Monday, February 18, 2008

Author Visits

One of the sweet surprises after my first book came out was being invited to schools to talk with students. As an author, I have the honor of visiting tens of thousands of students and educators each year!

Being a speaker was not something I expected when I started writing, but I love to travel and meet new people. Young writers are often enthusiastic when they discover travel can be part of being a writer.

Here are photos from my two most recent visits and a few from three of my favorite visits from past years.

Recently, I returned from a week of visits in Elko, Nevada. Frost on windows greeted me each morning. Glistening snow covered the Ruby Mountains.












End of the road. Kim was a wonderful tour guide, driving me to Lamoille, where aspen and cottonwood and beautiful country churches live.



















At first I wasn't sure how I'd survive the food in Elko County. The first two restaurants I checked out had specialties of "Coke Chicken" and "Moose Drool"! :-) But the Nevada educators were fabulous hostesses and came to my rescure. One evening, they treated me to a yummy Chinese dinner, another to a Basque dinner at the famous Star Hotel Basque Family Style Restaurant. Gifts included a food basket upon arrival, a Wolf calendar compliments of one of the teacher's daughters who shares my love of wolves, a book full of cowboy poetry (Elko is famous for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (http://www.westernfolklife.org), and a Sage Elementary Dust Devil pin. Who could ask for anything more?!!




















When I entered Stoneridge Elementary, I was greeted by art at every turn! It's always a treat when students have read my books and expressed themselves through art, plays, and other activities.





















Even the parents got involved! Parent Jon Haupert, whose daughter attends Stoneridge, went above and beyond with a theatre for Lily and a beautiful rendition of myself as a child in a pasture with dancing cows all around! I love it!













MEMORIES FROM THE PAST:

Phillipsburg, Kansas, 2004 - A Fabulous, Big-hearted Community!

















































Tasis Dorado, Puerto Rico, 2005 - A Joyful, Colorful School!





























Branson, Missouri, 2006 - Art and Writing Activities Everywhere!



























Cynthia Mazat, a talented and energetic library media specialist, and I take pics as Joshua Summerhayes (The Pumpkin Runner) and Lily (Prancing, Dancing Lily).
Share/Bookmark