secret destination

Did you guess?  My secret birthday destination was The Conservatory Garden in Central Park, which is home to the statue commemorating Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden (one of my all-time favorite books).  I’ve had this on my list of things to do for *months* and finally made it up there today after going for [...]

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it’s my birthday!

I think I’m going to make today’s focus: self-care.  Might as well since I’ve got physical therapy this afternoon, and I need to get my eyes checked…and maybe I’ll buy some new lip gloss to apply AFTER I devour some yummy birthday cake.  Wish I could go to the garden, but it’s closed on Mondays…maybe [...]

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Rodrigo y Gabriela

I saw these Mexican artists perform on the Tavis Smiley show last week and they BLEW my mind.  Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with some incredible music…

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living color

The rose garden is ablaze with color; bumble bees drowse by the lavender, apparently unaware that summer’s over.  I saw a red-tailed hawk fly overhead, looking huge but perfectly at ease in the botanic garden.  I look huge in this picture, while my co-writers look chic and petite; I need to acquire more sleek, shimmery [...]

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Brown is the New Green

I guess Latino Heritage Month is coming up; PBS World (one of FIVE PBS channels I watch compulsively) has been running bios of singer Celia Cruz and educator/activist Antonia Pantoja, and this afternoon I watched an amazing documentary: Brown Is the New Green: George Lopez and the American Dream.  Dr. Arlene Davila, author of Latinos, [...]

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Ball Don’t Lie

Miss Attitude over at Reading in Color has a meme called “Male Monday.”  I don’t think I could make this a weekly thing, but I just finished a really good book by and about a young man, Ball Don’t Lie.  One reason I probably couldn’t commit to a weekly review is that I don’t often [...]

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in memoriam

We had some sad news last week: Shadra’s uncle passed away suddenly in Atlanta.  Today is actually Shadra’s birthday, and I’m sure it’s bittersweet.  In tribute, I thought I’d post this illustration from our picture book, Bird.  Shadra used her Uncle Keith as a model for the main character’s beloved Uncle Son.  Whether she intended [...]

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Muñecas

Sorry folks–if you’re wondering what the heck those chapters are from, it’s my story about boys who love to make dolls: “Muñecas.”  You can find earlier chapters here:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2

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laughter–the BEST medicine…

I don’t know why, but I can’t seem to embed this video…but click HERE to see Queen Latifah give a brilliant performance in this commercial for a brand new product: Racial Tension Excedrin!!!

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Paul

I don’t really like this actor, but maybe his younger brother could play Paul in a film adaptation of Wish…

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