Brighton Library: Rochester, NY - October 14

October 25, 2008 Children's Book Fest:  Syracuse, NY:  VVV with Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators regional advisior Amy Emm.

Brighton Library Hallow-Teen Party: Rochester, NY - October 30:  Me, in my version of medieval dress, and my daughter Beth as a pirate...

...and organizer of the event, Deena Lipomi, Circulation & Young Adult Services Librarian

Rochester Children's Book Festival: Rochester, NY - November 8

RCBF:  MJ Auch, with a young fan who made an illustrated copy of one of MJ's books

RCBF:  Herm Auch

RCBF:  Susan Williams Beckhorn

RCBF:  Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt

RCBF:  Kathleen Blasi

RCBF:  Dr. Fred Bortz

RCBF:  Judy Bradbury

RCBF:  Tamora Pierce and Bruce Coville

RCBF:  Julie Cummins

RCBF:  Jacky Davis

RCBF:  Cynthia DeFelice

RCBF:  Elizabeth Sullivan Falk

RCBF:  Donna Farrell and Marsha Hayles

RCBF:  Scott Gibala-Broxholm

RCBF:  McNevin Hayes

RCBF:  James Howe

RCBF:  Will Hubbell (who also writes under the name Morgan Howell)

RCBF:  Sheila Jarkins

RCBF:  Carol Johmann--author, and also organizer of the festival!

RCBF:  David Klavitis

RCBF:  Rose Kent

RCBF:  Michelle Knudsen

RCBF:  Eric Luper

RCBF:  Jeff Mack

RCBF:  Daniel J. Mahoney

RCBF:  Linda Sue Park with Rafe Martin, holding his Empire State Award

RCBF:  Matthew McElligott 

RCBF:  Charles Noland

RCBF:  Chris Pallace

RCBF:  Linda Sue Park and Kyra Teis

RCBF:  McNevin Hayes and Robin Pulver

RCBF:  Virginia Elizabeth Rose and Leander Watts

RCBF:  Kevin Serwacki, carrying his rabbit Doorknob (with Chris Pallace in the background)

RCBF:  Mark Shulman, Jeff Mack, Paul O. Zelinsky

RCBF:  Stu Smith  (If you know Stu, no explanation is needed.)

RCBF:  David Soman

RCBF:  Joe Sottile

RCBF:  Peggy Thomas

RCBF:  Ellen Stoll Walsh

RCBF:  Paul O. Zelinsky

Palmyra-Macedon Middle School: Palmyra, NY - November 18

Seated:  Scott Gibala-Broxholm, Marsha Hayles, Carol Johmann

Standing:  Sheila Jarkins, Robin Pulver, MJ Auch, Vivian Vande Velde, Will Hubbell

Feb. 1 - 15, Jim and I took a cruise through the Panama Canal

Panama Canal locks

Northwood Elementary in Hilton, NY - March 6:  with Pat, Janis, and Julie

Village Elementary in Hilton, NY - March 9 and 10

Quest Elementary in Hilton, NY - March 9

Children's Literature Festival (University of Central Missouri), Warrensburg, MO - March 15 - 17:  I joined 47 authors at the 41st Festival, including Cheryl Harness, Vicki Grove, J.B. Cheaney

Lit Fest:  Shelley Gills and Carole Adler

Lit Fest:  Bill Anderson

Lit Fest:  MJ and Herm Auch

Lit Fest:  Dan Burr and Robin Brickman

Lit Fest:  Mary Casanova and Elisa Carbone

Lit Fest:  Jill Esbaum

Lit Fest:  Alane Ferguson (seen here with a young fan)

Lit Fest:  Susan Casey, me, and Sneed Collard

Lit Fest:  Carole Gorman

Lit Fest:  Kelly Milner Halls (holding onto Bill Anderson)

Lit Fest:  David Harrison

Lit Fest:  Richard Jennings (with volunteer Dennis)

Lit Fest:  Mary Downing Hahn, Patricia Hermes, Jan Greenberg

Lit Fest:  Veda Boyd Jones

Lit Fest:  Jane Kurtz

Lit Fest:  Kirby Larson

Lit Fest:  Claudia Mills

Lit Fest:  Alexandria LaFaye

Lit Fest:  P.J. Petersen

Lit Fest:  Barbara Robinson

Lit Fest:  Carole Adler and Brenda Seabrooke

Lit Fest:  Michael Shoulders

Lit Fest:  Brad Sneed and Gloria Skurzynski

Lit Fest:  Marie Smith and Judy Young

Lit Fest:  Roland Smith and Sneed Collard

Lit Fest:  Michael Spradlin

Lit Fest:  Stephanie Tolan

Lit Fest:  Roderick Townley and Michael Shoulders

Lit Fest:  Terry Trueman (with me and 2 of the many Festival volunteers)

Lit Fest:  Lea Wait

Lit Fest:  June Rae Wood

Lit Fest:  Leslie Wyatt

Lit Fest:  Judy Young

Hilton Schools' Spring Story Festival in Hilton, NY - March 19

Back row:  Village Elementary School Media Specialist Deb Lynch, author/editor Margery Cuyler, Northwood Elementary School Library Media Specialist Julie Rapp

Front row:  Northwood Elementary School Language Arts Specialist and past chair Hilton Story Festival Janis Hyland, VVV

Alden Intermediate School: Alden, NY - March 31

April 3 - The NYLA YSS Spring Conference in Rochester, NY, presented Linda Sue Park with the Empire State Award for Excellence in Literature for Young People.

Me, Julie Cummins, Linda Sue Park

Our Lady of Mercy: Rochester, NY - April 7

Iroquois School: Irondequoit, NY- April 14

St. Joseph's Villa: Rochester, NY - April 16

Veronica Connor Middle School: Grand Island, NY - April 22

May 1 - Pine Bush Elementary: Guilderland, NY:  Library Media Specialist Kim Harmon, VVV, PTA volunteer Karen Covert-Jones

Our daughter Beth at her graduation from the vet tech program at Medaille College in Buffalo, NY: Graduate, with proud parents and proud fiance. 

One week later:  the wedding!

From left to right:  Josh's mom Melody, VVV, Elizabeth and Joshua Dempsey, Jim, and Josh's dad--also Jim.

In front of the train station at Rhinecliff, NY, with Judy Gafney (Media Specialist at Sharon Center School), who organized a visit to several schools in northwestern Connecticut because Three Good Deeds had been nominated for the state's Nutmeg Award. In May, I met with students from Sharon Center, Cornwall, North Canaan Elementary School, Kent, Salisbury Central, and Lee H. Kellogg.

June 10, I spoke at the RASL (Rochester Area School Librarians) Spring Banquet, in Rochester, NY. 

Teen Book Festival Honoree Stephanie Squicciarini, Rochester Children's Book Festival Honoree Carol Johmann, Vivian, RASL President Bonnie Kay

June 26, I spoke at a meeting of the American Association of University Women in Rochester, NY.

With Pat Thompson, Chair of the Public Policy Committee and Community Liaison