Well, I’m moving along. Today my protagonist encountered her antagonist for the first time. (I think I’ll have to move that scene closer to the beginning. I haven’t exactly been writing in order.)

And then a goat followed her home. Kind of out of the blue.

Umm, yeah. We’ll see how I’m going to work *that* little detail into the story later.

The Fed Ex man just paid me a visit. THE FED EX MAN JUST PAID ME A VISIT!!!!!! I have proofs for my upcoming picture book with Philomel and I’m telling you, the art is just WOW! I really don’t know if I’m supposed to do this but you have to see the cover.

Aren’t they adorable? Here’s the flap copy:

We’re a pair beyond compare,
a rare and special two,
in all the ways that I am me
and you’re completely you.

"Here is a special twosome. From tea time to game time, in singing or swinging, in the good times and even the grumpy ones, too, this granddaughter knows her grandpa loves her. Indeed, they are a "pair beyond compare."

With simple rhymes and delightfully charming illustrations, Me with You celebrates the sure love that comes from a grandfather and grandchild who dare to be "completely themselves" while knowing that together — they are even more!"

I’m in love with the whole package. I wish I could show you the rest. "The sure love". Isn’t that just spot on? 🙂

1. My husband is out of the country until November the 10th.

2. All three of my children have fevers and upset tummies, which . . .

3. totally ruins my plans for tomorrow.

4. All is not lost. I am taking advantage of every free moment to work on my JONOWRIMO project.

5. Don’t tell, but I switched my JONOWRIMO project. I totally ditched the other novel I was working on – for now – and dived into what I really wanted to be writing. Wish me luck!

If you write for children and try to juggle life and writing and school visits and deadlines and feeling misunderstood, and you have not yet read this post by Deborah Wiles at her funny and insightful blog, One Pomegranate, you must read it. Now.

That is all.

Many of you have already heard the delightful news that Mary Ann Hoberman was named Children’s Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation earlier this week. Her appointment is for a two year term and comes with a $25,000 prize. She succeeds Jack Prelutsky, the inaugural Children’s Poetry Laureate.

You can read about Ms. Hoberman (and find a sample of her poetry) at the Foundation website here. And if you’d like to take in my own conversation with Ms. Hoberman, you’ll find the interview I conducted with her last year here.

If you can read "Mayfly" and not find Mary Ann Hoberman a genius, well then, I pity your tired, old, adultified brain. 🙂 Hear her read "Mayfly" and other wonderful poems on the Poetry Foundation’s podcast.