“Gosh it’s scary in this place.” Lyn picks up each foot and as daintily as possible places one in front of the other as the hostesses of the Author Roast and Toast enjoy a book signing and party at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in New York City.
“What’s scary?” Patsy flexes her huge biceps. “I could take just about anyone. I’ll protect you!”
Mary chuckles and pats Lyn on the back.
“If Sharon were here she’d want them to replicate her. What are you afraid of, getting waxed.” Mary breaks up with laughter. “Get it,
getting waxed. Truly I make some great jokes, If I might say so myself.
“That’s good Mary, because no one else is laughing.” Lyn smiles.
“What’s the matter Lyn? Shoes too tight?” Mary remarks.
“Please you two behave, have you seen the darn guest list? Look at this thing. This is a veritable cast of who’s who for goodness sakes.” Patsy fluffs her cuffs. “I do look good in blue.”
Lyn and Mary scan the list as Patsy begins to check out the wax figures.
Guests of Honor:
Christopher Columbus, Leonardo da Vinci, Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Henry David Thoreau, Harriet Tubman, Clara Barton, Elizabeth Blackwell, Nikola Tesla, Booker T. Washington,
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Mother Teresa |
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Harriet Tubman |
Marie Curie, Mohandas Gandhi,
Orville Wright, Albert Einstein,
Amelia Earhart, Margaret Mead, Marian Anderson, Margaret Bourke-White, Rachel Carson, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson,
Neil Armstrong.
“You’ve got to be kidding, most of those people are all, dead.” Mary shivers.
“How are they gonna get here? As ghosts?”
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Columbus |
Mary looks around, and starts to get creeped out by the wax figures all around. “No dingbat.” Lyn taps her on the head. “Is anyone there? I see lights, but no one is home.” Patsy’s laughter can be heard from up ahead in the dim rooms that housed the figures.
“They are going to each come to life and spend time with us. Three at a time so we each have our own celebrity or noteworthy person to talk to. Haven’t you wanted to ask Columbus if he knew he wasn’t the first to discover the Americas?” Lyn asks Mary.
“Come on, I see Patsy up there and she is yapping with someone. Oh, look! Oliver is at the tables and the food is ready! Did you know that Sandra McLeod Humphrey gave us a list of what they each like? We can mingle with them and have their favorites! Look at this.” Mary takes the list from Lyn and scans it.
Culinary Requests from Guests of Honor-
Christopher Columbus: boiled salt cod drizzled with good oil from Andalucia with sea biscuits (just scrape off any weevils you may find on the biscuits). Insalata Nizzarda (another name for Nicoise salad) made with anchovies on a base of crudite and hard boiled eggs drizzled with olive oil and topped with onions and basil but no tomatoes. Other favorites were ratatouille, sardines, anchovies either fried or cooked "in carpione" -- a marinade of garlic, wine vinegar, and sage.
Leonardo da Vinci: grilled eel with orange slices, Risi e Bisi, Saffron Risotto with Duck and Mushrooms, and Spinach Soup with Hazelnuts.
Harriet Tubman: Southern cornbread, roasted sweet potatoes,
Clara Barton: Bread, cheese, and Rhode Island Greening Apple.
Nikola Tesla: Green veggies and mashed potatoes.
Mohandas Ghandi: aloo dum-- an Indian food with potatoes and curry and peas.
Albert Einstein: spaghetti and fettuccine.
Amelia Earhart: Cheesecake, roast turkey, roast beef, gourmet breads, roast summer sausage, garlic chicken, Irish cream with blueberry ice cream, and caramel and chocolate peanut brittle.
Rosa Parks: lemon pie and applesauce
Since many of our guests of honor are vegetarians, we will be offering a variety of vegetarian entrees.
In Honor of Valentine’s Day, we will also be offering a fountain flowing with chocolate martinis.
“Wow, that’s a lot of cooking. Thank goodness we didn’t have to do it!” Mary walks up to Patsy and Leonardo Da Vinci, Copernicus, Albert Einstein, and Sandra as she tries to stop the three scholars from arguing.
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Copernicus |
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Leonardo da Vinci |
“You guys are really causing a scene here. I don’t care which one of you came up with what theory first. You all have a wonderful legacy which will always be a part of history.” Sandra urges the three to come to an agreement. The three of them nod at her, nod at Mary, nod at Patsy and nod at Lyn. Then continue to argue.
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Albert Einstein |
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Amelia Earhart |
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Orville Wright |
“I can imagine what will happen when Orville Wright, Amelia Earhart and Neil Armstrong get together and discuss who made the biggest impact on flying!” Lyn exclaims. “Well ladies, lets mingle.” They lock arms and together make a secret wish for Sharon. “Just another Author Roast and Toast!
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Neil Armstrong |
Which inspiring person from history would you most like to meet?
Imagine this: For centuries everyone has believed that the sun and
all the planets revolve around the earth. But by studying the old books
and observing the heavens, you have concluded that the earth and all the
other planets revolve around the sun. Your theory is so radical that
you are hesitant to tell others about it. Your name is Nicolaus
Copernicus. Although at first your beliefs are denounced and ridiculed,
your observations are eventually proved correct. In time, you come to be
called the founding father of modern astronomy.
Or imagine this: It's the early 19th century and women have few
legal rights. Married women can't own property, their wages belong to
their husbands, and they don't even have the right of guardianship over
their children. You know the laws are unfair, but as a young woman
yourself, what can you do? Your name is Elizabeth Cady Stanton. You
spend your life fighting for women's rights, and later many give you
credit for being the architect and founder of the Women's Rights
Movement.
Nicolaus Copernicus and Elizabeth Cady Stanton are just two of the
twenty-five extraordinary men and women whom you will have a chance to
meet in this inspiring book that explores and celebrates people who had
the courage to follow their own convictions, even when everyone around
them said they were wrong. They were people of vision who saw life from a
new perspective and were willing to question conventional wisdom. And
their revolutionary breakthroughs changed and shaped the course of
history.
Author Sandra McLeod Humphrey invites you to have the courage to
stand alone too, hold on to your dreams, and follow your heart wherever
it may lead. Like the twenty-five pioneers who lived before you, you too
may someday make a difference!
"You have just read about some extraordinary men and women who made unique contributions which changed and shaped the course of history. They were not afraid to take a risk even when it meant standing alone, and by stepping out and away from the crowd, they changed their world.
You have seen that one one individual can indeed make a difference!
My hope is that their lives will inspire you to believe in yourself and to soar to new heights of your own.
Although all these people stood alone--at least against the beliefs and expectations of their particular society—-I should note that in another sense, no one ever really stands alone. All our lives intertwine to some degree.
Although Copernicus argued against the commonly held Ptolemaic view of the universe, he still relied heavily on Ptolemy’s work. Galileo “stood on the shoulders” of Copernicus, both Copernicus and Galileo influenced Newton, and Newton influenced Einstein. Thoreau influenced Gandhi, and Gandhi’s
influence was felt by Rosa Parks and the entire Civil Rights Movement in this country. And so on and so on.
We all need role models, so let us choose our role models carefully. And hopefully we, in turn, may become role models for those who follow us.
I want to leave you with a few suggestions to consider which may influence how you live your life:
Live your own life as only you can live it.
Do what you love and love what you do.
Discover your passion and have the courage to follow your heart.
Remember, you, too, can make a difference!"
MAY YOU ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR HEART
AND NEVER GIVE UP YOUR DREAM! "
Sandra McLeod Humphrey
Author Bio:
Sandra
McLeod Humphrey is a retired clinical psychologist, a character education
consultant, and an award-winning author of eight middle-grade and young adult
books. She’s also the recipient of the
National Character Education Center’s Award for Exemplary Leadership in Ethics
Education (2000) and the 2005 Helen Keating Ott Award for Outstanding
Contribution to Children's Literature.
You can learn more about her books by
visiting her Web site at
www.kidscandoit.com and her blog at
www.kidscandoit.com/blog/
***GIVEAWAY***
To win a copy of Sandra's book, all you have to do is just leave a comment and your e-mail address.
Contest ends tomorrow and everyone who comments is eligible.