This is short note from a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), a fine organization I belong to.

“Your web site rocks! I would love to record a book for you if you ever need a female voice or record one with you.”

All my best,

Channe Nolen

My friend, Dr. Don Richards, a dentist who’s now retired, invited me to speak to the Palmdale, CA, Kiwanis Club at the ungodly hour of 7:00 am. I asked, “What shall I talk about? He responded, “Talk about your three careers: big band trombonist for 13 years, school band director for 27, and children’s author for 18.” “How much time do I have?” was my next question. Twenty minutes was his answer.

It took me 16 months to write my FIVE STAR autobiography, “Diary of a Young Musician: Final Days of the Big Band Era,” and that was only the first part of the three topics he wanted me to discuss. I planned on concentrating on my children’s author’s period, but my opening statement would be about my scholarship to Juilliard School of Music at the age of 18, and then spend a few minutes talking about how I broke into the big band scene.

I never got passed the big band stories that I happily found enthralled my mature audience. I went over my allotted time by about 10 minutes and finally stopped. When the group laughed at my stories at the beginning of the talk I decided to stay on the same subject. I was on a role so why change. They invited me to give another talk in May, this time about my children’s writing experience that I know I’ll enjoy.

A few days later Don called and said he had a check for me from the Kiwanis Club. The members decided to donate two books each to seven schools in Palmdale, a wonderful gesture on their part. I met Don the next morning at a Starbucks where I gave him the autographed books. We ended up talking about his electric bass playing, his favorite subject, and also his lessons from a first-class teacher. He and his wife Donna are fine people and truly a joy to be with.

I was invited to read my stories to the first, second, and third grades at St. Mary’s School. It was fun. I left them two of my books as a gift for their library, “Horace the Great, and “Wobbly Bags a Thief.” In the afternoon I read to Mr’s Altobelli’s third grade class at Ocotillo School, also in Palmdale CA . They enjoyed my story, “Wobbly Bags a Thief” so much, they asked me to read “Horace the Great,” a story in rhyme.” While there I gave them an inspirational talk how they could become better students. Mrs. Altobelli said the comments were sensational and thanked me for them and for the readings. It was truly an enjoyable hour. I then read to a kindergarten class before I left. Mrs. May, another kindergarten teacher, bought both my books before I left. I was surprised that evening to read a comment on my web site from an unnamed student in Mrs. Altobelli’s class who had read my story, “The Silent Flute,” that you’ll find below:

“Thank you for coming to see my class. I wish that the little girl never died. She probably looks at you from high above. Thank you for coming to OUR class room in Mrs.Altobelli’s class!”

It was a very successful day.

NOTE: The local Kiwanis Club donated six of my children’s books to Ocotillo School that were going to be read by two woman the same day I was going to be there. As I walked into the lobby of the school to read, a women called out to me ( she was one of the readers). “I’m a former student of yours at Yucca School,” she said. It was Patty Hayman, one of the students in my flutophone class in 1963. Her brother Buddy played in my concert band. The combined 90 flutophone students and band played a concert to an appreciative audience at the final year’s performance. This was my first year of teaching. The superintendent of school’s son was in the band so the father was in attendance. He called me into his office the following day not to compliment me but to reprimand me for playing “Little Brown Jug,” as one of the flutophone pieces. We also had performed “Moon River” at the same concert because that was the hit of the year. He said,” It was inappropriate to have played that drinking song “Little Brown Jug.” His father, a Methodist minister, had said it was an evil song. I answered that I had found it in the school music book that had been approved by the board of education. His face turned red upon giving him that information, realizing he had made a mistake. The board replaced him the following year (for other reasons).