Snowy Saturday Stories

Hi friends!

There's a winter storm warning here in Virginia and I spent a good part of the day in Barnes and Noble.  There are few things I like more than being surrounded by books while watching a beautiful snowfall and drinking mochas with my fiance!  I also got to working on my next book- a memoir about my year teaching second grade.  All that aside, here are two exciting bits of news that I wanted to share with you on this snowy evening!  

Early next month, my illustrator, Noah Ray, and I will be putting the finishing touches on our new book, Otto the Otter Takes a Bath.  I am super excited to release this book.  I can't wait for you all to see Noah's beautiful illustrations!  Though this book is vastly different from Messages From Maryam, it is still a children's book, it still teaches a moral lesson, and there is still a character based on me.  The story is about eight-year-old Emma Jane, who takes it upon herself to rescue a sea otter behind her parents' backs.  When she decides to take Otto the otter to school one day, hilarity ensues, and Emma Jane learns a very important lesson about telling the truth. 

Keep your eyes open for Otto the Otter Takes a Bath!  I am hesitant to tell you a specific release date because, if there's one thing I learned from writing Messages From Maryam, it's that you have to expect the unexpected!  Things inevitably go wrong with layout and formatting, and sometimes the print version looks totally different than the digital version, which in turn calls for revisions.  My goal is to have my new book released by early to mid March, just in time for the Virginia Festival of the Book. 

That leads me to my second announcement.  I am thrilled to announce that I will be participating in the 25th Annual Virginia Festival of the Book this year!  When I released Messages From Maryam, I never would have guessed that I would have the opportunity to participate in an event like this one.  Some of my personal favorite authors will be at the Festival, and for helping me join them, I have to say: THANK YOU!  I never would have made it to this point without your support and appreciation for my work.   

 The Virginia Festival of the Book will take place in Charlottesville, Virginia from March 20-24, 2019.  As part of the Festival, I will be visiting three different elementary schools in the Charlottesville area to share about my books and my writing process.  You can explore the Festival website and my author profile page by visiting: www.vabook.org/participant/lauren-pichon/.  

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and visit my website!  I am looking forward to having much more to share with you all in the near future! 

---