Archive for Current Events

“Predatory Delay” & a Happy New Year to You!

One phrase I learned this year is “predatory delay,” which is the deliberate slowing of change to prolong a profitable status quo whose costs will be paid by others.

Hat tip, futurist Alex Steffan.

Think: the tobacco industry. They knew but . . . there was money to be made.

Also think: The oil companies and climate change. They’ve known since the 1960s, arguably, and the 1980s, absolutely. But the world runs on gas and there are billions of dollars to be made only if that gas gets burned.

They are not motivated to transition to alternative sources of energy. They are, in fact, adversely motivated.

Here’s John Vaillant:

“The willful and ongoing failure to act on climate science is unforgivable; recrimination is justified, but none will be sufficient. In this case, at the planetary level, there is no justice; the punishment will be shared by all, but most severely by the young, the innocent, and the as-yet unborn.”

In short, earn big money now, kick the can down the road, and force the next generation — our children — to pay the price.

Those poor innocent kids.

Vaillant calls the political inactivity on climate change — i.e., predatory delay — “the greatest inter-generational injustice ever inflicted by one generation upon the next.”

Happy New Year.

Here’s to being better in 2025.

This Saturday, November 2nd: The Rochester Children’s Book Festival!

The obvious upside that comes with signing at book festivals is that we get to meet young readers. And that’s a beautiful thing. But more and more, I’m looking behind these kids and seeing a smiling grandparent, a mother with three other children in tow, a dad who looks more excited to be there than anybody in the room. The families that support literacy and believe in books and want that for their children. So they carve out the time, gas up the car, drive out to the festival, open their wallets, and act like the whole thing is xmas morning. I believe this is the festival’s 29th year and it couldn’t happen without a strong, generous community. Year after year, these inspiring families come out to the Rochester Children’s Book Festival. I’m so lucky to have a seat at the table. It does the heart good.
Please say hello if you can make it.

This Saturday the 19th: The Morristown Festival of Books!

Another weekend, another children’s book festival. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hello!

The details:

The Morristown Festival of Books’ KidFest authors will return from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, rain or shine, to meet visitors while selling and personally signing books, on the lawn of St. Peter’s Church, 70 Maple Avenue, in historic downtown Morristown, NJ.

 

WHERE KIDS & AUTHORS MEET! 

This Sunday the 13th: THE WARWICK CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL

 

This SUNDAY, the 13th, I’ll be at the Warwick Children’s Book Festival along with a great number of talented authors and illustrators. Warwick is such a sweet little town, with great shops and restaurants, especially beautiful this time of year. Worth a road trip. And the festival is great fun, too. If you do come, please stop by and say hello! For full details, stomp on this

I’ll be signing any number of books, old favorites and new, including these titles just published in 2024 . . . 

           

 

COME ON OUT & SUPPORT LITERACY,

SUPPORT THE ARTS,

and SHARE the LOVE of READING

with YOUNG READERS!

Come to the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival: 9/28/24

It’s that time of year again . . . 

 

If you love children’s books, this is the event for you. This Saturday in Chappaqua, NY — more than 150 children’s book authors and illustrators gathered together under several tents, happy to chat, sign books, make connections, and most of all, celebrate literacy.

I’m thrilled to be invited once again. Lucky me. Please say hello if you can make it.

Thanks!