IT’S BACK TO SCHOOL FOR AVON EDITORIAL DIRECTOR CARRIE FERON!
There's a definite turning point in the year, and for me it's the day the kids return to school. If you are a New Yorker like me, today may be that fateful day. I'm sending my 10-year-old off to Fifth Grade, and watching her wearing her glossy black loafers, brand new white knee socks, crisp uniform and ink free backpack that weighs more than she does makes me long for the slow days of July and August! Am I ready to oversee homework that includes protractors, compasses and graph paper?
This summer has been a great one -- especially for our authors. As you all have heard from the Squawkers about the RWA conference in Atlanta in July, I won't drone on about it, but it was fantastic. Those of you who subscribe to 
the Avon Newsletter are about to get a treat -- candid photos of the conference taken by yours truly. Okay, so I'm not the best photographer, but who wouldn't want to see Teresa Medeiros looking glamorous, Jacquie D'Alessandro in her Princess Dress, and several other signings including one at the famous Margaret Mitchell House? I did delete the one of Eloisa and me at the bar, I mean library. The only item I bought in Atlanta (no, not Ocelot spotted shoes) was a small mug from the Margaret Mitchell House which had a picture of the great authoress herself with the quote "I find in a moment of weakness I have written a book."
So...is it a weak moment for any of you? Would you like to try your hand at creating a scene? The time: Springtime, London, 1815. The setting: The Duchess of Alderman's annual ball. To be uninvited means you should go off to the country and rusticate forever...
Where can you add to this scene? Over at
It's going to be fabulous -- I can't wait to see where the story goes this fall! Maybe there is a reason to look forward to the cooler weather!
If you have any questions about the editorial life in general or the Avon FanLit contest, just wave your hand in the air and teacher (a.k.a. Carrie) will call on you!