(1st Row): Daniel Sperling; (2nd Row): Reed Haury, Eliot Harrison, Ben Seigel, Grace Garlow, Leah Gilbert-Odem; Teacher: Greg Chagnon (with book); (3rd Row): John Mellen, Aidan Brooks, Will Feldman, Michael Walden, Helen Samuel, Kristiana Perryman, Ellery Koelkler-Wolfe, Courtney Ford

Just before the holiday began, I spoke with a group of students from the Paideia School in Atlanta, GA who had been studying The Good Thief. Their teacher, Greg Chagnon, a talented writer and Sirenland alum, organized a skype talk with the class, where we talked about the different characters, and which actors would be best to play Benjamin and Dolly in the movie (Paideia says Johnny Depp and Vince Vaughn). Later, they emailed me book trailers that they’d made for my novel as part of a class project. Check them out below! Many, many thanks to these talented students, and to Greg for pulling it all together. Now I know who to hire to make the trailer for my next book…

Book Trailer #1: by Ellery Koelker-Wolfe and Grace Garlow

Book Trailer #2: By Kristiana Perryman & Leah Gilbert-Odem

Trailer #3: By Courtney Ford

Trailer #4: By Will Feldman & Eliot Harrison

• Thursday, Oct. 1st in Boston at Newtonville Books with the great, great Richard Russo (If you haven’t picked up his latest, That Old Cape Magic--you should).
• Friday, Oct. 2nd in Philadelphia with One Story associate editor (& Philly native) Marie Bertino, as well as One Story Philly authors Rachel Carpenter, Robin Black & Sam Allingham at Brickbat Books (part of the 215 Festival). Sam’s band, Flora Lee will also play at this and I can’t wait to hear them.
• Saturday, Oct. 3rd in my hometown of Salem, MA at Cornerstone Books. This wonderful store is right around the corner from one of the most historical cemeteries in New England–The Burying Point–where I got a lot of the inspiration for The Good Thief.
• Thursday, Oct. 8th at Powell’s Books in Portland, OR with my friend Willy Vlautin. Willy’s band, Richmond Fontaine will also play at this, and they are very, very good. If you don’t believe me, watch this video of their latest:

A few months ago, I spoke with the Osceola County Library Book Club from Florida. One of the questions they asked me was about the inspiration behind the mousetrap factory that appears in The Good Thief. This picture explains it all. It’s from a children’s book called Pinchpenny Mouse (now sadly out of print), written by Robert Kraus and illustrated by Robert Byrd. It’s the story of a small town in Wales where the mice make mousetraps. My parents read me this book when I was a little girl, and I loved the story, especially the illustrations.

When I was trying to decide what the factory in North Umbrage should make, this picture from Pinchpenny Mouse came to mind. I hadn’t read the book in twenty years, and yet I remembered nearly every detail.

The lovely ladies of the Osceola County Book Club tracked down a copy of Pinchpenny Mouse and sent it to me as a thank you for speaking to their group. When I opened the box, I was so surprised and touched. It’s wonderful to read the book again, and to have a copy of my own. I believe the stories we are exposed to as children are incredibly important. If we are lucky they stay with us, and continue to give and inspire, for many, many years.