Wonderful wonderful

We had a terrific time at Book Expo, a gigantic book trade show in Washington, D.C. While "Wild Women' did not rise above finalist in the juvenile fiction category of ForeWord magazine's Book of the Year contest for 2005, Bailey, Sugar, Jim and I were very proud that it got that far and we were very honored to be at ForeWord's lovely reception. We plan on entering it in other contests and my new books in this year's book of the year contest.

This morning I ate four wild strawberries that we found as we picked up trash along Centerville Road. Then I visited with two third-grade classes at Thomas Jeffereson Elementary School. They had such wonderful questions and comments about the books. Hunner Boyd gave me a terrific sketch of the cat-snatcher. He drew it while I was reading that part to the class.

Saturday we will be signing books at Dickinson's Store in Mineral from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. On Tuesday I will be reading to students at Robert E. Lee school in Spotsylvania Courthouse and I'll be back at Prospect Middle School in Orange on Wednesday morning. On Thursday, I'll be talking with homeschoolers in Louisa. On Saturday, June 3, I'll be at the Pear Tree gift shop from 8 to 10:115 a.m. (Spotsylvania Courthouse), then at Jabberwocky in Fredericksburg from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stop by and visit. It's always fun to meet readers.