This morning I slept in and woke up to pouring rain. Around noon the sun came out and I decided to go for a run. The sidewalks were slick with wet leaves so I was watching my step, but when I passed a couple of tweens I heard one of them say, “That’s her—I saw her Friday! She’s famous!” Which made me laugh and I looked over my shoulder to see her rushing back to speak to me. On Friday I presented at Franklin & Marshall College for a great group of 8th graders from Reynolds MS here in Lancaster. I’ve wanted to connect with local schools ever since I got here last summer, and I’m so glad that my book birthday celebration included three book talks last week. I want young people everywhere to know that writers are everyday people—we’re your neighbors! I did a virtual visit with 5th graders in Missouri as well and tried to give them a tour of my apartment when one student asked where I write; not sure if my office and living room lived up to their expectations. On Tuesday one kid told me his favorite author wrote books using a magic typewriter! My beat-up MacBook isn’t nearly as exciting, though the students were impressed when I told them I can type close to a hundred words a minute.

I packed my bag that evening since I had to get up early on Saturday to catch the train to Philly. I walked from 30th Street Station to Tiffany’s Bakery at 10th St. and the Black women who prepared my photo cake were just lovely—all very interested in the book and wanting to get a copy for their kids. I caught a Lyft up to Uncle Bobbie’s and the events manager Munirah had everything set up. My friend Marilisa drove in from Easton and helped me cut the cake as guests started to arrive. I didn’t do much of a presentation but I read from both dragon books and talked a bit about my kawandi quilt made by the Siddi Women’s Quilting Cooperative. The kids loved holding the dolls Erica Turner crocheted, and then I signed books, hugged friends, and wrapped things up! I’m much more comfortable presenting in a dark auditorium with my slides behind me, but I think the launch was a success. I was struck by one mother who said she was reading the book to her four kids and could see just how intentional I am with my storytelling. That’s the best possible compliment because it makes me feel seen not just as a writer, but as a thinker. A librarian on Twitter said something similar last week, and those three tweets were perfectly timed and much appreciated because I finished yet another picture book on Monday and realized I now have 19 unpublished manuscripts. Even with an agent sending work out and even with the ability to self-publish my own books, I don’t seem to be getting enough of my work out there. But I *am* publishing stories that matter to me—and to my readers. And that has always been the goal. Not to be famous, but to make a living writing stories that reflect my Black feminist worldview. It helps that I have a network of BIPOC feminist scholars and artists who support me on this journey. My Philly friends came out to the launch and treated me to lunch afterwards. Then I walked along the river and took the train back to Lancaster. My phone was lit up with notifications and birthday messages…I usually prefer to celebrate my birthday on my own, but it was lovely to be surrounded by so many wonderful people. Books bring people together…