The Ghost’s Grave has won the Volunteer State Book Award in Tennessee. This is my first time to win in Tennessee. My son-in-law says I’m going to have to get a counter-balance for my awards necklace to keep myself from falling face forward. What a great problem to have.
No matter how many times I learn that one of my books was chosen as their favorite by the students in a particular state, it is always a thrill.
Thank you, Tennessee!
The Ghost’s Grave has won the 2008 Sasquatch Award, given by the Washington Library Media Association. It is exciting to win a children’s choice honor anywhere, but especially so in my home state.
I also like the fact that I won’t have to board an airplane in order to attend the conference and accept this award in person.
I am thrilled. Lucy’s tail is wagging. Pete, Molly and Mr. Stray are purring. Hooray!
About a year ago, I put the announcement on my Web page: “Peg has retired from doing school visits.” My hope was to have fewer requests so that I didn’t have to say no so often. It’s difficult to decline invitations that I would enjoy accepting.
I do get fewer requests now, but I also get a lot of inquiries that begin, “I know you don’t do school visits any longer, but….” followed by the reason why that particular school should be the exception to the rule. Kids often point out that I would not have to talk to the whole school - I could come only to their classroom.
I quit doing school talks because of my problems with post-polio syndrome. When I get too tired, it strains my already weak muscles and causes further damage. Muscles weakened by polio are not like normal muscles. For most people, the way to increase muscle strength is to exercise, to use those muscles more. It’s the opposite for me. The more I tire my muscles, the more strength they lose, permanently. I recently had a thorough evaluation at a post-polio clinic. The main advice the doctors gave me is that I MUST cut back on my activities if I hope to continue to walk.
I will continue to accept awards in person, when possible, and to speak at major conferences. My last school visit will be in May, in conjunction with a fund raiser for the Humane Society (Pete the Cat’s alma mater.) It’s a good school to end with because the librarian invited me to my first young author day, many years ago. We have come full circle.
Most people my age, even those with excellent health, have already retired. Physically, I should retire but mentally, emotionally, I am not ready. Saying no to school visits is not true retirement for me. I never set out to have a career as a public speaker; my job is writing.
Writing is not a typical profession; it is a way of life. I spent many years laboring unheralded, years when I would have been thrilled to be asked to speak anywhere. Now, when my books are popular and my presence in demand, why would I want to quit?
Writing a book is challenging and exhilarating. I enjoy the process as well as the results. I have retired from doing school visits, but I am not retiring as a writer.
I did something extremely difficult today. I cancelled my trip to Missouri to receive the Mark Twain Award. Words are inadequate to express how disappointed I am to miss the conference of the Missouri Association of School Librarians. It would have been my second Mark Twain Award banquet, and I cherish my memories of the first one.
The reason I am not flying to Missouri is that I’ve had a relapse of the pneumonia that I had last month. This time I recognized the symptoms and went to the doctor right away. Recurring pneumonia is a serious medical condition for anyone but my history of bulbar polio makes it even more dangerous for me.
My doctor usually states my options, and then lets me make up my own mind. This time he flat out said, “Cancel the trip.” I know he is right. Flying is difficut for me under the best conditions. Leg braces + a cane + limited stamina do not add up to a person who can rush through airports or tolerate delays easily.
My acceptance speech is written, my two workshops are planned, my pet-sitter is booked, I have a plane ticket and a reservation where I park my car. I even lost three pounds so I’d look better in my good black pants - but, alas, I’m not going.
I know the wonderful people in Missouri who have put so much time and effort into preparing for this conference are disappointed, too, and I hate letting them down after I had promised months ago to come.
Twice before in my many years of speaking, I’ve had to cancel. Once I was scheduled to be the luncheon speaker at a conference in Oklahoma when my mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Surgery was scheduled for the day of the conference. I stayed home, over my mother’s protests. I was with her when she died the next day.
The other time I was on my way to the Plum Creek Children’s Literature Festival in Seward, Nebraska. This is an exciting three-day affair where I was scheduled for numerous school visits, autograph sessions, and other events. Carl and I were already in Nebraska when we got word that our ten-year-old grandson (now 15) had a brain tumor and was being taken to Children’s Hospital in Seattle. We turned the RV around and headed home.
The people in Oklahoma, Nebraska and Missouri all reacted with compassion and understanding. Nobody whined or said, “How can you do this to us at the last minute?” Instead, they sent me their love and good wishes. Without exception, I was told that I had made the right choice.
I won’t be accepting the bust of Mark Twain in person, but I still have the thrill of winning it. The clever, discerning, literate and wise children of Missouri chose Abduction! as their favorite book this year. What an honor! How exciting! No matter whether I’m on a podium, wearing those black pants, or at home in my fuzzy green bathrobe, Mark Twain Award day is a special event. Thank you, Missouri.