Keeping Afloat in the Crazy Waves

It's been a wonderful, whirlwind week.

There was a rewarding two-day marathon at two local high schools, plugging my book and our big Teen Event at the Dolphin Bookshop in Port Washington (my dear friend Lena Roy has done a great job writing it up here -- yes, yes, she gushes about me, so there's that too).

But also, in those two days,I have become more than an author/presenter, I am suddenly a creative writing teacher, and let me tell you that feels like an amazing thing. I actually got a few students who were initially afraid, to trust themselves and their creativity and share their pieces aloud. One of the teachers told me that two boys spoke more in her class that day than they had since school started, and another has asked me to come back to cover the classes of hers that I wasn't able to attend that day. It suddenly feels like this great new extension of me -- the inklings of possibilities, of a new third (?) career.

The event at the Dolphin was a smashing success. As I mentioned up there, Lena does a pretty great recap. But here are some photos from the night:

l -r : Christopher Grant, me, Lena Roy, Nova Ren Suma, Michael Northrop, Arlaina Tibensky and Matt Blackstone.

The YA community is really such a supportive one, we thought it was funny to cover each others' faces with our books.;)

And there was swimming and more swimming as we of The West Neck Pod grab the last few precious weeks, or perhaps only days, of the open water season by the, well, waves.


With gale force winds, and waves like the actual one in the photo up top, it's been crazy and challenging out there, giving us an exhilarating end to the fall.

If you want to read more about our swims, our Fairy Pod mother, Carol Moore, describes them with often breathtaking beauty here: http://thewater-blog.blogspot.com/.

And so it goes. I am back to revisions on Frankie Sky with miles to still go before I sleep. Have great hopes that, if I bang them out well, this manuscript will be my next deal.

Keep going.

See you soon.

- gae