Okay, the craziest thing just happened …

I got off the phone with the State Library of Louisiana. And they informed me that this little book Craziest Fishing Tale on the Bayou has been been selected to represent Louisiana at this year’s 19th National Book Festival Washington Convention Center in D.C., August 31 this year.

“SERIOUSLY?” Was my first response. Who would have thought … me … in The Library of Congress …F-O-R-E-V-E-R!!!

AND this will be my first time ever to see the U.S. Capitol.

I’m still contemplating how this happens: that a reluctant reader me would end up writing a story, I end up sharing that story, someone thinks “hey, let’s publish this story in print,” and then the story winds up being selected to represent literature in your state … and all the way to the National Book Festival.

To all who believed in this little tall tale about a boy’s hopes to enter a fishing contest to win money to help his family stay in their home …

THANK YOU !!! 🎣🐟🐠

Here’s a few of the authors who appeared at the National Book Festival just last year in 2018: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor; Newberry medalists Kate DiCamillo, Katherine Applegate, Matt de la Peña and Erin Entrada Kelly; a kids’ book idol of mine Dan Santat and lots more.

Pretty sweet list of authors and illustrators there.

And where would this tall fishing tale be without the fantastic, humorous illustrations of Sarah Gramelspacher.

I’d like to tell you how Hatcher Hampton, the eleven year-old boy, fares in his trials against pestering insects, a one-armed man, angry seas, boat blunders and an old swamp legend … BUT what would be the fun in that?!

So if you can’t make it out to Washington D.C. for the National Book Festival on Labor Day weekend, you can always but a copy from me here ; }

Is there a huge lesson in all of this book craziness? Maybe that you can take the boy out of the bayou, but you can never take the bayou out of the boy.

Check back after Labor Day to find out what happens next…