Celebrate 1/25

                                               

This is a fabulous idea from Ruth Ayres in which we write about something to celebrate each Saturday. I am looking forward to participating in this link up each week and hearing about the awesome things happening in everyone's classrooms and lives.

I didn't get to write last week because I was so busy with the literary seminar.  I absolutely love Key West Literary Seminar.  It is always well done and worth the time and money.  Sitting in an auditorium and listening to authors talk about their process and their books is such a balm for the soul.  This time the theme was mystery/thriller which is my absolute favorite genre.  I enjoyed everything from the Keynote address by Elizabeth George to the panel discussions with Michael Connelly and Lee Child to the talk about struggling to become a writer by Lisa Unger.  The best thing about this conference is the way they try to keep things informal.  The panels are really just a few authors up on stage talking about the topic.  It is funny and relaxed and it is always entertaining. The mix of new authors with just a few books and veteran authors with multiple bestsellers and multiple series is always refreshing.  I came back recharged and with a much longer TBR list.  I also have a few pages in my notebook full of ideas that I got while listening to the authors.  A few things really resonated with me as a writer as well.

I also was able to spend an amazing weekend with my sister, her baby, and my mother.  My sister lives in California so I don't get to see her that often and it was great to spend time with her.  I also really enjoyed the time with my niece who is 9 months old.  She is so much fun!!!  The time with my family was really great.  I love that we can share the love of reading and writing together.

I was really happy this week to spy two girls at my reading door.  The two girls were pointing to the covers displayed and saying "I want to read this one, and this one, and this one, etc."  I love seeing these small moments in time that show that the students are interested in reading.

Yesterday, I found out that one of my students won the "Draw a Quarkbeast" contest.  She is super proud of the fact that Jasper Fforde selected her drawing.  The drawing will be published in the paperback of The Song of the Quarkbeast which will be released next fall.  We had many students enter that contest this fall because Mr. Fforde visited our school in September.  I love the way the author visit is having a lasting effect for this student.


What are you celebrating this week?  I hope you have had an amazing week!  I would love to hear from you in the comments.