TO ROANOKE & BACK

With Alan Bobowski, Director of the Rockbridge
Regional Library in Lexington, Virginia.
Photo by Jamie Rexrode.

SPEAKING AT MALIA

Despite the final plane (many maintenance men, aborted takeoff, maintenance men redux, and bumpy ride home), I had a grand time in Roanoke talking to MALIA, The Mid Atlantic Library Independent Alliance at the lavish new South County Library on April 20th. It was lovely have lunch with and talk to librarians, particularly my contact, Alan Bobowski, head of the Rockbridge Library in Lexington. I did a talk called "The Library's Child," and read from three genres of my work--discussion and signing afterward. The only sad part was arriving in Albany late and missing the packed-out soprano recital of my friend, painter and singer Yolanda Sharpe, accompanied by Craig Morrow. 

In other book-related news: Read chapter one of A Death at the White Camellia Orphanage at Scribd; Book page.  See the new facebook page. Goodreads giveway, April 15-May 15: 24 copies. Amazon hardcover and ebook reader reviews are starting to appear. In celebration of the new book and National Poetry Month, Mercer is offering The Throne of Psyche at 20% off plus free shipping.  Discount code: POETRY

Mary Boxley Bullington,
The Stowaways (Noah Series.)
47" x 26"

MARY BOXLEY BULLINGTON  One wonderful extra thing about being in Roanoke was spending two evenings with former medievalist and then-and-now painter, Mary Boxley Bullington. Mary came to my "The Library's Child" talk and reading, and brought along friend Beth Garst. Mary is about to have a show in Charleston, West Virginia at The Art Store Gallery, and she also organizes the Open Studios Roanoke, which takes place next weekend. I had the fun of poking around her bungalow and seeing all her in-progress and just-framed work for upcoming shows, as well as visiting her gallery in downtown Roanoke, where enjoyed talking with painter Ann Glover. If you're there or passing through, be sure and stop at The Market Gallery. Mary is wonderfully interesting, exuberant, and funny, a great companion. 

DOWN FROM THE HILLS: Paintings and works on paper by Ashley Norwood Cooper.

Red Fox. Casein on board. 30" x 30."  2012.

Today I had another art-filled day, as I walked over to my friend Ashley's house to see the new work she is taking to New York tomorrow for her one-woman show at First Street Gallery. It is always a great pleasure to know painters and see their work evolve over years, and to have a sense of the artist's sensibility behind those changes. If you live in New York City or are passing through, please visit Ashley Norwood Cooper at First Street. Her opening reception will take place on April 28th from 3-5 p.m. She will also be present for Frieze Art Fair (May 4-5) from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, and will participate in Chelsea Open Studios (May 11-13, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.) 

The Library's Child

ROANOKERS: MALiA Spring Meeting
Featured Speaker
Mid-Atlantic Library Alliance Conference
Roanoke, Virginia
April 20 1-2:30

1-2:00 "The Library's Child"
Marly Youmans talks about growing up with a librarian mother and how that helped shape her identity as an author of poetry, novels, stories, and Southern Appalachian fantasies for children. With readings from recent work in three genres.
2-2:30 following the talk: Q and A and book signing
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

The MALiA spring meeting will be Friday, April 20th at the new South County Library in Roanoke. Guest speakers include John Ulmschneider of the VLA Legislative Committee, on advocating for your library and the legislative agenda, and author Marly Youmans, the author of novels, collections of poetry, and two young adult novels set in the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

The Mid Atlantic Library Alliance is a consortium of 150+ public, academic, school, and special libraries in Virginia, North Carolina, and northeastern Tennessee.

Feet on a tuffet--

Finally, a day to loll about and recover from The Pernicious Bassett Bug! I'm hoping to be in the very pinkest pink of health by my reading from A Death at the White Camellia Orphanage on Thursday the 12th at The Green Toad Bookstore, Oneonta. Today I am relaxing and writing my talk called "The Library's Child" for the MALIA, the library conference in Roanoke.

Yesterday I drove to Bard College to drop off our daughter and her mighty loads of laundry and camera equipment--always an odd experience at this time of year, winding to the southeast and watching spring unfold. Our four-inch tulip leaves here are blooming tulips there, and Dutchess County is frothy with forsythia. Olana rising from the hilltops, the Rip van Winkle bridge, the Fisher Center: all these always remind me what a dunce I am to forget my camera.

Read chapter one of A Death at the White Camellia Orphanage at Scribd.
Learn more about the book here.
Scroll down for Goodreads giveaways and more.

Writing advice for today: Ignore all advice. Just write, and let the writing teach you where to go and how to know.