I love mice and rats

Another furry friend.

I had two rat pets once, Miranda and Ophelia. 

Ophelia was tamer. She rode on my shoulder when we visited my daughter's kindergarten class.

The teacher, the wonderful Mrs. Chappa, was not a fan.

Later I wrote up the scene in the second Ellie McDoodle book.

Another rattie

My agent posted a photo of her at a nice restaurant near her new house and I decided to draw the scene. Well, I put a rat into the painting instead of my agent.
(I know what some of you are thinking. She did *not* take offense)

Bon appetit, Erin!

Not throwing away my shot!

I am a very dedicated Hamilton fan.
Very dedicated.

Can't wait to see the PBS Hamilton special later this month!

Travel Travails

Three weeks ago my dear friend Kirsten Cappy came to Michigan to interview Badge Velasquez and a few other guys from Bikers For Books, a charity promoting literacy for the youth in my area.

Charlie and I saw her at the Bikers For Books Rally on Sept. 10, and then again the next day at the Kerrytown BookFest in Ann Arbor.

Thank you to Bookbound for selling my books at the Kerrytown BookFest!

Charlie and I had dinner that second day with Kirsten Cappy, Matt Faulkner, Kris Remenar, Nancy Shaw, Pamela Patterson, Denise Fleming and husband David Powers and daughter Indigo Powers,

Also at the BookFest: Kelly DiPucchio, Shanda Trent, Heidi Woodward Sheffield, Nick and Ashley Adkins, Isabel O'Hagin, and wonderful SCBWI-Michigan webmaster and brilliant Austin-to-Ann Arbor transplant Debbie Gonzales,
I'm probably forgetting a few writers and illustrators. If that sounds like a lot of name-dropping, it is because they're smart creatives and I feel lucky to know them all.

At the end of the BookFest we walked Kirsten back to her car. 

She was on time to get to the airport, but she reported that her photographer friend Fred had not telescoped the camera tripod for air travel before he left, and she couldn't get that last leg to fold down on her own. 

She went through TSA with that very suspicious-looking tripod, but first endured extra searches and pat-downs and scrutiny. 

Now late for her flight, she ran through the airport with her unfolded tripod, to the obvious shock and dismay of many of the travelers.

As she related the story to me the next day I couldn't help but laugh... and draw it up for her.