Praying

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

From Thirst
©Mary Oliver
Beacon Press2006

Another school visit to Rhonda Howard’s classes at Carmichael and I know spring is really on the way. I can see it in the eager flip flops and shorts, as well as in the trees about to burst to bloom. And despite all the sad news from independent bookstores in the last few months, I’m encouraged because I got to visit a community of readers!

What do students want to know? “How do you make yourself stick with it, to write until the end of the story?” And I tell them sometimes it’s sheer plod, sitting and staring down the computer even when you don’t feel inspired. Sometimes it’s just about showing up and putting a few words on paper, or rewriting everything you did yesterday. It’s not glamorous; it’s really an act of faith like watering the seeds in the garden even before you see the first sprouts of green.

Here’s an awesome class of readers and writers at Horse Heaven Hills.

It must be spring, and according to e.e.cummings, the world is “mudluscious!” The first trees are blooming in our neighborhood and the crocuses are smiling. Another indicator of spring is, school author talk season has begun. Poems and stories are popping up everywhere! I’ll be at Horse Heaven Middle School on the 15th, and Carmichael Middle School on the 19th.

Now some words from e.e.cummings

in just-

    in Just-
spring       when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman

whistles       far       and wee

and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it’s
spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer
old balloonman whistles
far       and         wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it’s
spring
and

       the

               goat-footed

balloonMan       whistles
far
and
wee

Everyone has their escape books and mine are mysteries and I know I’m not the only one who loves them. Mysteries, along with fantasy, are one of the most popular genres. I’m not sure why I love them–maybe it’s trying to solve the crime along with the protagonist, maybe it’s the fact that in the end, the crime is solved. The endings are rarely as messy as real life. I like a certain kind of mystery, the ones that are long on character and short on the gory details. I know there are those of you who love all the forensic details–not me. Give me clues and some good dialogue. I think this all started with Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden and the Bobbsy Twins. While other kids played whatever they played, I played detective. I carried a notebook around and spied on the neighbors. I took notes and concocted theories. i hope the neighbors never knew, but they probably did.

Right now, I have two mysteries on my nightsatnd, an Elizabeth George and the new Deborah Crombie. I used to be a big fan of Martha Grimes, but I got tired of some of her quirky characters never being anything beyond quirky. And of course, one of my all time favorites is Sherlock Holmes. I reread the Hound of the Baskervilles every few years and I even went to 221B Baker St. when I visited London to pay homage.

If you’ve read Wolfproof, you’ll know that Sarah quotes a famous Holmesian truth. Any guesses?

Do you know where it is without a map? I didn’t! Malawi is a small country in southwestern Africa with a big HIV problem, and overflowing orphanages. My husband, Dennis, is there right now with a team of ten other folks who are interested in helping out where they can and discovering how the rest of us might help as well. Daily updates are posted on this blog site

http://malawi-mission.blogspot.com/