Orlando? Check! Miami? Here I come . . .

What do you get when you combine Disney magic, kick-butt workshops and a hula hoop demonstration?

You get the awesome Florida SCBWI Mid-year Workshops and Intensives.

What fun!  It was an honor to be among the wonderful faculty.


Agent Tracey Adams and I had a great group in our middle grade workshop Saturday.  They were engaged, enthusiastic and full of funtastic ideas.

Tracey and I spent the day talking craft and marketing and . . . there was some hula hooping going on.  I mean, really, how can one talk about middle grade fiction without it?

Thanks, Fred Koehler, for bringing the hoop . . .

Tracey Adams, Fred Koehler and me

And then there was the lizard under the presenter table . . .

Here is Tracey taking a photo of someone rescuing the lizard.

By the end of the session, our heads were all ready to explode . . . with great ideas for writing middle grade fiction about, hmm, hula hooping lizards.  Yeah, that's it.  Hula hooping lizards.

During lunch, I had the pleasure of meeting author, Tracy Barrett.   Tracy and I recently presented at April is for Authors, but there were so many authors we didn't get a chance to meet, so I was delighted to enjoy lunch with Tracy.  And the tiramisu for dessert didn't hurt either.

Tracy Barrett and Donna.  Not shown:  Tiramisu

This conference was so well organized, it was a pleasure to participate.  Thanks to Florida's regional advisor, Linda Bernfeld, and amazing volunteers Kerry O'Malley Cerra, Dorian Cirrone, Marcea Ustler, Danielle Joseph, Curtis Sponsler, Laurie Taddonio and many others.  You do such a fine job!

And a big thanks for the lovely gift bag, waiting for me on the presenter's table.  Here are some of the goodies that were inside . . .

A lovely thank you card, Mickey Mouse pen, journal, homemade cookies, chocolate, bookstore gift certificate and commemorative pin, designed by Kathy Blackmore

After the conference, Danette Haworth, author extraordinaire, interviewed me for her cool iphone video.  Warning:  This video contains two adult women attempting to answer trivia questions.  It may not be suitable for viewers over the age of ten.

And the coolest part?  When the work was over, I got to enjoy a vacation with my guys at the Yacht Club, where they fold the towels like this . . .

And this . . .

What a fantastic, albeit exhausting, weekend!

Now, it's off to Miami for a presentation at the North Miami Beach Public Library.

If you are between the ages of 8 and a bazillion, this event is for you!

I'll be doing a presentation about the author's journey, including a reading from my new book, Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen, Q & A, prizes and a book signing.

Wednesday, June 20th at 2 p.m. at the North Miami Beach Public Library:  1601 N.E. 164 Street. North Miami Beach, Florida 33162

I haven't decided yet if there will be hula hoops involved.  Or lizards.