Greetings!
This past weekend I had the honor of meeting several wonderful groups of American Girl fans, first at the Annapolis Book Festival on Saturday, and then on Sunday at the Washington DC American Girl Store. It was a real joy to talk with so many avid young readers (some of whom are also budding writers), and with the adults who so clearly love and support them.
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Annapolis Book Festival American Girl Fans program by Kathleen Ernst. Photo by Stuart Wilson.
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Ava, my Mistress of Ceremonies. Photo by Stuart Wilson.
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In my two sold-out programs at the festival I explained how American Girl asked me to create their newest historical character, Caroline Abbott, and how I went about writing the (now) seven books about her childhood and the events that took place in her hometown 200 years ago.
I also spoke about the research done to make sure the books would be accurate, and showed maps, photos, and artwork about the places, objects, and activities important to the stories. One big highlight of the day was being introduced to the audiences by Ava (see photo), beautifully dressed at Caroline Abbott, who very professionally portrayed Caroline.
My sincere thanks to the Annapolis Book Festival for inviting me, the volunteers who planned the Tea Parties, and American Girl for donating the Caroline dolls given away at the Festival.
On Sunday I met lots of young readers at the American Girl store, and happily spent two hours signing and personalizing books for them. Their enthusiasm for Caroline's stories was a joy! Big thanks to the Washington DC store employees, who made me feel welcome and ensured that the signing ran smoothly. Most of all, my sincere thanks to the great girls who came out to see me at festival and the store. I wrote Caroline's stories for you. Future Events
My next American Girl event out East will be held July 6-7 at Sackets Harbor, Caroline's hometown in upstate New York on Lake Ontario. The first program has already filled, the second is almost full, and a third has just been added. Check my Calendar for details on these and other upcoming events. If you know someone who might enjoy one of my programs, please let them know.
Warm regards,
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