What really made my day, though, was seeing English teacher Shane Twamley again.  Not only is he an incredible teacher and host, but he helped inspire The Death Catchers!  It was when I was visiting his classroom several years ago and saw all the literary devices he had circling the walls of his room (complete with their own clever symbols) that I decided to use them as a way to tell the story itself.   Here we are in front of the literary device wall — Shane is holding up the lips that represent alliteration and I’m holding up a symbol representing third person point of view.

So here’s to an amazing end to an amazing fall. Thanks Shane and Vicky!

Anyhow, I had a wonderful time in the Phoenix area. I have to thank Diana Rasmussen, Kathleen Bohling, Peggy Newendyke, and Stephanie Merrill for hosting me at their schools!  I was greeted by bulletin board displays, interviewed on Stapley’s student news channel, and spoke in an orchestra room lined with cellos.  I ended my week at the fantastic Payne Jr. High, where they have a fabulously run book club and writing club.  Many of the teachers and staff members were wearing hand-crafted “Welcome Jennifer Anne Kogler” stickers.  See?

It was awesome.  And don’t worry, I’ll try not to let all the attention go to my head.

Because I was staying with my very hip friends, the McGraws, in the Phoenix area (a lot hipper than I am, I assure you), I got a good sense of how many great spots there are to grab a bite to eat there.   My favorite was probably The Parlor, which was a beauty parlor turned pizza parlor (including the original beauty parlor chairs).

Speaking of hip, I also did a little fashion shopping on Friday at Payne Junior High. An 8th grader makes amazing accessories out of duct tape–bows, wallets, you name it.  I am now the proud owner of one myself. Check it out:

There were many different colors, but I felt like hot pink was the right choice.  Am I right?

-JAK

I don’t know about you, but I sense summer in the air.  And summer reminds me of a lot of things: pools, lemonade, sunscreen and, perhaps most of all, postcards.  Though I have no empirical basis for saying so, I feel like people don’t send postcards as often as they used to.  Which is why I was thrilled when this came in the mail from my friend Ayn (who knows that I’ve long loved the books of P.G. Wodehouse).

Apparently, you can get a whole amazing vintage box of them:

Postcards from Penguin: One Hundred Book Covers in One Box

Anyway, I know there are faster ways of communicating where you are and what you’re doing, like Facebook and email, and well, most anything else.  But there’s just something about getting an unexpected postcard in the mail, letting you know someone, somewhere was thinking of you.  I plan on sending some of my own this summer, wherever I end up heading.  Consider it my summer resolution.

So here’s to postcards — wonderfully analog in a digital world. -JAK

Long-time no blog.  I’m afraid that I’ve been swallowed by school . . . but I have been writing some, too and keeping busy.  

And thanks, everyone, who has emailed me and kept in touch and passed along such nice things . . .  

I should also let you know that I saw the one, the only, The Boss in San Jose yesterday.  It was, in a word, amazing.  They band played “Growin’ Up,” one of my all-time favorite songs, so I couldn’t have been happier.

Anyway, I just thought I’d check in, publicly, and say hello.

 Hello.  

I’ll update you (and by “you” I mean “this blog”) on what project is coming next for me so check back if you feel like it.  OR, at the very least . . . . keep in touch and keep reading,

JAK