Since we were on the road participating in the 4th Annual Dallas International Book Fair during Halloween, which is my favorite holiday, I missed getting to see our usual neighborhood trick-or-treaters. Amazingly, we did have a Halloween-y thing happen after all. The hotel we stayed in, the Magnolia Hotel Dallas is an old, uniquely renovated historic building that was originally the office building for Mobile Oil. And, even before that, Magnolia Oil. A famous Dallas landmark, really. We were in and out of the hotel a lot during the book festival to receptions and activities and the fair itself, which lasted several days. While in the elevators, we found that the elevator doors, without anyone pushing the button for the 5th floor, always opened on 5th floor. The doors would come open, stay open for a short while and then close again. As this happened over and over, I began to say, out to the empty hallway, things like, “Hello! Good morning! See ya’!”

One night, while in our room, in bed during the early a.m. hours, something quickly and gently gave a small tug on the bed covers at the end of my bed just below my feet. I pulled my feet up. I was glad Larry was with me. He was sound asleep and had not moved at all. About 5 minutes later it happened again. This time I pulled my feet up even further, trying to tuck my knees under my chin. Being a ‘sensitive’ of sorts, I do have these kinds of things happen to me on occasion, but thankfully, not often.  I’m not that brave. But, since this was the extent of the interaction, after a point, I fell asleep.

The day we checked out, Larry and I talked to several people who knew of and have had all kinds of unexplained personal experiences with things happening in this wonderful old hotel. It seems like the hotel has been haunted for sometime, particularly the 24th floor. They also said there’s a little boy that plays with the elevators that people have seen and there’s a little girl that haunts the 6th floor. That’s when I told them about the bed covers being pulled. So, it seems, we didn’t miss Halloween after all.

Our third year to participate, Larry and I just got back from the 4th Annual Dallas International Book Fair. This is a book fair with flair for it truly is international and that’s one of the things we love about it. An integral part to all of this is the gracious hospitality and warm heart of the wonderful and remarkable Miriam Rodriguez, Director of the large Dallas Public Library System, and her fabulous staff that pull it all together.

Again this year they brought in many Latin American authors, poets and songwriters, in addition to authors from across the US with a variety of speakers and panelists including Max Rodriguez, author, publisher of The Black Book Review and founder of the Harlem Book Festival.The book fair was full of children and adults literary activities and children’s entertainment. In addition, there were thoughtfully arranged author receptions which led us to visit Dallas’ Latino Cultural Center and International Museum of Cultures which housed a touring exhibit, ‘The Scrolls Project’ featuring antique scrolls of the Jewish Old Testament written in Hebrew. Having worked as a professional calligrapher for many years, I was mesmerized by this beautiful calligraphy exhibit which exemplifies the epitome of clarity and fluidity in artistry and craftsmanship.

Friday’s ‘School Day’ at the book fair was a joy where I, as always, loved performing my book, ‘The Ghost of Hampton Court’ and interacting with the audience. The Dallas ISD third and fourth graders were fascinated, asking things like, “Is the ghost real?” and “Why was he (King Henry) so mean?” Also, the students and teachers of Harold Wendell Long Senior Middle School were a great, enthusiastic and inquisitive audience asking about the story and writing and publishing. 

Speaking on Saturday’s author panel with other children’s authors at the ‘Literary Tastes Breakfast’ gave me an opportunity to share my arts and literary advocacy and to mention my wonderful grandmother, Mama Roxie’s saying, “You have to raise a child to meet the world.” Speaking on the panel helped spur interest in our book, ‘The Ghost of Hampton Court’ and the soon- to-be-released accompanying audio book which Larry and I had such pleasure producing and performing in.

Many from the breakfast later visited our vendor booth at the fair where we signed our book and enjoyed a day full of mixing and mingling with so many interesting people from the Dallas area.

For dinner that evening we met publisher, Pam Fochtman of Lorito Books & fellow author and storyteller, Toni Simmons at our hotel, the lovely and haunted Magnolia Hotel (see my next entry) and journeyed out into downtown Dallas for a fun and relaxing meal. What better way to spend all day than laughing and talking about writing, art, books, and life!

When Anita Rizley of Austin Public Library System gave us the choice to present our Author & Illustrator Visit at one of the libraries, Larry and I jumped at the chance when we learned of Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center. We have a nephew who has gone through every institution and every lock-up situation imaginable which gives us some insight to the life of the teens at the center and we knew we wanted to be there. Devo Carpenter of the 2nd Chance Books program led us in and we presented our program to a group of teenage girls at the center. It was truly an honor.

As Maid Martha, Medieval Comedienne and Stand-Up Historian, I came in costume with my Irish drum and discussed my background, author’s point of view and performed More...

Talk about busy days with new people and old friends dropping by to chat! For the sixth year running, Larry and I again had our booth at the prestigious Texas Library Association Conference. One of the largest literary conferences in the US, this year it was held at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas on April 15th –18th. Our booth, designed with, of course, a Medieval/ Renaissance theme, drew crowds of fans and friends and we were busy non-stop. We loved it! 

Luckily we love to meet and greet for this is one of the best places to meet and greet just about anyone interested in books, the arts and literature. And, for us, a wonderful chance to More...

The Best Southwest Bookfest is a wonderful collaboration of the public libraries of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville and Lancaster, Texas and the University of North Texas-Dallas. Larry and I were pleased to be invited by DeSoto Public Library’s Lucile Dade to be part of this year’s festival which was held at the Cedar Hill Recreation Center on March 27, 28, 29.  Festival Author Coordinator, the very gracious Mary Musgrave, who was pivotal in creating this festival, was extremely helpful and a delight to get to know. 

Larry & I presented our ‘From Idea to Print’ author & illustrator workshop and my ‘Medieval Ghosts & Very Old Jokes’. We participated More...

On March 25 & 26th, Clint Small Middle and Rodriquez and Graham Elementary in Austin, through the wonderful Writers’ League of Texas Project WISE program, brought me into their schools to present my Author Visit.

When Maid Martha, Medieval Comedienne & Stand-Up Historian appears in period costume, Irish drum in hand with a great multi-media presentation, all the while, in Cockney accent, talking about Medieval ghosts, telling jokes and throwing in bits of Shakespeare here and there – it is not your usual author visit. And that’s why I do it. Schools love it and, most importantly, it fits right into my arts-in-education advocacy. I firmly believe that teaching should be cross-curriculum, three-dimensional, attention-getting, utilize all levels of the arts and, oh, bite my lip! Should I say it? Fun! Yes, fun and then it is, for the student, memorable. Over the past 20 years of doing this, I have seen the happy results many times over. More...