NCTE photos

Run right over to Laurie Halse Anderson's blog for terrific photos of NCTE/ALAN authors. I knew I'd find good photos soon!

Thanks so much, Laurie!

NCTE San Antonio, financial melt down in publishing

Just back from San Antonio, and the exhilaration of NCTE, National Council of Teachers of English. I did a panel with some fantastic non-fiction children's writers: Marc Aronson, (very cool blog on School Library Journal) Tanya Bolden, and Tanya Stone. Great writers, highly opinionated. Fast-paced discussion about how we work, how to use our books in the classroom, all moderated by Teri Lesesne, who managed to keep us all on track!

Of course, the one thing I forgot to pack was my camera. So I don't have any pictures to show. But spirits were high as I rambled around the floor.

But I think everyone was wondering what NCTE would be like next year with the financial melt down that is going on. Want some info and ideas what you can do? Zip over to Editorial Ass today to check out her blog on what's happening in the publishing industry and how each of us can do one. small. random. act. of. kindness. to keep the kettle boiling. She's an amazing blogger, an editor who writes beautifully and with heart and lots of info. I always love her posts.

Selma Alabama and Obama's unsung heros

This week I've been in Alabama interviewing people who were children and young adults on the 1965 civil rights march for the vote. These people are some of the unsung heros Obama praised in his presidential acceptance speech ("and on a bridge in Selma..."). They marched and sang and were beaten and jailed. Released, they went out and marched again. Their courage provided the news coverage to outrage Americans and give President Johnson the power to get the Voting Rights Act through Congress.

On Tuesday November 4th I was in Selma. It was a historic day to be waiting to hear the outcome of our election. People excited, anxious, hopeful.

Getting out the vote, in the original get-out-the-vote town.

At eight pm I joined a silent candlelit vigil walking across the Pettus Bridge. Faces beautiful in the flickering candlelight. We gathered at the foot of the bridge in a circle, moving in together as Amelia Boynton, in her 90's, walked to the center to share her memories. On the original Bloody Sunday march in 1965 she was struck down by the sheriff's posse and lay by the side of the road in a swirling mist of tear gas.

Check out this wonderful photo taken by Rene Johnston of the Toronto Star:

http://www.thestar.com/fpLarge/photo/530676

We listened, quiet and hushed. Suddenly someone called out: "Obama's taken Pennsylvania!" People yelled and cheered and wept and we clambered back across the bridge, noisy and relieved and joyous.