One of the best things about being in this business for ten years is that you meet up with familiar faces now and then. Many have become friends. Coleen Salley, author of the Epossumondas books is one such person. I started my spring tour Sunday by staying with her at her New Orleans French Quarter apartment. In the morning, Coleen served fresh squeezed orange juice in her courtyard before we headed to Cafe du Monde for beignets and cafe au lait.

For years, Coleen has been a cheerleader for children's writers and illustrators. (She's even helped resurrect out-of-print books.) The names of many talented folks grace a door and some wood work in her apartment. My bed faced one side of the door and it was a delight to awake in the morning, reading the autographs of many book creators that I love--Janet Stevens, David Small, Sharon Creech among them. A visit to Coleen's guarantees to become a treasured memory.