What a way to make an announcement! Thanks to the Sabine Parish Library for inviting me to perform for summer readers at the historic Sabine Theatre (circa 1920s), and for putting my name up in lights!
Summer Reading Program 2022 - Fins and Grins!
It is summer at last and time for Summer Reading Programs at libraries across the nation. Not only are children, teens and adults invited to kick back into summer reading, but they are also invited to enjoy entertaining programs to make each summer exciting and memorable.
This year, Oceans of Possibilities is the national theme, and I will be presenting my Fins and Grins program, featuring songs from my Fins and Grins recording and a reading from a selection of my water-themed books, for children. So swim on over to the library, and dive into fun with me!
Sing along free with Fins and Grins on YouTube to get you into the mood!
Hear me read Why the Oyster Has the Pearl even before I arrive at the library! Listening to the book counts on your Summer Reading Program Reading Log! Whooo hoooo!
Make a splash with me at the following libraries:
Calcasieu Parish Library, June 2 in Sulphur at 10 and Main (Lake Charles) at 2.
Sabine Parish Library, June 3 in Many at 10 and Zwolle at 2.
Iberville Parish Library, June 7 in Plaquemine at 10:30 and Rosedale at 2:30
Iberville Parish Library, June 8 in East Iberville at 10:30 and White Castle at 2:30
East Baton Rouge Parish Library, June 9 in Greenwell Springs at 10 and Eden Park at 2:30
St. James Parish Library, June 10 in Vacherie at 10 and Lutcher at 2:00
Tangipahoa Parish Library, June 14 in Amite at 10:30 and Kentwood at 2:30
Tangipahoa Parish Library, June 15 in Ponchatoula at 10:30 and Loranger at 2:30
Tangipahoa Parish Library, June 16 in Hammond at 10:30 and Independence at 2:30
LaSalle Parish Library, June 17 in Jena at 10 and Olla at 2
East Baton Rouge Parish Library, June 20 in Jones Creek at 10:00 and Fairwood at 2:30
East Baton Rouge Parish Library, June 21 in Carver at 10 and River Center at 2:30
Natchitoches Parish Library, June 22 in Northeast Branch at 2:00
Natchitoches Parish Library, June 23 at Main Branch at 10, 2 and 6
East Baton Rouge Parish Library, June 27 in Central at 10 and Baker at 2:30
East Baton Rouge Parish Library, June 28 in Zachary at 10 and Pride at 2:30
East Baton Rouge Parish Library, June 29 in Delmont at 10 and Scotlandville at 2:30
East Baton Rouge Parish Library, June 30 at Main at 10 and Bluebonnet at 2:30
Catahoula Parish Library, July 6 in Harrisonburg at 10 and Jonesville at 2:00
Nantucket Atheneum, August 5 at 9:45, Nantucket, MA
Jazzing it Up a Bit at Jazz Fest!
We will be jazzing it up a little bit in the Kids Tent at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on Sunday, May 8, 2022 from 3:40-4:25 PM. In additional to fan favorites such as Today Is Monday in Louisiana, Feliciana LaRoux and Wiggle Worms, we are adding two jazz tunes to the set list, a family-friendly Bourbon Street Parade and my own Who Got the Baby in the King Cake?
During the pandemic, Scott and I decided to stretch our musical muscles and learn some traditional jazz standards on the ukulele and chromatic harmonica. What we came up with is a set of original and traditional jazz tunes for grown-ups, just for the fun of it. Little did we know, we could use those new brain wrinkles to jazz up our children’s concert at Jazz Fest this week, and our grown-up concert at the Porretta Soul Festival in Porretta Terme, Italy this July.
So we hope you parade on over to the Kids Tent this Sunday for some Louisiana roots music for families!
Amazon Five Star Review for Singing Waters!
I am really touched by this 5 Star Customer Review for my Singing Waters haiku book by Cabbie on Amazon!
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2022
If you want to read excellent haiku, I suggest "Singing Waters." Ms. Downing has captured the true spirit of haiku, nothing gimmicky and everything of substance and resonance. Where her poems leave off, this reader was able to discover the "aha" moment. She also included two haibun, one of my favorite forms of the haiku genre. Kudos to Ms. Downing. Her poems are lovely and this book is one I am happy to include in my library.
New Paperback edition of Today is Monday in Kentucky!
Make the singing-reading connection with this singable book for little ones who
love Kentucky!
My Today is Monday in Kentucky picture book, illustrated by the amazing Deborah Ousley Kadair Thomas, is now available in a smaller paperback format on Amazon. Today is Monday in Kentucky introduces children to seven days of classic Kentucky fare. For a taste of what is on the menu, there is burgoo on Monday, Derby Pie® on Saturday, and spoon bread on Sunday. This tempting read has a song and book/music video for streaming.
While supplies last, the picture book edition is available in my Store.
The new paperback edition is now available on Amazon.
I hope you enjoy the YouTube book video!
Singing Waters to be released on April 5th!
My first collection of haiku poetry (for grown-ups) titled Singing Waters, A Selection of Haiku, Senryu and Haibun will be officially released on April 5th! Published by buddha baby press, an imprint of bottle rockets press., Singing Waters is a collection of over one hundred of my previously published haiku in one volume. The book is divided into water chapters to evoke a mood even though fews poems are about water.
I will be signing the books at Blue Cypress Books on Saturday, April 16, 2022 from 5:00-6:30 PM, and would love to see you there. Not in town on that date? No problem. You can preorder your copies right here, and the books will be shipped on April 1st.
Haiku is a short, unrhymed, one breath poem of Japanese origin consisting of 17 syllables or fewer, written in three lines or fewer, with two concrete images separated by a pause in juxtaposition relating nature to human nature. Senryu are similar to haiku except that it deals with primarily with human nature and human foibles. Haibun combines short prose with haiku.
I hope you enjoy the singing waters!
Mardi Gras Deux-O!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Here we are at Café du Monde in New Orleans, where the powdered sugar on the beignets is about as close as we’ll get to snow this year. We hope your new year is equally sweet.
