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News!Kathleen ErnstSpring-Summer, 2005
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| Kayaking in Alaska | |
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News!Kathleen ErnstSpring-Summer, 2005
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| Kayaking in Alaska | |
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Travels My summer got off to a fine start when my husband and I took a long-dreamed-of vacation to Alaska. That's me kayaking in the Inner Passage. I came home with lots of story ideas! I hope you are enjoying your summer, also. |
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Danger at the Zoo Danger at the Zoo, a Kit Mystery from American Girl, is on the shelves! I spotted all four new American Girl mysteries in the bookshop at the Denver Airport recently, which was quite exciting. I don't think my books have ever been in airports before. |
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Honors
Yippee! Betrayal at Cross Creek was awarded the annual Arthur Tofte Award for Best Children's Novel by the Council for Wisconsin Writers. Unfortunately, this year the banquet was the same weekend as Malice Domestic, so I was unable to accept this wonderful honor in person. I'm grateful to my colleague and long-time pal Sally Wood, a researcher at American Girl, for representing the team! |
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Speaking of Malice Domestic...I had a grand time at this annual
mystery convention for people who read and write cozy mysteries. Betrayal
at Cross Creek didn't take home the teapot, but I was thrilled with the
nomination. Oh, yes - and my husband Scott celebrated the event by
acquiring a kilt for the banquet! I'm wearing a sash from my maternal
grandfather's clan, Johnston. It was fun to honor both my own heritage
and the Scottish immigrants I wrote about. Thanks to my editor, Peg
Ross, for the photo.
During the convention I participated in a panel focused on cultural identity in novels, a topic dear to my heart. I also enjoyed meeting some of my own favorite authors. There's nothing like realizing you're chatting with a writer you've admired for years! |
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Historical Novel Society Conference A few weeks before Malice, I attended the first North American conference held by the Historical Novel Society. And did I ever have a blast! I think all two hundred attendees were ecstatic to spend a weekend surrounded by other people who are passionate about historical fiction. I caught up with old friends and made lots of new ones. Huge kudos to the organizers for putting together this wonderful gathering. Rumor says the next HNS conference, scheduled for 2007, will be held in New York State. I'll be there. |
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School Visits I spent a day visiting seventh grade classrooms at Greendale Middle School in April. The students did a great job of developing historical fiction stories of their own. Many thanks for the always-warm welcome from Greendale! In May, I also enjoyed my first-ever visit to Weston School District. I was very impressed with some of the young writers I met! |
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Summer Calendar
I'm only doing a couple of author visits this summer, because I'm still catching up with deadlines! Two novels scheduled for release in spring of 2006, Highland Fling and Secrets in the Hills, are just about finished. Secrets in the Hills will be published by American Girl. I just saw the cover art, and as always, it looks fantastic. I'm also delighted with the preliminary design I've seen for the cover of Highland Fling. The team at Cricket Books has been great. And...I'm busy working through a revision of a Civil War novel for Dutton. The title for that one is still up in the air, but the book should be out in autumn, 2006. |
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It is summer in Wisconsin, and that means my husband and I
are busy digging in the dirt! We love to garden, and are gradually
transforming our yard by ripping out grass and replacing it with prairie plants,
rain gardens, and native trees and shrubs. It is a joyful way to spend
time, and we enjoy the results all year long.
We're also glad to have our daughter home for a few weeks before she heads to Central American with the Peace Corps. |
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| I hope your summer is also filled with adventures, family, joy...and, of course, with good books! | |
