They say the limit is the sky.
But a limit at all, I say why?
Why not go beyond the sky?
All it takes it to give it a try.
Why not take a trip to space?
Visit the moon, or maybe Mars.
Why not fly to a brand new place?
Far beyond the farthest stars.
Why not journey to a land of dreams?
A world of wonder, a world of light.
Why not a place where all is not as it seems? All it takes is to sit down and write.
- Amy Beam
Leading up to and in the very beginning of the year 2020, a lot of us had high expectations. We knew it was going to be a great year, and we had so many new things planned. But then came the drastic changes that most likely none of us planned for and certainly did not expect to become reality. The topic for a new blockbuster movie maybe, but not reality. Yet, here we are in 2021, and those changes have now become the norm for most of us with a possible return to the way things were before hopefully coming up in the future but not guaranteed. Just a quick glance at most of the headlines shows us all the negativity from 2020, how difficult this this past year has been for everyone. But working in the book publishing industry has provided a unique opportunity to see a bright side of 2020. There has been a flood of submissions from authors and artists all over our country and across the world. What we are hearing from so many is that they took a break from the hustle and bustle of things (maybe not a voluntary break, but still a break) and took the time to consider what was important in their lives. One of those things being achieving their dreams. It seems that many have taken this opportunity to create things: books, visual art, theatre art, music, and so much more, things that have always been on their hearts to do but were pushed to the side before for whatever reason, not enough time or simply putting things off thinking there would always be time later. Creativity seems to be flourishing in the midst of all the unusual events. A lot of these works of art we saw carried with them positive messages of hope, love, family, endurance, unity, and more, showing that even when everything seems overwhelming, there is still a light not just at the end of the tunnel but all the way through it. Creativity is a great way to express feelings, especially when emotions are running high, and has been proven to help people relax. Art is also a great form of communication, a way for people to relate to one another, especially in a time when people are feeling disconnected and isolated. It does not take an experienced, highly trained artist to create something meaningful. Amazing works of art have been created from toddlers with crayons as well as skilled sculptors.
All it takes is creativity, which is in all of us.
All of us have something to say, a story to tell.
We just have to choose to tell it and how we tell it.
I am in the process of scheduling a virtual book tour for schools and daycare centers. Due to the pandemic, these will be on Zoom or Google Hangout for the time being. If this is something your school would be interested in, please feel free to contact me. somethingnewstories@gmail.com
Star loves to sing so much! Her song is the loudest sound in the park. Join Star as she learns something new about her song!
24 page, Full Color, Glossy Page Picture Book, 8.5" X 11"
Now Available
Star's Song Written and Illustrated by Amy Beam (dwbeampublishing.com)
