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I Have Exciting Book News!
I know I’ve talked about Secret Agent Josephine in Paris for what seems like years now but guess what? It’s actually happening! After many rewrites and a major plot change, it is officially launching this November. Mark your calendars!!
I worked on it so long I got a little sick of it but now that it’s put to bed and I’ve had some space, I’ve started to fall in love with it again. I think you guys will too. It’s a sweet story near to my heart with all my favorite illustrations of Paris! Oui! Oui!
The big launch party is planned for November 8th (time still tbd) in this cute little boutique photography studio in downtown San Juan Capistrano. I’ve always loved that area and I couldn’t be happier with the venue. Old brick walls, big windows, polished cement floor, breezy entryways (across from Starbucks and that famous Swallow dive bar)…it’s the perfect space.
I’m so happy to be collaborating with Vanessa Brooke, a very talented photographer. I might have to hit her up for new author photos! Check out her work. So good!
In the meantime I’m on their calendar for storytime every first Tuesday of the month. How exciting, no? If you are local, please come! I need all the support I can get.
I haven’t actually read publicly before but I figure if I can teach a watercolor class to a bunch of women I can probably manage reading my bunny books (that last about a minute each) to a bunch of little kids. Then we’ll do crafts and maybe have a snack. I think it will be a blast.
Since you have your calendars out I tentatively have a Halloween reading of Who’s There Little Hoo planned for October 29th. Lots of book news! If anyone wants to get involved please email me. I’m currently looking for blogs to review SAJ in Paris but supplies are limited (hardback this time! as well as e-book of course, ebooks are not as limited, just email me and we’ll hash it out.)!
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Forty-wonderful
I turned forty-one last week. I wasn’t going to throw myself a party or anything since I really went all out last year…but well, you know me. I can’t resist! So I threw a tiny last minute get together instead. I didn’t even send out invites. That’s not as bad, right?
My birthday landed on a Saturday and the strawberries were looking so good in the market so I hatched up a plan to have a strawberry shortcake party. I know. You and everyone I invited thought I was going to break out the Strawberry Shortcake dolls but no… strawberry shortcake is actually a historically wonderful summer dessert. It was my Grandpa’s favorite. It brings back so many wonderful memories of summers with my grandparents.
I baked up a bunch of Bisquick biscuits, sliced all the strawberries, made some homemade whipped cream and then we had a picnic on the grassy knoll outside my apartment with all kinds of strawberry drinks. Strawberry beer, Brendaritas, and strawberry lemonade. I was going to make strawberry daiquiris too but we all voted for less sugary drinks in the end.
I was afraid the Irvine Company aka The Capital was going to bust me for having a party *with drinks* on the public open space but they didn’t. I even asked beforehand—which could have been a huge mistake but they said as long as nobody got too rowdy we were fine. Of course nobody was too rowdy. We’re just a bunch of moms. Well, I take that back. The kids were plenty rowdy. I should have thought up some games for them. It was a late party though. I thought kids would be staying in after 7pm but I was wrong. It’s summer! Duh!
Anyway, it was really fun. I love strawberry shortcake. If you have never tried it. I recommend you go to the farmer’s market the next chance you get and buy yourself a flat of strawberries and make some!
