Slice of Life: My Top Three Reasons for Attending NCTE!

I promise to share more about my NCTE conference 

experience once Thanksgiving isn't lurking around the bend.

For now it's a sharing of pics and

my top three reasons for attending:

#3. Meeting authors, book signings and free books!

  #2. Stellar sessions with rock star educators and authors!
(just a few of the sessions that I attended
& took pics of the presenters).

 

 

 

#1. My community of fellow educators & bloggers! 

It's larger than the folks pictured here,

but these are the folks I pestered

to pose for a pic with me.

Carol Varsalona and I finally managed 

to meet in person. Her seasonal galleries

of images and poetry are her gift to our world.

 

I met Kim Doele at the Newcomer's Breakfast four years ago

at my first (and only until now) NCTE conference. 

She saw my Twitter post and reached out 

hoping we could connect again. 

 

Leigh Anne Eck, blogger and friend, whose

slice I remember  EVERY time I buy milk. 

 

Ruth Ayres, my virtual friend (until I attended my first

All Write conference in Indiana), is a nurturer

and encourager of my writing and spiritual life.

  

Irene Latham presented at the middle school where

I used to teach, spoke with the members of 

my after school book club, and spent time with me

before heading to Poetry Camp at Western University.  

The world needs more huggers (and poets)
like Amy Ludwig VanDerwater! Aren't we
lucky to have her in the world?