You can always tell when I’ve been busy writing because I don’t blog much. For some reason, when I’m working on a book, I have to shut other things out.

But continuing with my recent book tour …. After leaving San Francisco, I headed to Minneapolis where I visited Creek Valley Elementary in Edina and Kenny Community School in Minneapolis.  Then my terrific media escort, Tim,  took me to Wild Rumpus Bookstore. There are lots of wonderful books there … and some very interesting tenants.  Cats and chickens roam the bookstore … and living below the horror section are the rats, of course.

A ferret is not a potential friend for Humphrey  

 I have a crush on Spike and his big smile.

 Me with Nicky and Drew of Wild Rumpus, and Tim

Minneapolis was beautiful but I didn’t have much time there as I was off to Chicago that same night. The Arista Hotel in Naperville is very cool and contemporary. The TV in the bathroom mirror was the best perk of the trip. 

      Munhall with Kristin Kaye

I started the next day at Munhall Elementary School (Go, Mustangs!). They were impressed that I wore the school colors. In the afternoon, I met with enthusiastic friends at Elm  School in Burr Ridge. And the icing on the cake was my signing on Friday night at Anderson’s Bookshop in Downers Grove. Kathleen March could not have been more welcoming and I had the best bunch of Humphrey fans show up! They entertained me as much as I did them. The surprise mystery guests turned out to be my editor, Susan Kochan’s, niece and sister! A little later, illustrator Larry Day happened to be at the shop … and he’s also doing a book for Susan right now.  Thanks to my media escort, Mary Jo, for her great driving and patience.

Me with Susan’s niece Katherine and her sister, Joan. 

   With illustrator Larry Day 

  All thanks to Kathleen March of Anderson’s in Downers Grove for an unsqueakably wonderful evening.

And so it was back to L.A. on Saturday … was it real or just a dream? You can’t quite tell when you’re on a book tour!