October proved more writing-filled than I ever thought it would. I completed JUMPING OFF THE LIBRARY SHELVES and sent it in to my incredible editor, Rebecca M.Davis at WORDSONG. After months of working on my first adult novel, with the encouragement of my agent, Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown, Ltd., I finished the manuscript and sent that off, too.  I am now finishing a draft of my second adult work. The good news I referred to

October surely falls on the calendar with full speed.  A big event is the Lee Bennett Hopkins Writer’s Institute held October l5th at Edison State College, Fort Myers, Florida.  In addition to my keynoting the meeting, this year Emma D. Dryden will be featured, sharing her vast publishing/editorial knowledge.  The morning is warm-wonderful. A special treat will be having two students from Diplomat Middle School in Cape Coral whose poetry I’ll be reading. I was asked to

August l, 2011 is the official publication date of FULL MOON AND STAR (Abrams).  Since I have not written a picture book in eons, I am quite thrilled it is finally here. FULL MOON… written in 2008, was taken by Tamar Brazis at Abrams in 2010.  Tamar immediately contractred Marcellus Hall to do the illustrations.  Marcellus also illustrated my original collection of poetry CITY I LOVE, one of the few books of poetry depicting urban

TUESDAY – JUNE 28:  Off to New York City where Charles and I stayed at a lovely boutique hotel, ON THE AVE on West 77th St. and Broadway, a great New York find.  The evening at PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT.   The show is glitz; not much to it other than spectacle, great sets, costumes, and a night of fun. WEDNESDAY – JUNE 29:  Lucy Calkin invited me to do a lecture at the grand campus of Columbia University.  I