Friday, June 19, 2009

On Reading: Dick and Jane, Spot and Puff

It's vivid--my memory of sitting in Sister Dismas's classroom at St. Agnes School in Orrville, Ohio--learning to read. My eyes saw the words on the page and the words popped in my brain. Like the book was the key, and my eyes turned that key. Suddenly, I was going for a ride. A ride all by myself for the first time! I no longer had to rely on my mom to read to me. There they were: Dick and Jane, Spot chasing Puff. And on and on to other books. Amelia Bedelia made me laugh so much with her funny interpretations of Mrs. Rogers' directions.

Summers were spent going and coming from Orrville Public Library, with stacks of books. I still have my page from the summer reading program. For each book you read, you got to put a sticker of an apple on the tree. I filled my tree with apples and felt so proud. But even moreso, I was having the time of my life going places with all those characters.

Recently, I just finished reading my ARC (advanced reader copy) of my book. Only 4 small things to change. Then it will go into production. September 28, 2009 is the release date. Cassie, the main character, goes on her own special journey. I hope readers will come along!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Medicine in the Mail

This week I came down with the flu. On top of feeling crappy, I became quite crabby. I hate being sick! So it was perfect timing to get some good mail. Two days into the flu, I received a paperback version of my soon-to-be-published book, which is called an advance reader copy, or an ARC. It really cheered me up!

The ARC is my last chance to proofread and edit it in preparation for its release as a hardcover on September 28, 2009.

It's a strange and wonderful thing to hold a book I wrote! I LOVE the cover. I've posted it to share with all of you. (scroll down to view it). My publisher said that last week at the Book Expo, they received a lot of compliments on it.

The illustrator is Michael Morgenstern. If you have time, check out his work at http://www.mmorgenstern.com/ His art is amazing!

And now, if you'll excuse me, I have some reading to do. . .