GiGi Amateau

What I'm Thinking About

January 2008

Welcome! I'm stuck in denial that summer has truly ended; January sure came around in a hurry. This month I'll celebrate and remember my sweet, strong Grammy who would have been ninety years old. 2007 was especially difficult without her, but all of us in the family agree that her determined spirit is still right there for us when we need her most. On the 17th I'll join the amazing Judy Blume, and the delightful Carolyn Mackler, at the Key West Literary Seminar. Then on January 23rd, I'll spend the afternoon with more talented writers: The Guild of Youth Authors at Midlothian Middle School. In between, Candlewick Press and I will polish up Chancey of the Maury River for its May 2008 release.

An ideal January day would find me curled up with my brand new manuscript, my old dog, and fistful of number two pencils. To make the day perfect I'd need: enough snow on the ground to close schools (which around here is about two inches), thus keeping my daughter home with me; a nice, toasty fire in the hearth; my husband to make some Brunswick Stew; and a late afternoon calming of the winds -- enough to take our (even older) Appaloosa out on a trail!

What will the first month of 2008 hold for you?