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Earlier this week I posted a notice on my Facebook Fan Page that I would send a signed bookplate to any of my Facebook fans who requested one. I expected to hear mostly from kids, but it turns out I have a lot of adult fans who wanted an autographed bookplate.

One of my favorite requests came from a couple in Colorado who told me that they have always had “storytime” where they take turns reading aloud in bed before they go to sleep. When their kids were growing up, this was a family storytime. Now, when their adult offspring come home to visit, they still want to be included in storytime. Currently this couple is reading The Stranger Next Door, and having a good time doing Pete the Cat’s parts out loud.

A friend’s healthy one-year-old dog died yesterday after eating sugar-free gum that contained xylitol. The vet said this is a common ingredient in sugar-free products (it’s also in some toothpaste) and that it is extremely toxic to dogs. Please be cautious about what you leave where a curious, or greedy, dog can find it.

1. Listening to a violin solo of “O Holy Night,” seeing my friend, Mark, in a tux, and hearing Halie play “In the Deep Midwinter” on her grand piano – all at a party for AMICA, my player-piano group.

2. Camel cookies with Jenny and Jerry. Who could resist a two-hump camel sugar cookie with frosting? Not me!

3.  News that Stolen Children is nominated for the 2011 Mark Twain Award.

4.  A white elephant gift exchange where I ended up with a stuffed penguin that plays the saxophone.

5. Updates from old friends. I use e-mail for most correspondence, but I still love to receive Christmas cards and newsletters.

6.  A quiet evening with both Lucy and Molly on my lap, watching the deer outside.

A fellow writer reminded me today that we need to check Wikipedia now and then, to see if what’s being reported about us is true. I’ve done this occasionally in the past, and usually found errors. Today was no exception. The current bio on me states that my first book, I’m Not Who You Think I Am, was published in 1979.  Wrong.  That’s the right year, but not the correct title. My first book was Vows of Love and Marriage. I’m Not Who You Think I Am was my 32nd book, published in 1999.

For years, Amazon has incorrectly listed a co-author for some of my books. At first I tried to correct these errors but nothing ever happened. Now I ignore the mistakes. Unfortunately, Amazon is frequently used as a source of information about authors, so I often see these mistakes reported elsewhere as facts. Sometimes the “co-author” who’s named was actually the book’s editor. A publisher’s former publicist is listed as co-author of one title; another lists the man who painted the cover art. One book lists as my co-author someone I’ve never heard of.

Not all of my books are included in Amazon’s list of my titles, but they do give me credit for being the author of Humans, a book I did not write and have never read.

I’m not trying to pick on Amazon here. Possibly the wrong information was given to them by the publishers.  I use them as an example only because they are well known, widely used, and most readers assume their information is accurate.

My dad used to tell me, “Just because you read it in the newspaper, doesn’t mean it’s true.” He was right, and same goes for anything you read on line.

I decorated my Christmas tree today, and put out my Santa collection and other special decorations. As she has every year for sixteen years, Molly “helped.” All cats are curious and want to snoop in boxes, but Molly has always been way more interested in the decorating process than any other pet I’ve ever had. The minute a decoration is put on top of my nickelodeon, she is up there to check it out. She sniffs every branch of the tree that she can reach, and then re-sniffs them after the lights and ornaments are put on. She examines the inside of each container that the decorations were stored in. I barely get a box of ornaments unpacked before Molly is inside the box, smelling of the edges.

Molly’s old now, and frail, and has a chronic kidney problem. She sleeps most of the time and has her meals delivered via “kitty room service” because she eats more that way than if she has to get up and seek out her bowl. But today was different. Today was Christmas decoration day, and it certainly gave old Molly a boost of energy. Maybe instead of advising prescription cat food, the vets should suggest that their clients put up a Christmas tree!

I received another request today to donate books to a school library that lacks the money to buy them. This one was in Kansas, but I get several such pleas each month from across the country. While I’m certainly sympathetic, I can not honor these requests. I get my books at a discount, but I still have to buy them. When I add in the cost of mailing envelopes and postage, it is not a prudent way to help. I donate many books to local schools, libraries, Toys for Tots, charity auctions, and Page Ahead, but I can’t supply books to everyone who asks. I don’t even wish I could – I wish our school libraries were funded properly so the librarians and teachers didn’t have to ask.

Western Washington, where I live, is saying goodbye today to the four Lakewood police officers who were murdered. Wherever you live, the next time you see an officer in uniform please thank him or her for serving your community.

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.