First school visits in London

On 2/17/23, I arrived in London for my first school visits in the United Kingdom. But my initial catalyst to make the weeklong trip was not those speaking engagements. For what was, see the end of this post.

Hampton Court House

(one of the three schools I spoke at; 

it's housed in a handsome structure built in 1757)

exterior of HCH

Knightsbridge School

Eaton Square Prep School

Big Ben

(not a school)

Westminster Abbey

Buckingham Palace

Hampton Court Palace,

onetime home of Henry VIII and his VI wives

Kew Gardens

The Hive, a striking installation in Kew Gardens

A decade ago I found and interviewed the five women who appeared 

in the iconic video for "Addicted to Love" by Robert Palmer. 

On this trip, I met three of them in person. 

Mak Gilchrist gave me an articulate and fascinating tour of Kew Gardens.

Julie Pankhurst and Julia Bolino took me to a

popular meeting spot with character in spades.

I saw the musical inspired by Back to the Future.

I thought this was the funniest part.

speaking of funny (because tragedy plus time equals...)

again speaking of funny: three coffee shops in a row

I walked a lot in London.

The reason I planned the trip...my daughter would be in town,

returning from a five-week gap year service trip in Kenya.

I surprised her. At the airport at 6:30 am.

Meeting the "Addicted to Love" video women

Ten years ago, I had the thrill and privilege of being the first person to find and interview all five women from the iconic video for Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" (1986).

A year later, the fab five reunited in person for the first time since the shoot.

Lovely people all, and we've stayed in touch. Patty Elias lives in California, Kathy Davies lives in Thailand, and the other three are still in London (where the video was shot).

On 2/17/23, at Bluebird in London, I had the thrill and privilege to meet two of them in person, Julie Pankhurst (keyboards) and Julia Bolino (guitar far right). 

Julie again on left, Julia again on right.

A wee bit blurry but best we got. Gonna have to face it.

Three days later, still in London, I met a third, Mak Gilchrist, who had been out of town the night I met Julie and Julia. She took me on an enlightening walking tour of Kew Gardens, where I'd never been. 

It was mind-warping to get to know people I'd known of since I was 14 and now consider friends.

Everyone has a story behind the story...

Best of the blog 2022

This blog launched on 2/19/08.

Every February 19, I share posts of the previous 12 months that I feel have the best chance of interesting someone other than me.

This year's lineup:

planning a virtual children's author benefit for kids of Ukraine

author benefit for kids of Ukraine raises $15,000

introducing Songbook, a web series starring kids I created, wrote, and directed for the Kennedy Center

RIP, Kevin Conroy, voice of animated Batman since 1992

a book about Bill Finger, me...and me

antisemitic graffiti at my kids' high school

"Songbook" in "School Library Journal"

Thank you, Betsy Bird of Fuse #8, for asking me about Songbook, the Kennedy Center web series I created, which (speaking of) fuses three of my passions: literature, music, and working with children.

Visiting the bar of the Huey Lewis and the News album “Sports”

After meeting the man himself, and some of his band, would it thrill to go to the bar featured in the photo on the cover of Sports, the breakthrough album for Huey Lewis and the News?

Indeed it would, and did.

On 1/27/23, I first stepped foot into a scene I’ve known since 1983—the 2 A.M. Club in Mill Valley, CA [near San Francisco]. Consistent with its devil-may-care dive bar ethos, the punctuation varies; on its home page, it’s also referred to as 2am Club and 2 AM Club. 

I was with my dad and two cousins, both of whom have lived in the area for decades and were familiar with the place. In fact, some years ago, one was in the joint when someone tried to steal his bike outside, and he and his friends chased away the would-be thief.

We arrived soon after opening, around 12:30 pm. Only a couple of guys at the bar. No bartender in sight. As I was clumsily trying to recreate the album cover pose, a voice behind me said “Just leave it here when you’re done.” I turned to see a copy of the album—signed by Huey—and the bartender already heading to the back again. It was heartening how trusting he was with something so meaningful. I guess Huey fans tend to be as clean-cut as Huey’s mid-‘80s image.

I’ve had the privilege of visiting world-famous, centuries-old masterpieces including the moai of Easter Island and the Taj Mahal. For a lifelong, hardcore HLATN fan, a certain corner of the 2 A.M. Club just about equals them.

with my dad

“Songbook” launch party at the Kennedy Center

At 7 pm on Saturday, January 21, 2023, in my small pocket of airspace, two things of note happened:

• season 1 of Songbook, a web series that I created, wrote, and directed, posted; it’s the culmination of nearly three years of development
• we kicked off the world premiere screening/launch party at the place where the show was produced: the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC

It was so fun watching a show intended for home viewing on a big screen with a live audience!

Thank you yet again to Kwame Alexander, who introduced me to the Kennedy Center folks and executive produced; Mary Rand Hess, who co-executive produced; David Kilpatrick, Director of Education Programs and Productions; Jennifer Bowman (miss you!); the crew and multimedia team; and, of course, the cast: host Vaughn Ryan Midder, musician Randy Preston, authors Sue Fliess, Mary Amato, and NoNieqa Ramos, and three young poets turned lyrical legends:

the poets/lyricists: Isabel, Alexandra, Samaya

the authors: Mary Amato, NoNieqa Ramos, Sue Fliess

David Kilpatrick kicking off the evening

me thanking the room

the room

me, Mary Rand Hess, Kwame Alexander

the kids, authors, host, musician, executive producers, and me

the kids and their corresponding authors

me, David Kilpatrick, Vaughn Ryan Midder

Samaya with her writing and music teachers; the sweetest!

Samaya asking Kwame for an autograph

me with Samaya holding her Songbook swag bag

giving Kwame a thank-you gift

the gift

the cookies (shaped, of course, like musical notes and pencils)

Only bummer of the evening: we caught a chyron typo. In episode 1, “ukelele” should be “ukulele.”

Though hardly enough to put even the slightest dent in a golden night.

“Songbook” has taken the stage

After more than two years of development *, Season 1 of Songbook, a scripted/reality hybrid show I created, wrote, and directed for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is now out in the world. 

Watch all three episodes here.

As you will see, in each episode, a different middle schooler who wrote a poem based on a book comes to the Kennedy Center to set that poem to music with a professional musician. 

The books:

Guitar Notes by Mary Amato

Your Mama by NoNieqa Ramos, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara

Beatrice Bly’s Rules for Spies: The Missing Hamster by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Beth Mills

Then a surprise. (I won’t spell it out but the following three images are clues.)

Then a performance.

I’m so honored to have had the chance to bring to life a project like this, and so thrilled with every last person I got to work with on it. 

* The idea was born in 2020, after friend/fellow scribe Kwame Alexander graciously offered me the opportunity to brainstorm pandemic-driven online programming and pitch the Kennedy Center with him. Finessing and postponing (due to Omicron) took place throughout 2021. Casting, filming, and editing took place throughout 2022.

Guitar Notes mentions the Kennedy Center!

Taking bows...

The cast of episode 1, the lead’s mom, Director of Education Programs and Productions David Kilpatrick, 

and me in the toothpaste green shirt.

episode 2

episode 3

"The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra" StoryWalk in Florida

In 2021, I was tickled to discover that a Michigan library had chosen The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra for their StoryWalk. 

At the same time I was tickled to discover the StoryWalk concept itself—an installation in which a picture book is presented page by page in a series of displays along an outdoor path so visitors can read as they walk. 

Thanks to Instagram, I've now learned that my little chupacabra is featured in another library StoryWalk, this one in Tampa Bay. Incidentally, Florida is closer than Michigan to the cryptid's natural habitat.

Photos courtesy of the library's Instagram.

Thank you, Safety Harbor Public Library, for sharing the adventure of goats Jayna, Pep, and Bumsie with your community! I recommend that those who take the stroll regularly check behind them...who knows if a chupacabra StoryWalk will attract the real deal?