SOKYBF 2016

Sorry this post is a little later then normal, but we didn't get home from Kentucky until late. Kentucky, our home away from home. The place where I attend the Southern Kentucky Book Festival while my family visits relatives and rides horses.

 

And if you've never been to a book festival or fair, I recommend them heartily. I recommend them because they are an extraordinary place to find great books by authors and illustrators you know and love as well as authors and illustrators you don't yet know but might come to love. It's a place to make great new friends and visit long time friends. It's a place of wonder and a place I love to be a part of!

Debbie Dadey, Ginny Smith, and Me

This year I reunited with some of my besties like Lori Moore, Debbie Dadey, and Mark Wayne Adams, Emily's favorite illustrator.

Me, George, and Lori Moore

Debbie Dadey and Me

Mark Wayne Adams and Emily

I once again had the privilege of sitting next to Gail Nall, and enjoyed catching up with Jessica E. Young, Alison Lyne, Susan Eaddy, Matt Payne, Bruce Kessler, Kristin Tubb, and Mike Norris.

Gail Nall, Debbie Dadey, and Me

Me and Kristin Tubb

Jessica E. Young and New Friend Kay Whitehouse

In addition, I met some fabulous new friends like Gary Cieradkowski, Amanda Driscol, Kay Whitehouse, Margo Smith, Sara Celi, and I finally got to meet FB friend Julie Danielson. Despite reveling in children's books, I also have friends in other genres, friends like Ginny Smith, Carey Corp, Lori Langdon, and new friend Ray Peden, whom I was equally excited to see.

Susan Eaddy, Linda Hawkins, Julie Danielson, and Gary Cieradkowski

Margo Smith

So if you weren't as blessed as I was and weren't able to attend the Southern Kentucky Book Festival, be sure to check out these great books online at Barnes and Noble or Amazon!

 

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by and join the Literacy Musings Monday Blog Hop where you will find other great blogs, or my personal website, Fun With Aileen, where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own early grade Fern Valley chapter book series and my Quack and Daisy picture book series. And finally, you can find me on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days. 

  

Ohioana And Some Really Great Books!

As I mentioned in my last post, April is a busy month. This past Saturday I spent the day in Columbus, Ohio at the OHIOANA Book Fair. One of my favorite pastimes at book fairs is getting to meet social media friends in person, and this time around, I was able to meet fellow Ohio authors Brandon Marie Miller and Tricia Springstubb. My librarian friend, Miss Holly, also stopped by to say hello.

Brandon Marie Miller, Tricia Springstubb, and Me

 

Miss Holly and Me

 

Brandon writes a super informative and interesting series about some of our early Presidents and historical figures like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin. These books would be great for teachers to use in the classrooms or for kids who love history. I am simply awed by the amount of research and work that Brandon has put into these books.

Tricia has several books. Her picture book Phoebe and Digger is adorable, and her brand new middle grade book Cody and the Fountain of Happiness is sure to be a great success with the eight to twelve girls. Tricia even passed out buttons that said HAPPY on them. How can you not love a book about happiness?

Next week I will be attending the Hudson Children's Book Festival in New York, I can hardly wait to see what other great authors and books I will encounter!

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal website, Fun With Aileen, any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, my very own early grade chapter book, Fern Valley, the sequel, Return To Fern Valley, and the soon to be released Cooking In Fern Valley (fall 2015)! I'm also on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.