The Observation Deck Archives - Stephanie Vanderslice

Cindy Hoppes, commenter extraordinaire, has won The Observation Deck, by Naomi Epel. I’ll probably get it in the mail Friday, Cindy. I have your address.

Looking forward to: A Q and A session with novelist Trenton Lee Stewart of Flood Summer, Mysterious Benedict Society and Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey fame in about twenty minutes. I have not read the former, but the latter two are wonderful about four quirky gifted kids and their adventures saving the world from adults under the leadership of the infamous Mr. Benedict. I got a preview copy of the Perilous Journey at the Arkansas Literary Festival 2008 this past weekend and have kept the kids in thrall reading from it each night since. Based on the length of their adventures and the size of the type, as well as the limitations of my poor eyes, even with new glasses, we probably won’t finish it until July or August (it took over three months to read the first book together) but it’s nice to have something meaty to look forward to every night.

As a writer, I also find that reading quality writing out loud each night, as Mr. Stewart’s writing most certainly is, is good exercise for my “ear.”

Severe weather is expected tomorrow, in fact, most likely, a repeat of last Thursday except during the day. Sigh. I suppose we were due; we’ve gotten off pretty lightly in the last few years. Of course, my other trusty go-to-weather guy, Mike Francis, would be on vacation this week, so I guess Brett Cummins will have to fly solo. Nothing against KATV, or KTHV, but you have to have one station you can anchor to while you switch back and forth and KARK, with Francis, Cummins and Jason Kadah is mine.

It all started with Mike Nicco, who’s now doing weather out in San Francisco (lucky him, except for the earthquake threat, nothing serious). I’m not sure how qualified he was but there was something about him I just trusted. Now Francis and Cummins, I’ve checked their stats and they completely know their stuff weather wise. They’re both degreed in meteorology.

I can’t wait until we’re through it, hopefully by Friday morning.

Take care, take cover and

Bye y’all,
SV

It was touch and go for awhile there–they didn’t announce it until 7:30, but we got our longed for snow day this morning. When I woke up at around 2:30 am it was still raining, so I was quite suprised to see everything blanketed in white when the sun came up.
So, for all of you who went to work today, here is my “What I did On My Snow Day List”

1. Stood outside in a blanket and a bathrobe taking pictures of the house (below).
2. Watched my kids throw snowballs at each other.
3. Witnessed the birth of a snow midget (also below).
4. Made snow ice cream.
5. Drank twice as much coffee as usual. Mmmmm!
6. Appeased the kids by watching two episodes of ICarly with them.
7. Had a nice game of Scrabble, the non-sedentary, testosterone-laced version that results when you play with two elementary aged boys and their father, which means that it is impossible to come up with a word unless you’re hanging upside down from the top of the sofa or discovering new projectile uses for the tiles.
8. Worked on an essay, “Once More to the Workshop,” that is due to the editor on Monday. I’ll be driving hard on it between now and then, but I made significant progress today.
9. Had soup for lunch. Campbell’s Butternut Squash. Mmm.
10. Walked 30 minutes on the treadmill.
11. Emailed back and forth about several writing project issues, including our upcoming inservice in Sheridan and talked with people who want to start a site in Jonesboro.
12. And, drumroll please, decided on another giveaway. My generous mother gave me Naomi Epel’s The Observation Deck for my birthday not knowing I already had it (it was actually one of our summer institute books in the writing project several years ago). It’s a great kit for writers of all ages, with a journal, a notebook of inspirations and cards to extend them. I’ll give it away in a drawing from anyone who posts between now and March 31!

Unfortunately, it’s already started to melt.
Oh well.
Bye y’all

We have another winner!

Snowdays and Giveaways

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STEPHANIE VANDERSLICE