How y'all been?

Back from Tennessee and Mississippi. It was a wonderful trip. Mom, Maggie, and Max all attended. Back a day later than intended. Delayed flight, missed connection, night spent in Atlanta hotel. Tired. Kiddies holding up miraculously well. House a disaster area. Going to call federal troops to help clean up after finish this blog. Southern Festival of Books in Nashville super terrific. Awesome mothers took their daughters out of school and drove from Knoxville to come hear me. Am thinking about moving to Mississippi--Oxford beyond cool, loved Greenwood. Square Books and Turn Row Books simply amazing stores there. Everyone knew my former professor Larry Brown (who passed away in 2004)--so great to reminisce about him again. "Ain't life sad and wonderfu?" he'd said. Amen, Larry, amen. Met Lauren Myracle (at last! she rocks), Jeff Kinney, Jack Gantos, Rosemary Wells, Susan Vaught, Robin Preiss Glasser...(missing someone...) Jacques Couvillon (author of The Chicken Dance) drove us from Nashville to Memphis. Ate catfish and hushpuppies in Loretta Lynn's home town. Jacques bought Max a bouncy ball and was out-and-out fabulous. Kids at Pillow Academy in Greenwood called me "Miss Shannon." Everyone so kind and polite and sweet and smart. I love the south.

Did I mention the shrimp and grits? I ate shrimp and grits in Oxford, Mississippi. Beat that.