Augusta Scattergood's Blog, page 61
May 13, 2012
Note to self: Mississippi travels, Ten Things To Remember
1. In the six Mississippi schools I visited, the kids mostly said Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am.
I know some people don't get that, but I loved it.
2. Pimento cheese and sweet little peach pies. Food from the book at my friend Ivy's house. Surrounded by old friends and lots of family. Does it get better than this?
3. Four of my teachers showing up to say hello at the very same library I pictured every time I set a Glory Be scene in a library. And a whole bunch of librarians were there. I lost count.
4. The view of the river. Yes, that river. From my friend Nan's house.
5. The charm bracelet with the little guitar and "sisters" charms. From my own sweet sister.
(And she packed the audience at Square Books, Jr. in Oxford.)
6. Good old southern cooking, cafeteria style, with my sweet brother. (Reason enough to return.)
7. Meeting Ellen Ruffin of the amazing DeGrummond Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi. (Another big reason to return. I must see this!)
8. College friends I hadn't seen since college and high school friends I hadn't seen since forever. All celebrating and buying my very first book.
9. Signing a ton of books at both Square Books and Lemuria, in Jackson. ☺
I suspect there are still a few available, for anybody who's looking for an autographed copy:
Square Books Jr.: (662) 236-2207
Lemuria: (601) 366-7619
10. Learning how true it is: You can go home again.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/91943725/wall-quote-home-is-where-your-story
May 10, 2012
Mother Daughter Book Club
I'm delighted, excited, and proud to announce that Scholastic has chosen GLORY BE as its first Mother Daughter Book Club selection. AND they are giving away a free Skype visit with the author.(That would be me!)Just in time for Mother's Day. Spread the word, please.
CLICK HERE to go to Scholastic's website
and see the discussion guide and a recipe for Emma's lemon cookies.
Perfect for your Book Group? I hope so!
May 9, 2012
Seen on a Bumper Sticker
Check out the pink bumper sticker.
I could create an entire fictional character just by paying attention to the truck...
(I googled the bookstore: Malaprop's, in Asheville, NC.)
Previous Bumper Stickers? Click here.
I could create an entire fictional character just by paying attention to the truck...
(I googled the bookstore: Malaprop's, in Asheville, NC.)
Previous Bumper Stickers? Click here.
May 8, 2012
Maurice Sendak
Such sad news.
I met him once, talking to a small group of students when I was at Simmons College studying to become a librarian. Such a funny guy! I still remember the stories he told us.
Where the Wild Things Are was my very first "challenged" book as a young librarian. I was innocent and inexperienced, but I was not about to let that book be removed from my library.
My own children grew up with his illustrations framed in every room of our house! We are quite fond of Mr. Rabbit. Not to mention Little Bear. I could go on forever. A great loss to the book world.
I met him once, talking to a small group of students when I was at Simmons College studying to become a librarian. Such a funny guy! I still remember the stories he told us.
Where the Wild Things Are was my very first "challenged" book as a young librarian. I was innocent and inexperienced, but I was not about to let that book be removed from my library.
My own children grew up with his illustrations framed in every room of our house! We are quite fond of Mr. Rabbit. Not to mention Little Bear. I could go on forever. A great loss to the book world.
May 7, 2012
One More School: My day in pictures...
And what a fun day it was!
If Baltimore felt like coming home, Roland Park Country School felt like a friendly neighbor.
Having been the Lower School librarian just down the road a piece for quite a few years, side by side with my friend Barrie, now director of the RPCS Lower School, I was right at home.
I think they scheduled the fire drill just for me.
We had those with alarming frequency in a school where I once worked. All false, thankfully.
(All kind of fun except on freezing days and the one time it went off during Grandparents Day...)
The girls were so enthusiastic about my book. Third and fourth graders before lunch.
Fifth graders later. They were in the middle of a Civil Rights study and knew so much. Great questions!
Big discussion over the two different cover images on the book jacket. Many had purchased GLORY BE through their Scholastic Book Club. Others had the original.
We took a vote. Silhouette vs. photo image? Results split down the middle.
I asked if they knew what a silhouette was. Hands shot up. Of course they knew!
This project is on the hall bulletin board, right outside the library.
Fantastic librarian. Smart kids. Old and new friends. And the librarian took this last shot of me and my "biggest fan." She loved the book! What a great day.Thank you, Roland Park Country, Beverly and Barrie, and all those enthusiastic readers.
If Baltimore felt like coming home, Roland Park Country School felt like a friendly neighbor.
Having been the Lower School librarian just down the road a piece for quite a few years, side by side with my friend Barrie, now director of the RPCS Lower School, I was right at home.
I think they scheduled the fire drill just for me.
We had those with alarming frequency in a school where I once worked. All false, thankfully.
(All kind of fun except on freezing days and the one time it went off during Grandparents Day...)
The girls were so enthusiastic about my book. Third and fourth graders before lunch.
Fifth graders later. They were in the middle of a Civil Rights study and knew so much. Great questions!
Big discussion over the two different cover images on the book jacket. Many had purchased GLORY BE through their Scholastic Book Club. Others had the original.
We took a vote. Silhouette vs. photo image? Results split down the middle.
I asked if they knew what a silhouette was. Hands shot up. Of course they knew!
This project is on the hall bulletin board, right outside the library.
Fantastic librarian. Smart kids. Old and new friends. And the librarian took this last shot of me and my "biggest fan." She loved the book! What a great day.Thank you, Roland Park Country, Beverly and Barrie, and all those enthusiastic readers.
May 3, 2012
Barbara Ann Watson: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Glory Be (and a giveaway)...
Contest ends on Sunday! Click on the link below to head on over to Barbara Watson's website.
Barbara Ann Watson: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Glory Be (and a giveaway...: I love an awful lot of middle grade books, and Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood , is now on my 'books I love' list.
Barbara Ann Watson: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Glory Be (and a giveaway...: I love an awful lot of middle grade books, and Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood , is now on my 'books I love' list.
May 2, 2012
Screen Free?
Did you know it's National Turn Off Your TV Week, also known as Screen Free Week?
If you were a student at Roland Park Country School in Baltimore, where I just spent a delightful day, you would know.
This greeted me in the library:
Look at these neat bookmarks the students were eagerly scooping up.
(Open, turn page, skim, pause, READ!)
More to come from that great school visit, my last in Maryland for a while, at least.
Anybody else celebrating? Turning off the TV, at least for a little while?
What are you reading this week?
Here's some of my list:
On the Road to Mr. Mineo's (an ARC from the publisher)
eagerly awaiting: Double Dog Dare (I just won a copy on Smack Dab in the Middle- yay!)
Leftover from my plane ride: The Phantom Limbs of the Rollow Sisters
on my Kindle. A very strange yet oddly addictive novel set in Nebraska which I bought at a Kindle deal ages ago and can't seem to finish or stop reading. (Does that make sense?)
If you were a student at Roland Park Country School in Baltimore, where I just spent a delightful day, you would know.
This greeted me in the library:
Look at these neat bookmarks the students were eagerly scooping up.
(Open, turn page, skim, pause, READ!)
More to come from that great school visit, my last in Maryland for a while, at least.
Anybody else celebrating? Turning off the TV, at least for a little while?
What are you reading this week?
Here's some of my list:
On the Road to Mr. Mineo's (an ARC from the publisher)
eagerly awaiting: Double Dog Dare (I just won a copy on Smack Dab in the Middle- yay!)
Leftover from my plane ride: The Phantom Limbs of the Rollow Sisters
on my Kindle. A very strange yet oddly addictive novel set in Nebraska which I bought at a Kindle deal ages ago and can't seem to finish or stop reading. (Does that make sense?)
May 1, 2012
Another Homecoming!
Truly, is there anything better than returning to one of the places you love most to be surrounded by Book Love? We lived in Baltimore for ten great years. I still think of it right up there with Mississippi as "home."
Yesterday a whole bunch of my friends showed up to listen to me carry on about my book and eat some really great Southern food. I signed many books, and we reminisced.
It helped that one of the hostesses had just returned from Memphis. She brought Elvis and propped him in front of my Junk Poker box, which has a very strong Elvis connection. And check out the name of the honey, nestled close to Elvis. (Okay, not THAT kind of honey. It was a party for a kids' book, for Pete's sake...)
The table.
My Mississippi transplant friend served as food consultant. We posed behind the fabulous table. We are blurry, yes, but the table was gorgeous.
Someone I hadn't seen since we worked together at Bryn Mawr School brought pink tulips. How could she have guessed the thing I miss most in Florida is spring flowers? Beautiful!
On my bedside table? Lilies of the Valley.
A French May Day tradition. (☜☜Click to read all about it!)
La Fête du Muguet (Lily of the Valley Day)
Good luck for the entire year!
Here we are. Great friends for a very long time.
(The flowers on the mantle? Magnifique! Sorry we are hiding them...)
Yesterday a whole bunch of my friends showed up to listen to me carry on about my book and eat some really great Southern food. I signed many books, and we reminisced.
It helped that one of the hostesses had just returned from Memphis. She brought Elvis and propped him in front of my Junk Poker box, which has a very strong Elvis connection. And check out the name of the honey, nestled close to Elvis. (Okay, not THAT kind of honey. It was a party for a kids' book, for Pete's sake...)
The table.
My Mississippi transplant friend served as food consultant. We posed behind the fabulous table. We are blurry, yes, but the table was gorgeous.
Someone I hadn't seen since we worked together at Bryn Mawr School brought pink tulips. How could she have guessed the thing I miss most in Florida is spring flowers? Beautiful!
On my bedside table? Lilies of the Valley.
A French May Day tradition. (☜☜Click to read all about it!)
La Fête du Muguet (Lily of the Valley Day)
Good luck for the entire year!
Here we are. Great friends for a very long time.
(The flowers on the mantle? Magnifique! Sorry we are hiding them...)
April 28, 2012
Still Visiting
Another really tremendous day on my MD/ VA tour.
Here I am! Junk Poker box in tow.
Amazing kids with great questions! And their teacher's introduction bowled me over. (I've invited her to go along on all school visits if she promises to say the exact same thing about the time period, the book, the comparison to school kids today. Awesome.)
My great friend Beverly connected me with Hunters Woods School in Reston, VA. Her grandkids are super students there. Can you tell Paige and Beverly are connected?
Check out Paige's teeshirt. Love the message.
Thanks to all the super students and teachers at Hunters Woods.
Next stop, Baltimore!
Here I am! Junk Poker box in tow.
Amazing kids with great questions! And their teacher's introduction bowled me over. (I've invited her to go along on all school visits if she promises to say the exact same thing about the time period, the book, the comparison to school kids today. Awesome.)
My great friend Beverly connected me with Hunters Woods School in Reston, VA. Her grandkids are super students there. Can you tell Paige and Beverly are connected?
Check out Paige's teeshirt. Love the message.
Thanks to all the super students and teachers at Hunters Woods.
Next stop, Baltimore!
April 26, 2012
Traveling with Glory!
First stop in Maryland?
St. John's Episcopal School, Olney.
I knew it was going to be a good day when I turned into the parking lot. I love old churches, especially Episcopal Churches built over 100 years ago.
And there's always something interesting to see in churchyards, including beautiful flowers in bloom everywhere.
Then I stepped inside the school. Wow, what a nice welcome. Sweet tea, cookies, and tons of GLORY BE books on display and in the hands of readers.
Great kids. Terrific questions. A librarian connection!
(Loved this. I know what this student's favorite book is.)
Thank you, St. John's School! More pictures soon.
St. John's Episcopal School, Olney.
I knew it was going to be a good day when I turned into the parking lot. I love old churches, especially Episcopal Churches built over 100 years ago.
And there's always something interesting to see in churchyards, including beautiful flowers in bloom everywhere.
Then I stepped inside the school. Wow, what a nice welcome. Sweet tea, cookies, and tons of GLORY BE books on display and in the hands of readers.
Great kids. Terrific questions. A librarian connection!
(Loved this. I know what this student's favorite book is.)
Thank you, St. John's School! More pictures soon.
