Meeting Educators & Kids

Rich and I had the chance to speak with educators at the Barnes & Noble in Manchester, New Hampshire and we really enjoyed meeting local high school and elementary school librarians and teachers. We had tea and cakes and talked about our novels, then chatted to some of the attendees after.

What was really special though, was heading to the Barnes and Noble in Nashua right after and signing books there. The events co-ordinator timed our visit perfectly. Students from a nearby Catholic school were just finishing their poetry readings (lots of great odes to their teachers!)so we had a captive audience.

We sold out of our books and got to chat with little Jack (pictured below with Rich),

and lots of other kids who were looking for summer reads.

The store was really busy and though it's quite huge, still has the feel of a local bookstore, with helpful and enthusiastic staff who know about books.

First School Visit on Dr. Seuss's Birthday

I couldn't think of a better event to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday than to participate in my first school visit! Rich and I spoke to the entire Wheelock Elementary School in Keene, New Hampshire. Librarian Eva Roeder had the library all set up for us to speak to the classes, from kindergarten through to fifth grade. It was so much fun!

I spoke about LITTLE JOE and read my favorite parts from the book. Rich read BALL HOGS, from Kickers -- the four-book soccer series -- and SPORTS CAMP. Most popular with the kids were the blown-up pictures of all the farm animals in LITTLE JOE, like Spider, the barn cat and Tater, Eli's dog, who's a lot like my dog, Lucy.

Rich's HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN magazine giveaway to all the kindergartners and first-graders was majorly huge. They rolled onto their stomachs and started coloring immediately. The group loved listening to Rich read THE TIMBERTOES (he writes them), and the fourth and fifth-graders enjoyed getting grossed-out hearing the ghost story from SPORTS CAMP.

But the number one element surprise came when I had a few of the students open up the show box to see what was inside. (Can't tell you or it would spoil your school visit!)

The biggest elements of surprise for me were all those intriguing questions the students asked, from if we were really married,(the answer is yes), to if Little Joe was in the show box and if I could bring him for our next visit.

Everyone took first place for their enthusiasm and went home with a blue ribbon, courtesy of LITTLE JOE. But Rich and I went home with lots more story ideas, glowing from the warmth of the great Wheelock welcome we received.Thanks so much Wheelock!!

BEST IN SHOW: Mason & his class for going the extra mile (just like the swim in SPORTS CAMP)and drawing me with LITTLE JOE and Rich with Big Joe, the snapping turtle in SPORTS CAMP.

RUNNER UP: Our third-grader who paints houses the color of flesh. How many illustrators can say that?

BEST QUESTION: Where do I keep Little Joe while I'm writing?

BEST IN CLASS OUTFIT: Tied: A fourth-grader Star Wars belt buckle-- super awesome!And his best friend's mohawk.

HONORABLE MENTION: Second-grader bejeweled tiaras, and the third-grader Pippi Longstocking's socks. Perfect for being a pirate, later on.

Pennsylvania Bound

Little Joe's "Blue Ribbon Tour" hit Pennsylvania the first weekend in November and it was really great for Rich and I to visit our old home state. Kickers, Rich's soccer series, already has quite a fan base and one young reader wore his Bobcats shirt, just like Ben does in the books. Little Joe, set in PA farm country, was bought by parents and grandparents to read aloud and share experiences familiar to some of the generations who were in 4-H.
We were smack in the middle of farm country in Muncy, where Madison, pictured with me, got Little Joe for her Christmas present and promised not to read it until then. Thanks to Joyce at the Borders there, who made us feel special and had our signing table hopping!
We met up with teachers as one of our stops coincided with a book fair and a few burgeoning young writers who have been penning realistic fiction since before they got into double digits.(Can't wait to read their books in the future.)

A Blue ribbon for all the Pennsylvania stores that carry our books and for those that hosted our signings!

Full House at the Toadstool Bookshop Signing!

Our second book signing exceeded my expectations. Last Saturday, my husband Rich and I were at the Toadstool Bookshop in Keene. Thirty-five people were there to listen to us chat about our new novels and to sign our books. Yahoo!

I always love reading aloud and it was great to share the first few pages of LITTLE JOE with the audience.

Rich spoke about his new series, KICKERS and there were plenty of soccer players in the audience, including goalies who loved their soccer bracelet gifts.

We signed 60 books and about the same number of cookies were gobbled up, too.

BEST OUTFIT: Hannah and her tie dye T-shirt, along with her silly bands necklace holder.

BEST COOKIE EATER: Griffin and his insatiable taste for cream filling.

BEST FACIAL EXPRESSION: Connor, when hearing Eli in LITTLE JOE gave CPR to baby Little Joe.

BEST GROWN UP SMILE: Randy, who enjoyed being read to as much as the kids.

Thanks to "The Toad" for hosting the event, especially Robin, for finding more chairs like magic and Don, who runs a great bookstore.

Hurray for Water Street Books!

This weekend was quite exciting. I had my first book signing for Little Joe at Water Street Books in Exeter. Rich, my husband, was right along with me, signing his KICKERS soccer series and hand-selling Little Joe, too. The blue ribbon bookmark giveaways and soccer bracelets were a big hit. Young Owen put his on right away! And I don't think anyone minded getting sticky fingers from the apple tarts-- they were too yummy to resist.

Much thanks to Stefanie Kiper (with me in the pix) and owner Dan Chartrand for organizing the event. Water Street is the largest bookstore along the seacoast of New England and they are well stocked, super-helpful and supportive of new and local authors. It's a beautiful store, as is Exeter, New Hampshire, which truly is a picturesque New England town with great architecture and cuisine.

I especially enjoyed meeting young Julia from Rochester, who told me about her 6 tabbies--all marmalade! I hope she enjoys reading about Spider, the mackarel-striped barn cat who befriends Little Joe and becomes his stall-mate.

A blue ribbon for Water Street Bookstore!