A Martini Glass Full of Mashed Potatoes

And other gifts from the universe

This week I drove up to New Rochelle for the New Rochelle Public Library Foundation’s annual gala, where I was awarded a large glass trophy alongside true literary heroes Jacqueline Woodson and Nancy Paulsen. Nancy has been publishing children’s books for decades and Jackie has been writing for decades and the two of them together are an incredible team. I felt truly honored to be with them. It was exceptional company. The awards themselves are large and glass and therefore hard to photograph, but I tried.

I have to say, if I never win a medal for one of my books but I sometimes get large pieces of glass that say I champion books, that seems like a life well spent. I’m also proud to say that several of my jokes went over very well. The gist of my speech was this: fuck book bans, though I said it somewhat more eloquently than that. I sat at a table with extremely fun women who shared all my most important interests (wine, the New Kids on the Block, gossiping about their book club) and then we get to the very best part.

This is a large scoop of mashed potatoes served in a martini glass. There were three kinds of potatoes to choose from and I chose purple. Fried onions model’s own. Absolutely phenomenal party food, big ups to the New Rochelle Public Library party planning committee, I loved it.

This morning, the universe (actually, one of you) gave me an equally good present.

Perhaps it’s hard to understand what these are out of context.

Oh yes. These are three food pins. Thank you to newsletter reader Carolyn, who I assume sent these because I said I liked food jewelry. I really do. In the above photo, I am also wearing butter earrings. I have to say, the internet as a whole is so awful, and I hate it, but then I come here and pour my little heart out, and you are all so, so kind. Thank you, Carolyn, I love them, and if you had enclosed your return address, I would have written a proper thank you note. Please consider this instead, though it’s not the same.

This weekend is Mother’s Day, which I know is fraught for many. I wrote a little piece about book touring with my mom for Oprah, but let’s face it, if you’re here you’ve already read about my book tour. In any case, here that is. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. And if you want to help fight book bans, this is a good place to start.