discussion had, the moment is finally here….the reveal of the books we will read aloud and connect through. The choices of these books were not done haphazardly. Picking our books for the Global Read Aloud is never easy, in fact, I […]
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Tracy Conti Potash
TCP WRITES 
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