Greetings and salutations.

Well, I have some great news to share. After many years, and a thicket full of rejection slips, I’m proud to announce I have a book deal!

Here is the announcement from Publisher’s Weekly:

Carol Hinz at Millbrook Press has bought world rights to It's Not Black and White, by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko. In this collection of poems, a white woman and a black man have a conversation, writing about everyday elements from their childhoods – including family dinners, sports, church, and toys. It's scheduled for fall 2017; Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio represented the co-authors, and Rebecca Sherman of Writers House.

This will be my 1st book. I’m beyond thrilled and super thankful to Carol for the opportunity. I also have zero qualms about stating that you could not ask for a better writing partner than Irene Latham. http://www.irenelatham.com/index.html.

I’m so looking forward to seeing what fantastic illustrations Sean and Selina come up with for this book. Their book THE CASE FOR LOVING is a gem. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22323666-the-case-for-loving http://seanqualls.com/ http://www.selinaalko.com/

I booked a children's poetry gig in March at Windermere Prep in Windermere, FL for their VOICES LIVE! program. I'll perform my one person show POETRY TIME for their students, and then help them, through a series of workshops, perform their own poetry show for parents, students, and faculty. So grateful to Mary Beth Davies for inviting me back, as this was the first paid gig I had as a children's poet back in 2014. http://www.windermereprep.com/

I attended the free event “Life Upon the Wicked Stage:” New Books in the Preforming Arts, which took place at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. Legendary talk show host Dick Cavett hosted the event interviewing Joan Kramer and David Heeley, authors of the book, IN THE COMPANY OF LEGENDS. This fine book has interviews with stars of stage and screen including: Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Johnny Carson, and many more. http://www.nypl.org/blog/2015/07/30/company-legends-discussion

Saw the Off-Broadway play, THE HUMMINGBIRD'S TOUR at the Theatre at St. Clements. This comedy look at the end of life, and afterlife of a series of senior citizens in 1970 made me realize that even if you're knocking on deaths door, there's so much us to be grateful for.

http://www.hummingbirdoffbroadway.com/

Attended the Off-Broadway musical TRIP OF LOVE at Stage 42. Set during the late 1960's and early 1970's, using the musical hits of that era, this story of lost love, missed chances, adventure, and hope had moving set pieces, including a hot air balloon, that kept my mouth agape, and tunes that had me dancing away in my seat. http://tripoflove.com/

As usual I continue doing background/stand-in work for film and television, with a smattering of government work as well.

Read-a-Poem or R.A.P. My rallying cry to bring children’s poetry to every human being in the world continues rolling along. Not every book I mention has to be about children’s poetry but that’s the main thrust. I have read:

POET: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by Don Tate.

JUMP BACK, PAUL: The Life and Poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar by Sally Derby.

I NEVER TOLD: And Other Poems by Myra Cohn Livingston.

I LAY MY STITCHES DOWN: Poems of American Slavery by Cynthia Grady.

SANTA CLAUSES: Poems from the North Pole by Bob Raczka.

THE MOUSE OF AMHERST by Elizabeth Spires.

TADPOLE’S PROMISE by Jeanne Willis.

IT’S A SEASHELL DAY by Dianne Ochiltree.

LINCOLN MEMORIAL: Shrine to An American Hero by Hal Marcovitz

WHAT IS INSIDE THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL by Martha E.H. Rustad.

THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL: Myths, Legends, Facts by Katie Clark

ON WRITING FOR CHILDREN & OTHER PEOPLE by Julius Lester.

DOLPHIN BABY by Nicola Davies.

SEE WHAT A SEAL CAN DO by Christine Butterworth.

SNOW SCHOOL by Sandra Markle.

FLIGHT OF THE HONEY BEE by Raymond Huber.

HOOT, OWL! by Shelby Alinsky.

WOLFIE THE BUNNY by Ame Dyckman.

GASTON by Kelly DiPucchio.

SPIKY, SLIMY, SMOOTH: What is Texture? by Jane Brocket.

WAITING by Kevin Henkes.

SHARING THE BREAD: An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving by Pat Zeitlow Miller.

BIG RED LOLLIPOP by Rukhsana Khan.

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS by Linda Booth Sweeney.

I leave you with a Halloween poem for October, since I didn't blog that month, and another poem about trying to stand up for yourself. By the way, I can't believe December is almost here, with the speed of a cheetah I might add.

HALLOWEEN COSTUME

For her Halloween costume

full moon dresses up as Flashlight

as she trick or treats through

thickets of hackberry branches.

(c) Charles Waters 2015 all rights reserved.

COURAGE

Why is it when I want to call someone out

for spewing rude comments about me,

my lungs collapse, my body vibrates

and my courage sails away faster than

a speed boat who’s late for an appointment?

Why can’t I just plant my feet, stare into the orbs

of the offender, speak my peace, then be done with it?

Whoever created nervousness needs a talking to –

if I only had the backbone to do it.

(c) Charles Waters 2015 all rights reserved.