March Into Reading

I'm participating in an exciting event next weekend, Aquidneck Island's March into Reading. Friday I'll be visiting three island schools and speaking about THE BLACK REGIMENT OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. One of the major battles in the book takes place on the island, so this is local history!
Then Saturday I'll be joining other wonderful authors and illustrators at Salve Regina University for a celebration of reading. Here are the details:

Saturday, February 28, 2009

9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Presentations, Book Sales & Signings, Activities for all ages
O'Hare Academic Center, Ochre Point Ave., Salve Regina University
Free & Open to the Public

Meet the Authors & Illustrators!

• David Macaulay
• Michael Dooling
• Janet Taylor Lisle
• Mary Jane Begin
• Linda Crotta-Brennan
• Tony O'Brien
• Jeannine Atkins
• John Brennan
• Lucinda Landon

Saturday's Schedule of Events

Revolutionary War Reenactors with the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment
9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Presenters
10:00 a.m. - Mary Jane Begin, Jeannine Atkins
11:00 a.m. - David Macaulay, Janet Taylor Lisle
12:00 p.m. - Michael Dooling, Tony O'Brien

Guest Reader
John Brennan, "The Ghosts of Newport ": 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The Reading Room for Young Children
9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. - Enjoy a quiet break with a read aloud story.

Children's Discovery Rooms
9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. - Medieval Life, The Rainforest, Ancient Egypt

Family & Community Centers
9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. - Pick up a passport to "Aquidneck History 2009" free admission for children to local historical attractons.

Book Sales
9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Book Signings
10:00 a.m. - Michael Dooling, Tony O'Brien, Linda Crotta-Brennan
11:00 a.m. - Mary Jane Begin, Jeannine Atkins, John Brennan
12:00 p.m. - David Macaulay, Janet Taylor Lisle, Lucinda Landon

Perspective

I've been reading Elizabeth Lyon's insightful book, A Writer's Guide to Fiction. She talks about the difference between objective and subjective POV, something I'd never heard discussed before. But it makes so much sense. It's easy to slip into the objective POV, to describe a scene as a camera would, devoid of personality:
The snow still lay thick on one lawn, shaded by pines to the south. Two doors down a robin sang in the tree.
But to capture a character, use subjective POV, including that character's sensory experience and their emotions and reactions to what they see:
As Willow and I walked past Mr. Stickles' house, I shivered. The snow formed a thick crust across his yard, where Willow's friend Baron used to romp. I hurried past to Sasha's house, where a robin sang in the budding dogwood tree.

Barrington Books

The Kids Heart Books event on Valentine's Day was terrific. Barrington Books is a fabulous place, if you ever have a chance to stop in, do it. They just expanded into a new space--obviously Dana, the owner, is doing something right.
Mary Jane Begin, Chris and Anika Denise, and Liz Dubois joined me for the signing. It was quite the party. Liz convinced me to join facebook. And I'm just recovering from the barage of new friends...
A special thanks is in order to Matali Perkins, who took time away from her writing to organize the Kids Heart Books event!

Out and about!

Just a reminder that I'll be at Barrington Books http://www.barringtonbooks.com/ tomorrow from 10-12 signing books for the New England-wide, Kids Heart Authors event http:/www.kidsheartauthors.com/
I'll be in good company with:

• Mary Jane Begin
• Anika and Christopher Denise
• Liz Goulet Dubois

Hope to see you there!

Then at the end of the month, I'll be taking part in March Into Reading, an Aquidneck Island event. (That's where Newport RI is, for out of staters.) There is a stellar line-up of authors and illustrators:

• David Macaulay
• Michael Dooling
• Janet Taylor Lisle
• Mary Jane Begin
• Linda Crotta-Brennan
• Tony O'Brien
• Jeannine Atkins
• John Brennan
• Lucinda Landon

We'll be fanning out across the island on Friday, visiting elementary and middle schools. Then we'll join together at Salve Regina University on Saturday for a grand family-oriented event.
For more information go to http://www.salve.edu/departments/edc/ace/march.cfm

Kids Heart Authors

I'm joining with other authors and illustrators celebrating Valentines Day in an exciting event called Kids Heart Authors. We'll be appearing in independent bookstores across New England and New York .

I will be doing a reading and signing the wonderful
Barrington Books
184 County Road
Barrington, RI
http://www.barringtonbooks.com
on Saturday February 14 from 10 a.m. -12

To find out more about this event, go to
http://www.kidsheartauthors.com/