Virginia Butler is another person who keeps crossing my path. We met nine years ago at the Louisiana SCBWI conference. She invited me to visit her school in Leesville for a week of writing workshops. I told Virginia that I learned more from her that week than what I offered her students. That first workshop day, I told her students that I wanted them to write their first draft by hand. Groans scattered through the classroom.

Later when Virginia and I were alone she graciously mentioned, "These young people are as comfortable with a keyboard as you and I are with pen and paper."

It was an important lesson. And every workshop I give, I remember her comment.

Virginia lives and writes in Hattiesburg now with her husband, Al, who happens to make the best carrot cake in the world. I learned that in Leesville, too. Last night Virginia hosted a dinner, following the Honors Forum at the University of Southern Mississippi. And I celebrated the evening with a slice of Al's secret recipe.