Fryeburg, Maine. Photo by my husband, John

1. It's been a whole week since I posted, mostly because I had a novel deadline on Wednesday, and then an early reader manuscript immediately came back  to  me. Usually January is a quieter month for me, but this year it has been very full. It's a good busy, though.

2.  I sent my novel to my editor! So good on that!  It's called Bee-Dazzled and if it stays on schedule, it will be a May 2015 book.

3.  Next week, I fly to Philadelphia for ALA (the American Library Association) Midwinter conference. My daughter is coming with me, so that will make it all extra fun!

4. This weekend, I have a board meeting for Island Readers and Writers, a Maine literacy organization that I love. I'll be doing two school visits this year in March with IRW to very small rural Maine schools. One to Beal's Island (55 kids K-8) and Whiting (35 kids K-8). The older kids will be reading Touch Blue and I'll present Hot Rod Hamster to the younger students.

5.  But tonight, I'm part of a group signing from 6:00 to 7:30 at the McArthur Library in Biddeford, Maine. If you're local to that area, you could come meet me, Ed Briant, Megan Frazer Blakemore, Gail Donovan , Kate Egan, Cathryn Falwell, Kevin Hanks, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Sashi Kaufman, Lynn Plourde, J.E Thompson, and Lisa Jahn-Clough. http://nerdcampnorthernnewengland.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-nerdy-evening-with-authors.html