Month: May 2005

With today’s elementary school visit done, I officially have only one more school visit during this “season” (on the 16th). So it makes sense that I had a long chat with Sarah, Scheduling Goddess, last night. Sarah is in the incredibly nice person who handles all the inquires from people who want me to speak at their conference or school. We have a couple of conferences confirmed for the fall, and now we’re nailing down inquiries from schools.

So here’s the thing. It looks like I’ll be in the Boston area from 10/31/05 – 11/4/05. If you are interested in having me speak at your school or library in or around Boston that week, let’s see if we can make it happen.

Step 1: carefully read through my information page. That gives details about my presentations, fees, requirements, etc.
Step 2: talk to your boss-type people who have to give permission.
Step 3: email Sarah: henrysa78@yahoo.com. She takes care of everything from there.

My favorite moment after today’s school visit was when I pulled out my day planner and wrote “Writing Day” on most of the remaining days in May. I can’t wait to get started on the new book. My stomach is getting squiggly (it always does this) and I am scared (I always am) and totally stoked. I won’t be giving details about the plot or characters here in LJ-land as I’m working on it, but I’ll be letting you know where I am in the writing process and how it’s going – or not going.

My next favorite moment will be in another hour or so when my BH walks in the door. Haven’t seen him in two weeks. Miss him something awful!!!

I’ll post the details about my writer’s group and the way we critique tomorrow.

This is a very important day at our house!! Take a deep breath and shout out HAPPY BIRTHDAY to:

My daughter, Stephanie, who just finished her sophomore year at Moravian College

and

my Beloved Husband Scot, who is every bit as handsome today as he was when he was 16!!!!!

(They are both in other cities today, so we’re having a combo birthday and Mother’s Day blow-out on Sunday.)

And happy Cinco de Mayo to everyone in Mexico, and others who may be celebrating. Before you say something not-quite-historically-accurate, you should read up about the fact that today is not Independence Day in Mexico. That would be September 16th.

Today is also the first time I’m going to make it to my writer’s group in four months. I don’t think I know an author who doesn’t have a writer’s group. I’ve been attending mine for about a decade. We all write books for kids and/or teens. We are also friends – deep, true friends. Leaving them is going to be one of the harder things about moving away from Pennsylvania.

Is anyone out there interested in having me post how our writer’s group works? I’ll try to remember to bring a camera to our meeting so you can see our happy faces. We will be happy because we have some seriously good food planned for today.

It occurs to be that I am unreasonably perky for 6:30 in the morning. Just wait until I have some coffee!!

Wow. According to my completely unscientific poll, readers of this journal voted middle school way harder than high school. Top reasons were hormones raging out of control and social pressures.

I was in different schools for 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. Maybe I was caught up in the drama of being the new kid, but middle school didn’t bug me that much. I actually loved 8th grade. For me, high school was much harder. *shudders*

Yesterday marked my last middle school visit of the season. Thanks to Librarians Elaine and Angela for making it wonderful as usual (I visit their schools every year), the girls who joined me for lunch at Snyder, and Clay and JJ at Armstrong for their great questions. I think I have two more elementary school visits this month, make-up days for visits that were postponed because of snow in March.

My bronchitis flared back up, probably because I was on my feet and speaking all day yesterday. I promised my lungs I’d take it easy today. I have a date with the couch and a new library book. Life is good!

Speaking of books, I recently finished All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. (Listened to it on audiobook.) Has anyone else read this? I enjoyed it except for one scene which bugged the heck out of me. I’d love to talk to someone about it to see if I missed something.

The Philadelphia 76ers (basketball) are out of the playoffs. I won’t even dignify this with a comment. How many days until football season starts?

I was at another middle school today (Thank you, Shafer MS in Bensalem). I was talking to 8th graders, who are just weeks away from being 9th graders. It made me wonder…

Which is harder: middle school or high school?

What do you think? Why?

I’ll give my opinion tomorrow.