Grandma's Gold!

Congratulations to Cecil Castellucci, author and just-announced gold medal winner of the 80th Annual California Book Awards in the juvenile category for Grandma's Gloves! It was a pleasure working on her heart-filled story and then finally meeting Cecil for a book signing last August. Favorite Cecil memory: her first exclamation from across the room, "OH! YAY! You're small TOO!" We had a tiny lady moment (both hovering around 5 feet) and it is funny to think about how we all imagine each other from across the internet, isn't it? Cecil is a petite whirlwind of energy, ideas and talent (she is also a playwright, vocalist, graphic novelist...)
...and check out Cecil's new Literary Diaspora project too, a little game of art and words being snail-mailed from authors, illustrators and left in the pages of unsuspecting books in book stores around the US/Canada! Maybe you will find one?

Cecil's words from Grandma's:

"She speaks to me in French, because that's what she spoke when she was little, before she grew up and met Grandpa and came to this country.

'She's forgotten it all,' Mum says sadly.

I tell Mum and the nurse that Grandma hasn't forgotten to water the plants in her room. They are big and green, and the violets are blooming..."

♥