My visit with Willow Springs 2nd Graders

I had a wonderful visit today with Mrs. Frazier's 2nd grade class at Willow Springs Elementary here in Northern Virginia. My visit had a dual purpose: to read my children's book to them and to make letters for soldiers with them! They enjoyed my book and had fun with the Operation Write Home coloring pages. The children are so creative and here is one example:

Book Signing at Angela's Happy Stamper on 12/4!

Angela's Happy Stamper, a really fantastic stamping and papercraft shop in Reston, Virginia, invited me to sign and sell my book at their Holiday Open House this Saturday. I'm really looking forward to it! The open house runs from 9-5 but I'm there from 10:30 to 2:30. There are so many fun activities planned (make & take cards and ornaments, music, etc.) that I'll probably be around longer than that. Check out the website at www.ahappystamper.com for a full schedule of activities and directions to the shop.

Upcoming school visit

I'll be visiting with the K and 1st graders at Blessed Sacrament School in Alexandria, VA this coming Tuesday. I'm going to read Card Auntie, hopefully read an unpublished children's story that I also wrote, show the kids a story board, and give out Thanksgiving coloring sheets and bookmarks (if I get the latter made in time, lol). I'm really looking forward to this event!

Book Signing coming up on Dec. 4th in Reston

Angela's Happy Stamper, a fantastic craft shop in Reston, Virginia, has invited me to sign and sell Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop at its Christmas open house on Saturday, December 4th! This is the first time the shop has hosted a book signing so I'm very proud!! More details to follow...mark your calendars.

Alexandria Story Festival was great!

The 1st annual Alexandria Story Festival, sponsored by Wright to Read and Hooray for Books, was a lot of fun. It was a beautiful day, fortunately, because many activities were outside on the field. I was inside the school, with two other local authors (I love saying that). I had coloring pages, crayons, markers and stickers all ready for the kids. My sister, Nora, and my friends Marie, Tracy and Tessie, were there to help me all day, bless them!! The children made about 40 letters for soldiers, which I sent with my card shipment to Operation Write Home. I'm sure the soldiers will appreciate hearing from kids at their outposts in Afghanistan and Iraq!
I posted several photos from the event at my cardmaking blog: www.bitsofcheer.blogspot.com in case you want to pop over there.

"Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop" reviewed in August edition of the Midwest Book Review!

I'm very excited that my book is in the Midwest Book Review's August edition. I so appreciate this thorough and descriptive review, which follows:

"Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop is an inspirational illustrated story about Card Auntie, a wonderful, creative old woman who creates and sends thoughtful cards all sorts of people giving them special notes of appreciation, thanks, or cheer. One day Card Auntie has a terrible accident, tripping over her cat, Zip while carrying boxes of her cards. She breaks her arm and has to convalesce under the care and supervision of grumpy (but well meaning) Nurse Hopkins. Oh dear! Card Auntie worries that no one will receive her wonderful cards while she is unable to do her special, creative work. A marvelous surprise solution takes shape from the people of Card Auntie's community, and everything does work out for the best in the end. The painstakingly detailed colored pencil illustrations of "Card Auntie's Workshop" will keep young readers searching for their favorite little orange snail and other guides and cues to the story. "Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop" has a gentle tone and a message of kindness returned that will resonate with young and old alike."

Here's the link to the Midwest Book Review's Picturebook Shelf:
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/aug_10.htm#Picturebook

Wright to Read Festival/Hooray for Books on Saturday, September 18

I will be part of Alexandria, Virginia's Wright to Read Festival, sponsored by Hooray for Books (where my book is on sale) on Saturday, September 18. Since my book is about a lady who makes cards and I've gotten involved in cardmaking for Operation Write Home, which sends handmade cards to our troops overseas for them to send to their loved ones, I'll be making cards and letters for OWH with kids. I'll also read my book to small groups. Here is a link to the event:
http://www.wrighttoread.org/alexandria-story-festival.html