Bacon Jam and Summer Plans
Today is my sister's birthday, and to celebrate (Happy birthday, sister-mine!) we are heading up to Madison, WI for the weekend. It's one of my favorite places in the whole world. I'll try to post some pictures over on my twitter feed so you can see our regular haunts.
Today is also cold and rainy -- it was 95 last weekend and now it's 55, and my natural reaction to this sort of temperature drop is to make something consoling and indulgent. I like cold, rainy, gray days, because nobody tries to make me feel guilty about staying inside where there are books and the internet and coffee and my bed, instead of going out into nature, where there are weeds and bugs. To celebrate the fact that I don't have to do battle with the weeds, I am making Bacon Jam.
Yes, bacon jam. This recipe really appeals to me, because the only thing better than sweet/salty food is sweet/salty/spicy food, but I have a long to-do list today and kids who don't appreciate spiciness the way I do, so I'm going with this version, which has the benefit of cooking unattended while I Accomplish All The Things. I'll keep you posted.
But the REAL point of this post is to give you a quick-and-dirty update about where I'll be this summer. (Other than Madison, which is not an official trip but an "eat lots of delicious things" trip.) The list isn't inclusive -- we've got a few more events in the works, but for now, this is where you can find me:
Printers Row Lit Fest
Chicago, IL
2:45 pm Sunday, June 10 (subject to change -- check schedule)
Panel Discussion: Writing Young Adult Isn't Writing Down
Lake Villa Library
2-4 pm, Sunday, June 17
Workshop: What's the Point of POV? (registration required; designed for teens)
Grayslake Library
Writer's Bloc: Camp NaNoWriMo Kickoff
July 26 and August 30 (Registration required; grades 2-6)
Midwest Writers Workshop
Muncie, IN
July 27-29
I'm teaching multiple classes on YA, and the entire faculty is outstanding -- especially this brilliant agent.
The other thing we have going this summer, of course, is the launch of BOUND! I'll have giveaways starting this weekend, and other fun things planned, so stay tuned. And now I'm off to check on my bacon jam.
