Highlights!

It's always fun to come home and find an unexpected package at the front door, isn't it?  Especially when it's your birthday.  This happened to me the day before yesterday, and when I looked at the return address, it wasn't Amazon.com, which would not have surprised me, but Highlights magazine.  And inside:  a letter from the editors telling me that my latest story for the magazine earned their "Author of the Month" award--and a shiny engraved pewter plate to seal the deal!  The story, called "Lunchtime at the Hot Pot" is in the January 2012 issue of the magazine, and the plate is on my bookshelf.  Thanks, Highlights!