I enjoy providing programs for schools, libraries, and community organizations. School-wide author visits include multiple sessions that draw from my writing experience in keeping North Carolina stories in a variety of ways. Also, I can work with a class or a grade level as well as an entire school.
When I visit schools, I often talk about Bonnie, my Golden Retriever mix who inspires poetry. We have fun together. As my son points out, Bonnie and I are a lot alike. We both like to explore in the woods, we both like to dig in the garden, and we both love blueberries. Sometimes we both get into mud, even if we didn't intend to. Oops! Bonnie's enthusiasm, her wagging tail, her mischievous nature, and her interesting diet (?) have all inspired poems. Here is a small sample. As you read them, think about what you would say about your own pet. PUZZLE MAKER My yellow pup ate up the Encyclopedia Britannica from "Silicate Minerals" to "Singapore," leaving behind a paper puzzle of 24 pages. CATCH Oh, my! Oh me! My pup just ate a bumblebee. WAGS A swift swipe of a happy tail wipes the coffee table clean of dust and collected treasures. WRITING POEMS WITH MY DOG Bonnie and I sit together writing poems. I hold the pen as she rests her head on my lap.