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My daughter and I took an after-school ferry ride this afternoon to attend Cynthia Lord's TOUCH BLUE event at Flying Pig Books. We both read and loved TOUCH BLUE so hearing Cindy speak about it was a real treat. We got to see old photos of the real Maine schoolhouse that inspired the story of TOUCH BLUE, in which families take in foster children to try and save their island school.



And Cindy had great props!  She brought her marked-up manuscript with line edits, some rubber duckies from RULES, sea glass, which plays a role in the book, and lobster banding things (Banders, perhaps? Is that what they're called? Clearly I was not paying close enough attention...)



Flying Pig co-owner Elizabeth Bluemle took the lobstering practice a step further and started banding guests at the book event, including my daughter and author Linda Urban (lurban ).



I do not think poor Linda enjoyed being banded... (though she was laughing a second after I took this photo)



Yes, we had entirely too much fun.  And I have a shiny, signed copy of TOUCH BLUE to add to my classroom library tomorrow!

I am officially spoiled. 

Saturday's presentation & signing at Flying Pig Books in Shelburne, Vermont was absolutely fantastic -  thanks to book-loving store owners Elizabeth & Josie and a whole loft full of enthusiastic kids, parents & grandparents.  Thanks to my husband and kids, too, who came along to help me carry props, set up extra chairs, and serve hardtack!



Flying Pig holds its author events in a big, beautiful room they call The Loft.  It's a lovely, lovely place for book-talk, with a cathedral ceiling and tons of natural light. 



The kids liked hearing about the "experimental archaeology" parts of my research on 18th century life.  Early blog readers will remember the saga of the powder horns on my roof...

I spotted a few familiar faces in the audience.



Author Tanya Lee Stone brought her kids and another kid she borrowed from a neighbor, I think. 





My daughter and I have already planned a return visit to the Flying Pig Loft for June 7th, when Tanya will be there to give a presentation on her new book Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote, which comes out later this month.  I'm impatient for this one!

I'm also looking forward to Tanya's nonfiction workshop at the New England SCBWI Conference later this week.  She's giving a two-part session with Charlesbridge editor Yolanda LeRoy.  Talk about a terrific team!






Here's the downstairs-bookstore part of Flying Pig.  This store has a HUGE focus on kids' books.  It took me almost an hour to drag E out of this section.



But here's the very best thing about Flying Pig Books...


            Left to right:  Josie Leavitt, me, Elizabeth Bluemle

Owners Josie Leavitt and Elizabeth Bluemle love books & authors, and like so many folks who run indies, they know their stuff.  They pointed both of my kids to perfect books right away.  E went home with Clementine's Letter, the new Clementine book from Sara Pennypacker and illustrator Marla Frazee and a signed copy of My Father the  Dog, an outlandishly funny picture book written by the Flying Pig's own Elizabeth Bluemle and illustrated by Randy Cecil.  J picked up James Paterson's new Maximum Ride book, The Final Warning.

Thanks, so much, Elizabeth, Josie, and Shelburne readers for a fantastic morning in the loft!

Sometimes I try to make soup out of all the leftovers in the refrigerator.  Today's post is blog soup -- all the little notes I've been meaning to mention but haven't had time. 

One of my favorite indies, Flying Pig Books in Shelburne, VT,  was nominated for the Lucille Micheels Pannell Award honoring bookstores that "excel at inspiring the interest of young people in books and reading."  If you've ever been to see Josie & Elizabeth at Flying Pig, you know  their children's section is fabulous, and they have a steady stream of guest authors (I'll be there on April 5th!). The nomination is a well-earned honor!  (Congrats are also in order for winning stores, Books & Books of Coral Gables, FL and Wonderland Books of Rockford, IL. The descriptions of these stores make me want to visit them all.)
      
Laurie Halse Anderson (halseanderson ) and her husband are training tirelessly for the Lake Placid Half Marathon.  They're running with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training to raise money for cancer research.  Even if you only run when being chased, you can click here to contribute to their efforts.

I've been waiting and waiting and waiting...and this Thursday, the Cybils Award Winners will be announced.  I served as a panelist for MG fiction, and I can't wait to see what one of our eight finalists the judges choose.

Kerry Madden (mountainmist) is having a cool school picture contest on her blog, and she's giving away signed copies of Jessie's Mountain.  Here's your opportunity to profit from that 3rd grade school photo where your collar was tucked in and your hair looked like devil horns.

Speaking of contests, don't forget that I'm giving away a signed ARC of Linda Sue Park's Keeping Score.  Check out this post for the details. You have  until 6pm EST on Wednesday to enter.  The winner will be announced on Valentine's Day.

And finally, have you checked out Nonfiction Mondays?  I love the idea of a blogging day devoted to nonfiction.  I missed today's roundup, but I'll be participating next Monday.  I hope you'll stop by to check out my interview with Jim Murphy, award-winning author of fantastic non-fiction titles like The Great Fire, Blizzard,  An American Plague, and most recently, The Real Benedict Arnold.