February 2009

The new year has brought wonderful travels. I filled half a journal notebook with tales of a trip to Nairobi and Cairo with grandson Ben as his “Granny Nanny” while daughter Eleanor attended meetings. Feeding giraffes, sitting on a camel, patting an elephant’s nose - these experiences were made even better when shared with a two-year-old.

A new granddaughter, Elisabeth, was born, giving me yet another grandchild to write about.

When I've put my bees to bed and winter winds whip around our house on the hill, my husband and I start to yearn for a bit of warmth and sunshine. We often head for the Gulf coast of Florida where we love to sail into all the little rivers and bays, harbors and bayous in our sailboat “Vesper.” I turn out very different stories when I am curled up with my writing pad under a palm tree or on a deck than I do when I am at my desk overlooking my neighbor's meadows in Virginia.

March 2009

My newest book, Little Girls in Matching Dresses: Stories for Mothers, Daughters and Grandmothers, will be released at the end of this month, just in time for Easter and Mother’s Day. It is a beautifully presented celebration of several of my essays featuring mothers, grandmother’s and daughters. I was so delighted to see what a beautiful job my publisher had done. When you write a book and send it off to your publisher therein begins a process not unlike pregnancy. When you receive the galley proofs it is like seeing a sonogram. You can see the image of the book and how it will be but not the finished product. Finally, the first bound copy arrives in the mail. You open the box and it is like seeing a baby for the first time. I pulled out the little volume (only 5 x 7”), stroked its pretty, embossed cover and then carefully began turning the pages. Surprises right away! I did not know the endpapers would be so lovely – turquoise with swirls of flowers. The dedication to my sisters, Ellen and Beth, even has a tiny reproduction of the photograph of the three of us in our matching Easter dresses that was used on the back cover. I just wrote them, “You always wanted to be a cover girl. Well, now you are.”

I figured myphoto on the inside dust jacket flap should be a recent one. I’ve more gray hair since the one used in Barefoot Summers four years ago. I did not want readers attending my book signings to be looking around for someone with light brown hair streaked with silver. Now it’s more silver streaked with light brown!

And speaking of appearances. I’ve several appearances slated for the coming months. Check out that page to see if I shall be speaking near you. It is updated often.