Pat McCarthy - Children's Author

Chats and Teleclass for the Children's Writers' Coaching Club

2010-11-16T11:42:00.000-08:00

Suzanne Lieurance of the Children's Writers' Coaching Club has just started a scheduled chat in the chat room on the club's website. Yesterday afternoon we tried it out. She posted that I would chat about Why Write Nonfiction for Children? She and I were the only ones there, but we worked out the bugs and found out how it works. I am doing another 15-minute chat in the chatroom there on Thursday at 2:00 EST. This one will be on Writing for Children's Magazines.
Today I did my monthly teleclass for Suzanne's Coaching Club. It's set up as a conference call on the phone. Students may call in and listen and ask questions, but it's also recorded, so they may listen to the recording if they weren't able to attend the class live. Also people who are not members of the club can listen to the recordings for $4.99. Today's class was on Creating a Proposal for a Children's Nonfiction Book. One nice thing about nonfiction is that you're often able to sell a nonfiction book on the strength of a proposal.
I'm hard at work on my next book, which is due Dec. 1. I have a call in to my editor, hoping to get an extension, due to the complications with my knee surgery. Well, there weren't really any complications, but I definitely underestimated the recovery time and the tiredness, etc. I can't believe I thought I'd get a lot written at the nursing home! I was flat on my back for eight hours a day with my leg in a machine that bent it back and forth, I spent three hours in therapy each day, plus there were meals and visitors. There was virtually NO time to write. And if I did sit down with the laptop for a few minutes, I usually fell asleep. And now I'm having to elevate my leg for several hours a day due to swelling, which doesn't make it easy to write, either. The new book is tentatively entitled American Environmentalists and has chapters on eleven environmentalists, from James John Audubon up through Philippe Cousteau, who has been active with the latest oil spill. It's interesting, but I know I can't have it done by Dec. 1.
I went to physical therapy today. Friday will be my last day in therapy, since I'm walking well on my own without a walker or cane.

A Long-Overdue Update

2010-11-11T16:51:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted anything. The Author Night at Montage went very well, with about 40 people in attendance and a dozen books sold. Next I did the Author Fair in Piqua, Ohio, in conjunction with their annual Taste of the Arts. It was held in the library, which is a beautifully-restored old building. There were probably 20 local writers there, and it was fun meeting new people and seeing some I hadn't seen for awhile. On Memorial Day weekend, I sold books at the Friends of the Library annual booksale in Greenville.
June was a very busy month, but most of it wasn't concerned with writing. When I left the Library booksale on May 29, I drove to Kay's, near Akron, to scrapbook with her and Becky. Drove back for the Photo Club Banquet in Dayton on June 3, planning to drive right back up to Kay's the next day. Unfortunately, my van overheated as I was driving through downtown Dayton. Pulled into a garage and it was too late for them to look at it that day. My big concern was getting to the Banquet with the newsletters which had all the prizewinners for the year listed. I called the President, and he sent one of the other members to pick me up and take me to the Banquet. Of course, I had no way home afterwards. Lynn has always told me I can spend the night with her and Terry any time I need to, so I took her up on it. I slept on their livingroom floor on a very comfortable blow-up bed. She went to work the next morning, and Terry took me to the garage, where they gave me an estimate of $1100. (and charged $93 for the estimate!) Since I have AAA Plus, I called a tow truck, so that got both me and the van back to Greenville. We took it to Gary Coblentz, my mechanic. Meanwhile, all my scrapbooking stuff was in Kay's livingroom! It was going to take a few days to fix the van, so I rented a car and went back up there. It was an HHR and I'd like to have kept it so I'd have a van and a car! It was big enough to be comfortable for me. Drove it through horrible thunderstorms and tornado watches on the way, but I made it. Stayed there another five days.
On the way home, I stopped at Good Samaritan Hospital and sat in the waiting room while my friend, Jan, had surgery on her elbow. She'd had surgery in May and her elbow got infected and they had to remove the rod. My first meeting with Dr. Klosterman was when he came to the waiting room to tell me she had done well. I've seen him many times since - more on that later.
I got the van back and Gary did everything the Dayton garage had in their estimate, plus new rear brakes, for $662!
Jan ended up spending six or seven weeks in the nursing home for rehab, and I visited her most days, picked up her mail from the post office, wrote her checks, got things for her from the house, etc. Got to know the people in the rehab center at the Brethren's Home, which proved to be good.
In April I had started going to an orthopedic doctor, who ran tests, tried cortisone shots, etc. In July she referred me to none other than Dr. Klosterman to set up knee surgery. The next week, I fell and cut my other leg just below the knee. My nephew, Tim, took me to the emergency room and I ended up with stitches. Then my family doctor wouldn't sign the release for me to have surgery until it was healed, to make sure there was no infection. That put the surgery off till September 16.
I spent much of the weekend of July 23-25 at the fairgrounds in Greenville, selling my book at the Annie Oakley Festival. The next weekend, I went with nine others from my photo club to the Southwest Michigan Council of Camera Clubs Workshop. It was a wonderful four-day event on the campus of Hope College with all kinds of sessions and workshops to attend. I loved it, but it really took a toll on my leg. I hope to go next year, when it's all healed.
I've joined the faculty of Suzanne Lieurance's Children's Writers' Coaching Club. One of my duties is to do a teleclass once a month for an hour. It's like a conference call and people can listen while I'm doing it or listen to the recording later. That's been interesting.
Also in July, I finally signed a contract for another book for Chicago Review Press for their For Kids series, the same series as Heading West: Life with the Pioneers. This one will be on American Environmentalists. My editor and I had been trying to get this approved for well over a year. The recent oil spill seemed to stimulate interest in it with the powers-that-be.
I was pretty careful in August and early September because my knee was so sore. I also believed that the leg had given out on me, causing me to fall and cut the other leg. I did drive to Painted Post, NY the first week of September for a mini-reunion with classmates back there. We had quite a few people come for the luncheon. It's been so much fun to get back in touch with these people since the reunion two years ago. I moved right before my senior year, but had gone there from kindergarten through junior year.
My sister, Kay, decided to come for the surgery and stay till I was home and doing well. I already had plans to spend at least a couple of weeks in rehab at the Brethren Retirement Community here in Greenville. Our scrapbooking buddy, Becky, decided she would come from PA and she and Kay would clean and organize my house for me! Becky is a real organizer and the house really needed both cleaning and organizing after all the knee problems I'd been having.
I had a complete knee replacement at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton on Thursday, Sept. 16. I was only in the hospital two days! Then I only spent two weeks in rehab, before I came home. Becky had to leave the day before I came home, but she and Kay did a SUPER job with the house! It was such a relief to come home to a clean, organized house! Kay stayed for another week till she was sure I could drive, go to the grocery, etc.
I'm still going to the BRC for physical therapy two days a week. I'm off the walker and they said I don't need a cane. I'm walking quite well (except when I get up after sitting for a long time.) The only problem I'm having now is that the foot, ankle and leg are swelling a lot. They've run all kinds of tests and ruled out blood clots and other problems, so I guess I just have to live with it. I have lie on my back with my leg propped several inches above my heart for several hours a day, so that is playing havoc with trying to get the book done by Dec. 1. I had no idea how tired I would be after the surgery and how little I could get done at the nursing home or here. I'm hoping to get an extension.
Suzanne Lieurance is Showcasing my book, Heading West: Life with the Pioneers on her Children's Writers' Coaching Club website this month. In conjunction with that, she interviewed me on her daily Book Bites for Kids radio show this afternoon. That was interesting.

Author Night at Montage

2010-04-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting back in the groove after a month away from writing and writing activities. I spent two weeks in Florida and two days after I got home, I got company for two weeks. My sister, Kay, and our friend, Becky, came to scrapbook. Becky stayed a week and Kay stayed on to be here for Easter with her great-grandchildren. More on the trip, their visit, and Easter later.

This Friday night, April 9, I'll be the guest speaker for the Friends of the Library Author Night at Montage in downtown Greenville. Doors open at 6:45 and the program starts at 7:30. Bill Westfall and J.R. Price will provide music and I'll talk about writing for children and my latest book, Heading West: Life with the Pioneers. The 38,000-word book is packed with information on the pioneer movement in the United States, especially during the second half of the 1800s. There are over 100 photos, many if which I took at our own Garst Museum and Shawnee Prairie. Also included are many old photos from the Library of Congress. The book has 21 activities for children to do that will help them learn more about what it was like to be a pioneer. The book is supposed to be for ages 8-12, but many adults have bought copies because they are interested in that era and it contains so much information. I'll talk about the book, from idea to publication, including research and the actual writing. Copies of the book will be for sale and I'll be happy to autograph them for anyone who wants me to.

While in Florida I spent an afternoon speaking to third, fourth and fifth-graders at Bayshore Elementary in Port St. Lucie. The Media Center Specialist, Jennifer Aldridge Bozone, was one of my third grade students here in Greenville and invited me to visit her. We had a great time and I enjoyed talking to the kids about how a book comes to fruition.

Coming up in May, I'll be part of the Author Fair for the Piqua Public Library on May 21 and 22. More about that later.

Early Bird Article

2010-02-19T13:59:00.000-08:00

Madison Is Four!

2010-02-19T13:56:00.000-08:00

Peeling Paint 3rd Place

2010-02-19T13:48:00.000-08:00

Cedar Falls Textures HM

2010-02-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

Hand-Knit Socks HM

2010-02-19T13:40:00.000-08:00

One of Kay's Pages

2010-02-19T13:35:00.000-08:00

My Eye Injury

2010-02-19T13:29:00.000-08:00

Snow

2010-02-19T13:25:00.000-08:00

Chicago Public LIbrary Best of the Best, Scrapbooking, Birthdays, and Snow

2010-02-19T11:57:00.000-08:00

It CAN'T be two months since I wrote anything! But it has been. Wow! Everybody is busy the last half of December, with Christmas, but that's been awhile! I guess I should spend more time on here and less on Facebook!
The year got off to a great start when I learned on New Year's Day that my book, Heading West: Life with the Pioneers, has been named to the Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best List for 2009, along with books by friends Kerrie Hollihan, Dori Chaconas, Brandon Marie Miller and Tanya Lee Stone! That led to an article and photo on the front page of our weekly newspaper, the Early Bird.
Our first snowstorm of the year came in on January 7, causing postponement of our Focus Photo Club meeting for a week. The theme was texture, and I did manage to get ribbons on all three photos, but it was a 3rd place and two Honorable Mentions.
On January 16, I picked up my sister, Kay, this side of Akron and we went to Utica, PA to spend time scrapbooking with our friend, Becky. We stayed there a week and had lots of fun scrapping and eating the great food that her husband, John, cooks for us. I got 49 pages done in 12 x 12 scrapbook. A week later we went back to Kay's and spent the night, then she came home with me.
Madison's fourth birthday party was that afternoon. Can't believe how those kids are growing! It was fun.
That Tuesday morning I got up early to use the bathroom and managed to bang my forehead on the corner of the vanity and cut it wide open. I was glad Kay was there, because there was a lot of blood and I couldn't tell if it needed stitches. It was a small cut, about an inch long, in my left eyebrow. We decided it didn't need stitches, and I didn't get as much of a black eye as I expected! It's still a little sore.

Our big snowstorms have been in February. I was subbing on Friday, the 5th. It began snowing about 9:30. It came thick and fast, and we ended up having a two-hour early dismissal. It was our night to eat out, but the weather was getting worse all the time, so just Regina and I went to Longfellow's. It's only four blocks from my house, and she lives two blocks from me, so it wasn't too bad, but I wouldn't have driven across town. We went early, like 3:00, and by the time we got home, we were under a Level 3 Emergency, which means only emergency vehicles are allowed on the roads.We ended up with 15 inches. Some wonderful man with a snowblower cleared out my driveway, which I really appreciated. We had additional storms on Feb. 10 (8 inches) and on Feb. 15 (5 inches). It's all still on the ground, and there's supposed to be another storm coming Sunday. I'm hoping that 12-14 inch estimate is wrong. It is attracting a lot of birds to my feeders and I enjoy watching those. I can see the feeders from the computer.
On Wednesday, February 10, I did a teleclass for my friend Suzanne Lieurance's Children's Writers' Coaching Club. I talked about creating puzzles, quizzes and other short items for children's magazines. That went well.
I decided to use part of my income tax refund to replace my kitchen linoleum with wood laminate flooring. I loved the linoleum when I got it, because it was white with blue flowers and went great with my blue and white cupboards. However, it soon started to get gouges and holes in it, so the old floor showed through. And instead of being smooth, it was full of little pits, which get filled in with dirt. The only way to get it clean, is to scrub it on your hands and knees, and unfortunately, I can't kneel at all. I think I'll LOVE the new flooring. It's like I have in my family room. Maybe next year I can get it in my office. My nephew, Tim, and his friend, Troy, are putting it down for me and it's almost done.
I have a couple of author-related appearances coming up. On Friday, April 9, I'll be the featured author at the Friends of the Library Author Night at Montage Cafe in Greenville. I'll speak for an hour or so, with an intermission so people can get drinks and desserts. I'll also be able to sell my books. On the weekend of May 21 and 22, I'm doing an Author Fair at the Piqua, Ohio Public Library. It's on Friday evening and Saturday 10-2. I'll have a table and sell books.
I just finished my fourth revision of an outline and activities for another book for Chicago Review Press. I'm just hoping it's approved so I can start researching and writing another book.

Horizon Science Academy Visit

2009-12-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

My visit to Horizon Science Academy Middle School in Columbus was great. The students were awesome! They were so polite and attentive and asked great questions. I had a wonderful day with them. A big thanks to Miss Caroline Clarke, seventh grade English teacher, who coordinated the visit.
I went from there to my sister's near Akron. After spending the last week baking cookies, going to Focus Photo Club, and preparing for my school visit, I was exhausted. I went to bed at 8:30 and slept till 10:00 the next morning! I NEVER go to bed before midnight!
Kay and I spent the next few days Christmas shopping (although we did manage to find our way into several scrapbooking places...). We drove home on Wednesday. The predicted rain in the morning, changing to snow by noon in Greenville. I was concerned about having to drive on icy roads, so we left at 8:00. The weather was really strange - bright sun, a rainbow, black clouds, torrential rain for a few minutes, lighter rain, more sun, etc. It was dry from about Springfield home and it didn't start to snow till we were about seven miles from Greenville. There was little accumulation, but we had 50 MPH winds, with higher gusts. So I didn't go to the Photo Club Board Meeting that night in Dayton. I don't like driving a van in winds like that, especially at night.
Today at 1:00, my Greenville graduating class is having a luncheon. Those are always fun. We usually have around 20 people. Kay is going with me. She was three years behind me, but knows most of them. We're going to dinner with my friends tonight at Longfellow's, then I'm going to a Crop at the ARTifacts scrapbook store. I'm going to try to scrap my pictures from the Photo Club trip to the Indianapolis Zoo in October. Kay's staying here and wrapping Christmas presents. We did that last night, too. She's probably staying till Tuesday, then I'll take her partway home to meet her husband, Randy.

Busy Week and Another School Visit

2009-12-02T09:14:00.000-08:00

I've had a very busy week. There were 13 here for Thanksgiving. Eleven were family and we invited two friends. My sister came the night before to help me with preparations. Everything went well, but it took its toll on my back and legs.
As soon as I recovered from Thanksgiving, I started baking cookies for refreshments for Photo Club on Thursday. There will probably be 75-80 people there and, of course, no one eats just one cookie! I've made seven kinds so far and have two to go. I started doing refreshments for the Christmas meeting when we had about 30 members, and after about fifteen years, I'm still doing it.
Photo Club is Thursday night and on Friday I have to leave about 5:30 AM to drive to Columbus, Ohio, where I'm doing six presentations for the Horizon Science Academy, which is a small middle school. I'll be talking to each grade separately in the morning about writing and publishing a book. In the afternoon, I'll do a program on Pioneer Life for the sixth grade, adapt it for a small group of seventh graders, including an activity, then speak to the eighth graders about some of the Colonial heroes I've written about. The afternoon programs are all new, so I hope they go well. I've made PowerPoint programs to go with them. It should be more interesting than talking on the same topic all day.
When I leave the school, I'll go on to my sister's house, near Akron. We'll spend the next few days doing our Christmas shopping, then she'll come home with me on Wednesday. We'll stop in Dayton for the Photo Club Board Meeting. Her great-grandson, Carson, will be five on Sunday, Dec. 13, so she'll come for the party. On Monday I'll probably take her partway home to meet her husband.
Then I'll get busy with the Christmas tree, decorations, etc.
Oh, as an afterthought, I enjoyed the Buckeye Book Fair in Wooster and sold 30 copies of my book, Heading West: Life with the Pioneers.

This week's writing events

2009-11-06T09:01:00.000-08:00

First of all, I think the Englewood school visit went well, although I got a sore throat after the sixth presentation!
Yesterday I spoke to 50 gifted students from Darke County at a restaurant in Dayton. Talked about writing and selling a book.
Now I'm off to my sister's, then to a reception tonight at The Book Company in Wooster. It's for the 100 or so Ohio writers and illustrators who are signing books tomorrow at the Buckeye Book Fair. I'm hoping some teachers and librarians will pick up my school visit brochures and that I might get some school visits through that.
Back to Kay's after the Book Fair and I'll stay there for ten days or so. Our friend Becky is coming from Pennsylvania and we'll be scrapbooking.

Rachel & Jack Holman at Petticoat Junction B&B

2009-10-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

Marge and Me at Prairie Days

2009-10-08T21:02:00.000-07:00

Books and Writing

2009-10-08T19:46:00.000-07:00

The booksigning at Darke County Parks during Prairie Days went well. We sold sixteen copies of Heading West: Life with the Pioneers. I was pleased with that.
I was surprised to get a royalty statement from Chicago Review Press for the new book for January - June. The book came out on August 1, but according to the royalty statement, it sold 405 books during the royalty period. I guess they must have been pre-publication sales. It's earned about 1/8 of the amount it needs to earn before I start getting royalties.
Also got my royalty statement from Enslow for the six books I wrote for them. Royalties are a little higher than last time, but several of the books are already out of print.
I'm still waiting for news on the revised outline and list of activities I sent to my editor for the next book for Chicago Review Press. Today I sent queries, resumes and writing samples to three other publishers, hoping to pick up some work for hire to do in between work on the other books.
I'm looking forward to my visit to Englewood Elementary School in Englewood, Ohio on October 20. I'll be speaking to all 350 students in the school divided by grade level. I'm working on a PowerPoint program for that.
I got a letter from a school in Columbus asking for more information on school visits. Hope to be able to schedule one there, too.
I'm also looking forward to signing books at the Buckeye Book Fair in Wooster, Ohio on November 9. There will be 100 authors and illustrators and they say they sold 7000 books last year! I won't make money directly from this, since they provide the books and get the profits, but down the road I will earn royalties on the books sold. And I'll have my school visit brochures on hand to give out to any interested teachers or librarians. It will be fun to meet the other authors and the illustrators, too.
I subbed two days this week. Last weekend I went to Glendale, KY for a Memorial for my friend and mentor, Bill Thomas, well-known nature photo-journalist. Bill taught me a lot about photography and also assured me I could write books. I sent him one of the first copies of my first book, Daniel Boone: Frontier Legend. I stayed at Petticoat Junction Bed & Breakfast, run by Rachel and Jack Holman. They were so nice, the house was lovely and the food was wonderful! My photo friends, Carole Fletcher and Julie Eden, also stayed there, so we had lots of time to talk. Lis Braun and her friend, Marilyn, came over for the evening. The next day I got to see photo friends Steve and Becky Margison and had a chance to meet Bill's four children. Allen was the only one I knew.
This weekend is a Birders' trip to Southern Ohio - Clermont County. That should be fun, too. Then I have to spend next week getting the program ready for my school visit.

News on the Book Front

2009-09-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-02T18:42:00.000-07:00

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.

Uncle Ed and Dad (in dress)

2009-07-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Weekend Reunion and Writing Odds and Ends

2009-07-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my sister, Kay, and I went to a family reunion with our McCarthy cousins in Ashtabula, Ohio. It was right on the lake in a park and the weather was wonderful! About 70 and sunny. It was fun seeing three of our first cousins and 13 of their children, plus assorted spouses. The first cousins enjoyed seeing the picture of their father and my father that I used in the pioneer book, Heading West: Life with the Pioneers.
Speaking of the book, my author copies are all gone and I just ordered 40 more. I also sent for a vendor's license so I can sell the books and collect sales tax.
I finished work on my brochure about school visits and am printing them out, after buying paper, envelopes and printer cartridges. I'm mailing them to a lot of schools in the area, in hopes of getting school visits. I also bought 100 stamps, but will need a lot more.
Worked some more this week on revising my proposal for the next book. Hope to finish that over the weekend so I can send it in on Monday.
Tonight I'm going to a scrapbook crop. IF Walgreens finishes the pictures in time, I'll scrap Jessica Zuklich's wedding which I shot on June 26. They had a problem with the website, so don't know if the pictures will be done in time. If not, I have plenty of pictures of the babies to do. (Carson and Madison don't appreciate being called babies, so don't tell them!)

Update on Heading West book

2009-07-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

I finished the brochure for school visits and soon will begin sending them out to schools in the area. I hope that will get me some school visits. I love interacting with the kids.
I have one booksigning set up so far. It will be at the Darke County Parks Nature Center sometime in the fall. We haven't set a date yet. They plan to carry the book in the gift shop there.
I was pleased to be a guest today on the Blog Talk Radio Show, Robin Falls Kids Story Time. I was one of five children's authors. We each told about our books, then read an excerpt from one of them. I read part of the chapter, "Pioneer Children." The section I read told about kids' trip west in covered wagons and included several quotes from children's diaries. It was interesting to hear the other authors talk about their work, too.
Went to the Garst Museum here in Greenville today to show the book to Penny Perry, the director. She was nice enough to let me spend several hours in the museum, photographing pioneer artifacts. I wanted her to see how the pictures looked in the book. She was pleased with it, and told me to come back in a couple of weeks and talk to the woman who runs the gift shop there and thought she would probably want to carry it.
Am still trying to figure out the intricacies of website building. It's a little more complicated than doing the blog! Hope to get it done by August 1.
I'm working on revising the proposal for the next book, trying to make the changes the committee wanted, even though I don't fully understand what they mean! It may take more than one revision. I'm anxious to get started on another book!
I'll be gone this weekend to Ashtabula for a reunion with my McCarthy cousins. Will stay with my sister, Kay, in Wadsworth. I'm stopping in Delaware, OH on my way Friday to go to lunch with my mother's best friend. I had lost track of her, and found her through Facebook! No, she's not on Facebook, but her granddaughter is. She was 88 a few weeks ago and has very limited vision. It will be so nice to see her again!
Back to work on my revisions!

Cover of Heading West: Life with the Pioneers

2009-07-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

2009-07-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

New Book - Heading West: Life with the Pioneers

2009-07-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got my copies of my new book, Heading West: Life with the Pioneers from Chicago Review Press. It's always so exciting to get a box of books and actually hold the book in your hands, after working on it for a couple of years! I'd seen the galley proofs, so knew the layout, but the photos look SO much better in the actual book! I'd been a little concerned that some were pretty dark in the galleys. My editor said part of it was the paper the galleys were printed on vs the slick paper in the book. I asked them to particularly see if they could lighten the photos of my friend, Marge Pepiot at the spinning wheel, my dad in a dress, and my grandfather with a hoop. They all look good in the book. The book also has 21 activities for children to do that have to do with pioneers.

I'm working on a website, hoping that will get me more school visits. Also making up a brochure to send out to schools. I'm really hoping for quite a few school visits. I love to do them and most children's writers I know make more from their school visits than they do from their books. I think the pioneer book will do well. I'm excited that it's my first book to be sold in bookstores. The others were all school/library books and the expensive library binding made them too expensive for bookstores.

I'm also waiting to hear about my proposal for another book with Chicago Review Press. This one is on environmentalists and will have chapters on a dozen or so different people, such as Thoreau, Audubon, and Rachel Carson.

Back to work on the brochure. I'm designing it in Microsoft Publisher.

Kolton at 4 Months

2008-12-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

Dorothy Marie

2008-12-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

Carson Is Four!

2008-12-18T14:42:00.000-08:00

Blowing Out the Candles

2008-12-18T14:41:00.000-08:00

Madison Liked the Icing

2008-12-18T14:40:00.000-08:00

Opening Presents

2008-12-18T14:39:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to All

2008-12-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

Well, I finished my Christmas newsletter and sent it out. I e-mailed it to people whose e-mail addresses I had, saving me a lot of money in printing and stamps. It's pretty long, but there are lots of pictures. If you want a copy of it, let me know and I'll e-mail you one.

I guess I haven't posted since the middle of August when Kolton was born. He's four months old now and has REALLY grown! He has acid reflux, so they've had them put cereal in his bottles since he was a few weeks old. I'm sure that has helped his weight gain. It must have also helped the acid reflux, because he's a much calmer, happier baby than Madison was when she had that.

I always have Thanksgiving here, so Kay and Randy came the day before so she could help me get ready. She and I went to the Dragon Buffet, while Randy drove through McDonald's. That evening, we baked the pies and made the dressing and the green bean casserole. I had already baked the squash. It's a good thing we did all that Wednesday night, because I woke up sick on Thursday. I got up and stuffed the turkey and went back to bed. I got up two more times, to make the sweet potato casserole and to make the gravy, which no one else knew how to do. Then I lay in bed while a dozen people ate in my family room. My kitty, Oz, kept me company. Kay took me to the ER that night and I was dehydrated and had flu and bronchitis. That's the last time I babysit for a little girl who is throwing up two days before Thanksgiving!

I have a new cat, but Oz hates her. I thought she would be company for him when I was on trips. My friend, Connie, and I were hiking in a park in Dayton, birdwatching, when a little cat came walking out from behind a tree. She was very friendly. I picked her up and she started purring. I know they have great horned owls there, and they're not above eating little cats, so she came home with me. With a male cat named Oz, of course I had to name her Dorothy. Her middle name is Marie, for the lady who donated the land for the park. She lived there till she was 104. Oz won't come out of the bedroom, so I have a litterbox and food and water in my bedroom! She wanders in, he hisses, she comes closer, he bats at her with his (declawed) paw, she bats back with her claws, and they both snarl. We shut her out of the bedroom at night. I'm hoping they'll become friends yet.

I went to Kay's the first weekend in December. I shut Dorothy in one part of the house and Oz in the other so they wouldn't kill each other. We did lots of shopping, mostly for the kids. Then Kay came back with me on Wednesday evening. We stopped in Dayton for my Photo Club Board Meeting, then came on home. Carson's birthday party was at Burger King on Saturday, Dec. 13. He was four. On Monday I met Randy partway and he took her home. They'll be back on Christmas Eve. We'll go to Heather's for the day, so they don't have to drag the kids out in the cold or haul all those toys back home.

I'm working on an outline for another book for Chicago Review Press. This one will be on environmentalists and will include Audubon, Thoreau, Rachel Carson, John Muir and others. I think it will be an interesting project.

Now I need to print out newsletters for those without e-mails and address the envelopes and get those sent. More later.

Mommy and Kolton

2008-09-07T16:32:00.001-07:00

Uncle Adam and Kolton

2008-09-07T16:32:00.000-07:00

Daddy, Madison and Kolton

2008-09-07T16:31:00.000-07:00

Great-Grandma Kay and Kolton

2008-09-07T16:30:00.001-07:00

Aunt Pat and Kolton

2008-09-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

The Proud Big Brother and Sister

2008-09-07T16:29:00.000-07:00

Carson and Madison Hold their new brother

2008-09-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

Farewell Brunch at Indian Hills

2008-09-07T16:25:00.000-07:00

MC Bill Knapp Presents Reuninon Organizer Dick Brady with a GIft

2008-09-07T16:23:00.000-07:00

Dinner at the Radisson for 50th

2008-09-07T16:22:00.000-07:00

50th reunion get-together in the park

2008-09-07T16:21:00.000-07:00

Our old Painted Post High School

2008-09-07T16:19:00.000-07:00

Baby Kolton Has Arrived

2008-09-07T16:06:00.000-07:00

While Kay and Becky were here, my grand-niece Heather had her third baby. Her brother, Adam, spent the night at the house so he was there with the kids when they left at 5:30 to go to the hospital and have them induce labor. Kay and I went out at 9:00 and stayed all day. Kolton made his appearance at 12:02. There almost wasn't a doctor to deliver him! Heather's doctor broke her water, then went to see another patient. Tina, Heather's mom, saw the baby coming and ran across to the break room and asked, "Is there a doctor in here?" Someone said, "Dr. Brown is here." She said, "Well, get over here! This baby's coming." He came over and delivered the baby! When we got the news, we all got in my van and went to the hospital to see him. Carson and Madison were quite intrigued with their new little brother and got to hold him. He was born on Monday, and on Friday and Saturday evenings, Kay and I babysat for him. Heather and Brandon took Carson and Madison to the fair. I guess Heather recovered pretty fast. Nothing stops people from attending the Great Darke County Fair! Kolton Alan Gray weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces, exactly the same as his big brother and a pound more than his sister. When she took him to the doctor this week, he weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces.

Things Are Getting Back to Normal - Whatever That Is!

2008-09-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

I have certainly fallen behind here. I really have done things since I got back from Florida the first of March. So many things that I haven't had time to write about them. First and foremost, I spent all of March, April and May writing the Pioneer Book for Chicago Review Press. The title will be Heading West: Life With the Pioneers . Then there's a line that says, "21 Activities." I had written a couple of chapters before I went to Florida, but most of the 38,000 words and the 21 activities were done in three months. I got the manuscript to my editor on June 9.

I left the next day for Chicago, where my friend Jan's daughter was having a 70th birthday party for her. Jan can't drive out of town because of heart complications, so I took her. The party was fun.

While I was in Chicago, I spent two days with my first cousin, Dan Hollister and his wife, Gloria. Dan's mother and my mother were sisters. I hadn't seen them for about twelve years, so we had a great time getting caught up with everything. Dan is big into photography, too, and is active in a club there, so we had that to talk about as well as family stuff. I'd seen their daughter, Nadine, twice - once when she was a baby and once when I was there twelve years ago. I'd never met their son, Glen and his wife. Nadine had a party on Sunday and I got to meet her husband and three children, as well as Glen and his wife.

When I got home and put my CF card in the printer to download my pictures, I was horrified when it said, "No images." I felt terrible to lose all those pictures of Dan and his family. My sister, Kay, hasn't seen them since 1964. Luckily, with the help of my trusty young computer advisor from Photo Club, Chris, I got them back. He found me a program I could download for free from the Internet and it retrieved not only the pictures from that trip, but every picture I've ever taken on that card! It took all night, but I'm not complaining!

The last weekend in June, I spent the weekend at my step-nephew's place on the Hocking River. He's my brother-in-law Randy's son. Dave and his wife, Donna, were celebrating their 25th anniversary. Kay and Randy were there, and Kay's son Tim and his wife Tina and son Adam. Dave's daughter Erica and her husband Josh were there most of the weekend. Son James lives with them, so he and a number of his friends were there as well. We had planned to camp and have a campfire on the river, but the weather definitely did not cooperate. Everyone had a good time anyway.

In July, Kay and I went to Becky's in Utica, Pennsylvania to scrapbook. That trip was cut short by the illness and death of Kay's friend, Joyce.

Most of July was spent putting together a 76-page memory book for our 50th class reunion coming up here in Greenville on September 12-13. It was lots of fun, but ended up taking a lot more time than I expected. I had to hunt down photos, scan them, resize them and turn them to B&W in Photoshop, then put them on the page. We did a senior picture and a recent picture for each graduate. Except some didn't have a senior picture, because they didn't actually graduate with us, but were in our class at some time and are coming to the reunion. So I had to go through old yearbooks and cut them out of a group picture, which meant the resolution wasn't real good. I decided it was better than not having a picture, though. Some people didn't want to send in recent pictures, and I threatened them that I was running around town with a camera, or worse yet, if I had an old picture of them from another reunion, I would use it. I finally got it all together and the printer got us one copy. Barb Smith Hocker and I met and went over it and proofread all the addresses, e-mails and phone numbers, as I'm not good at typing numbers. Good thing we did - we found quite a few errors.

July 25 I headed east for my 5oth class reunion with the class I didn't graduate with! I went all through school with them, from kindergarten through our junior year. Then my dad was transferred here to Greenville and we moved here. I hadn't seen most of them for 51 years. While I was going, I decided to visit other friends and relatives on the way and in the area.

I spent the first night in Berwick, Pennsylvania with my friend, Arlie McClintock and her husband, Craig. Arlie and I met at a Bill Thomas photography workshop in the Smoky Mountains about 15 years ago. We've been in touch ever since, and a couple of times I've seen her when she came to visit her friend, Nancy, who lives in Botkins, Ohio. I took a lot of pictures of their beautiful yard and flowers. She fixed a great meal, with Craig's help at the BBQ.

The next day I drove on to Savannah, New York, near Syracuse. There I visited my cousin, Doris, for a couple of days. We had a nice visit and the second day went to see two of her daughters. First we went to Tammy's house. She and Fran and their girls, Elizabeth and Sarah, had just returned from a softball tournament the girls were in in North Carolina. Of course, they won! Later we went to Terri's house to see her and Kevin. Their daughter, Christina, was there, too, so I enjoyed seeing her again. The two boys weren't there.

On Monday, I drove to the Corning-Painted Post area where the reunion was to be held. I stayed three nights with Pat and Dick Sample near Elmira. Pat was our babysitter when I was three and Kay was six months old. We've been in contact ever since. It was nice to spend time with them again and to see their son, Tim, who is living there. Also saw his daughter, Megan. I've known her since she was tiny, but I got to meet her husband and children. I spent some time at the Corning Library and the local cemeteries, trying to add a bit to my genealogy.

Thursday I went to my friend, Joannie Randall's. Actually, I met her at the town hall in Monterey, as she is Town Clerk and works on Thursday evenings. We had the pleasure of putting together the new computer system which had just arrived. Then we went to the house, where I renewed my acquaintance with all my furry little buddies. She has seven house cats and a dog, plus 3 cockatoos and a cockatiel, assorted geese, ducks and barn cats. We were friends in high school and lived about half a mile apart, so spent a lot of time together then. I didn't get to spend as much time with her as I did two years ago, because of the reunion activities.

On Friday night, we had an "Indian PowWow in the Park" at Craig Park in Painted Post. (Our athletic team was the Indians.) It was an informal get-together at the shelter house in the park. It was very interesting seeing all those people I hadn't seen for 51 years! I spent the whole weekend being Patty. I wrote Pat McCarthy on my name tag, but no one paid any attention, so on Saturday night, I just wrote Patty.

Saturday morning we toured the old high school, which is in use now as education offices and storage. That was quite interesting, as we saw the old chemistry lab (I'd forgotten until Gary Griffin reminded me that Mr. Sanford set the lab on fire with some phosphorus!), the home ec. rooms, minus the appliances and sewing machines, and the library. The gym is piled full of canned goods and other things. The biggest disappointment for most of us was the beautiful auditorium. It had been divided into storage rooms. The floor used to slope down to the stage, and the basketball court was located on the stage. The floor had been leveled and all the nice seats taken out. I guess things never stay the same, but it still looked the same from outside, so it was a shock to go into that part of the building and see the changes.

That evening was our big banquet at the Radisson Inn in Corning. We had a lovely buffet dinner. Four of our teachers were able to attend. Audrey Cloos Phelps had been the librarian, Jean Studley Humphrey had started her teaching career as our Junior English teacher, Lou Masters Wardner taught us elementary music and Barbara Brown Briggs was guidance counselor. She came our senior year, so I didn't know her.

On Sunday morning, we had a farewell brunch at the Indian Hills Golf Course. It was a good breakfast and gave us one last time to talk to everyone before we all went our separate ways, back to Ohio, California, Florida, Canada, North and South Carolina, and other states. I was surprised that I'm the only one in Ohio. The whole thing was a great experience. I headed from there to Kay's house, where I spent the night before coming home.

Two more people sent their info for the Greenville Memory Book, and the printer let me sneak it in. He made 15 copies for our committee meeting on August 11. Barb picked them up and we passed them around. I opened one, and it ended after Toni Molinari Clapper! That meant almost half the class wasn't there, plus the memorial pages were missing. We looked, and they were all like that. We had the one copy Barb and I had proofread, so we passed it around. Others on the committee found two people I had the wrong senior picture for. In both cases, I used one picture for two people. That's what happens when all the guys in the class have dark-rimmed glasses and short hair! Last week we checked over another copy, and he'd made all the changes.

On August 13, Kay and Becky arrived for our annual scrapbooking marathon. Becky left on the 22nd and Kay on the 24th.

Since the middle of that week, I've spend half my time in the chiropractor's office. Not sure exactly what it is, but it ached all the way down my left leg and around the knee. I assumed it was a sciatic nerve problem coming from my degenerative disk, but after a few visits, she decided it wasn't all coming from the back, so she started working on the knee and found a couple of very sore spots. The main problem is that it stiffens up if I stay in one position very long. That makes it very hard to sleep some nights. For awhile, I was only getting three or four hours sleep a night. We're still working on it.

This past week, my editor sent me copies of four possible covers for the Pioneer book. That was pretty exciting, because I've never seen a cover ahead of time for any of my books. He said he wanted my input, but I'm sure it will not count for a lot! I absolutely love one of the covers, but that's not the one he said they were seriously considering. I guess I'd have thought that one was okay if I hadn't seen the other one. I still need to do a timeline, then do some revisions. Then on to something else, I hope!

Cousin Libby (McCarthy) Baron & husband, John

2008-06-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

Cousin Bob McCarthy & wife Gloria

2008-06-26T20:50:00.000-07:00

Roseate Spoonbills on Sanibel

2008-06-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

Osprey & Baby

2008-06-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

Black-necked Stilt

2008-06-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

Robert IS Here!

2008-06-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

Great Blue Heron

2008-06-26T20:41:00.001-07:00

Gator

2008-06-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

Escaping from a Crocodile

2008-06-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

White Ibis at Jean & Bill's

2008-06-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

Back from Florida

2008-03-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I got back from Florida on Thursday evening, February 29. It was a great trip. I drove by myself. The first day, I got as far as Cordele, Georgia, where I stayed at the KOA. It's certainly easier driving through Atlanta at 5:00 on a Saturday than during the week!
On Sunday, I got as far as Collier Seminole State Park, just east of Naples. I camped there that night, driving into Everglades City to eat dinner at a seafood restaurant. I had crab cakes, which were very good.
The last few trips to Florida, I've enjoyed driving back Janes Rd., which was a dirt road along a river. I couldn't find it this time. I'm not sure if it went off Tamiami Trail or the road to Everglades City, but I didn't find it. There are a lot of changes, in the name of progress, along the Tamiami Trail. Lots more Indian villages, a housing development, and the Miccosukee Indians have a school, a casino and other buildings. Also, along the north side of the eastern end of the Tamiami Trail is a large canal. I'm wondering if they're draining some of the Everglades and what impact that will have.
On Monday I drove on to the Everglades National Park, stopping at the famous Robert Is Here fruit stand south of Homestead. I got to meet Robert and his daughter took my picture with him. Stopped at the Coe Visitor Center just inside the entrance to the park and took quite a few pictures from the boardwalk there. Then I went on to the Royal Palm Visitor Center, where I walked the boardwalk at the Anhinga Trail. That was a mistake at that time, since it was very hot and I was walking between 11:30 and 1:00. There is no shade, and I'm very susceptible to the sun and heat. I wore a hat and drank water, but I was really dragging when I got done. Signed into Long Pine Key campground, then drove to Flamingo, stopping at every pulloff and pond along the way. At Paroutis Pond, I saw white birds roosting in a tree across the pond. I assumed they were egrets, but couldn't tell with binoculars. I got out my spotting scope and was excited to see that they were wood storks. When I got to Flamingo, I checked at the Visitor Center to see where the bird hike would leave from the next morning. The ranger said right there. He said we'd start by checking out the mud flats, then walk towards Eco Pond. I had discovered that the tower at Eco Pond had blown down in the hurricane. A couple of black-necked stilts were my favorite birds there. Got a sandwich at the gift shop at the marina, which is the only place in Flamingo with food. They have a microwave to warm it up. I got a bacon cheeseburger and ate it at the picnic table outside. Also bought a t-shirt. The sandwich was amazingly good. I hoped to get back in time to go to the Anhinga trail again, but it was already starting to get dusk when I got to the campground, so I just stopped.
Tuesday I drove down to Flamingo to be there at 8:00 for the bird walk. It rained a little on the way, and was raining more when I got there. Tim had his scope set up on the covered walkway between the visitor center and where the restaurant used to be. We just stayed there the whole time. There were about seven of us. There was lots of activity on the mud flats, including black-bellied plover, willet, short-billed dowitcher, yellow-crowned night heron, and my favorite, the great white heron. That's the white form of the great blue.
It stopped raining soon after I left there. At Paroutis Pond I saw roseate spoonbills in the tree next to the wood storks, again with the scope. I had planned to eat at the Miccosukee Restaurant on Tamiami Trail, but it was getting late. I thought maybe it would be better to go across Alligator Alley, since it's interstate and would be quicker. My phone was dead, and I needed to call Bob. Stopped at a Wendy's in Homestead and there was an outlet at the back. I got lunch, sat in front of the outlet and surreptitiously plugged in my phone. I guess nobody saw me. I called Bob and got the directions, then unplugged the phone. It rang and it was Kay. It died in a minute, so I plugged it back in and called her. I told her that was the only minute the whole day when she would have been able to get me on the phone!
The rest of the day was a nightmare till I got to Bob's. I stayed on Rt. 1 in Homestead instead of getting on the route that went to the Tamiami Trail. I didn't realize it till I was way out of Homestead and was starting to go through Miami. Then I got on an Interstate, because I thought if you have to drive through Miami, it's certainly better to go on the Interstate! Finally saw an exit advertised for a road that went to I-75, but missed the exit. I finally got across somehow and got on Alligator Alley. There was no question of stopping at Corkscrew. I was already in the traffic at 4:00. I couldn't find the Alico Rd. exit that Bob had told me to take over to 41. He thought it was 125 and it was 127 or something like that. I turned around and it said Alico Rd. 3 miles, but I missed it again! So I took the Corkscrew Rd. exit and went over to 41. I eventually got there. It was nice to see Bob and Glory.
On Wednesday, Glory and Bob's sister (my cousin) Libby and I went to Sanibel Island. We had lunch at the Hungry Heron, then drove the wildlife loop through Ding Darling National Park. I'd heard there weren't many birds this year, but there were that day. I saw the most roseate spoonbills I've ever seen at one time - about a dozen. That evening I went to Libby's for dinner with her and John.
Thursday I drove to Corkscrew Swamp and walked the almost-three-mile boardwalk there. It was a lot drier than usual, but I saw my first male Painted Bunting! I'd seen the female twice before in Florida, but this was the first time for the male. He's awesome! When I left there, I stopped for lunch, then saw an A.C. Moore Store across the parking lot. I remembered going to one in Erie, PA with Becky, so I had to go check out their scrapbook supplies. They had a lot of sales, and I managed to fill up my basket! When I got back to the park, there was a transit van in front of me at the visitor gate. I sat there waiting for him to punch in the code, and all of a sudden, he started backing up and backed right into me! I got out and so did he. He said, "I was talking on the phone to my client and I had to back up to get closer to the gate." Luckily it didn't do any damage. He just hit the rubber bumper. Went to eat that night with Bob & Glory and Libby & John to the Shrimp Shack. We met their cousin, Dan McLaughlin and his wife, Kathy, there. It was a nice evening.
Friday I went to Cape Coral and took pictures of a burrowing owl, then drove to Bradenton to visit my friends, Jean and Bill Shepard. I used to teach with her and I've visited them before. They live in a house with a canal behind and get lots of birds. While I was there, I photographed white ibises and a river otter. We went to a new Italian Restaurant on Friday, then I went to Bingo with Jean. Saturday we went to Friendly's for lunch, and on Sunday I went to church with them and Jean's 95-year-old mother, who is in great shape. We went to a buffet for dinner. Then I left for Haines City to visit Bill & Susie Murphy, friends from church. We went to a seafood place for dinner. On Monday, we went to Cypress Gardens. I'd never been there, and it's very close to where they live. I was disappointed that they've discontinued the ice show, but enjoyed the ski show and everything else. Tuesday we went to Barb & Ray Lavy's for lunch. They're from our church, too, and live in the same park with Bill & Susie. Another friend, Wayne Coblentz and his sister, Marceil were there, too. We had a nice afternoon.
I left on Wednesday morning for the long drive home. I decided to stay at a motel, since everything in the van was messed up and I was tired. I stopped at a bookstore where the most expensive book was $3. For $51, I got 25 books. Read one at the motel.
Ate breakfast in the lobby with a woman about my age who ended up being from Richmond, IN, (about 20 miles from here) and had driven down by herself, too. Drove all day and got to Dayton about 4:00. Went to a JoAnn's store to use my two coupons. It was a nice one I'd never been to before. I had seen it the night we had the photo trip to Cincinnati, then came back and ate in Dayton. So I got off the Interstate there and went to check it out. Very nice and I found stuff to use my coupons for. Got home about 6:00. Will post some photos tomorrow.

Quail at Krohn Conservatory

2008-02-15T21:18:00.000-08:00

Adam's Pink Flowers

2008-02-15T21:17:00.000-08:00

Nancy and Friends

2008-02-15T21:16:00.000-08:00

"Call on Me! Call on Me!

2008-02-15T21:15:00.000-08:00

I'm Off to Florida

2008-02-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

I've been very busy subbing and trying to get enough money for my trip to Florida. A friend, Lynn, was going with me, but she decided Wednesday that she was going to cancel out. She decided she wouldn't have a long enough time with her parents to justify the cost of the trip. My income tax refund was supposed to be in my account today, so I had to wait and see if it was. (It is.) Without it, I probably wouldn't have had enough money, because I was expecting to pay only half the gas for the 3000-mile trip, and half the camping fees.

Anyway, I've driven down several times before by myself, and I have an 83-year-old friend who is down there alone now, so I guess I can do it again!

I've enjoyed my subbing. A week ago Monday, I said to this one class, "Hey, I want you guys to help me out with a project for my Photo Club." They were mystified, till I told them the Theme this month was Hands and I wanted them all to raise their hands like they were really anxious to answer a question. I'll post the result. It was worth an HM. I got two other HM's and a 3rd. Adam got an HM for his pink flowers. I'll post that, too. And my 3rd Place picture, which is of a sculpture of two women, with my friend, Nancy, leaning in between them and joining their conversation. They were all talking with their hands, so I thought it fit the theme.

When I get back from Florida, I'll have LOTS of pictures to post! I'm leaving tomorrow morning and driving as far as Cordele, Georgia, where I'm camping in the van. I got a new inflatable mattress which I think is going to be very comfortable. I've used a futon for years, but this is wider, so it will be easier to turn over. The next day I'll head for the Everglades and camp a couple of nights. I'll do lots of birding there. On Tuesday, I'm going to Ft. Myers to visit my cousins. I hope I have time to stop at Corkscrew Swamp on the way. While I'm with them, I'll go to Sanibel Island one day to Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge and to Cape Coral another day to see burrowing owls and bald eagles. The next Sunday, I'll go to Haines City to visit friends, Bill & Susie. Then I'll head home on the 27th. I'm expecting company on the 29th, so I need to have a day to clean!

It's after midnight, so I'd better get to bed. I'm getting up at 6 and trying to be out of here by 7.
Wish my laptop hadn't died. I could have posted during the trip.
Pat

A Few Shots from the Air FOrce Museum

2008-01-23T22:07:00.000-08:00

2008-01-23T22:06:00.000-08:00

2008-01-23T22:05:00.000-08:00

Pink Plane - My Favorite Color!

2008-01-23T22:04:00.000-08:00

Wind Tunnel

2008-01-23T22:03:00.001-08:00

2008-01-23T22:03:00.000-08:00

Adam with his New Camera at the Air Force Museum

2008-01-23T22:01:00.000-08:00

Finally Over My Pneumonia and Working on Pioneer Book

2008-01-23T21:27:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a long time. I was actually sick the whole month of December. This is the first time I can ever remember not sending Christmas cards, writing my annual Christmas letter and decorating my Christmas tree. I bought a tree, but it set in the family room for weeks without getting decorated. I finally put it in the yard for the birds to enjoy. At first I had a cold, then I was treated for bronchitis, but the Zithromax that usually takes care of it didn't do a thing. I finally went to the ER the Sunday before Christmas. They did X-rays and a blood test and decided it was pneumonia. When the doctor came back into my little cubicle, I was trying to figure out how to take a picture of myself with my cell phone! We scrapbookers will do anything to document our daily life so we can scrap it! She offered to take the picture. I said, "I didn't even get one of those little bracelets this time for my scrapbook." She said, "Just a minute." Soon she was back with one! She gave me four prescriptions, and they worked so well that I was feeling fairly well on Christmas, two days later.

I'm finding, though, that it takes awhile to get your strength back after pneumonia. For about three weeks, I was getting up and three hours later, lying down for a two-hour nap. This happened a couple of times a day. Guess I needed the sleep.

I signed the contract for the Pioneer book with Chicago Review Press and got the first half of my advance. By the time it came, I owed it all for Christmas and unexpected bills.

I wanted to get Adam an SLR digital camera like mine for Christmas, so looked for used ones. Found a reconditioned one on B&H, where I order most of my camera stuff. It was only $389 with an 18-55 lens. I bought it with part of my advance money and decided to keep it and give Adam mine. (I figured this one was more gently used than mine!) This one has a silver body, so we can tell them apart easily. I'll still share my 100-300 lens with him.

A group of us from the Photo Club met for breakfast on Jan. 13, then went to the Air Force Museum in Dayton to shoot. I'd never shot there, and Adam had never even been there. Actually, the last time I was there was when Adam's dad, Tim, was about 11 or 12 and I took him! It's changed a lot. We need to go back because we missed the rockets which are way back in the back. We did go to one of the I-Max shows, which was about Mars. Pretty cool!
It was Adam's first time using a tripod. His dad found the one I got him years ago. The exposures we took were anywhere from 20-50 seconds, so a tripod was absolutely essential. A few are posted above.

I've been subbing and working on the book. I need to have two chapters done before February 15, because I want to go to Florida for two weeks. I plan to finish the first chapter by the first of February. It's taking a lot of research, because it will cover the different westward movements, the most frequently-used trails, the different types of transportation used and the actual experience of the trip west.

There will also be activities in each chapter for kids to do. Lots of sidebars will profile different pioneers and also include excerpts from some diaries, journals and letters written either on the trail or afterwards. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that the full text of many of these diaries, journals and letters is available online. It's great to be able to get primary material without moving from my computer!

Monday afternoon, Suzanne Lieurance had me on her Book Bites for Kids radio show. She interviews a different children's author every afternoon. We had a good time talking for half an hour and I hope some of the listeners learned something about writing nonfiction for kids.

Last night I attended a gathering for writers from the Cincinnati area. I'm stretching it a little, being about 80 miles north of there, but heck, I was invited and it was a chance to schmooze with other children's writers. I went with Tonya Larson, another member of my children's writers' critique group. We enjoyed meeting and talking to all the other authors. I talked to Mary Kay Carson, who also does books for Chicago Review Press. Her husband gave me some ideas and tips for taking photos for the book. He took a large number of the ones in her Underground Railroad for Kids book. I hadn't thought of the Pioneer Village at Cesar's Creek or Cades Cove in the Smokies. I expect to be in the Smokies with the Photo Club in April, so that's a good idea. And I already have many photos from that area. Plus we have a log house right in our own Darke County Park district behind the nature center.

I got home about midnight last night and it was about 2:00 by the time I was in bed and asleep. Of course, they called me at 6:15 to sub! I was able to go back to sleep till 7:30, but then I got up and taught fourth grade all day. Had a good day and took a nap after school!

Now I'm going to bed (well after midnight) in case I get called again in the morning!

Pat

My First-Place Picture Theme: Toys

2007-12-15T10:37:00.000-08:00

One of Adam's 3rd place photos

2007-12-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

Shopping, Snowstorm, Car Problems, etc.

2007-12-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm completely overwhelmed with Christmas preparations. The morning after Photo Club (I got a first and a second place ribbon and Adam got two thirds and an HM!), I drove to my sister's, about a three-and-a-half-hour drive. We spent a few days shopping, so that's almost done. Unfortunately, we seemed to find ourselves in scrapbook stores as much as in other stores!

My sister, Kay, rode back with me Wednesday. About an hour from home, the steering wheel started jerking back and forth and the van started to pull to the right. I knew that if it were out of line, it would pull to one side, but I never had it happen all of a sudden like that. We stopped in Dayton for the Photo Club Board meeting, and one of the guys drove the van and thought we could make it home. Turned out one of the belts in the tire on the driver's side in front broke. So that meant two new tires.

That book advance is going pretty fast, with that, the brakes I had fixed last month and the $285 to fix the gas leak the day before I left. Actually I had two leaks, one in the water heater and one in the furnace. I really think that's what caused my bronchitis. Went to the ER for that the Sunday before I left, but the antibiotic didn't do a thing. I think now it was allergic bronchitis, caused by the gas. Then I was at Kay's for five days, and her husband smokes, so that irritated it. I think it's getting better now that I'm home with no gas or smoke.

We're under a Winter Storm Warning, but we have a birthday party this afternoon, which is why Kay came home with me. Her great grandson, who is my great-great-grand-nephew, is three years old. We're going to Burger King for the party and see how many people make it. We have about four inches now, but they've predicted anywhere from six-twelve. Will post pictures of the party and the snow later.
Pat

Steve's Award

2007-12-01T17:59:00.001-08:00

The Cake

2007-12-01T17:59:00.000-08:00

Photos from Birders' Banquet

2007-12-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

Another Busy Week

2007-12-01T17:39:00.001-08:00

It's been another busy week. I spent all day Sunday doing a year of the Birders scrapbook so we could display it at the Banquet on Tuesday. I subbed in fifth grade on Monday and Tuesday. Monday night I made a scrapbook page to frame with a poem in it. The four of us on the committee for the Birders Club Banquet decided one of the guys, Steve, deserved a special award because he has planned all the programs and field trips for ten years and done a great job. So we had my sister, Kay Reall, write a poem about him (she writes poems to order), and I printed it out and embellished it with bird stickers and pictures of him. We decorated after school on Tuesday, and the Banquet went very well. We had a catered meal and the food was delicious. This was the tenth anniversary of the Club.

Wednesday I was supposed to take Carson to a preschool program at the Nature Center, but Mandy called early that morning and said she had to cancel it because she was sick. So I had some free time. Went to lunch buffet at Pizza Hut with Jan. My editor for the Pioneer book called and went over the contract with me. He assured me I'll get the first half of the advance in 2006. That way half will be this year and half next. Better for income tax purposes, although it's not a huge amount. He said the book will be in all the big bookstores, and there is an escalating royalty clause, so I'll get more royalties after it sells 15,000 copies. I'm hoping to get more booksignings with it in bookstores. Also want to do more school visits. Paid ones!

Thursday I subbed in fourth grade. I started feeling like I was really getting a cold. By yesterday morning, I felt pretty bad, but I had agreed to do an author program on writing books for a friend's third grade class and two other classes. Just one presentation. I was losing my voice when I got to the end, but they were a great audience. They listened quietly and asked good questions. I didn't even get the usual three: How old are you? How much money do you make? Is it more fun to be an author than a teacher? I went and bought cold medicine and came home and went to bed. Steve called at 5:00 with a Bird Alert. He'd seen a Northern Shrike in his fence row. Regina and I went out on our way to dinner, but it flew as we were walking back to look through his scope and he couldn't locate it again. So we went on to dinner with Jan and Mary.

Don't you hate it when your nose is so plugged up you have to breathe through your mouth and your throat gets so dry it's sore? I finally found out if I slept on two foam wedges and two pillows (essentially sitting up) my nose would drain and I could breathe. I'm just staying home today and tomorrow, trying to get over this.

I'm busy baking cookies for Photo Club. We've been averaging about 75 people a meeting, so I need to make enough for 80. I'm making about eight kinds of cookies, including my famous sour cream cookies and my white chocolate-covered pretzels.

I also need to work on my students' ICL lessons.

Off to work!

2007-11-17T20:11:00.000-08:00

2007-11-17T20:00:00.000-08:00

New Book Contract, Scrapbooking, Lunch with Writer Friends

2007-11-17T19:36:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been awhile since I've written anything. I just got back from nine days at my sister's house near Wadsworth, Ohio. That's close to Akron. It was Kay's turn to host our scrapbooking retreat. We used to pay to go to weekend retreats, but then four of us decided to get together at each other's houses and the only cost is feeding the other three when it's our turn to have it. It's worked out great and we can stay longer. Kay and I worked on albums about her great-grandchildren, who are my great-grand-nephew and niece. Becky was working on an album from 1990 for her kids, and Karen, who still has little kids, worked on their current albums. She could only stay a couple of days because she had to work. That's what happens when you hang out with old people! She calls us The Golden Girls. We're all retired, so we can come and go more or less as we please. We had a lot of fun, lots of good food, and got a lot done.

I went to Kent on Thursday for lunch with friends Rhenee McGraw-Harris, Jean Daigneau, and LeeAnn Blankenship. They're all active in the Northern Ohio SCBWI, and so is Joan Arbogast, who came with them. It was nice meeting her. I met Rhenee and Jean about five or six years ago at the Wildacres Children's Workshop in North Carolina, and we've been getting together ever since. They put on a great conference in September every year. I've been to three of them, one as a breakout speaker. This year I couldn't afford to go.

I got good news when I got home today! I had an e-mail from the editor I've been working with at Chicago Review Press on a proposal for a Pioneer book for their For Kids series. He e-mailed me that the revised outline I sent was fine and they would go ahead with the contract! He wanted me to contact him when I got home from Kay's and let him know when it would be convenient for him to call and discuss the details of the contract! How about right then, at 7:30 on Saturday night? I restrained myself and e-mailed him that sometime Monday would be fine.
I had to tell him to use my cell phone, because my phone isn't working. That happened last week, after I had trouble getting online. I may have done something when I unplugged and replugged all the tangled wires behind the computer desk. But the base for the phone IS plugged into both the phone jack and the power strip, so I don't see why it isn't working.

On Monday, Nov. 5, I picked up Adam to go to Dayton for a great slide program put on by famous photographer Adam Jones, who was sponsored by our Focus Photo Club and Canon. On the way back to my house to meet Thelma, the car started making a grinding sound at every stop sign. Adam thought the brakes were going out. Needless to say, Thelma drove! I had to get the brakes fixed before I could go to Kay's, so I went Friday morning instead of Wednesday night. Gary, my mechanic, was able to turn the rotors, so it cost less than his original estimate.

At Photo Club on Nov. 1, I got a first place on one of the photos I took of the purple-edged mushrooms and also got an honorable mention on a black-and-white photo of a stream in the Smokies.

I also found out last week that my undependable e-mail cost me $800-1200. A woman had e-mailed me about writing some test passages and questions because my friend, Suzanne Lieurance, had recommended me to her. I wrote back immediately that I wanted to do it. It would be from Nov. 1-Dec. 1. Well, I never heard, so in a week I e-mailed her again. Still no answer. When I got ready to go to Kay's, I e-mailed her again and said if she needed to get in touch with me, to call my cell phone. She wrote back and told me she had never received my other two e-mails and had assigned the work to someone else. Bummer!

You Mean It's Supposed to Be a HAND Dryer?

2007-10-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

Lynn Dries her Camera

2007-10-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

Purple-Edged Mushrooms

2007-10-25T19:23:00.001-07:00

I LOVE Red Leaves!

2007-10-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

Fall Foliage

2007-10-25T19:22:00.000-07:00

Looking Up in Pine Forest

2007-10-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

In the Pine Forest

2007-10-25T19:18:00.001-07:00

Preacher's-Eye View of church

2007-10-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

Our Campsite at Top 'o the Caves Campground

2007-10-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

Camping and Photography at Hocking Hills State Park

2007-10-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

Gee, it's been a long time since I've written. I guess I've been busy. I've been doing some subbing, mostly in sixth grade, which I like. Today was in fourth grade, and that's okay, too. I just don't want to go to the building that has 700+ kids from Kindergarten-2nd grades! I like the older ones, and those are the ones I like to write for, too.

The biggest thing I've done lately was the camping trip with six other members of the Photo Club. We went to Hocking Hills State Park on Wednesday, October 17. The weather was warm for this time of year, in the seventies in the daytime and fifties at night. We all slept in tents. I learned that I have no trouble with the new tents. The doors are about five feet high, so you barely need to bend over to get in and out. I have trouble with the old ones where the door is only three feet high. My knees won't let me crawl in, and I can't bend that far with my back problem. So these were great. My friend Tim rode down with me, and we met Ken, Terry, Lynn, Kathy and Tom there. The first night we had a weiner roast and sat around the campfire talking and taking pictures.

When we got up Thursday morning, it was pretty gray-looking, but we decided to take a chance and hike to Rose Lake. According to the sign, it's a half-mile hike. Most of the signs seem to say that. I think they don't want you to get discouraged and not go on the hikes! It started raining soon after we set out from the parking lot, but the way led through woods and a huge pine forest, which kept most of the rain off us for awhile. When we finally got to the lake, all we did was huddle under the trees and wait for it to stop raining, which it never did. So we decided to leave. I had on one of plastic ponchos that comes in the little bag you can never get it back into. My head was sweating, so I took off the hood. I figured if my hair was going to be soaked, I'd rather have it wet with nice clean rain than sweat! Water was streaming off my hair by the time we got back to the cars. We decided to go to the Lodge and eat lunch and get out of the rain. Lynn and I used the hand dryers in the rest room to dry our hair and cameras. By the time we finished with the buffet lunch, the sun was out. We hiked Conkle's Hollow, another half-mile hike, in the afternoon. It seemed further, but when you stop every couple of minutes to photograph a stump, a mushroom, or some colored leaves or rock formations, it takes awhile. The coolest thing of the day was a group of purple-rimmed mushrooms growing on a log. We had dinner at the campgrounds again. Tim and I made foil dinners in the campfire with hamburger, potatoes, onions and carrots. They were pretty good. We hadn't been in bed very long when it started to rain again. There were forecasts of severe thunderstorms. We got a little thunder and lightning, but I lay there and counted the seconds between the flash of lightning and the thunder and it was never less than twenty seconds. Didn't bother me, since I knew it was far away. I love lying in the tent, listening to the rain beating on the roof.

Friday morning we got up and the rain had stopped. Tim and I had thought of going up to Amish Country in Holmes County with Lynn and Terry, but Lynn decided it wasn't that nice a day and it was a long drive, so we stayed around the park. We went back to Rose Lake, but only Tim went all the way down to the lake. Lynn, Terry, Kathy and I shot around the pine forest. It's a beautiful place. Then Kathy, Tim and I went to shoot a little church across from the campgrounds. A man came over and asked if we'd like to see the inside, so he unlocked it and we took pictures in there. We were supposed to meet at the Lodge at 1:00 for lunch. As we finished shooting, I asked Tim what time it was, and it was already 1:00! So we were almost half an hour late, but nobody minded. They know what happens when you're out shooting! In the afternoon, Lynn and Terry started home, Ken and Tom went off on their own, and Tim, Kathy and I shot scenes of fall foliage from the road. Between Wednesday and Friday it had gone from sparse color to brilliant red and gold foliage. Had sandwiches at the Lodge and enjoyed another campfire.

Saturday we had to take down the tent and drive to the zoo in Columbus, where the Club had a shoot. The zoo photographer was to talk to us about zoo photography. Marilyn took Adam, so I wouldn't have to go back home and get him. His dad took him to Dayton. We were on the cell phone to people at the zoo and they told us if we went in with the photographer, we could get in free. On the third call, Vickie said, "We're going in right now!" We were still 15 minutes away, so figured we'd have to pay. We decided it was worth a try to tell the woman at the gate that we were with the group that went in with the photographer, and it worked. She let us in free. We did miss the photographer's talk, but we found Adam within a few minutes. He had a great time shooting with my camera. I really have to find a used digital SLR for him, so we can both shoot at once! I didn't get any fabulous shots there, but it was a fun day. We were all pretty exhausted by the time we left the zoo, after walking around for eight hours.

On the writing front, I'm still teaching the two courses for ICL, which gives me a number of lessons to do each week. I'm waiting to hear about the pioneer book. Last week I got an e-mail from a woman who wants people to write testing passages and questions betweeen November 1 and December 1. My friend, Suzanne Lieurance, recommended me to her. I wrote that I was interested, but haven't heard back. That would be a little extra money for Christmas.

Adam's Prize-winning Photo!

2007-10-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

2007-10-05T19:52:00.001-07:00

Madison at Adam's Game

2007-10-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

Adam at Farmer Brown's

2007-10-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

Busy Week- Prairie Days, Photo Club and subbing

2007-10-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

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.

Migrating Sharp-Shinned Hawk Pt. Pelee

2007-09-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

Cooper's Hawk to be Banded Holiday Beach

2007-09-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

Banded Thrush Holiday Beach

2007-09-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

Group Picture at Pt. Pelee

2007-09-27T15:29:00.000-07:00