Turtles and a Moustache

Why am I in Hankinson, ND?  Yesterday I had a school visit at the elementary school where I did four presentations about four different books, followed by a Title I family night.  Whew!  But seriously, this is the icing on the cake when it comes to being an author. 

There's nothing that matches the kids, their questions, and the stories that they tell when they're supposed to be asking questions.  Me:  "Does anyone have any questions?"  Kindergartner:  "One time a turtle crawled over my grandma's foot."

The family night featured kids dressed up as the people from one of my Mount Rushmore books.  My favorite was the lanky boy who dressed as Doane Robinson (the man who had the first idea for the carving in the Black Hills).  It's amazing what a hat and a suitcoat will do to a fifth-grader! (In fact, it reminds of the time my son bought a suitcoat from Goodwill to dress as Santa Ana, but that's another story.)

After the whole presentation was done, the kids had plenty of questions about Mount Rushmore. The best one of the bunch?  "How long is Teddy Roosevelt's moustache?"  (Did I mention that I'm in North Dakota???)

Beginnings

I'll eventually explain the name of my blog.  Until then, I'm just amazed at myself for getting started.  I was the kind of kid who always hid her diary inside of her pillow case and wrote horrid notes of doom to anyone who dared to read it. So the idea of going public with rambling thoughts is somewhat crazy. 

But as an author, I'm supposed to have a blog.  A public presence, per say.  Okay, Jean.  Time to be brave and jump in where you are...

And where am I?  At a tiny little motel in Hankinson, North Dakota.  More on that tomorrow.