Saturday, June 23, 2012

Home.


This afternoon The Schmidtlets scampered around the backyard while St.Matt worked on their sandbox, the puggles napped in the shade of a maple tree, and I picked blueberries.

I dropped handfuls of them into their little sand pails. They washed them in their octopus sprinkler between trips down their slide and visits to watch Dada shovel. The Pip Squeak helpfully pointed out the worms wriggling in freshly turned dirt while The Wild Imp stole berries from his bucket.

Afterward we traded swimsuits and work gloves for shorts and sneakers, plopped them in their stroller, and ran to our favorite ice cream shop. We traded bites on the walk home and I kissed their sticky cheeks before plopping them in the bath.

The past month has been chaotic: I was up in NYC for BEA and Teen Author Carnival, then down in the Carolinas for vacation and visiting old friends. They were wonderful experiences and adventures, but...

Today it was good to feel HOME. 

Even though not a single blueberry made it into the house and I didn’t take a single photograph, it was the perfect afternoon. Not extraordinary. Probably not a day that I’ll remember in a decade, a year, maybe even a month – but perfect nonetheless. Full of those simple moments that are saturated with comfort and contentment.

I wish you all such days.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Two on Tuesday -- Chances to Meet Me

Filed under: THINGS THAT MAKE ME FEEL OFFICIAL

I have TWO author-type events on this coming Tuesday. My FIRST two author-type events.

I'm not nervous (she says with a laugh that fools no one).
I'm wicked excited (this is actually true).

I give good hugs (feel free to request/demand/prepare yourself to receive one).

If you're going to be at BEA, I hope the Apocalypsie Mix & Mingle has made your schedule! Do you see all the amazing covers below? The amazing authors whose stories live behind them will ALL be there for your mix & mingling pleasure.

And then, after you've mixed & mingled (and grabbed something to eat) I hope you plan to zip over to the Jefferson Market Library for the Teen Author Carnival. Check out these panels.


Let's all take a moment to pretend I won't be too busy grinning like a fool to contribute to the conversation... actually, that's not true. I'm too chatterboxy to stay quiet.

At both locations I'll have plenty of Send Me A Sign swag and hugs to go around.

Hope to see you there!