Young Authors' Conference at Fort Osage

March 10th Fort Osage had their annual Young Authors' Conference. The other guest authors were Doninda Nicholson, Steve Rideout, Ann Ingalls, and Priscilla Howe.  I was asked to talk to the 7th and 8th graders. What talented kids! Their stories were so original and varied. Each time I've talked at Fort Osage, I come away impressed by the talented writers as well as the wonderful staff who are behind the scenes of the conference. 

Wanted: Good Books

The start of this school year has certainly gone good for me.  Perhaps that's because I retired last June.  I smile as the school buses drive by.  I smile as I sit down in front of the computer and do the thing I love most: write. And hopefully, I will find more time to blog now.

I have spent all morning trying to find some good middle grade/chapter books.  I have requested several at the public library that looked good: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Bystander, Slob, Operation Redwood and Scat are among several that I asked for.  If anyone has a good picture book or middle reader to share, I would be interested.

Celebration of Learning!

Independence/Fort Osage International Reading Association along with the School District of Independence had a wonderful program for young, aspiring authors. This year the featured author was Lisa Campbell Ernst. The students seemed to have a wonderful morning. I had a table to sell my books, there was a Scholastic Book Fair, Mid-Continent Public Library, and several other tables for the kids to enjoy.

Young Authors Conference

I was lucky enough to be presenter this morning at the Fort Osage School District, Young Authors' Conference. What a great experience!

To be honest, I'm used to working with younger students so I was a little apprehensive. I shouldn't have been. These kids were a delight. They were very interested in writing and very creative.

This is one of those special times when writing means more than just putting words on paper. These kids and their stories will be with me for some time.

Thank you Fort Osage staff and students. I was most impressed with the whole organization!

Where Did the Summer Go?

Summer has nearly come and gone. I always think I'll get lots of writing done, but the swimming pool, computer games and surfing the Internet seem to call me away from writing. However, the whole summer wasn't wasted. I did finish one manuscript and I'm working now toward finishing another. The first is in an agent's hands right now . . . crossing my fingers!

I'm back to work as an elementary school secretary. I returned kicking and screaming, since spending the day doing "my own things" seemed a little more fun than spending the day at work. My husband sympathized but packed my lunch and said, "Bye bye now!"

It's a rainy day, so back to writing---as soon as I finish surfing the net.

Book Signing

What a surprise! I did a book signing yesterday at Parkside books. Of all my book signings it was probably the slowest I've experienced.

Even though I hadn't seen a classmate since high school, I immediately labeled him as "a good friend" when he surprised me with a visit. (I won't go into how he announced himself when he arrived---but it was priceless.) I label him "good friend" because we were able to visit and laugh and reminisce so easily, even after many years.

We talked about old times in elementary school, old friends, and briefly about what we had done for the last few years. (Okay, lots of years.)

Anyway, it was the highlight of my day. And if you read this "good friend," thank you so much for stopping by! The visit was a wonderful surprise.

New book: The House of Chicken

I'm so excited! My newest book should be available by the end of this month. It's always fun to actually see your book in print.

I've been involved in a Reading/Math club after school Wednesdays and Fridays. I've done creative writing classes, reading classes and even a class helping the kids write their own picture books, but a math class is what they asked for, so that's what we're doing now. Surprisingly, it has really been fun. We read a book about using math in every day living, then we play some games involving math. The kids seem to really be enjoying it---and so am I.

At the end of the month I speak to a local IRA group. I'm not sure what to expect, but it's always fun to talk about something that you're interested in.

Well, watch for The House of Chicken, and make sure to ask for it at your local book store or library. Volume 2 of The Broom Closet Detectives should be available within the next few months.