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!