Flatulence

Yes, that’s right—flatulence. I’m working on my next novel, and I find myself researching synonyms and descriptions for, well, farts. I’m sure it seems as if I’m seeking out bathroom humor on purpose (first the underwear in Airball, and now this), but I promise, when I started this book, intestinal gas was the furthest thing from my mind. Now, however, it has become essential to the story. It’s called The Adventures of Beanboy, after all, so ignoring the flatulence factor would be like ignoring the six-ton elephant in the corner.

Anyway, this is what I’ve come up:

gas
fart
toot
wind

It’s not much of a list. I can’t keep typing “toot” over and over. So if anybody has any suggestions, I’d love to hear them.

Also, I haven’t forgotten to post more about my Piper visit, the Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave, and, now, the terrific book fair I participated in at Prairie Elementary in Prairie Village, Kansas. As soon as I get a handle on this flatulence problem (soon, I hope), I’ll write more about them, and also about some award news I’ve gotten recently.

LPL (Longer Post Later)

I haven’t been able to post anything about my visit to Piper Middle School on Thursday because right afterward I had to pack so I could leave at 6:00 Friday morning for the Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave. I’ve just arrived home again, and I wanted to quickly say that I had a wonderful time at Piper. The students were delightful, attentive, and full of great questions, and the faculty and staff treated me like a celebrity.

I also had a great time (as usual) at the Conclave and wholeheartedly recommend this conference to all mystery lovers—readers as well as writers. Over the next few days I’ll post more about my Piper visit, including photos, as well as about the Conclave.

Off to Piper

I’ve been horribly remiss in keeping up with my blog. I blame it on lots of writing and drawing (fun), celebrating Halloween (fattening but fun), getting a tooth crowned (not so fun), and preparing for some upcoming writing-related events (fun and exciting).

One such event is my school visit tomorrow at Piper Middle School. I think I’m ready. I have my presentations tweaked, my visual aids packed, and my clothes laid out. I’m eager to meet the Piper students and faculty, talk to them about writing, and sign some books.

Piper, here I come!

Saturday the 14th

Well, Friday the 13th came and went, and nothing terribly exciting or wonderful happened. But you know what? So many exciting and wonderful things have been happening to me lately that I don’t mind giving Good Fortune a day off.

Example of exciting and wonderful: The Borders in Lawrence, Kansas, invited me to do a book signing this morning as part of Educator Appreciation Week. I had a great time, got to know the children’s department manager, Annie, and hung out with my dad, his lady friend Cissy, and my Aunt Imogene, who came to show their support.





<------Me at Borders with my dad and my Aunt Imogene. (My dad is the tall one with the beard.) Cissy took our picture.



Bookstores can be dangerous places. I can’t resist shopping, no matter how much willpower I arm myself with beforehand. As usual, I ended up buying more books than I signed.

Friday the 13th

Today is Friday the 13th, and I know traditional superstition says that this day should hold back luck, but that’s only because traditional superstitionists (yes, I made that word up, and yes, it shows) weren’t raised by my mother. Mom always said Friday the 13th was a lucky day for her, so I grew up looking forward to each and every Friday the 13th, convinced that something exciting and wonderful would happen to me. After all, the thirteenth day doesn’t fall on a Friday just every month, so when it does, it must be special. (Yeah, yeah, I know—Tuesday the 22nd doesn’t happen every month, either, and nobody thinks that’s special. If it made sense, it wouldn’t be a superstition.)

Anyway, I’ve been waiting for something exciting and wonderful all day. It’s noon, and so far nothing. I haven’t given up hope, though. I still have twelve hours.

If nothing else, I’m having a good hair day.

Stardom Postponed—Alas

Sadly, my TV appearance in Topeka with Nancy Pickard has been postponed. We'll be rescheduled to another day, however, and I’ll post the information here as soon as I get it.

I’m a TV star!

Well, I guess that depends on your definition of star, but I am going to be on television:

Northeast Kansas Live
11:00 am
Monday
October 16
Channel 27
Topeka, Kansas

And the best part is that I’ll be appearing with Nancy Pickard. How cool is that? I love Nancy. I’m a huge fan of her writing—The Virgin of Small Plains is one of the best books I’ve read this year—and of her personally. She’s a gracious woman who goes out of her way to help other writers.

The TV appearance was arranged by Marolyn Caldwell, who runs the Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave, a terrific mystery conference that takes place each fall in Manhattan, Kansas, and who is herself an accomplished writer. Thanks, Marolyn!

So at the moment I’m slightly terrified as I rip through my closet trying to find appropriate TV attire. (Note to self: You really need to get some appropriate TV attire. First find out what appropriate TV attire is.) But I’m also excited and extremely thankful. Many, many incredible things have happened to me since Airball was published, and I know how lucky I am.

Updates & Tidbits

• The time has changed for my book signing at the Lawrence, Kansas, Borders store. It will still take place on Saturday, October 14, but I’ve been invited to participate in the store’s Storytime and read from Airball, so the time has been changed to 11:30 am. This sounds like fun, and I’m really looking forward to it.

• A big THANK YOU to my friend, writer Suzanne Lieurance, who invited me to be a guest for her University of Masters teleclass, Freelance Writing: How to Jumpstart Your Career, last Tuesday. I had a great time chatting about writing for children. The hour flew by. We ran out of time before I knew it (which says a lot about how hard it is to shut me up once I start talking about writing).

• Today I’m getting ready for my trip to the Kansas Book Festival. I’ll be signing books tomorrow, Friday, September 29, in Vendor Tent 2 from 2 to 3 p.m.

Calendar of Events

I’ve added a calendar page to my website so that I can list events I’ll be participating in, such as book signings, book fairs and festivals, school visits, and conferences. My sister says, “Great idea. Makes it a lot more convenient for stalkers to keep track of you.” I prefer to think it’ll make it easier for interested readers to keep track of me and get a book signed if they choose.

What’s probably closer to the truth is that it will make it easier for me to keep track of myself. I’ll have all my upcoming events listed in one place, so I’ll know at a glance where I have to be when.

Thorpe Menn Awards Luncheon

Thorpe Menn nominees Felicia Hardison Londré, Joel Goldman (winner), and me.


Last Saturday, September 16, my husband and I attended the Thorpe Menn Awards Luncheon at the main branch of the Kansas City, Missouri, Public Library (more about this library in an upcoming blog post) and had a wonderful time. I’m always a frazzled nerve before events like this, convinced I won’t be able to think of a single intelligent thing to say to anyone and that I’ll stumble through these nonconversations with broccoli stuck between my front teeth.

I shouldn’t have worried. The Kansas City, Missouri Branch of the American Association of University Women is a fabulous group of women who know how to throw an awards luncheon. From Stefanie Hatfield, who coordinated the reading committee and chaired the luncheon hostesses (and first called me with news that Airball had been nominated), to Gloria Bandstra, who introduced the nominees during the presentations (and could easily take her stand-up comedy routine on the road, she’s that hilarious), to KC AAUW President Linda Berube and all the other members, each person there made us feel welcomed and appreciated. It’s hard not to have a good time with such a warm and gracious bunch.

Rainy Day Books was there with copies of the three nominated books, and I signed many copies of Airball for AAUW members.






Here I am signing Airball for AAUW member Myla Gentry.


I want to thank the AAUW again for nominating my book and for making me feel so welcome at the awards luncheon. Thanks also to my husband, Larry, for his moral support and for being on duty to ensure that my teeth remained clean and broccoli-free.