Peg Kehret Blog

I’m writing from Orlando, where I’m attending the conference of the Florida Assoc. of Media Educators. Last night I had dinner with Roland and Marie Smith, Stephanie Tolan, and Jay Asher. There was lots of book talk and many laughs. Writing can be a lonely pursuit so an evening with fellow authors is a treat.

Last week I was in Nashville where I also enjoyed meeting and chatting with other writers. And the librarians! It’s fun to hear their stories of using my books.

When I first began writing, I never expected that travel would be a part of my career. I’ve had to cut back on the amount I do because of post-polio problems, but when I leave my woods and come to these conferences, I enjoy the friendships and the whole atmosphere that’s focused on reading.

Today is publication day for Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Cat. I am one of the contributors to this book, an article titled, “From Pianos to Purrs.” It’s about my decision, after Carl died, to turn his piano workshop into a room for foster cat care. My author copies arrived yesterday, and I was pleased to discover that my article was quoted in the Foreword. I enjoyed writing this short, nonfiction piece about my first three foster cats, and I’m mailing a copy of the book to each of the people who adopted them.

I’ll be traveling the rest of this month. I leave Thursday morning for Tennessee, to receive the Volunteer State Book Award for The Ghost’s Grave.  I will present a workshop, autograph, and give an acceptance speech at the awards banquet. I get home Sat. night.

After two days at home, I leave again for Orlando where I’ll receive the Sunshine State Young Reader Award, also for The Ghost’s Grave. That trip includes being on a panel, a brief TV interview, and an hour’s session with the award committee.  I’ll be home the evening of Oct. 1.

My pet-sitter moves in while I’m away, so all the animals, including Mr. Stray, keep their regular routines. I will miss them.

Last week I was notified that Stolen Children is one of ten nominees for Nebraska’s 2010-2011 Golden Sower Award in the Intermediate category. I was sent a list of questions to answer for a manual that will be distributed to teachers and media specialists.

Kids send me questions all the time and most of them are the same ones, over and over. #1 is, “Where do you get your ideas?” followed closely by, “Did you ever find out what happened to Tommy (from Small Steps)?” The Golden Sower committee had some unusual questions, so I’m posting my answers to the three I liked best.

Q: What is under your bed? (Be honest.) A: My cat, whenever I have company.

Q: What would you do with a million dollars? A: I would establish a trust fund and use the proceeds to pay for mobile spay/neuter clinics to go into low income areas and do free spay/neuter surgeries on cats and dogs. I already give a portion of my royalties to support two such clinics, but, unfortunately, my royalties have never been a million dollars.

Q: What is the most unusual job you have ever had? A: One of my volunteer jobs was “Dirty Dog Driver.” I picked up filthy dogs from the Humane Society and drove them to a groomer who volunteered her services. The dogs were bathed, clipped, brushed and generally made more presentable - and, therefore, more adoptable. During the time I was a Dirty Dog Driver, my car always had a rather strange odor.

Thanks to the folks in Nebraska for making their questionaire fun to fill out, and also for honoring Stolen Children with a Golden Sower nomination.

Yesterday was moving day for Lindon Books. In order to lower their rent, they moved to the space next door. They didn’t need a moving van or packing boxes. What they needed was muscle power and it arrived in the energetic form of the Mother/Daughter Book Club members, along with other avid readers from the community. Armloads of books were scooped from the old shelves and carried next door to the new shelves. One enthusiastic reader, age eleven, shouted, “Books! Books! Wonderful books!” as she marched along. After weeks of a Moving Sale, stock was sparse, but there was still a lot of merchandise, and these volunteers schlepped all of it out one door and in the next.

One of my neighbors works for a company that installs hardwood floors. The short end pieces, which the company discards, make great kindling. The employees are free to take it, so Tim keeps me supplied with kindling for my wood stove every winter. This week he delivered two big boxes full, a welcome gift that will help warm many a cold night ahead.

Yesterday morning I found a bag of plums hanging on my gate. Although there wasn’t any note, I know which neighbors have a plum tree. They often share produce from their garden, too.

The local feed store has birdseed on sale. I go through a lot of birdseed, but it comes in forty or fifty pound bags so I only buy it when I know I can get help to unload it. The store clerks will put it in my trunk, but I’m not able to lift the heavy bags out. Knowing this, Jenny called to say if I want to take advantage of the sale (she feeds the birds, too) she’d be glad to come out to unload the bags for me.

All of this gives me hope for our society. There is so much animosity in the news that I sometimes wonder whatever became of civility, and good manners, and respect. Then I look at my small corner of the world, and I see kids gladly helping their community book store stay in business, and I see generous neighbors and friends watching out for each other, and I trust that somehow, just as in my fiction, the good guys will win.

Good news from Indiana: The Ghost’s Grave won the 2009 Young Hoosier Award.  I am going to Indiana later this month to receive the 2008 Young Hoosier for Escaping the Giant Wave,  and I also won in 2007 for Abduction! It is an honor to know that the students in Indiana voted for my books.

The ASPCA is discontinuing the Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award, citing “re-alignment of organizational priorities and budget constraints.” I can not imagine any priority higher for them than teaching children to feel compassion toward animals, but I do understand that there are countless demands on the agency’s resources and that sometimes even good programs must be cut. On a personal level this is a disappointment because as I’ve worked on my current book, Ghost Dog Secrets,  I’ve hoped it might be a candidate for a Bergh Award. Alas, that will not happen now. I’m grateful to have won the award in 2001 for Saving Lilly.

Molly was diagnosed several months ago with chronic kidney disease, a common ailment for elderly cats. Molly is sixteen. She’s done fairly well this summer, although she’s continued to lose weight. Now her appetite is nearly gone. I’ve started mixing her food (Fancy Feast Ocean Whitefish and Tuna - she’s made it clear that no other brand or flavor will do) with water to make it easier for her to lap up, and that has helped a little. She still purrs when I pet her, and she follows me around. On sunny days she enjoys going outdoors on her leash so I’ve made extra time for what I call Kitty Meditation Hour.  

My pet-sitter, Karrie, forwarded an email from Barnes & Noble that showed the cover of Runaway Twin and offered pre-orders. What a fun surprise!

Lindon Books, my local independent, is moving to a new location, right next door to their original shop. When community members learned that the book store was closing, they came up with ways to prevent that, including the sale of Literary Circle memberships which provided the store with some needed immediate cash and gives the members ongoing discounts and other benefits. The new location’s rent is lower and we all have high hopes for a prosperous future.  Hooray!