Newbery author Linda Sue Park

The year I joined RACWI (Rochester Area Children's 

Writer's and Illustrators)  Linda Sue, a member of the 

group, won the Newbery (2002) for A Single Shard.  

Since then Linda Sue has inspired me (and I'll bet,  

everyone in the group, published and unpublished) 

with her talent, warmth, intelligence, and unbounded 

energy.  She continuously helps others hone their

writing skills and shares what she has learned.  I found

this section of her website about writing helpful.

There was a article in the Democrat and Chronicle 

recently about Linda Sue that illustrates her world now 

after winning the Newbery.  Whew!  She sure is busy! 

NEWSFLASH

My friend and member of our critique group,

Jennifer Burrows, just signed a contract for her first 

chapter book, Most Beautiful, with Royal Fireworks 

Press in Unionville, NY.  Congratulations, Jennifer, 

on this outstanding accomplishment.  You have worked

hard and you deserve it.  No details yet on the release date.

It will be exciting for me to follow the process of this book.

Family Time

Gary and I enjoy having friends and relatives visit at our cabin.

Last week cousin Alice from Cleveland, came for a few days. 

She loves fishing.  Even though the catch was released (too small)

just being on the serene lake was a much needed vacation for her

before starting back teaching in a few weeks.

Michele, our daughter, enjoyed time with Alice and spending a 

relaxing day.  She is a very creative artist and designs flower 

arrangements and wreaths for Preferred Plants in Rochester.

Palmyra Pirate Days

Again this year, I signed books, along with other authors, at 

this yearly event in Palmyra. 

 

Some little pirates.

Me and some of the other authors signing books at the event.

New Contract

I just signed the contract with Raven Tree Press for a 

fourth Marco adventure.  This time Marco and his friends 

will have a cave adventure.  Marco has become so "real" 

to me that I breezed through the manuscript and sketches 

in one weekend. This is not the norm.  But, I was at our 

cabin on the lake where I have few distractions and the 

soothing sound of the water kept me in a rhythm. 

Marco's adventures in the Jungle will be out in March 2011 

and Marco's adventures in a Cave is planned for Fall 2011.

Life is good!

After getting back from Hilton Head, Savannah, Atlanta and 

a cousins reunion in Cleveland, I spent the last two days

sending out manuscripts to various publishing houses.  I get

intensely committed to staying "on track" with my writing 

after a respite.  But, enjoying life and family and friends

gives me a rest from thinking about stories and actually

living a story. 

Hilton Head:  Me and my granddaughter, Anna

Hilton Head: Ty is only 10 weeks old and already enjoys 

looking at books.  I read this book to him three times before 

he lost interest!

Hilton Head: Granddaughter, Taylor

 

Savannah

Savannah Riverfront

Savannah

Cousins reunion in Cleveland:  Alice, Me and Karen

New experiences also feed my soul. And taking time to really 

look helps me appreciate the beauty and design in nature. 

I have never seen lichen in bloom.  This design reminds me of

a Christmas wreath.

I really want to paint more this month. Thank goodness I have 

a husband who loves to weed or I would be living in a jungle!

We have both been eating out of jar of mixed nuts for dinner

rather than take time to cook anything.

Gary finished another carving.  He's amazing!

 

USA Book News Best Book Award

Jeannie Patchin, Vice President of Delta Publishing / Raven 

Tree Press, submitted my book, Marco Flamingo Under the Sea 

for this award.  Meanwhile, my book is now one of the books 

featured at their website.  As Jeanne states:  

"This listing will be live for 5 months.  The National “Best Books 

2010” Awards are specifically designed to garner media coverage 

and book sales for the winners & finalists throughout the 2010

holiday retail season and 2011! Winners & finalists will be 

announced October 2010 and I will let you know the outcome.  

USABookNews.com is currently listed on thousands of book related

-websites and welcomes thousands of visitors per month!  

Great publicity!"

Thank you, Jeanne, for submitting my book! 

Busy May and June

We traveled back to Atlanta for a few weeks for the birth

of our third grandchild, Ty Daniel.  It was such a joyful time!

Unfortunately, I somehow erased all the photos on my

digital camera, so I'm posting some from my son and 

daughter-in-laws blog.  I have learned that there is a way 

to retrieve the files on the memory card, but that is beyond

my know-how.

Baby Ty on Birth Day May 13

Anna and Taylor with their new brother

June photo

Fairport Canal Days - June 5th and 6th

I sold my books and prints from my book illustrations,

Stephanie sold her puppets and Lori sold a variety of her 

art creations.  Her Mother, Carol also sold her art work.

The weather was touch and go, but we had a blast!

Our booth:  Art Mash (Stephanie, Lori and Me)

Steph's puppet and my Marco had a lot to talk about!

Sunday was a wash out-wind and rain kept the crowds away

until the afternoon -- Carol and I had to amuse ourselves somehow.

We had stopped over to the Fairport Library Book Sale and got

bags of books for two dollars.  One was a biography of 

Susan B. Anthony which Ms. Puppet read to us. 

I was tried and fell asleep in the chair, right after telling Carol

I could never sleep sitting up.  I must have been exhausted.

The gang took full advantage of my unconsciousness and

parked puppets on my shoulders.  Too funny!  Thank you

ladies for being so playful that day.  It made for a great

time together!

Ode to my Editor

I was heartbroken to learn that my editor, Dawn Jeffers of

Raven Tree Press resigned.  We had established a wonderful 

professional and personal relationship.  How can I thank her 

enough for launching my career in Children's Books. 

I am grateful for the time we spent in the publication of the

first two Marco adventures.  She had a role in the third book 

also, but now I am working with Linda Bruell on the 

completion.  Here is one of the spreads from the adventures

of Marco Flamingo in the Jungle which will be released in

Spring 2011.  I am now going to be working with Linda

on the 4th book in the series.  Thank you, Linda.

Marco playing ring toss

Book Fair at the 

Alling Coverlet Museum

John Cielinski, owner of Books, ETC in Macedon and 

Marcia Marseille, owner of the Village Book Market in 

Palmyra teamed with the Alling Coverlet Museum in 

Palmyra to present "Books, Authors and Friends," on

Apr. 17 and 18.

Hopefully this will become and annual event.  I met many

new authors and reunited with authors from past events.

I enjoyed the energy, commaderie and lively discussions.

Let me tell you a little bit about some of the authors:

Eileen Loveman

Author of "Rhythms and Rhymes of the Heart." "A Surrender

to the Moon" and "George and Bob Stories." I had met Eileen 

before and we finally got together for dinner after the event!

Check out her site.  

 

Eileen Loveman, John Cielinski, Sally Valentine

Sally Valentine

Author of "The Ghost of the Charlotte Lighthouse,"

"Theft at George Eastman House," and "What Stinks."

Her books are mysteries for middle grade readers.

Read more about Sally at www.rochesterauthor.com.

Den Linnchan

Author/photographer of nature books NYS: 

"Adirondack Dawn"

"New York State Splendor"

"The Finger Lakes:  Nature's Beauty"

If you visit the Adirondacks check out Hoss's Country Corner

on Long Lake to see Len's books. 

Mary Beth Egeling

A licensed massage therapist, Mary Beth compiled personal 

testimonies that inspired her to write about the wisdom and

innate talents in all of us.  Her book, "Messages from My Hands," 

is about self discovery and personal growth.  I must read this!

A second book, "Love-Abouts," explores daily rituals that may

enrich your life and deepen relationships.  This book makes a

wonder gift.

Susan Baruch

Susan's debut novel, "Paternity," brings together a multicultural 

group into one complicated extended family.  Susan has many

writing credits, including essays and poetry.  Learn more on her

blog.

Gary L. Fitzpatrick

Gary has many serious history and reference books to 

his credit and other genres.  He worked for over thirty 

years in the Geography and map division of the 

Library of Congress,  lived in Hawaii and taught at the

University of Hawaii.

Some of his books include: 

Islands, Codes and Vampires

    ( a satire inspired by his family's connections 

    to Transylvania and his eight trips there.) 

The Early Mapping of Hawai’i  

Surveying the Mahele (with Riley M. Moffat) 

Mapping the Lands and Waters of Hawai’i 

   (with Riley M. Moffat)

International Time Tables

Direct-Line Distances (with Marilyn Modlin)

Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck

           Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck and Rose O'Keefe

Ruth has over twenty books on regional history and teaches American 

History at R.I.T.  She also founded Heron's Bend Productions.  There 

is a link to her book "The Erie Canal" on this site.

Rose O'Keefe

After buying an 1865 cottage in the South Wedge in 1976, Rose began

research of the area.  She wrote for The Wedge a newspaper dedicated 

to that area and wrote her first Arcadia book "Rochester's South Wedge."

Brooks Tenney

Brooks and I traded books at the fair.  Of course 

"Marco Flamingo" is an easier read than "New Silk Road!"  

Brooks also wrote "The Ten Thousand Things."  

Both novels center around the intrigue of the drug 

and weapons trade.

There were other vendors at the fair who kept all of us 

deliciously fed!  And more who displayed their business 

products and crafts:

Carol & Curt Schreiner

Hand crafted, wire wrapped and silverware jewelry 

Amber Shultz

Amber is a distributor of essential oils through 

Young Living.  She is a vibrant personality that

is dedicated to whole body wellness.  Just a whiff 

of the peppermint oil snapped me out off my morning 

grogginess better than the coffee I was drinking.

Veronique Cheniaux

Vero is a crochet artist who creates colorful hats, scarves, purses 

and jewelry.  I am keeping her in mind for holiday gifts!

Lima Primary School Presentation

Tammy Pulver and me.

On Monday, April 12th, I did an author/illustrator program for

the K-1 students at Lima Primary. I was invited by the librarian, 

Tammy Pulver.

The focus of my interactive program was on the different ways 

to communicate a story, building a story and drawing animals 

characters for a story.

I had a fantastic time!  The students were enthusiatic and 

engaged.  We sang, danced, mimed, and drew. I signed books 

at the end of each presentation and had some of my original art 

to view.

The school is enchanting.  I visited many classrooms and met 

the teachers. The student's writing and art is commendable. 

Kids are learning Spanish; Marco has a bilingual edition.  

I want to thank the staff for a smooth show, for their 

hospitality and for their help every step of the way: 

Jeanine Lupisella (Principal) 

Tammy Pulver (Librarian)  She knows the books kids love.

Cathy Hoose ( Library Paraprofessional) who took fantastic

    photos of the event.  

Scott VanHouter (Custodian) Thanks for the technical help!

Sarah Kamm (PTA Coordinator)  The buffet was amazing.

Here are some photos of the event.  Link to more photos taken 

by Cathy.  The pictures say it all.