Holiday Cards for our Veterans

It's late and I'll make a better post tomorrow but I wanted to share this link for sending Holiday Cards to our veterans, wounded soldiers, deployed military and their families. It's one thing to remember them and it's quite another to let them know you do. Please take a minute and send a card, or a big manilla envelope full of cards to the Red Cross's Holiday Mail for Heroes. The link with instructions is on my website (button at top of this page) or go to http://redcross.org/holidaymail This is the best way I can think of to kick off the holidays. Merry, Merry .

OK, I've Been Gone and Now I'm Going to Brag a Little

So much for blogging two or three times a week. I've been on the road instead. Gone to Oklahoma (wonderful Encyclomedia Conference), Texas twice, and all over the Puget Sound area. Oh, and there was the quick trip to Oregon too. All since the last blog. So, although I could have figured out how to blog on the road, I left that for next time.

Some nice things have happened for Bull Rider since my last blog. It was selected for the 2010 Texas Lone Star and Tayshas reading lists. Yep, they picked it for both the middle school and high school reading lists. It's nominated for the ALA's Best Books for Young Adults, 2010 and also for a Cybil Award (see their cool widget on this page) in the Middle Grade Category - thanks to Greg Leitich Smith. The book's been getting some buzz from the rodeo community too. Cross your fingers for my next project . . .

Turning Red and Blue

No not as in commie-socialist - we can talk about that later, but as in, Where in the world did August go? I got a laptop, my first, as I was dragged kicking and screaming (ok, I was so jazzed to decide to finally spend the money for my very own machine - no more borrowing my husband's, sometimes)into the 21st century. But no blogs - even from my August travels to Los Angeles and Whidbey Island.

So why? I joined Twitter. It seems I have so much social networking time and Tweeting is vast and fascinating - although without a smart phone (sound familiar?) it's a little wierd to sit down at midnight and sort through instant messages that were sent out hours ago. It's kind of like eating cold stew. But I love my Twitter page. That counts for something. And nothing hooks me on browsing random web-articles like tweeted links. Tweet Twit. And there's Facebook. And my own book, and the new project, and gosh, real life in there somewhere.

Which brings me to the BLUE part. As in a brand new jeans jacket. My old one disentigrated after about five years of continual wear and one round of patches. I left it in the waste basket on Whidbey Island. Ignoble end, that. And yesterday I bought a new one at a Labor Day sale. It's so cute. You'll have to see it. Soon.

Ode to Backyard Bunny

This comes under the random thoughts heading. Nothing to learn or ponder here. I wanted to get a picture of my summer friend. Here it is. Notice, he is nibbling weeds. Good bunny.



Backyard Bunny
You're too cute for your fur.
Thanks for eating grass and weeds - no flowers.
If you show up on the patio at dawn,
I'll keep the dog from chasing you.

I love your skinny legs
soft little paws and your perky bunny ears.
But mostly I love your cottontail
and that you visit every day.

Skeleton Horses and Rushmore Kid

Oh, don't you love titles that don't make any sense? It's been a cool week - but HOT. I have some random things to share. First, I went to the Battle of the Barns in Martinez, CA to meet the riders and sell copies of Bull Rider. I expected a horse show and got more of a performance.


The riders were divided into teams by their riding clubs or barns. They all dressed up - pirates, midieval peasants, Indians. They decorated the horses too and then, let the games begin. It's been so hot here, Terri Farley (my partner in signing) and I prepared with umbrellas and sunscreen. Turns out the Bay breeze was going and we longed for sweatshirts. I'm posting my favorite picture - Skeleton Horse. Thanks, Barb, for the invite.

OK, and here are a couple of links for you - Tina Nichols Coury posted an interview with me today on her blog, Tales from the Rushmore Kid www.tinanicholscoureyblog.com and the Sacramento Book Review also posted a review and podcast (30 minutes but come on, I'm kind of entertaining...) at http://www.sacramentobookreview.com/suzanne_morgan_williams.php. This one is also linked on my webiste.

On the home front, my husband and I had contacted a well service to check out our well pump that was cycling on for no apparent reason. We had a series of tests to perform to isolate the leak and decide - plumber, irrigation guy, well eeeek. Then yesterday I went to the goat pen and the darn goats had turned the spigot on. I turned if off. That ten seconds was worth at least two hundred dollars. Moral of the story - always suspect the goats.

I Know It's July but I'm Thinking Fall

I guess my miserable ratio of days to blog posts in July has me thinking ahead. July has been a lovely month filled with keeping the plants alive and the animals cool (so far so good) and hanging out at home and writing. (Also going well.) This weekend, I'm looking forward to Vacquero Girl's Battle of the Barns in Martinez, California. August looks busier and then there's the fall. I'll be in Oklahoma City in September at Encyclomedia - a library convention - and am looking for school visits if any of you know folks there, then Jimez Springs New Mexico in October for the New Mexico SCBWI Retreat (preceeded by our Nevada SCBWI Mentor Retreat which is also in October), then I'll be in the greater Seattle/Puget Sound area in November for a number of events. Check out booktour.com/author/suzanne_morgan_williams for updated information as we make our plans. We, would be me, and Terri Farley, author of the Phantom Stallion and Island Stallion series. We'll be presenting together in Seattle and again at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada in January.

OK, this is getting a little overwhelming so changing the subject - I'm currently reading Crash Into Me by Albert Borris, a Class of 2k9 Member and co-president who's gotten a lot of buzz lately. Albert suffered a massive stroke in December and although he's recovered physically, his language is slower in returning. The 2k9 crew has been helping to get the word out about his book and his story got picked up by School Library Journal, the New Yorker, Media Bistro - a bunch of cool places. So look for the book and check out Albert's work. I'll post about the book when I'm done. That's all for now folks. Off to do what I'm supposed to be doing.

More July

So it's already July 7th and I'm loving this month. I am home, trimming plants, walking the dog, and writing. The weather has been perfect except for the wind and I'm even managing to keep the plants alive that I put in last week. Whose idea was that? OK, it was mine. I thought if I didn't put them in now I wouldn't get a chance until September because of the heat and petunias don't do well around here after about mid-September. Anyway, they are surviving. Hopefully you have just a litte interest in horticulture. Or maybe you like fauna better. Have I mentioned our front and backyard bunnies? I see one or the other every morning. And the wild horses are settled in on the hill across the valley. Have seen them several times this week. So things are going along - happy. I may even catch up on plans for fall events, sending out books, letting the folks at S and S know my plans. Then I'll be able to see the dining room table - at least for a day. Happy summer guys. It's the one we have!