May Fest with Friends
Ah, where to begin?
The Hudson Children's Book Festival in Hudson, NY on 5/5 was fabulous fun, as was the road trip through the Catskills up. I was lucky enough to meet The Ambassador of Children's Lit and wonderful author Walter Dean Myers:
And I discovered that Such a Pretty Girl was part of the 7th grade English curriculum which was grand, and that the 8th graders actually had the option of choosing an additional three of my books to read for class. A deep curtsy to all the wonderful teachers I met, and of course the 7th and 8th grade students who deliberately stopped by to say hi as they were a blast.
And my charming and funny 'Author Handler' Janet, also a teacher:
And some fabulous authors, including Jo Knowles, Terry Truman and Tim Tocher:
Ahh, gymnasium lighting makes us all look like zombies but what they hey. We're still smiling.
And Tim, who will be up at the Millbrook, NY Book Festival if you want the chance to get out there and say hello.
One of my favorite festival moments was one that may send some of you screaming but this has been on my personal list of things to do for years, and it amazed me that it finally came true. I mean really, what're the odds that the author in the booth next to me would have brought a small cage of Giant Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches with her and let me hold one? It was a huge and very patient, tolerant insect and it did hiss, which kind of made me sad once I found out they do it when they're scared. But this was a glory moment for me:
What can I say? Bugs fascinate me. They always have.
I was also lucky enough to meet up with a pair of my favorite cousins and have dinner, meet some wonderful cats -- Hi, Sasha! -- and indulge in some very stirring travel conversation. So thank you, Ilona and Henry, for hosting us and giving us such a grand evening.
And thanks to Wendy, too, for covering a thousand bases, being a great friend and the perfect traveling companion. Dinner out on Cinco de Mayo with Lee and Olivia was a blast, and gave me more interesting things to think about. Thanks so much, guys!
Back home, my favorite little skunk showed up again. She is very sweet, patient, tolerant and even the outside cats dont' seem to mind her too much:
Patience, kids. Always patience.
And now it's back to working on this new book, Me Since You. Hope spring is as beautiful where you are as it is here. Enjoy!
Long Time, No See
Well, it's been a long time since I posted. I've been writing like crazy -- I have a deadline coming up fast -- and so all efforts are being channeled into the manuscript for my next book Me Since You.
Consider this kind of an update post just so I can send good wishes out to everyone, say Happy Spring and show a little of what's been going on here.
First up, if you're going to be anywhere near Hudson, NY on May 5th, please stop in at The Hudson Children's Book Festival on Harry Howard Ave and say hi. I'll be one of the authors there and there's nothing more delightful than meeting readers or seeing old friends again!
Second, there is a new, very sweet-natured and tolerant little skunk hanging around now. I almost stepped on her the other day by mistake and instead of getting excited and raising her tail, she just waited while I stopped, and very quietly backed up. This is the third time I've met up with her and so far we're doing really well at tolerance and harmony.
Here she is, having a snack the other day, while one of the cats waits his turn:
I happen to be a fan of skunks so this works out pretty well. I get to watch her and hopefully get her used to my presence (without getting sprayed) and she gets to roam unmolested.
We'll see how it goes.
And then we have another pair of visitors on the pond, and their feline audience out on the bank:
I love spring, the greening, the energy, the rebirth.
So I'm headed back to work now but I'm sending all good thoughts out to you guys for a sunny April and a gorgeous May.
I'll be around.
Watching for Crocuses
I admit it. I'm a spring girl, all the way.
Beginnings. A green haze through the woods. Soft breezes, Crocus, daffodils, lily of the valley, grape hyacinths. Ahhh. Love them. Spring always makes me feel like all things are possible.
In the meantime, I'm still working on this next manuscript, and loving all the odd, fifty degree days coming my way.
Can't wait until the windows can stay open, night and day!
Holly Jolly
Ahh, what a festive time we've had! And happily, it isn't over yet.
Company's here and there's a rousing, cut throat game of Monopoly going on in the living room. I've stolen away for a few moments to sit back and exhale, and enjoy the sounds of their laughter because it really is wonderful. We had a lovely dinner at my friend's today, with good company and an astounding feast, gifts to open and much merriment.
I was lucky enough to meet a fabulous dog today, too, a rescue greyhound named Blaze (Blaise?) and her person Norman, who she adores.
I'm feeling very grateful right now, peaceful and full of hope. Looking forward to celebrating Christmas with my family next, and hugging them till they beg me to stop!
And then? Well, then it's writing like crazy and getting ready to ring in the new year.
What a beautiful season. Wishing you all the best of it.
Christmas Eve
I woke up to a lovely, glittering dusting of snow and briliant sunshine. What a great combination for the holiday! The baccala is in the oven for tonight, the kalacs and kruschiki already made, and delicious. (Despite the fact that yeast baking and me have never gotten along, and it's no different this year!)
I've been thinking a lot this last week about loved ones, family, old friends and new ones, and I'm feeling really lucky to know so many wonderful, caring individuals. I've spoken with old friends this week that I'd lost track of and haven't talked with in years and it was so easy, and so grand. We share a history, came up together and it was delightful.
So, a deep curtsy to old friends, and the memories, history, joy and laughter they bring. Thank you.
I was also lucky enough to sit down this week and hang out with one of my lovely new friends, have some good conversation, the kind that goes beneath the surface and actually means something, and that's irreplaceable.
And then, of course, there's my family, who I CANNOT WAIT to see, hug and hang out with again. Yay!
There's a lot going on right now -- I'm still working on this new book -- and thinking hard about the kind of person I want to be, the traits I admire and what I hope to accomplish in 2012. It's a decent list, not written out yet but it will be before New Year's Eve. I'm looking forward to it.
So what I'll wish for you is all the beauty of the season, all the joy, peace and happiness, all the grand challenges and personal satisfaction, the small and simple kindnesses that can make a huge difference for a person or animal in need, bright smiles, warm hearts and hands extended in sincere friendship.
But most of all, I wish you hope, and love.
Happy holidays!
All Those Ones
Interesting. Was it a lucky day for you? There are a lot of people out there saying "Make a wish, it's a magical day," and it would be really cool if it was, so... Why not give it a try?
I haven't been here in a while and am backed up on responding to emails, etc.. This always happens when I'm writing and in deep. I disappear for a while, not many updates on Facebook, that kind of thing.
But I'll resurface at some point and breath again. The hardest part about disappearing to write is always all the things that are left in progress, waiting for attention and resolution. It's a mad hustle, and it's been this way all year.
So, it's back to work now but I just wanted to send a deep curtsy to the veterans today, especially the ones I know and love.
Passionate About...
Maddening.
I had the pleasure of doing a Passionate About Pets radio interview over at WCHE1520 on Monday with the always charming and talented host Rich Britton. One of the things we talked about was my new book Ordinary Beauty and the kinship in the story between the main character Sayre (pronounced Say-er, since I know some of you asked
) who grew up knowing she was a mistake, unwanted and unloved, and the orphaned feral kitten she befriends. Both are hungry for kindness and affection, a safe place to rest, and the love they didn't get the first time around. If you want to listen in, and this attempt works, you can listen here WCHE radio interview and decide I sound nothing like you thought I did. That's all right, because I sound nothing like I thought I did, too.
Apparently my voice gets higher the more passionate I am about a subject (my friends and family will attest to that. Also to the arm waving, and talking with my hands) but happily, you can't see that wild flailing in a radio interview. That takes hanging out in person.
I mean, who doesn't love a great, passionate conversation, especially when it involves strong coffee and good friends? That's the stuff that dreams are made of.
Oh, the Water
How about with all of the wretched and frightening flooding going on here right now? I'm fine up here out in the woods -- our road washed out by the creek bridge -- but I'm high and dry, lucky to be so, when others aren't as fortunate.
There's about an 8 foot deep crevasse there now. Yikes.
The photos of the flooding in NE PA are over at http://www.wnep.com at photolink and they're horrifying. Even if we could get out, I'm not sure where we'd go. I've heard that 200 roads are closed, washed out, under water. Thousands have been evacuated. I have no idea how long the recovery will take, especially since the Susquehannah River is still supposed to be cresting soon.
My heart goes out to everyone. Stay safe.
And because life still marches on, even when you're in the middle of a flood, I'll mention a couple of pieces of good news:
On Monday, September 12th between 3 - 4 pm est I'll be a guest on Passionate About Pets, talking with the fabulous Rich Britton and you can hear it here:
http://www.wche1520.com/
Also, because I'm a huge fan of Stop Staring! dresses, I'm over here, too, along with a bunch of other fans: http://www.stopstaringclothing.com/sunshop/index.php?l=fan_gallery and what fun! I wore another Stop Staring! dress to the CCSPCA event back in June, and one last NY's Eve, too. I just love what they offer.
Right now it's wellies and an umbrella, though. Hopefully, the rain is done for now.
Earthquakes, hurricanes and floods. Interesting month, so far.
Sending all good thoughts out to everyone doing their best to make it through. Believe it or not, this too shall pass.
C'mon, sun!
County Fair
We headed out to the county fair yesterday to commune with the animals and, of course, to sample the food.
Yum.
As soon as we got there we headed straight for the apple dumplings with vanilla bean ice cream and warm caramel sauce. Good stuff.
From there we wandered the midways (are there midways in fairs, or is that just carnivals, amusement parks and circuses? Don't know, and am too lazy to look it up) and came upon the potato pancake stand where of course I had to indulge. (I don't think I've ever met a potato I haven't liked. Gave me the urge to make a big batch of latkes.
On to fresh-squeezed lemonade (aren't you hungry yet?) and then, at long last, we finally found the funnel cakes. Best funnel cake, ever. I have a recipe for these babies and I think I may give it too a whirl someday soon.
After ravaging the foodstands, we headed over to the open barns so I could satisfy my yearly urge to pet a cow, goat, pig, etc.. And we met some beauties, although we did manage to get there right at suppertime and petting definitely fell second to food. Sigh. 
Goat luring. Notice the crooked finger? Goats love that.
Actually, I just made that up. I think it was my perfume because the pigs went wild over it and I actually got nervous, they were so crazy to get to me. 
Ah well, we must have missed that shot.
I was too eager, I guess, to get to the beautiful Jersey cows with their big, dark, doe eyes and long, fluttery eyelashes. But again, it was suppertime...
and the buckets of feed were more alluring than being petted. Wretchedness.
There she is. I am an absolute sucker for those eyes.
And then, finding small satisfaction here, I ended up accosting a very nice girl on the way back from the cow washing station (yes, there really is such a thing. Who knew?) and asked if I could pet the calf. I think she thought I was nuts -- actually, I think most of the livestock-raisers thought I was nuts because I wasn't eyeing these animals to see how they'd fit under my knife and fork but just wanting to pet and be nice to them. What can I say? I like my animals alive, and just going about their animal business.
After disturbing the livestocks' dinner we headed into the rabbit building where it was mind-boggling for me, for sure. Being in a room FILLED with beautiful, fuzzy, nose-twitching bunnies of all shapes and sizes killed me. I have said it before and I'll say it again, because it hasn't changed any: I couldn't take having houserabbits. I would die of a cuteness overload. It would also be a fabulous way to go.
We couldn't take any pictures there because apparently we had intruded on the five minutes before the judging was to take place, and so we admired them from afar and I tried to commit at least one of my favorites to memory. I think it was a smoky lionhead? Something like that. The fuzziest bunny I'd ever seen. I have to stop talking about them now because I can feel the cuteness level rising.
After a refill on the lemonade and several bags of smoked almonds and sugar-crisped cashews -- yum -- we headed over to the games, where my gallant bf won me not only a stuffed turtle but also a stuffed calf (stuffed animal calf, not a real, stuffed dead one. Ugh.) because I'd been bemoaning my calf-less state and the stuffed one was way cheaper (and smaller) than a real one.
So, I am still without livestock. That's not a bad thing, as:
A. I have never been the caretaker of large farm animals, and undoubtedly have a rather romanticized view of a cow, goat, sheep, etc.. Kind of a Mary had a little lamb thing.
B. Most of my animals have found me and so unless a lost goat wanders up to my front door, there's a good chance I'll never have one.
C. I'm assuming you can spay them?
D. They would be treated like my companion animals, not meant to do anything except enchant and receive petting, and would be with me until the end. So, how long do cows live, anyway? Their natural lives, I mean. (And don't say 120 years, like giant tortoises.)
E. And last but not least, I'm thinking they're all herd animals and would die of loneliness by themselves -- I flunked pasture grazing -- so that means they'd have to come two-by-two and now we're getting into some serious manure, so...
I will continue to indulge my livestock jones once a year at the fair. Chickens, on the other hand, are small, light and portable. They even fit into cat carriers. Something to think about.
Have a great Labor Day weekend!
Irene
I don't know about everybody else inland but still in the path of potential damage but I'm thinking it's worth taking seriously. I'm not a big risk taker with stuff like this and so I plan on tucking in and keeping an eye on what's going on out there.
Be safe and talk to you soon.
