An Anniversary

It was one year ago today that Bronte went blind after his right eye was removed because of a benign melanoma. (The left eye had been removed two weeks earlier for the same reason.)

As best as we can tell, Bronte remains a happy dog, and we hope a healthy one, too.

Happy Ninth Birthday, Bronte!

It's Bronte's ninth birthday today! The Pierce girls from Indiana sent cards. From top to bottom: Rachel's card, Megan's card, Ashley's card. (I've only posted the fronts of their cards.)

It's undeniable.

The air feels different than the summer air. The sky looks different than a summer sky. The temperature this morning was 40 degrees. The book tour has been planned. I've begun to replace some of the plants in the pots with mums and cabbage and kale. Tomie's birthday is days away.

Fall is coming.

Decatur Book Festival Photos

Left to Right: Diane Capriola, Tomie, Doni Kay

Diane is co-owner of Little Shop of Stories and Doni is the Penguin sales rep for the southeast. Tomie has just finished the Kidnote at the Decatur Book Festival, and signed books at Diane's store. He's still smiling!

www.littleshopofstories.com

 Tomie with his publicist at Penguin, Jessica Shoffel.

Decatur Book Festival Kidnote

Left to Right: Meyrick, Nora, Gavin, Tomie, Diane

Tomie was the 2013 Kidnote speaker at the Decatur Book Festival in Decatur, Georgia, on Friday, August 30. He chose to be questioned by children instead of giving a presentation. Meyrick (Meyrick Murphy the actress, that is), Nora and Gavin (all of them good friends of Little Shop of Stories in Decatur) were selected to ask questions. The nearly standing room only crowd at Agnes Scott College was very receptive to the Kidnote.

The people who came to the autographing table were full of heartwarming stories about Tomie's books.

It was a long way to go for an overnight (up at 2:30 a.m. on Friday, and back to New London around 3:15 p.m. on Saturday), but it was well worth the trip.  Decatur, the town, was a wonderful surprise, and the people we met (from the people who whisked us through the airports to the drivers and plane companions, and Kidnote organizers and attendees and restaurant employees, etc) were generous and kind.

Diane Capriola is an organizer for the Book Festival and the co-owner of Little Shop of Stories in Decatur.
www.littleshopofstories.com

2011 National Book Festival

I just came across this video of Tomie's presentation at the 2011 National Book Festival in Washington, DC.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=waam_9DvHV8

Decatur Book Festival

Tomie will give the Kidnote talk at the Decatur Book Festival on Friday, August 30, 5:00 p.m., Presser Hall, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, Georgia. He'll sign books after the talk.

www.decaturbookfestival.com/2013/activities/kidnote.php

Yard Sale 2013: Tomie and His Staff

Back Row, Left to Right:
Janet (New London Town Selectperson), Judy (Tomie's physical therapist), Ellie (Tomie's niece), Tomie, Cherie (Tomie's nurse), David (Tomie's brother-in-law)

Front Row, Left to Right:
Kara (Tomie's nurse), Peggy (former owner of Morgan Hill Bookstore), Cecile (friend and Judy's partner), Matthew (Kara's son), Judie (Tomie's sister), Jonathan (Cherie's son), Ellen (one of the twin cousins, but not Franny and Fuffy), Connie (former owner of Morgan Hill Bookstore), Peggy (one of the twin cousins, but not Franny and Fuffy)

Not pictured: Jon (professional potter and art professor at Colby-Sawyer College)

Click on the picture to get a closer look at the good-looking and hard-working group.

Yard Sale 2013: Celebrity Sighting: Elvis

Calm Before the Yard Sale

Tomie's Very Big Yard Sale is tomorrow, Saturday, 8:00 a.m. until closing. Find the roundabout in New London and follow the traffic.

Happy Feast of Mary

© Tomie dePaola

Photos From an Autographing

https://www.facebook.com/MorganHillBookstore

Morgan Hill Bookstore posted some photographs from yesterday's autographing on their Facebook page.

A dad and son drove three hours one way to attend the autographing. (The father had used a word to possibly describe his faith while Tomie and he talked. Tomie didn't understand the word until he looked it up last night in a dictionary. Tomie now wishes he had had a chance to talk longer with the father and son.)

It was the first autographing for the new owners of the bookstore and they did a terrific job (with coaching from the former owners).

Morgan Hill Bookstore Book Signing

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11, 2012
Book Signing
MORGAN HILL BOOKSTORE
11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
253 Main Street
New London, NH 03257
www.morganhillbookstore.com
Store Phone: 603-526-5850