News on the Book Front

My website is up now! It's nothing fancy, but at least it's a place people can go if they are interested in booking a school visit. So far I have one paid one booked, and one freebie at the school where I taught. I'm only doing free ones in Greenville City Schools. That's Greenville, OH, not all the other Greenvilles in all the other states! Last Monday I was interviewed on the Robin Falls Kids Blog Talk Radio show. April interviewed me about the pioneer book and I read from the book and answered questions. The show lasted an hour.

This weekend is Prairie Days at Darke County Parks' Nature Center here in Greenville. I'm doing booksignings both days for Heading West: Life with the Pioneers. It's at 1:00 on Saturday and 12:30 on Sunday. The rest of the time on both days I'll be working in the gift shop. I'm having company for the weekend. My friend Marge is coming from Pennsylvania to "sit in the log house and look pretty," as Roger put it. She has a pretty pioneer dress and sits at the spinning wheel.

I've been invited to participate in the Buckeye Book Festival in Wooster, OH on November 7. I had to send a book for them to look at before I got the invitation. I guess they liked it! There will be 100 authors and illustrators with ties to Ohio. They sold 7000 books last year! I won't make any money upfront, but I'll get royalties later on the books I sell. It all adds up! It was timed perfectly, because I have Photo Club on Nov. 5, then planned to go to Kay's to scrapbook. So I'll go on the 6th, then to Wooster on the 7th, then back to Kay's. Wooster is the county seat of the county where she lives. Becky will join us to scrap.

Am still waiting for Chicago Review Press to okay my outline and activities for my next book, so I can get a contract and start working on it.

I subbed in fourth grade today, and sold three copies of the book to teachers at the school. Of course I have them with me at all times! And it pays off.

Bits and Pieces about my Writing

I've been working on the packets to send out to elementary schools. I wanted to get the website up before I sent them out, but that doesn't look like it will happen any time soon. I'm having no luck trying to put one together. I think I'm going to have to get help. More on that later. I'm glad I don't have any trouble adding to the blog!

I'm also trying to get the house ready for my sister, Kay, and friends Becky and Karen to come. They'll be here on August 15 to scrapbook. Karen can only stay a few days, but Kay and Becky will probably be here 10 days or longer.

We've set up booksignings for Heading West: Life with the Pioneers. September 27 and 28. They will be part of Prairie Days at the Darke County Parks Nature Center. I'll be signing for two hours on Saturday and one hour on Sunday. Roger, the director, wants me to be in pioneer dress. That's fine, because I wanted to make a dress to wear when I give school programs on pioneers. This will get me to atually do it! It's been a long time since I've had my sewing machine out, but I used to make most of my clothes!

I'm continuing to sell books to friends and acquaintances, so that's good news. People seem to really like the book when they look at it. It's already available in the gift shop at the Nature Center.

I need to get to work on the Photo Club Newsletter so I can have it done by Tuesday. The meeting is on Thursday, so this is a busy week for me, with the newsletter and printing photos for competition. Also on the first Wednesday of the month, I have lunch with a group of teachers I taught with at East School. On the first Thursday, which is also Photo Club, I have lunch with teachers I taught with at Woodland Heights School. Will take my book to show both groups.

Busy Week- Prairie Days, Photo Club and subbing

It's been a pretty busy week. Last weekend was our annual Prairie Days at the Darke County Parks Nature Center. I spent the whole weekend working in the gift shop. Saturday I wore a long prairie dress, but I got so hot with the long sleeves and high neck, that I just wore jeans and a nice shirt on Sunday. There were lots of cool things going on, but I didn't get to see any of them. Tours of the log house, apple-butter making, tours of the new sugar shack, guided walks, crafts, an art show, wagon rides, an antique tractor exhibit, and more.

On Monday, I went for volunteer training at the Nature Center. Robb, one of the naturalists, is training volunteers to lead school groups on hikes. Evelyn, Connie, Margaret, Autumn and I were there. Left early to go to Dee's dad's funeral, but I couldn't find it! I knew he was at Zechar's Funeral Home, but when I got there, no one was there. I figured it must be at their church, but didn't know where they went. Called Kay on the cell phone to see if she could look up the obit online. She wasn't home. By the time I came home and found out where it was (right out by the funeral home!) it was too late to go. So I just stayed home. Had dinner at Bob Evans with Marge and Regina.

Tuesday I had to sub in the afternoon in fifth grade math. Marge called and said she had fallen the night before and asked if I could take her to the doctor. I couldn't, because of the subbing. It went well, although I'm not up on 5th grade math. It's changed a lot since I taught 5th grade, twenty-some years ago. Went over to let Adam try to get a better picture for competition of the dog next door with one blue eye and one brown eye. It was hard, but he did get a good one, along with one of a Brutus Buckeye doll with big eyes and a clown with big sad eyes. That was a picture hanging on their wall. Came home, then went to his game. They lost. Heather and the babies were there, so I got some pictures.

Wednesday I subbed again in the afternoon at the same school, this time for sixth grade language arts. It was an easy day. Had to be there by 11, because you have to be there 31/2 hours to get paid for half a day. But she had a plan period next, then I had ten minutes duty in the hall outside the cafeteria, when I just talked to the kids and made sure they weren't rowdy, then 45 minutes for lunch. Then I had just one class! It was a double period, but there were only 18 in the class, and three were absent. Picked Adam up after school and we went to Farmer Brown's to eat, then to my house to print out his pictures. Did the clown in B&W and 11x16.

On Thursday I took Marge to the beauty shop. She has a big black eye, but she didn't break any bones in either wrist. The right one is swollen and she has a brace on it. Ate lunch at the Fairlawn with Woodland Heights retirees, then went back and picked Marge up. Did four ICL lessons and mailed them, then picked Adam up. Came home and Thelma was here waiting for us to go to Photo Club. I drove. Ate at Appleby's as usual, but no one else showed up. Went to Club. Adam got his first ribbon, and he really started out with a bang! His clown picture got a first place and it got 24 points out of a possible 27! Everyone was amazed that he was the one who took it! I got a second on a train picture from Quaker Square in Akron and HM on a close-up of a Cooper's hawk in Canada. Went to Rooster's afterwards, and there were over 20 there. Didn't get home until 2. Adam slept all the way home.

Overslept! I guess I set my alarm for 6:20 PM instead of AM! Woke up at 7:05, and Adam was supposed to be at the bus at 7:15! He got right up and dressed and brushed his teeth. Gave him applesauce and toast for breakfast, and we got to the Junior High at 7:20. The bus to take them to the high school wasn't there yet, so we were okay. I went to the Nature Center and Connie and I helped with and observed a hike with sixth graders from Franklin Monroe. Tonight we ate at Longfellow's Shadows restraurant. It's good. Then I picked up the babies from the ball diamond. Brandon had a doubleheader, and Heather didn't want them out after dark when it gets damp because of Madison's allergies. When I pulled into the parking lot, Madison clapped and yelled, "Yay!!!!" They were home by 9. Carson conked out on the couch about half an hour after I got them home.

So that's the week in review! I have nothing scheduled for all weekend! Plenty to do, but nothing scheduled.

Canada Trip, Rare Gull, and Prairie Days

The pioneer book is coming closer to reality. The committee reviewed my proposal and wanted me to flesh out the outline a bit, showing more of the historical content. They also wanted to be sure I showed all the hardships of the pioneers. And they weren't crazy about the Laura Ingalls Wilder tie-in in each chapter, so there will probably just be one small section about her. The editor called me with their suggestions. I send him the revised outline yesterday and haven't heard anything yet. If I do it, it will be due June 1, which gives me 8 months to write a 40,000 word book. Should be plenty of time, and give me time for any smaller rush assignments I can pick up, plus subbing and teaching my correspondence courses.

Last weekend I went to Canada with other members of the Darke County Birders. We hit Lake Erie MetroPark on the way up, then went to Point Pelee and Holiday Beach for hawk migration. There were hundreds of sharp-shinned hawks migrating, along with probably thousands of blue jays. We saw 70-some species of birds in three days and had a good time. Will post some pictures.

Today my friend Marge and I drove to St. Mary's, Ohio (about 35 miles) to see a rare (in this area) Sabine's gull. Two other birders came while we were there, and one located the gull and pointed it out to us. I got a couple of pictures which aren't the best, but show the large amount of black on the wings. I'll post one.

I'm getting ready for the Darke County Parks' Prairie Days this weekend. I work at the desk tomorrow morning, and they want me to rearrange the gift shop for the weekend. Then all weekend I'll be selling in the gift shop. It's a long haul, but it's easier if one person takes care of all the money. I'll at least get out to get a Farmer Brown sandwich and some ice cream!