Going to ALA, Missing HS Reunion

Richard and I will be at the American Library Association conference in Chicago next week, receiving a certificate for a 2009 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award for Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator. We will arrive Sunday for a signing from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Boyds Mills Press booth (#1917). We have two signings on Monday after the award ceremony: from noon to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. On Tuesday, I will be signing on my own from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. Please stop by and say, “hello.” This will be our first national conference and we are looking forward to learning a lot.

Wolfsnail was reviewed on Lori Calabrese Writes! for Nonfiction Monday. In part, Lori writes “This is a wonderful book to teach young readers about predators.” I appreciate the kind words. I understand from my editor that Growing Patterns is in layout. The anticipation is killing me. I really, really want to see it!

The only downside to being invited to Chicago is that I’ll miss my high school reunion. I enjoy seeing the people I went to high school with and, since many are scattered across the country, the chances are few. Our class has gotten together about 5 times since we graduated in 1984 and I’ve made most of the parties. I hate to miss this one. To my great joy, however, I got to see my closest high school buddy today. She flew in from northern climes and I picked her up from the airport. Her mom came by a few hours later to claim her and take her further down the road, but we had time to tour the garden and she gave me wardrobe advice for next week. It felt like old times to be considering clothing and, gasp, accessories. Her kids are slightly older than mine (19 & 16) so I got to hear about what to expect as mine get further into the world of high school — driving and prom and cell phones, oh my.  When her mom came to pick her up, she had two grandchildren with her; Franny’s sister’s children. This was the sister who was a baby when we were in junior high. It could make a person feel old. I am hoping my classmates take lots of pictures and share them on facebook.