At Chautauqua, the disparity between "them" and "us" was negligible. The faculty and invited authors were approachable and they weren't there to further their own agendas. At meals, they spread out among the conferees. During one dinner, I was happily sandwiched between Sivu from South Africa and Jerry Spinelli. At another dinner, I sat next to Kathi Appelt. On different days, I had breakfast with Chris French Cully, Carolyn Yoder, and Andy Boyles. At a barbeque I sat next to Julie Ham, an editor at Charlesbridge. It was not so much what will happen from this workshop, but creating the possibility that it can happen by making connections. My roommate, Janet Lloyd Weber, and I were amazed at how gracious Kent Brown's family was to open their homes to us for barbeques on two separate evenings.
The bottom photograph was taken at my dinner table one evening. The middle shot is my totebag from the conference signed by faculty and authors. I had my mentor, Andy Boyles, sign front and center. In the upper left hand corner you'll find the cryptic signature of Tommy James (and the Shondells). The top photograph is of the last morning where I laughed throughout breakfast. So many happy memories of Chautauqua......
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