Take a Picture!


  
Take a Picture!


Pictures of Special People, Special Events, and Animals


If you need a photo for publicity on an upcoming author visit, craft show, speaking engagement, etc.,  I have quite a few photos on this particular page. Some are with other people, some are with children, and some are with me signing books. 



My latest book is Blazer's Taxi. I'm standing along side Blazer and Coach Doug Sauter. 




Oklahoma's Ag in the Classroom's Ag Advocate for 2019


Delta Kappa Gamma Award
Creative Women of Oklahoma Award in Poetry
2017





This picture is of a little boy who likes my Grady book. His mother was one of my former students, and when he said he was studying agriculture in school, she remembered that I'd written Grady's in the Silo. She sent for a copy, and here's the results. I really enjoy seeing children (adults, too) who don't mind getting their picture holding one of my books. Thanks to his mother for sending this picture to me.


My book, Clancy, illustrated by Vickie Kastl, went all the way to Washington state recently.  It's now staying with this sweet little girl. Have fun, Clancy!




Grady the cow was a moooovin' and a groooovin' in California during spring break. Her book, Grady's in the Silo, was seen at a restaurant entertaining a sweet little girl.





Author visit in Oklahoma during Read Across America week--March, 2019. All grades Pre-K through Grade 6 were just great. They were very quiet and respectful. Many thanks to all the young men who helped carry in and carry back out all the land run items that were in my car. Those young men were very polite and careful with all my items. It was a great day.





Author visit for Read Across America Day in El Reno. A great day visiting with Pre-K to Grade 4 and their teachers. They enjoyed Grady's story. 





Grady's in the Silo book signing at Grady's 66 Pub in Yukon on the 70th Anniversary of the day that Grady jumped in a silo. With me are Tomas Manske (auctioneer and realtor) and Grady Cross who owns Grady's 66 Pub and who was a member of the Cross Canadian Ragweed Band. 



A wonderful lady in her native dress greeted me as I walked into the Durant Choctaw Headquarters. It's a beautiful new building.



GREAT group of students in Durant--all very attentive and listening to my Toby and the Secret Code book. All students in the school's Summer Program (grades K-3) received a copy of my book. Although not all students remembered to bring their books, I signed around 100 books. Grades K-3 were all good listeners and answered all my comprehension questions in my turtle game, too!  June, 2018



Northwest Library in Oklahoma City. I read my Scanner book to the young 2-4 year olds, and then we played some games.  Great time!


Vickie Kastl, illustrator of my book, Clancy, at a local school. She's showing a class her drawing of a  dog.




 Who's a young reader enjoying the Racecar Driver's Night Before Christmas?  I bet she lives in Texas. She's now four years old. Such a sweetie.



Riverside Elementary in El Reno, OK  Great group of students listening to some of my books in the Spring of 2018/


I'm with Doc at the Enid Public Library. He listens to children read on Tuesdays after school. He's so big and so cute.


I'm at the Oklahoma Library Assn. conference in Tulsa, and I'm in the Doodle and Peck booth. The booth had on display quite a few picture books, multicultural books, poetry books, and chapter books.  


Two students looking over the Racecar presentation I gave this week. One is observing all the flags used in racing while the other student holds up my book, The Racecar Driver's Night Before Christmas. I teach a writing unit using The Racecar Drivear's Night Before Christmas. It's a fun unit.




Pack 258 in Bartlett, Tennessee used my book, The Racecar Driver's Night Before Christmas as the theme of their Christmas float. They are still working on the float in this picture.

December 2, 2017 in Bartlett, TN. I'm riding in the jeep pulling the float. The theme was Christmas stories, and Pack 258 used my Racecar Driver's Night Before Christmas for their float entry. They received 2nd place.



This is Jack. I think he's one of Scanner's friends. He's wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


I'm signing Toby and the Secret Code at the 45th Infantry Museum on Veteran's Day, 2017.


Signing at Fan Fest in El Reno, OK. 


Carolyn Macy and I with Ronnie Eckart in Moore. Carolyn and I presented a haiku workshop.


Carolyn Macy and I ready to present a haiku workshop  for Moore, OK fifth graders. They wrote some fantastic haiku and even made a booklet of their illustrated haiku.


Dragon at El Reno's Carnegie Library during Fan Fest.


What a great group of 5th graders in Moore. Carolyn Macy and I taught a haiku unit today at their school. Look how busy they were working on their haiku assignment. 



Reading my book, Scanner, to a dog who listens to children read when he visits their schools.



I think this sunset picture has a black dog jumping over trees.  Could it be Scanner the Scottie?


The Oklahoman recently had an article about the elephants I wrote about in my book, The Great Elephant Escape. Even though Isa and Lilly ran away from the circus grounds in July of 1975, they are still remembered. Many people hunted for them. The paper even mentioned my book on the second page. Thanks, Oklahoman, for the extra publicity about my book.






page  2  with Lyndol Fry






I'm with relatives of Tobias Frazier at a school visit. He was one of the original Choctaw code talkers. It was nice to see "Papa Tobe's" granddaughter and great-great-grandchildren at the school. I had a great time at the school while reading "Toby and the Secret Code". It's the first in the series of Choctaw Adventures.



Young Choctaw women in their native dress are ready to begin a special dance at the Labor Day Festivities in Tuskahoma, OK. I've been as Tuskahoma the last few years selling my book, "Toby and the Secret Code." I enjoy seeing the special dances each year.

  
It was so nice to work with Toni and the Choctaw County Library. The library was able to get some of my "Sunsets and Haiku" books into the hands of children in Hugo, OK. They received a special grant and purchased some of my haiku books.  Then I visited classes in Hugo's Junior High and High School and gave a presentation on haiku. 


    Had a great time at Bryant Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma. A good day!



I guess I'd better tell Dusty about the Oklahoma Land Run. He stays at the Edmond Historical Museum and doesn't get out much. I'll just read my book to him.


Edmond Author Fair at the Edmond Historical Museum.



Santa and my Toby and the Secret Code book. Do you think he'll pass along my books to good boys and girls?



Part of the Doodle and Peck gang visited with Santa at Best of Books in Edmond before Christmas. I'm with Sandi Lawson, Marla Jones, Tim Lange, Santa, and Susan Meyers.



Talking about my book, Toby and the Secret Code, at Best of Books in Edmond.



Reading my book, Toby and the Secret Code, at Best of Books in Edmond.


Reading The Great Elephant Escape to a fan:-)


Santa's North Pole Zoo

This is the "gingerbread house" I made for the Mabel C.Fry Library's contest. I won first place. Here are four pictures of the "gingerbread zoo" I decorated.

Santa has two cold, blue elephants,

at least one roaring lion,


a zebra to keep company with the reindeer,




and a monkey to throw a wrench into things around the Elves Toy Shop.



I'm with my Friday writing group. We met at Ingrid's, but it closed.



Bill Mach with Grady when she was in his silo in February, 1949 in Yukon, OK.

  


    I'm in Hugo with two friends at the International Red Nose Café. It's a great time to try out some new foods. It's usually held in January. The clowns were fantastic, and the crowd loved them.


Summer reading program in Marshall, Texas. I was glad to see so many summer readers.


It's Christmas time, and Carolyn Macy and I are playing with our puppets before selling our books in Meeker. She has a raccoon and a turtle. I have Grady the cow and Isa the elephant.


Ready to sell a few books at Putnam City High School. The band raises funds with a breakfast, and vendors sell a variety of items. My cow puppet, Grady, and my elephant, Isa, always come with me to signings and library visits.

  
           This is the Endangered Ark Foundation in Hugo, OK. where many elephants live. Some are old and don't go out on the road anymore. The newest members of the elephant family also live there. I met Hugo the elephant about four or five years ago. Some Saturdays, you can take a tour of the Ark and see many elephants.
          The last time I was there, a trainer gave an elephant a bath. I fed the elephants, too. It was fun.
          In my story, The Great Elephant Escape, I mention Isa and Lilly. Isa is away from the Endangered Ark Foundation at this time, but Lilly is there.



   This is baby Hugo with his mother, Wimpy, at the Endangered Ark Foundation in Hugo, OK. He was about 10 months old at that time. Now he's four years old.



I'm with Lilly at the Endangered Ark Foundation in Hugo, OK. Lilly is one of the elephants that I wrote about in my book, The Great Elephant Escape.


A great welcoming sign before my author visit in Minco. Thanks, Mandy Parks. The classes were so quiet!

Have you ever seen birds make a check mark?



Are these some of Santa's helpers? They were in Meeker in the Christmas  parade. Carolyn Macy and I were at Meeker's library signing books. I stopped long enough to take a few pictures.




I was in Hugo at the Choctaw County Library reading my Great Elephant Escape book. The story began when 5 elephants escaped from the circus headquarters in Hugo. There was a big crowd at the library that day. I'm in the back of the picture in green. Lyndol Fry, who tranquilized the elephants, was also present for the summer school presentation.



Lyndol Fry and I signed "The Great Elephant Escape" in Hugo. The town welcomes the circuses back to Hugo in November, and the circuses give a free performance to the town. It's a great day with many great acts and performers. Among the activities that day were elephant rides, face painting, a petting zoo, and a little train. There was a young  lady who worked with 50 hula hoops at a time, and, a young performer balanced plates. The elephants also danced to the music, and a group of very young, enthusiastic gymnasts flipped and tumbled to everyone's delight.



Gwen Coleman Lester and I were at the Choctaw Code Talker's Assn. meeting in Tuskahoma when Dr. William Meadows took this picture and shared it with us. You can read about Toby and see Gwen's artwork if you get a copy of Toby and the Secret Code.




It's always nice to find an author, talk with them a little bit, and get a picture with them. I spoke with John Erickson, who writes the Hank the Cowdog series, when John was in Oklahoma City.


I always enjoy visiting with Jan Brett. Her books are just beautiful. I always try to make it to her signings when she's in Oklahoma City. She usually gives a great art lesson to the children that are present.

Kathy Appelt spoke at one of the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) conferences. I enjoyed meeting her.




Five good friends at an SCBWI conference. I'm with Tammi Sauer, Gwendolyn Hooks, Anna Myers, and Darleen Bailey Beard.




A new friend with a book out about a Choctaw pony survivor. I'm in a pasture around Salt Creek, near Hugo, OK with Sarah Dickson Silver.  We met at an Oklahoma Heritage Horse ribbon cutting ceremony. Her book  is called, Dream a Pony Wake a Spirit. It's the story of Buster, a Choctaw Pony Survivor. Paul King illustrated the book.




 Every once in a while, Jan Brett comes to the Oklahoma City area.  I really enjoy her books, and her illustrations are wonderful. She always travels in a bus painted like the book that she is introducing.
I was lucky to see Jan Brett and Hedgie on this particular trip when she was in Edmond. Here's my picture with Hedgie.  Check out her website at http://www.janbrett.com. She has over 5, 292 free coloring pages, videos, and activity pages to view. Many teachers use her site for extra classroom activities. She is so talented!


Another talented writer is Joseph Bruchac. I was able to get this picture of him when he was at Encyclo-Media a few years ago.


If you like the Clementine series of books, you'd enjoy meeting the author, Sara Pennypacker.





I'm at Bob Funk's Express Clydesdale barn reading to a group of adults and children who came out one night to listen to Grady's story. The silo that she jumped in had been located about three miles from the big Clydesdale barn.




David  Barrow, illustrator for my Scanner story, and I were in the local Mustang paper! We were presenting Scanner to the students in a Mustang elementary school, and I was explaining the process that is involved in how my story or manuscript is chosen to become a book. David explained how illustrations can be the right ones at first or when they have to be changed before becoming a book. We had a great time in Mustang. Thank you!


                                Here are a few photos of pioneer day/western day and land run day events.


 Students are racing to claim their land. They ate on the playground. Sometimes they have different grades involved and make up families who work together. They were able to register their land that day, too.  




Students are lined up and ready to hear the signal to race for land.



This group of students are roping off their land. They need to do so to claim it.



Another land run in progress.



Many students made their own wagons for the land run at their school.



There were also three-legged races and toss sack races to participate in during their pioneer day activities. Some include animals, such as calves or goats, for the day. Many pioneer days include stick horse races, too.




Signing at Mabel Fry Library at Christmas time  (See my Santa hat) with Susan Meyers.




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