Dead Frog leaped off the Porch … and on to the bookshelf!

As I was driving to the launch today the Miley Cyrus song Party in the USA came on. I cranked it up. I’ve heard the song a gizillion times because my niece likes it, but I had never really listened to the lyrics. Stuck in pre-football game traffic on Crowchild Trail, (how dare the Calgary Stampeders and the Saskatchewan Roughriders schedule a game for the day of my book launch!), watching each minute tick by, I had the chance to listen to the lyrics.

So I put my hands up, they’re playin’ my song. The butterflies fly away.

Got my hands up, they’re playin’ my song. And now I’m gonna be okay.

When those lyrics came on I got a little choked up and was overcome by emotion (which is unusual for we strong prairie types). It wasn't because I can relate to a teenage pop star with two personas I can never sort out despite repeated explanation from my niece. But because the book being published and launched was the culmination of a dream, hope, a lot of hard work and persistence (and of course, stalking ;-j). The feeling of accomplishment washed over me. Like it should when any of us accomplish anything significant. I was inspired by Miley and hit with the sense that inspiration and creativity know no boundaries, no age limit, and no restrictions. I think Thursday's blog post highlighting Mariatu Kamara proved that.

Got my hands up, they’re playin’ my song. And now I’m gonna be okay.

The book is my song. I decided to rock that launch and rock it I did.

The launch was an overwhelming success. The bookstore sold out of books and then some!

My good writerly friend Shenaaz Nanji, introduced me. Shenaaz was nominated for the Governor General’s award for Literature (2008) for her young adult novel Child of Dandelions.

Thanks to Sue Hill and the staff at Monkeyshines Children’s Book Store.

Thanks to everyone who attended the launch. I hope you enjoy the book! I hope I didn't traumatize my friend Jane by having her re-live the accidental killing of her frog that is described in graphic (comic) detail in the opening pages experience. The picture up top is two of my cousins and I at the reading.

Dead Frog on the Porch is available in Calgary at Monkeyshines, Pages in Kensington, and Owl's Nest Books. And in Edmonton at Greenwood’s Book Shoppe – Small Worlds.

The book was just launched on Amzaon.com and will be on Amazon.ca shortly.

Sing us out Myley …