October 3, 2008 – 1:20 pm
I am preparing a presentation for the Montana State Reading Council. I’ll be the keynote speaker on Friday the 17th at the Great Falls Best Western Heritage Inn. Am I terrified? Absolutely.The last time I spoke in public I completely bombed (and I’m not just making it up or trying to paint it worse than it is: I BOMBED!)
The talk will be titled: Breaking All the Rules: A Rebel’s Path to Publication
What are the types of things you would like to know about how I got published? What would interest you? Give me some ideas! I’m so scared.
Also, would you prefer an interactive talk that incorporated some powerpoint, or just a down-home talk?
I’m also going to be giving some breakout sessions about using rhyme in the classroom. Leave me some of your best ideas and I may include them in my talk!
K…..
October 2, 2008 – 1:10 pm
Where is Home, Little Pip? has been released and is doing quite well. I browsed some customer reviews at Amazon and people are universally calling Pip a he. But Pip is actually a girl. Funny enough, she started as a he when I first thought of her, but I decided that I needed a good female character since all the bear characters are boys.
I guess she needs a bow in her hair. Reminds me of when my daughter was a baby with little-old-man hair. She would be decked out in pink with roses and people would say, “What a cute little boy!” ha ha ha!
Hope everybody is having a terrific fall. It is GORGEOUS here. The aspen are at peak color.
I am so behind on email. If you have written me please be patient. Life is in my way! 
K….
September 18, 2008 – 8:58 pm
She’s almost here! My newest character will be in bookstores on 9/23/09! I can’t wait.
I just adore this new series (illustrated by the talented Jane Chapman) and I hope you all will love Little Pip as much as I do!
Hip, hip hooray for adorable, baby penguins! And pssst…she just might have her own special spot on the world wide web!
K….
September 14, 2008 – 11:39 am
You all know I write rhyming books. I am a huge advocate of reading rhyme to kids–but remember read it until the child has it memorized. The great power in rhyme for kids is that good rhyme is easily committed to memory. Once a child remembers a rhyme every word in the poem or story is locked in their mind forever in context–which is what makes rhyme such a great vocabulary builder. But if you just read a rhyming story one or two times chances are it won’t work it’s way into the old brain cells permanently. So read, read, read the story over and over again. And again. And yes, again. Eventually your child will be able to read the story to you.
Really, you’ll thank me someday! Hee hee.
K….
