Today's Tree is....

A surprise! Check out the new addition to my website in anticipation of my soon-to-be-released picture book, THIS TREE COUNTS!

Kindling Words

Meeting authors.
Writing time.
Learning much.
I "retreated" to Vermont last weekend.

For a lovely sense of the experience, visit author Amy Timberlake's site and see the slide show she's posted.

PURPLEY PARTY!

There's a reason to celebrate. Congratulations to Jean Reidy on her new picture book, TOO PURPLEY! Visit her on-line book launch  this week. Lots of prizes and surprise visitors, too.

It's sure to be a perfectly purpley party!

The Character Actor

Often it's the background characters that help drive a story, just like the "character actor" in film. There's always that guy you recognize and ask yourself, "Where have I seen him before?"

One of my favorite character actors is THOMAS MITCHELL. From portraying Scarlett's father in Gone With The Wind to Uncle Billy in It's A Wonderful Life to the mayor in High Noon, Mitchell was not only a talented character actor, but a playwright and screenwriter, as well. Mitchell is one of the few actors to win the triple crown of acting awards—a Tony, an Oscar and an Emmy. The Oscar Mitchell won was for his role of Doc Boone in Stagecoach, released in 1939, the same year as Gone With the Wind.

Yéle Haiti Earthquake Fund

Wyclef Jean is helping Haiti.


From CNN earlier today—
"Within two hours of Tuesday's 7.0 magnitude earthquake, Jean and Yéle mobilized on social networking sites to raise funds for disaster relief. Jean is encouraging people to text "Yéle" to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yéle Haiti Earthquake Fund, or to visit http://www.yele.org."

Congratulations, KATHERINE PATERSON!

Katherine Paterson is the newly appointed National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Here's the article and announcement in today's New York Times. Ms. Paterson clearly recognizes her inner child just like I try to do every day. 
“People often say, ‘Now that your children are grown up, how can you still write for children?’ And I say, ‘I never wrote for them.’ I always write for the child in me, and she is still in there.”

Jumping high!

This image shows how I feel two days post-Christmas madness and fun. Maybe it's all those holiday cookies I've been eating. I'm giddy and feel like jumping, ready for what the new year will bring.
Happy and healthy 2010 to all!