Mansfield Writes! a room full of adults and one beautiful little girl!

 

Mansfield Writes!

A room full of adults and one beautiful little girl!  

Diane Kelly, invited me to sit on the author panel for the fourth annual event of Mansfield Writes! Five authors sat on the panel that evening. Diane Kelly, she has written a humorous mystery novel, Urania Fung, writes fantasy, Bret McKinney, Screenwriter, wrote the script for “Music Within,” Emily March, New York Times bestseller and me. I was their very first children’s author and I discussed writing for children, creating an unbelievable, believable story. I also discussed writing and working with a small publisher.

To say the event went well would be an understatement, there were no chairs left in the library. Some people patiently stood and listened to all of us speak. The authors on the panel were seated behind a table at the front of the room and I watched the entire room fill up as we prepared. Urania Fung was first to speak. I listened, learned, and waited patiently for my turn. Diane Kelly was next; I did the same thing, listened and waited for my turn.

I glanced around the room as the other authors spoke and it was then that I caught site of her, the most beautiful little girl you’ve ever seen. She was holding a book. Of all things, it was a Mischief in the Mushroom Patch book!  She stood patiently in the back of the room, no seat to sit on.

As soon as I saw her, I couldn’t help but smile. It was an evening event and she was in a room full of adults, holding one of my books. During the break I walked toward her and squatted down. Opening my arms, she leapt into them and I picked her up, hugged her tight, and introduced myself to the person that had brought her to the event. They said, “We saw in the paper that you would be here and she had to come see you.”

I visited with her for a while and we talked about Lilly, Boris and Jack. She showed me her ‘Mischief in the Mushroom Patch’ book, and I read aloud what I had signed for her the day she bought it. It was actually over a year ago at a signing, and I couldn’t even tell you which one. I had even written in her book, “You are a beautiful little girl, enjoy!”  

She told me she wanted me to know that she had read the book, loved it, and wanted the new one. She asked if I would sign it and of course, I did. The event was amazing, but I will never forget that little girl. To me, that’s what all of this is about …  a room full of adults and one beautiful little girl!

Boys love fairies too... gotta love it!

Being a children’s author, I spend a lot of time visiting local schools and speaking with children of all ages. I have heard and seen the most incredible things. Children often lose sight of the simplicity of ‘child like’  imagination, especially in today’s world. However, every now and then, you catch a glimpse of magic, such as during a recent visit of mine.
I was telling a story to younger children, not reading one but telling the story, it is different. I knew immediately I had captured the room. All eyes were upon me and the children were mesmerized, that never gets old! Half way through the story, I stopped talking and pretended to listen to the fairies, my fairies, Lilly, Boris, and Jack.
The teachers smiled as the children gasped, and we watched them look around the room for the ‘fairies’ that they thought were suddenly in their midst. It was a beautiful sight. Their eyes sparkled as they looked about them. They were so innocent and for a second they were not in that classroom, but they were actually in the middle of my story. I finished the tale and they all clapped. I continued to watch their little faces.
As the children lined up to leave the room, the coolest thing ever happened. A little boy, Mohawk and all, tugged at my sleeve. “I saw them,” he said, “The fairies, while you were talking.” I smiled at the beautiful little boy and I said, “Was it magical?” and he nodded his head, yes. “Perfect,” I said and he hugged me goodbye.
We all know that little girls love fairies; it is wonderful, but it was awesome when the little boy saw the fairies, too, if only in his imagination for a second.
Fairies, not just for little girls anymore, and it is beautiful!