the characters of fall

From bound manuscripts to the National Book Award dinner, from home to far away, from family to friends to strangers to new friends, from schools to conferences, from high to low, from hard work to a few lazy days...

... fall was full of characters. FULL. It was insane. It was marvelous. I saw old friends, made new friends, and learned so much, teaching and speaking, and sitting around a kitchen table with apple pie and noodles for dinner, talking into the night with good friends, talking about loss and love and carrying on.

I saw all three grandgirls, celebrated birthdays. Repaired a leaky basement. Made the decision to deal with foundation issues, water management issues, and to go ahead with making the yard an edible landscape, as we can -- a long term project. Bids, bids, bids, for tree work -- such characters! Such accents! So much fun. Wood deliveries by the guy who works on our cars. He is multi-talented.

A book tour for REVOLUTION and such good news, the National Book Award nod, which was so  humbling.. a little bit of pixie dust, really. Thank you, judges, and thank you, National Book Foundation. I want REVOLUTION to live for as long as it can, and to get into the hands of as many young people as possible... thank you for helping to make that possible. Thank you for the validation of my work.

It is winter now. I'm heading to Houston later today, to teach in grades 4-8 next week. I want to post about winter work, and I will, as I can. That's a kind of catchphrase for my life right now, actually... it's a wonderful whirlwind and I am so very lucky. I know that to my bones. I am glad to be alive, and glad to have good work, and glad to have good company along the way -- all these characters!

I am keeping my head up and embracing that whirlwind, every minute of it, every moment. The highs, the lows, and the in-betweens. It's all good. What a year. What a year. Thanks to everyone for coming along with me.