img_1310This past Saturday, the Otsego District Library hosted a Monster Bash in honor of The Monsterbet. We were able to use all of our leftover supplies from our monster party at the Warsaw Community Public Library, which made it an incredibly affordable event. Eighty-nine people were in attendance, and we sold another great stack of books.

Now, I have a small confession. I took about two months off of our book business. A month before baby to get my mind (and house) ready. And a month after to get ourselves into a good groove here. You already know this, because my Facebook page and Instagram feed were pretty quiet during that time. That being said, I haven’t read The Monsterbet in quite a while, and I haven’t read it to a large group of kids since our Warsaw party back in June. I had a BLAST reading it to these kids (and parents, you know you loved it, too) and watching them interact with my book baby and giggle about naked monsters and gag at Booger Burgers. I forgot in my brief hiatus just how much I love this book. Oh happiness.

Funny author branding note: Maybe you’re here because you’ve read my books for kids and want to know more or you signed up to receive these emails at an event I did. That Sarah Steele is all about kids and silliness and teaching and rhymes and giggling and having fun. But then there’s this other Sarah Steele who keeps showing up on this blog. The one who writes to the heart, who struggles with motherhood, who still thinks in rhyme but the kind that heals not the kind that cracks jokes. Well, for this Monster Bash, I was planning my outfit, wanting to be super cute, right? Got my floral shirt, maroon cami, new skinny jeans, gorgeous mint green flats that pair perfectly with the mint green leaves scattered about my shirt. And I’m standing there in my well-planned outfit reading the goofiest of books (the one that required the middle-school boy portion of my brain) realizing that I dressed as the latter Sarah Steele, not the former, the serious Sarah, not the goofy one. And maybe, ultimately, both Sarah Steeles are part of the same person, but I certainly did get the sense that I should have some bug eyes on or a tall hat or big, crazy shoes. Looks like Silly Sarah Steele needs to do a little wardrobe shopping.

Quick, somebody tell my husband!

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I love working with librarians; they’re beautifully committed to their communities!

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The Make-a-Monster felt wall was once again a smash hit!

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I love greeting kids and signing books just to them.

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Donut holes + frosting dots + edible eyeballs = the best monster snack ever!