Second School Visit

I had a great school visit with Grade 6,7 & 8 students today at Rothesay Park Middle School . What a wonderful group of kids! Everyone was very attentive and responsive showing lots of insight and compassion.They asked excellent questions and I enjoyed the sessions very much. I felt very priviledged to go in to their classrooms as a visiting author and get such a warm welcome. Thanks to the staff and students of RPS.

First Official School Visit

On Thursday I made my first school visit through the WISP in New Brunswick. I visited my old school Macdonald Consolidated where I went in Grade seven, eight and nine. It is the school where I met the boy that would become my husband and wrote Sue Loves Burton on a beam in the grade nine room. Years later I taught in that same room the beam having since been covered with many layers of paint. I taught there for twenty three years after teaching at Rothesay Elementary for six years. On Thursday I returned as a published author and was able to tell the kids that not only can you be anything you dream of being but you can dream more than one thing . As a young girl I had dreamed of being three things; a mother, a teacher and a writer. I stood there proudly claiming to have acheived all three things.I enjoyed the visit very much. One class had read my book as a class novel and they had so much to offer and such good questions to ask. The other classes each had a few kids that had read the book and they all offered so much insight and interest in the book and the overall process. I conducted a writing workshop for 16 kids in the afternoon and was so impressed with their creativity and excitement. I found the experience so rewarding, very emotional and exhausting. It made me miss a bit about being in the classroom but made me even more thankful for the chance I have been given to pursue my next career.

My new Grandbaby

I just realized that I wrote on September 27th while I was waiting for my new grandchild to be born but have not written again to tell the news. Paige Louisa was born on October 4th. She is a beautiful little girl and Emma is thrilledto be a big sister. I had to leave two days after she was born and I look forward to seeing her again in December. I wish my granddaughters (and Meg and Cody)did not live so far away.

Book Signing at Fredericton Chapters

It is a beautiful crisp cold November day and I just returned home after a nice drive to Fredericton with my friend Kathy. Again my daughter has reminded me that I do not post enough. Oh well! I had a signing at the Chapters in Fredericton this afternoon and enjoyed it very much. The first person I saw was Amy, Zac's good friend, her husband and her two adorable children. She and her husband are expecting again and this time , twins! She is a special girl and was very special to our family when Zac died. My little eight year boy ( who will turn 21 tomorrow) adored her and clung to her in those days ,laying his head on her lap to get through the strangeness of a funeral for his big brother.She will always hold a special place in my heart and I am so pleased to see her so happy.I also saw a former principal of mine and was pleased to share my book with her. I had the pleasure of talking to some other very nice, supportive people. The mananger and other staff at Chapters were very welcoming and I appreicaited the opportunity to visit their store.