I love the  idea that as writers we aren’t just promoting our books or our friends’ books or even the books we love, instead, what we are promoting is literacy–the pleasures and joys of reading. I’ve been absorbing so much information I’m not sure where I first saw this discussed in connection with book promotion, I think it was in Katie Davis’s book, but  if I have the source wrong, forgive me.

Today’s NY Times had an article about a 10 year old Afghan girl who was stolen in “payment” for the wrong one of her male relatives had committed. I’m sure that child can’t read, and though literacy would seem to be the least of her troubles, I think if she could read, if her mind could be open to other possibilities, she would have a different future.

Find out more about the project here.

I’ve signed up to skype with a classroom in the morning. In the afternoon I’ll be joining Project Sunshine to read my book at Harlem Hospital and distribute 25 copies of Silly Frilly Grandma Tillie generously donated by Flashlight Press. More about that later.

I’m busy setting dates to do bookstore appearances and just agreed to do a workshop at Boston Public Library. What I hope to keep guiding me in all these endeavors is the idea that what I’m doing is bringing joy into a child’s life–spreading the light of literacy one ray at a time.

afghan girl, boston public library, harlem hospital, Katie Davis, project sunshine, spreading the light, volunteer, World Read Aloud Day