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I enjoyed two beautiful and restful last summer days this week in New Hampshire before I turn my attention toward a full fall of school visits. This was one of the NH ponds/lakes where I took notes for Half A Chance.



So as I kayaked, I wished the loons godspeed for Grandma Lilah.

I had a wonderful afternoon on Friday at the Gibbs Library in Washington, Maine with Bess the Book Bus! We had a fabulous crowd of all ages. Face painting, ice cream, bubbles, a bike giveaway for the summer reading program, and lots of free books! It was delightful to say to the kids, "Show me what book you chose," and see the big smiles as they turned it around to let me see me the cover. So much happiness!

Tomorrow, I'll be here at the Children's Book Fair by the Sea in beautiful Camden, Maine. The fair runs from 1 to 4. The authors and illustrators, and their scheduled presentation time in the Rotunda, are: Russ Cox, 1:05 p.m.; Eva Murray, 1:25 p.m.; Jamie Hogan, 1:45 p.m.; Ellen Potter, 2:05 p.m.; Cynthia Lord, 2:25 p.m.; Matt Tavares, 2:45 p.m.; Melissa Sweet, 3:05 p.m.; and Liza Gardner Walsh, 3:25 p.m.

More details can be found here:

Yesterday, I visited my mother and she asked me why I wasn't updating my blog. LiveJournal changed how things work and it took away a lot of the photos on my old entries and made it harder to post. That was discouraging and since I mostly kept my blog up for my dad all those years, I just let it go.

But I promised my mom that I'd update it!

So it's been a good, busy summer. We're having our house remodeled and that's exciting and stressful sometimes. I'm working on a new novel and doing things I enjoy like kayaking and taking photos and spending time with my family and pets.

And we had a new Hot Rod Hamster early reader published!  Just in time for fall, we have. . . .

I had the best book launch any author could ever have. I saw A Handful of Stars celebrated and come to life in front of me. Thank you, Island Readers and Writers and Milbridge Elementary School for an amazing day.



and I was also on the TV program 207 in Maine recently. You can see the interview at the link below:

I met through LiveJournal more than 10 years ago and we became friends, both online and in person. I've treasured that friendship. We cheered each other on, made each other laugh, inspired each other--some people just bring out the best in other people. Kevin was like that. Even my dad loved him--and he never even met him, just knew him through the comments he left on my blog.

I always knew when I posted one of my husband's photos of Pemaquid that Kevin would comment on it. In fact, I used to post them for him, because I knew how much he loved that place and it would please him to see it.

He battled cancer bravely, and that battle ended this morning. So my dear friend, I'm leaving the light on for you.

For fans of Half A Chance, this webcam from Minnesota is focused on a floating-platform loon nest.  You can watch the loons take care of their two eggs.

Southport Island, Maine. Photo by my husband, John

Here's where I will be in May!

Tuesday, 5, Bellerive Elementary School, Creve Coeur, MO

Wednesday, 6, Mason Ridge Elementary School, Creve Coeur, MO

Wednesday, 13, Fyle School, Henrietta, NY

Thursday, 14, Leary School, Rochester, NY

Friday, 15, Bay Trail Middle School, Penfield, NY

Tuesday, 19, School visit, Ft.Lauderdale, FL

Friday, 22, York Middle School, York, ME

Tuesday, 26, Tanglewood Elementary, South Glen Falls, NY

Wednesday, 27, Moreau Elementary, South Glen Falls, NY

Thursday, 28, Harrison Avenue Elementary, South Glen Falls, NY

Friday, 29, Ballard Elementary, South Glen Falls, NY

A couple months ago, I got a call that Half A Chance was being given a Lupine Honor from the Maine Library Association. The Lupine Awards and Honors are given to children's books by a Maine author or illustrator or books that have a Maine setting. It's always very special for me to have a book honored in Maine. This is home and it feels like my family saying, "Good job." Also I know my competition and it's amazing: there is an incredible depth of talent in this state.

Those awards are a surprise for the librarians who go to the Maine Reading Round Up conference--so I had to keep it a secret and wonder who else was getting the other three Lupine plates and the Katahdin Award, the lifetime achievement award.

I was allowed to bring a guest, and books are always a team effort. So I asked my editor, Kate Egan, if she'd like to come. It was very special to share the day and this experience with her.

And I was so happy to see the other honorees (left to right):

Chris Van Dusen (Katahdin)
Melissa Sweet (Lupine for The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus)
me (Lupine Honor for Half a Chance),
Alicia Potter and Matt Tavares (Lupine Honor for Jubilee! One Man's Big, Bold, and Very, Very Loud Celebration of Peace)
(missing was Rodman Philbrook, Lupine for Zane and the Hurricane)

I've been busy with school visits! This is my traveling time of year. A week and a half ago, I spent a wonderful day with the staff and students at McKelvie Intermediate School in Bedford, New Hampshire. The school had done an All-School Read of Rules, and since that book had won the Great Stone Face Award (the NH kids' choice book award) back in 2008, I brought the award with me and we set it up in the library for the day so the kids could come in and see the gorgeous award the winning author receives.

I spent a wonderful day with the staff and students at McKelvie Intermediate School in Bedford, New Hampshire. The school had done an All-School Read of Rules, and since that book had won the Great Stone Face Award (the NH kids' choice book award) back in 2008, I brought the award with me and we set it up in the library for the day so the kids could come in and see the gorgeous award the winning author receives.

Kathleen, the librarian told me she had served on that committee and never seen the award.She even shined it up with Windex for me! It's a beautiful handmade and etched piece of crystal, created by a NH artist.

The kids asked thoughtful questions and had made up their own rules. I enjoyed reading them all, but I loved this one.

"Just because someone else is popular doesn't make you worse."

I had the best 5th and 6th grade helpers all day long. They took me where I needed to go and when I did my signing, one handed me the book and the rest sorted the signed books into piles by homeroom and then they each took a few piles and delivered them. I wish I could hire those kids!

Thank you to everyone at McKelvie Intermediate School for a great day!