ALL KINDS OF AWESOME

Well, folks, there aren't enough words. So I offer you a few pics:

The Class of 2k10 at THE VORACIOUS READER


Excellent Editor Stacey Barney with Ludelphia


a few of us after our presentation at NYPL - Mulberry Street Branch with a most beautiful, enthusiastic librarian


the best kind of reader: one who buys LOTS of books!


some of the folks who came out to see us at BOOKS OF WONDER


me and roomie Bonnie Doerr at our BEA shelf


The Class of 2k10 at Carmine's in the Theater District, one of my most favorite NY restaurants

What a great week! Big BIG thanks to all the booksellers and booklovers and authors and readers and random people at the airports and on the streets who helped make this one of my most favorite experiences ever.

Now, off for even MORE adventures with those fellas I love so much! Happy Memorial Day to everyone, and thanks for reading. xo

BEA BOUND

Big Apple, here I come!

Some highlights I'm especially looking forward to:

1. Rooming with Bonnie Doerr, author of ISLAND STING. (Bonnie and I are both introverts, and it helps to be with someone who understands the way crowds/events/celebrations can take it all out of a gal. And how quiet time is NECESSARY.)

2. Meeting Excellent Editor Stacey Barney and Awesome Agent Rosemary Stimola in the flesh! And so many cyber writer friends!! Yes, there will be pictures.

3. Snagging some ARCs to read and then give away HERE.

4. Going to Carmine's in the Theater District with Class of 2k10. We have lots of other wonderful events planned, among them Books of Wonder, Tuesday, 6-8 pm; NYPL - Mulberry St. Branch, Wednesday, 10 -12 pm; The Voracious Reader, Wednesday, 4-5 pm... but I'm not sure any of them can top Carmine's. Although we did spring for some very cool tshirts. Shari Maurer, the most amazing, giving, generous New Yorker IN THE WORLD has done so much to facilitate this trip... check out her post here.

5. Broadway, baby! Bonnie and I snagged some tickets to JERSEY BOYS. Think of us, Thursday night, tapping our toes...

Sadly, my computer is on the outs, so I will be without my most favorite gadget. And it is tragic that Paul will not be with me on this trip... I've never been to NYC without him. I mean, who am I gonna kiss in Central Park?? Sigh....

I'll be back with a full report upon my return! Until then, happy last week of school to all you Alabama kids and teachers!! Summer is HERE!

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS

Thanks, back at ya, Mrs, Bramlett's Third Grade Class! Hope y'all have a great summer with lots of Ludelphia-like adventures. :)

MEET THE NEW BABY

One of the things I love about my husband is that he is a cat person. He is also a complete sucker for a kitten.

Which is why we now have this little one.

(Paul was out inspecting a house, and the guy next door said, hey, would your wife like a kitten? Little did the guy know that in our house, it's the HUSBAND.)

Paul made his pick: a calico (did you know calico cats are always female?), which we have christened MAGGIE, after my grandmother.

So far she is every bit as sweet as her namesake. And playful. And has a motor box to calm a person even on her worst day.

Love!

ETA: Actually, Maggie is not a calico at all! She's a tortoiseshell. That's what they call it when the primary color is black (and not white).

FUNNY THING ABOUT FUNERALS

Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I have been blessed with some wonderful women in my life.

One of them was my grandmother. So I was very sad to attend her funeral yesterday, although there is some comfort in the fact that she lived 92 wonderful years and died peacefully in her sleep.

The funny thing about funerals is how you can feel devastated one minute, and joyous the next. This funeral gave our family an excuse to gather: for the first time in at least a dozen years, all five of us kids were in one place WITH both parents also in attendance.

And it was great to catch up with everyone and share stories and memories. Even though all of us hated the fact that Granddaddy was in the hospital and unable to attend his wife's funeral. They were married 69 years!! Can you imagine? Please keep him in your thoughts as he has surgery today to repair a fractured hip and wrist.

I learned more about love from those two than just about anyone. And while my own parents' relationship was a bit chaotic, there was always Grandma and Granddaddy, loving each other in the house they built with their own hands in the small, coastal town of Port St. Joe, Florida.

Grandma was probably my biggest fan. And she was responsible for putting many a book in my hands -- she also took me many times to the Port St. Joe Library. And she read with great enthusiasm and joy pretty much everything I wrote.

Yesterday at the funeral, I read a poem I wrote. And afterwards, a woman came up to me and said, "You looked just like your grandmother when you stood up to read that poem. She was so proud of you."

I hugged her and thanked her for that comment. She is with me now, and always will be.

And now I'd like to share the poem I read. It's fresh, far from complete, but for those of you who have lost someone they love, I offer it to you and hope it brings some comfort.

To the Mourners

Remember: the heart cannot
comprehend endings. You must
walk the path to the ocean,
lift a smooth stone and bend
to examine the shape
left in sand, watch it fill

with water. It isn’t a question
of faith. Things will change.
Walk along the dunes, find
an open caterpillar casing,
a just-born butterfly
fluttering its wings
in this overwhelming world

of light. Then, a spider’s web –
sticky, empty threads a miracle
not to the spider, or the fly,
but to those who grieve.

Every end is a beginning.
A you gather seashells
and sea glass, listen for
that grace-filled moment
after the last bird call
but before the crickets.

Be patient with yourself.
As the sun dips below the waves,
the sky billowing pink and gold
and purple -- rejoice
in what was
and the simple beauty
of what comes after.

- Irene Latham

For other poems, round up is at Alphabet Soup.

CELEBRATE FAITHFUL SQUID AND RED X

Now available at stores near you:

This one has been on my TBR list for quite some time... isn't the cover dreamy? It's historical romance set at Yellowstone National Park, and I am a big fan of romance AND Yellowstone. WIN. Congratulations to Class of 2k10 classmate Janet Fox!!

Haven't read this one, but doesn't it look like FUN??!


And this one... you won't forget Damien! Fun, funny, super-hero-y.... Congratulations, Chelsea!


And for the historical fiction buffs, here's a great story for you. I've already raved about this one, and after having met Christina, I can rave about her too!! Don't miss!

COLOR ME INSPIRED

Okay, so now I'm a wee bit glad I wasn't able to complete my quilt in time for the Guild show.

Here's why:

"Happiness is... a day at the Gulf (before the oil slick)." Amazing hand-work. And she cut all those pieces of coral and spent 37 hours on beading alone!



Hand-quilted CIRCLES by Julie over at Green Quilts. Do you have any idea how HARD that is??! (Me neither, because I have never attempted it. But wowzers, can I imagine.)


My favorite title: "Happiness is... Dark Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Cream Sauce." This one got first prize in its category!


A quilt with books on it?? Does life get any better?! I so wanted to take this one home with me.


And finally, the BEST OF SHOW. Great colors... and over 600 buttons! Gorgeous!!!


Yep, I would have been so embarrassed... hats off to all you AWESOME quilters! I am in love with your work AND your stories. Happiness is.... going to a quilt show.

ON MOTHERHOOD

I remember a bumper sticker from years ago - long before I was a parent - that read, "PARENTING IS SACRED."

Indeed.

You mothers know what I'm talking about. Happy Day to you all!

And most especially, Happy Day to my mother. We don't get to choose our parents, and wow, have I been most fortunate to be so well loved from before I was even born.

And now, the flip side... my boys know their mother pretty well. So my gifts were handmade creations: a funny card from oldest son, complete with illustrations; a box made out of paper from my youngest; and the following verse from the one in the middle (he gave me permission to share):

MY MOM

My mom is so cool
She married no fool
She had three kids
That she did
She wrote a book
And is a wonderful cook
She is a great lady
And her name is not Katie
She is my mom
And she is the bomb!

Sweetness... and I have to thank that "no fool" for his gentle reminders to the guys... these things tend to slip their minds in between track practice and Halo and a gazillion urgent texts and downloading songs to their ipods.

I love all of you so very much!

*art by Pablo Picasso

DEAR JULIUS LESTER

Dear Julius Lester,

You don't know me, but I talk about you all the time. That's because you have been an important part of my writing journey. Allow me to explain.

Back in 2003, I saw something that changed my life. It was The Quilts of Gee's Bend art exhibit at the Whitney in New York City. I was captivated by the quilts, fascinated by the quilters and their history. After a couple of years of immersing myself in all things Gee's Bend, I started writing a story.

Eventually that story became LEAVING GEE'S BEND, my debut historical novel for children. It's about a ten year old African American girl in 1932 Gee's Bend, Alabama, who sets out to get medical help for her sick mother and records her ensuing adventures in a quilt she is making.

But I am not African American, and I did not grow up in poverty. So, when I got the offer from Putnam, I was terrified. What if I got it wrong?


Like any good word-loving gal faced with a challenge, I turned to books. Among them, yours: ON WRITING FOR CHILDREN & OTHER PEOPLE. And there I found your voice, your experience, and these priceless words:

"To equate identity with race and culture is to deny the power of the imagination which can be the empathatic bridge between nations, cultures, and indviduals. Instead of placing barriers around a culture and denying others permission to enter, we should be thankful that people from outside our group are interested, curious, want to learn, want to feel a sense of belonging with us. Cultures are not private reserves but humble offerings."

So when people ask me about my experience writing across culture, I tell them this: Julius Lester said I could. So I did.

And I have to tell you, it has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Thank you for the gift your words have been to my writing career. I will do my best to live up to them.

Gratefully,

Irene

Readers: Julius Lester has written many stories for adults and children, one of which is the Newbery Honor winning TO BE A SLAVE. He blogs periodically here.

CELEBRATE MYTH AND MAGIC AND MYSTERY

...with SHADE by fellow 2k10 classmate Jeri Smith-Ready. She's awesome, and the critics are loving this one -- I look forward to reading!



...TORTILLA SUN by Jennifer Cervantes. I raved about this one when I read the ARC, and I recently had the pleasure of meeting the author -- both are beautiful!



...PROPHECY OF DAYS by Christy Raedeke. Another cover I love, author I love, premise I love! Congrats, Christy -- so excited to finally get to read!!

THE POWER OF QUILTS

They can bring together mothers and daughters in a book club at Homewood Library... (meet the daughters)



They can inspire 3rd graders to make art at Reeltown School...



They can inspire a great home ec pillow project for middle schoolers at Berry Middle School...



...and provide a way for staff members to tell their family stories...



AND they can bring together people of all ages in celebration of history and family and all the ways we are connected to one another. (10 year old Eric is behind the camera!)



Thanks, everyone, for sharing the quilt-love!!

GIVEAWAY AND GOODBYE, NATIONAL POETRY MONTH!

Eating Poetry
by Mark Strand

Ink runs from the corners of my mouth.
There is no happiness like mine.
I have been eating poetry.

rest of poem here

And that's exactly how I feel after this wonderful poetry-filled month! Pure happiness. Especially as I achieved my goal of a poem a day. They're not all great poems, but some of them are on their way. And even on my worst day when I wrote a poem called "Thirteen Reasons Why I am Unable to Write a Poem Today," I still managed to eke out a likable line or two. And it was fun!

Also, I came up with a new (brilliant) name for my next collection. And I made an important decision about the direction of my poetry career. More on this later.

Meanwhile, I do believe I promised one last giveaway in celebration of National Poetry Month 2010. Here's what the lucky winner will receive (and the volume with CD where the above Mark Strand poem can be found):


Leave me a comment, and you're entered to win! I'll announce a winner Friday, May 7. And don't miss today's Roundup over at Great Kids Books!

CELEBRATE ORIGINALITY

Keep your eyes peeled for some great new books hitting the shelves this week:

MISTWOOD by 2k10 classmate Leah Cypess. Haven't read this one yet, but it's gotten some great reviews. Also, it's about a Shifter. And who doesn't secretly wish for that power?? Actually, it's the themes of loyalty, betrayal, etc., that have got me really wanting to read this one. Can't wait!


THE LAST GREAT GETAWAY OF THE WATER BALLOON BOYS by Scott William Carter. A boy book! Woohooo!! And it involves a road trip. And has been called "touching." Yep, I am THERE.


WHISPER by Phoebe Kitanidis. LOVE THIS BOOK. Also love Phoebe. And the cover! Seriously, don't miss this one. Anyone who's ever said they wish they could be inside someone else's head.... well, think again.

THE DOG ATE MY POETRY AND OTHER EXCUSES

Okay, so it's Sunday. And yes, I am aware that I failed to post a)winner's name b)new giveaway c)poem for Poetry Friday.

In my defense, I was up at 4 a.m. that morning, hauling it back to Birmingham, after a FANTASTIC few days in Arkansas. Why was I in such a hurry?

Well. A few Tenners were coming to town, and we had plans for lunch. Here we are:

moi, Guadelupe Garcia McCall, Lindsey Leavitt and sweet baby Logan, Jennifer Cervantes and Christina Diaz Gonzalez


I'm really not that tall, by the way. It's totally a trick of the camera. And these gals are AWESOME. Could have talked for days!

Now. Backtracking a bit. I had an awesome time in Blytheville, Arkansas, not just at THAT BOOKSTORE (where I signed and talked and joined the regular book club meeting to discuss The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty), but also at the schools.

Here's a pic from Central Elementary, where I was greeted by a room-full of Ludelphias:


In Bryant, I visited Collegeville Elementary, and I gotta tell you, those 5th grade teachers have got it going on! Awesome visit. And here is a pic of what I found in the hallways:



Great job, kids! You were a pleasure to talk to. And it was SO FUN to share it all with dear friend Pam... and Steph, THANK YOU! We are totally going back to Brave New Restaurant next time I come to town.

What about the POETRY, you're asking. Well, we have a winner:

HEIDI MORDHORST who said she could use another copy of POETRY SPEAKS FOR CHILDREN in her Listening Center. Heidi, it's yours! Contact me by email with your address, and I'll zip it your way.

And for those poetry lovers out there, I promise to make it up to you this Friday with an awesome AWESOME anthology giveaway for the grand finale of National Poetry Month. Seriously. Awesome.

Hope everyone is enjoying the month as much as I am!!

GOING TO THE NATURAL STATE

That would be Arkansas, folks.

First stop: That Bookstore in Blytheville, where I will be signing books TODAY at 5 pm.

Wednesday: School visits arranged by Marvel from That Bookstore. I can't express what a wonderful thing this is. As much as I LOVE school visits, I spend entirely too much time setting them up and making contracts and corresponding about said visits. It can be crazy-making. So big BIG thanks to the booksellers/librarians of the world who take this job off my plate.

Wednesday night: Hanging out with my Very Best Girlfriend and her family at their home near Little Rock. (You know that friend who knows everything about you and still loves you? Yep. That's her.)

Thursday: School visit at Collegeville Elementary in Bryant. This is super-cool because one of my early beta-readers works there. And she's the one who made this whole visit possible. So I am especially thrilled to talk with her 5th graders about LEAVING GEE'S BEND!

Friday: It's POETRY FRIDAY... which means another poetry anthology giveaway!! I can't believe we're in the homestretch of National Poetry Month... I'm happy to report I am still going strong with a poem a day!

Here's the poems I've written in the past few days, all of them in response to works of art:

"Alligator Pears in a Basket" (Georgia O'Keefe)
"June" (Ellen Day Hale)
"The Bath" (Mary Cassatt)
"Sheep by the Sea" (Rosa Bonheur)
"Staffelsee in Autumn" (Garbriele Munter) *pictured above

AWESOMENESS AT ALABAMA BOOK FESTIVAL

1. I traveled with my chauffer, body guard and personal assistant -- aka my three sons. This pic was taken at the end of the day. Yes, they were pretty much bored. Would have taken an appearance by James Patterson or Suzanne Collins to get them excited. But they were good sports anyhow. And it was great for me to look over and see them there. Thanks, guys! And I promise: next book festival we go to there will be more girls. (Yes, this is what they talked about on the ride home.)


2. Rachel Hawkins, author of HEX HALL was there. Turns out, she was a stand-up comedian in a former life. Funny gal! The book bloggers ate her up. And boy was she hard to follow. Great job, Rachel!


3. Ginger Rue, author of BRAND NEW EMILY was there. A little tidbit about Ginger: we graduated in the same class at Hewitt-Trussville High School, way back when! And reconnected over being brand new authors in the kidlit world. She is just as beautiful and sweet as she ever was. Really, REALLY great to see her and meet her family. And the book is AWE-SOME! Very soon to be released in paper back, about a middle school girl who is being bullied and decides to hire a publicist to change her image. Very smart writing. (Smart girl.)


4. There were so many great authors at the festival -- I regret I didn't take more pictures. But I was fortunate enough to get this shot of Kathy Patrick, that tiara-wearing, book-loving crazy gal from Texas. Heard of Beauty and the Book, that hair salon/book store? Yep, that's Kathy. She does so much to support literacy and other authors... heck, for her, I might even put on a tiara! (And, dude, check out that monster purple can of hair spray! Bringing back the 80s one Queen at a time...)


Big huge thanks to all the organizers (Jeanie Thompson, you are amazing), sponsors and volunteers who pull this event off each year! It's wonderful, and I am so proud to be a part of it.

POETRY UPDATE AND NEW GIVEAWAY!

Posting poetic goodness early this week for a couple of reasons:

1. I am going to Alabama Book Festival in Montgomery tomorrow (Y'all come! It's gonna be AWESOME!!)

2. Poetry Friday Roundup is being hosted early by 7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Check it out!

... and the winner of last week's POETRY IN MOTION anthology is Danielle! Danielle entered via Facebook, and she actually rides the subway every day. So yay for Danielle!

And now for this week's giveaway: another of my most favorite anthologies, POETRY SPEAKS TO CHILDREN (Book & CD) ~ Elise Paschen (Editor), Dominique Raccah (Editor), Wendy Rasmussen (Illustrator), Judy Love (Illustrator), Paula Zinngrabe Wendland (Illustrator), Nikki Giovanni (Guest), X.J. Kennedy (Guest), Billy Collins (Guest)


And here is a favorite poem:

Jabberwocky
by Lewis Carroll


'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


To enter for this week's giveaway, simply leave a comment!

And what have I been writing this week?

More poems based on paintings:

Beach Scene (by Jane Peterson)
Breakfast of the Birds (Gabrielle Minter)
The Cage (Berthe Morisot)
Cherries in the Sun (Doris Lee)
Call to Church and Flowers (Clementine Hunter)
Portrait of a Young Girl with a Blue Ribbon( Louise Abbema)
Abandoned Cottage (Virginia Berresford)

and, my favorite of the lot: a poem about kissing!

MEET "MEAN IRENE"

Yep. She exists.

Check it out over at Jessica Leader's blog. (She's honeymooning and asked a few of us to guest post on the topic of NICE AND MEAN, which is the title of her rockin'debut novel for middle-grade readers, coming in June!)

CELEBRATE SECRETS

Be on the look-out for great books releasing this week, each with its own secret something:

Secret romance in THREE RIVERS RISING by Class of 2k10 classmate Jame Richards... read it... TWICE... loved it both times!


Secret society in THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY by the amazing Kay Cassidy who is so very generous... congratulations, Kay!!


Secret rooms in PALACE BEAUTIFUL by Sarah Deford Williams, which I haven't read, but am dying to!

ODE TO RICHARD PECK

Wow, what a fabulous time I had in Hattiesburg, MS, at the Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival. There were lots of great folks, including my roomies Hester Bass and Sarah Campbell. Check out Sarah's great pics and wrap-up of the conference here.

And yes, Richard Peck was there. For those of you who don't know, Richard Peck blurbed my book. So he was one of the first professional people to read the book and give me any sort of feedback.... so it was pretty special. And of course, now his name appears on the cover of my book.

When I met him on Thursday, I said, "my only claim to fame is your name on my cover." He hugged me and said that I was going to have plenty claims of fame all my own.

Sweet, huh?

He also signed my reading copy. And had all sorts of brilliant things to share with the audience. Things like this:

"We write by the light of every book we've ever read."

"English invented childhood: Americans invented adolescence."

"Politics is not only the enemy of art: It is also the enemy of education."

"No one ever grows up until he has to. On our pages, he has to."

"Childhood is a jungle, not a garden."

"Kids are not looking for authors in books; they are looking for themselves."

"Story with all dialogue is a chatroom; story with all action is a Gameboy."

"Dialogue is best written standing up."

"A story unites what the computer divides."

"Airports and books were made for each other."

And finally, this one, which was a great comfort to me after writing LEAVING GEE'S BEND... but which generated a great deal of discussion among the attendees. Clearly, not everyone agrees:

"We don't write from experience; we write from observation."

I think maybe we write from both. And I am SO SORRY I did not get a picture of me and Richard! It never once crossed my mind. And now I am so sad. Sigh....