Thursday, March 5, 2015

A Visiting Author


I think I am flirting with a case of bronchitis. Maybe that's why I was in such ill humor early this week? I've had an intermittently froggy throat every since Florida, but the night before last it came back stronger than ever, and now I feel a little bit like I've inhaled sandpaper. I don't want to cough because it feels like it might hurt.

It's never a good time to get sick, but now is really not a good time. We're off to Singapore in less than two weeks, and I only have three more weekends to finish NW11 for Bleeding London before the end of the month. Plus, work. That whole earning money thing.

Oh well. I'll try to take it easy and we shall see.

We had well-known children's author Jacqueline Woodson come to school this week for a series of writing workshops and a lecture. I attended her talk last night and she was a very interesting speaker, discussing her family and girlhood dreams of being a writer, and her writing life today. She talked about how she often got chastised for lying as an imaginative child, but writing her thoughts down changed everything -- because "when you write it down it's not lying, it's fiction."

Here are a couple of tweets from our library account that include pictures I took of her with the kids:




(I've never embedded tweets before -- apparently I can't center them. Which is weird.)

Anyway, that's all the news there is. Olga just roused herself from bed so I guess it's time to go for a walk!

(Top photo: Shades of E.M. Forster on Finchley Road in West Hampstead.)

9 comments:

JennieB said...

I loved Singapore when I visited for 2 days en- route to Australia from Europe. The hop-on-hop off bus is excellent value as 24 hours actually means 24 hours, so as the bus doesn't run in the evening you can use your ticket for 2 days. There are 3 routes and your ticket allows you on each one. We were very impressed with the Singapore Botanical Gardens, especially the Orchid Garden. A visit to the famous Raffles hotel is interesting, though a glass of the renowned Singapore Sling will set you back about £16. The Cloud Dome is worth a visit. We were disappointed in the Flower Dome, especially after the gorgeous Botanical Gardens and also because the Garden Dome is mainly Australian and African in plants, so flowers that we see often at home. You are allowed to go to the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel for a drink and views, but not allowed to use the infinity pool unless you are a guest. Don't forget to go to the 'Light and Sound' show of an evening. With your photography expertise you will be able to take some unusual photos

e said...

What a great experience for the kids! I hope you feel better.

Ms. Moon said...

Aw. What a sweet author to have come and visit! A good day at school for sure!
And if you want to go to Singapore (and I'm sure you do although I can't even imagine such a thing) you need to get better. So yes, take it easy, SteveReed!

ellen abbott said...

traveling when you are sick is no fun so I hope it clears up quick.

Gary said...

Oh, Man! This is right up my alley. Fantastic to have an author visit. I wish I could attend. Did you get a book signed for yourself or for the library?

I hope you are feeling better soon. I've never been to Singapore so I look forward to your updates/pictures about the trip.

The Bug said...

Getting sick in the spring is the pits too (well, yes, summer, fall, & winter are also bad) - hope you pamper yourself & it subsides!

Elizabeth said...

Oh, I hope you get better soon and are ready for Singapore!

Steve Reed said...

JennieB -- Thanks for all the hints! I'll have lots of time to kill there, because Dave will be in rehearsals with students all day. That hop-on, hop-off bus sounds perfect!

E: Thanks. :)

Ms Moon: She was a perfect author to have come and visit. She was great with all the kids.

Ellen: Thanks. Me too!

Gary: Yes! We got lots of books signed, actually. It's cool to think of some nondescript book rolling off a production line somewhere, being sold by Amazon, coming to our library and then "meeting" and being signed by the author who wrote it!

Bug: Thanks. There is something about spring and colds, isn't there? I think because things are warming up and viruses are getting more active. That's my story, anyway, and I'm sticking to it.

Elizabeth: Thanks! :)

37paddington said...

Jacqueline Woodson is a friend of mine! I adore her and love her writing too! She'd know me by my real world name. How cool that she was at your school!