Author: Peg Kehret

Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite meal of the year, even though I am a vegetarian who has not eaten turkey for over twenty years. I love stuffing. I was at Anne’s house yesterday and she uses soy “sausage” in the stuffing; I eat the extra that’s baked separately, out of the bird. Her alternative to the canned green beans/soup/French fried onion rings dish is steamed whole green beans tossed with slivered almonds and browned butter. Yum. I also love homemade cranberry sauce, Anne’s yeasty potato rolls, and pie. Lots of pie! Everyone contributes to the feast. Kevin’s brother-in-law makes the world’s best pasta salad and his sister inherited her mother’s talent for pie baking. This year I took a fluffy sweet potato casserole (made with applesauce and beaten egg whites) and a pecan pie.

Even more than the food, I love the family traditions that go with Thanksgiving. Anne’s table was covered by a cloth embroidered in Fall colors decades ago by Carl’s mother. The Haviland china belonged to my grandmother. Lovely crystal salt-and-pepper shakers were from Kevin’s mom, as was a favorite pie tin. The cranberries were served in a Steuben glass bowl that had been my mother’s. Delicious food fed our bodies while fellowship and good memories nourished our souls.

After Thanksgiving dinner, some of us played Bananagrams, my new favorite game. I’ve always like word games, but Brett is the champion. My problem with Bananagrams is that I don’t like to hurry, and this is a fast-paced game. In games, as in writing a book, I prefer to ponder over each word, to deliberate and rearrange and consider alternatives. I lose word games that way, but my books are better than if I rushed through the writing.

Stolen Children  is a nominee for the 2010-2011 Golden Sower Award, which is the Children’s Choice book award in Nebraska. The Golden Sower committee sent an author questionaire to each nominee, then included the answers in a manual for teachers and media specialists. The questions were so unusual that I’m posting them, and my answers here.

1. What is under your bed? (Be honest)  My cat, whenever I have company.

2. What is the best place for you to write your books? I have a small office in my home, with a view of the woods. I often see blacktail deer, elk or rabbits outside my window.

3. If you weren’t an author, what would you be? A librarian, or maybe the owner of a small book store. If I had the physical strength, I’d like to work for an animal rescue organization.

4. Where would you like to go on vacation?  I’m lucky in that I have traveled a lot and have been able to go to almost every place I’ve ever wanted to see. I still hope to get to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

5. Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know. When I lived in California, I sang with the Oakland Symphony Chorus. So did my husband.  My favorite movie star is Toto, from “The Wizard of Oz.”

6. What would you do with a million dollars? I would establish a trust fund and use the proceeds to pay for mobile spay/neuter clinics to go into low income areas and do free spay/neuter surgeries on cats and dogs.  I already give a portion of my royalties to support two such clinics. Unfortunately, my royalties have never been a million dollars.

7. Tell us about a time that you got in trouble at school. I never got in trouble at school. I loved school and was a good student. However, I got in trouble at Girl Scouts for talking too much.

8. If you could eat lunch with anyone, who would it be and what would you eat?  Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine. I would thank him for his work. As for the menu, it would be a vegetarian meal and would include chocolate milk shakes.

9. What is the most unusual job you have ever had?  One of my volunteer jobs was “Dirty Dog Driver.” I picked up filthy dogs from the Humane Society and drove them to a groomer who volunteered her services. The dogs were bathed, clipped, brushed and generally made more presentable and, therefore, more adoptable. During the time I was a Dirty Dog Driver, my car always had a rather strange odor.

Thanks to the Golden Sower Award committee for interesting and fun-to-answer questions.

Last Friday my Dutton editor called me to say that when she arrived at work that morning there was a package on her chair, addressed to me. She said it was from a school in Texas, and asked if I knew what it might contain. I had no idea. Then she said, “It’s postmarked last June!” She didn’t know where it had been hiding since it was delivered five long months ago. I suggested that she open it, but she preferred to send it on to me, which she did.

The long delayed box arrived yesterday. When I opened it, I was delighted to find a lovely plaque announcing that Trapped won the 2008 Children’s Crown Award, presented by the National Christian School Association. I’m embarrassed that the sender had to wait so long to receive a thank you from me, but delighted to add this meaningful honor to my credits.

I was spoiled and toasted all last week. My birthday celebration included dinner at the Karp’s (with chocolate birthday cake and the pleasure of holding Simon, their six-week-old grandson,) two lunches with friends, a gift of Small Steps toilet tissue from Jenny & Jerry, many phone calls and e-mails, and a wonderful birthday lunch with Anne, Kevin, and Eric. Thanks to the many readers who sent me greetings.

On Saturday I did a book talk and signing at Garfield Books in Tacoma. This is a wonderful independent book store which serves the community as well as Pacific Lutheran University. Their author events are in a cozy area with a gas fireplace and comfortable chairs – homey and inviting.  Many parents had brought cameras, and an overstuffed love seat was perfect for having my picture taken with individual young fans.

I’ve been reading books about wildlife, particularly black bears and deer, to educate myself about the creatures who share my land. I normally have five or six books checked out of the library at all times. When I read one that I especially like, I buy it so that I can loan it to others, keep it to reread, and support the author who provided me with pleasure and/or information. Last week after reading  The Hidden Life of Deer  by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas I purchased two copies, one for me and one for my neighbor who has named each of the deer who frequent our woods and can tell them apart.

I get the most wonderful gifts in the mail. This week I received a beautiful pewter cup – the 2009 Virginia Reader’s Choice Award. It arrived in my mail box because middle grade children in Virginia voted The Ghost’s Grave  as their favorite book last year.

The pamphlet from Camelot Pewter which accompanied the cup explained that it is called a Jefferson Cup because it is a replica of cups owned by Thomas Jefferson.  In 1806 Jefferson received two large silver beakers from the estate of a friend. Later he had a silversmith convert them into eight smaller cups with rounded bottoms. These cups were used by Jefferson from 1810 until his death in 1826. Four of the original cups are on display at Monticello today.

I’ve always had a special fondness for Jefferson, partly because he is the author of the Declaration of Independence but also because his 6000 books were the original volumes in the Library of Congress. Anyone who owns 6000 books is a person I would enjoy meeting. That can’t happen, but I will cherish my Jefferson Cup. Thank you to the children of Virginia.

Pete has asked me to remind everyone that today is National Cat Day.  According to him, this means that all humans are supposed to provide extra treats and petting to all cats that they know. I’ll add that it’s a good day to donate to your favorite animal shelter or support a spay/neuter program.

I received my copies of Runaway Twin. There is a gate across my driveway and, although there’s no lock, Fed Ex and UPS sometimes drop packages over the gate rather than delivering them to my home. Other times, they come to the door. This time the box of books had been put in a plastic bag and left inside the gate, where it sat overnight. I found it at 7 a.m. Saturday when I walked out to get my morning newspaper. 

A box of books is too heavy for me to carry, so I hurried back to the house for a wheeled dolly to roll my treasure home. Sensing my excitement, Lucy barked, picked up a pine cone in her teeth, and raced ahead of me.

Is there anything more satisfying than opening a box containing copies of my new book? No matter how many books I publish, that moment is always a thrill. Running a close second to this feeling is the fun of distributing my copies to the special people in my life. My kids and grandchildren each get one. The person to whom the book is dedicated gets a copy, as does anyone who helped in some way, such as with research or proof-reading.  One copy of Runaway Twin is for the person who was high bidder at an auction to benefit Pasado’s Safe Haven. I had donated the opportunity to have a favorite pet included as a character in a future book. Snickers, the dog in Runaway Twin, is that character.

 Runaway Twin has a terrific cover that will appeal to middle grade readers. I hope my story will, too.

My closest neighbor, Chris, raises birds. She starts with eggs, then hatches and raises ducks, peacocks, chickens, quail and turkeys. She bought an emu egg on craigslist, hatched it, and now Emma the Emu is a pet. This year, Chris entered a turkey in the Western Washington State Fair, known locally as the Puyallup Fair. It’s a huge fair and one of my favorite events. My friend, Marie Smith (wife of author Roland Smith,) enters her delicious pies every year and has a host of blue ribbons to show for her efforts. If you taste one of Marie’s pies, you’ll agree that the judges know their business.

This was Chris’s first time to enter. She delivered Tom Turkey to the fair and got him settled in a spacious pen with bedding, food and fresh water. Until then, Tom’s only socializing had been with Chris and her other birds. At the fair, his pen was surrounded by admirers who praised his size and beauty. Well, Tom LOVED the compliments! He strutted and gobbled. He let the fair-goers pet him. He puffed up with self-importance and quickly became a favorite of the audiences and judges. He not only won first prize, he was named the Grand Champion Turkey. Because he was so popular, the fair officials asked Chris to enter him again next year.

The fair ended two weeks ago, but Tom is still strutting and carrying on. I can hear him from my back yard: “Gobble, gobble, gobble.” He doesn’t seem to realize that the ducks, peacocks, and Emma are unimpressed.

I understand how Tom feels. When I receive a book award, as I’ve done twice in the last month, I get complimented, photographed, and hugged. My books are praised and my autograph is sought. For a day or two, I’m the star of the show.  Then I come home and resume my real life – scooping the cat box, cleaning my house, slogging my way through the first draft of a new book.

Unlike Tom, I don’t want to spend every day in the spotlight. While award events are exciting and gratifying, I love my quiet life at home.  I am writing this blog on a bench in my back yard, enjoying the sun with Molly and Lucy. The only sounds I hear are bird calls, a squirrel, and, from Chris’s direction, “Gobble, gobble, gobble.”

Yesterday was moving day for Lindon Books. In order to lower their rent, they moved to the space next door. They didn’t need a moving van or packing boxes. What they needed was muscle power and it arrived in the energetic form of the Mother/Daughter Book Club members, along with other avid readers from the community. Armloads of books were scooped from the old shelves and carried next door to the new shelves. One enthusiastic reader, age eleven, shouted, “Books! Books! Wonderful books!” as she marched along. After weeks of a Moving Sale, stock was sparse, but there was still a lot of merchandise, and these volunteers schlepped all of it out one door and in the next.

One of my neighbors works for a company that installs hardwood floors. The short end pieces, which the company discards, make great kindling. The employees are free to take it, so Tim keeps me supplied with kindling for my wood stove every winter. This week he delivered two big boxes full, a welcome gift that will help warm many a cold night ahead.

Yesterday morning I found a bag of plums hanging on my gate. Although there wasn’t any note, I know which neighbors have a plum tree. They often share produce from their garden, too.

The local feed store has birdseed on sale. I go through a lot of birdseed, but it comes in forty or fifty pound bags so I only buy it when I know I can get help to unload it. The store clerks will put it in my trunk, but I’m not able to lift the heavy bags out. Knowing this, Jenny called to say if I want to take advantage of the sale (she feeds the birds, too) she’d be glad to come out to unload the bags for me.

All of this gives me hope for our society. There is so much animosity in the news that I sometimes wonder whatever became of civility, and good manners, and respect. Then I look at my small corner of the world, and I see kids gladly helping their community book store stay in business, and I see generous neighbors and friends watching out for each other, and I trust that somehow, just as in my fiction, the good guys will win.

Writing is the original deferred compensation plan, where you do the work now but get paid in the future. Some times, it’s a long way in the future.

In 1975, the Dramatic Publishing Co. published a one act play of mine called “Cemeteries Are a Grave Matter.” I signed a standard royalty contract where I receive ten percent of the price of the playbooks sold and fifty percent of the production royalties. I knew I would not get rich from a one act play, but I did not anticipate how far into the future I would continue to be paid for my work.

Yesterday I received a check from the Dramatic Publishing Co. for $67.  It’s hardly an earth-shaking sum, but it is amazing to know that the play I’m being paid for was written thirty-five years ago! In all that time, there has never been a year when I didn’t receive royalties for “Cemeteries Are a Grave Matter.” Some years the checks are bigger than others, but I always get something.

Occasionally a young reader will ask, “How much money do you make on each book?”  An honest answer would be, “Ask me again in forty years, and I might know.”