Baton Rouge

Barnes & Noble Easter Event – Saturday, April 16, 2011

by Dianne on April 20, 2011

4-16-11 Dianne performs Madame Poulet and Monsieur Roach as Marita draws the story

Friends:

This past Saturday, Marita Gentry and I had a big event at Barnes & Noble Citiplace in Baton Rouge. It was an Easter event sponsored by Louisiana Public Broadcasting. There was an amazing Cupcake Decoration Station. The cupcakes were decorated to look like Easter baskets. Too cute!

4-16-11 The Easter basket cupcake decoration station

Marita and I had two shows. For our first show, we performed The Cajun Cornbread Boy. She drew as I told the story. Love that creative dynamic between us!

4-16-11 Dianne performs The Cajun Cornbread Boy as Marita draws the story

We signed books after the show and then performed again a little while later. This time, we did Madame Poulet and Monsieur Roach, a favorite amongst our young fans. The kids had such a great time dancing on stage!

4-26-11 Marita draws Monsieur Roach and his partying friends as Dianne sings and dances with her roaches

Marita is an amazing artist. I am always astounded by how fast and accurately she draws! Just look at this… and it looks just like our book!

4-16-11 Marita Gentry with her roach illustrations. What an amazing talent!

My daughter, Kid Chef Eliana, also signed her cookbook, Eliana Cooks! Recipes for Creative Kids. She sold so many books that Barnes & Noble is now down to only three copies! Way to go, Eliana!

4-16-11 Kid Chef Eliana signs books at Barnes & Noble Citiplace for the big LPB Easter Event

A special thank you to LPB and to Abby Hannie at Barnes & Noble for organizing such a fun and busy event! That was A LOT kids and we loved it! Hoppy Easter!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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Book Signing: Barnes & Noble Citiplace in Baton Rouge, LA – Friday, December 10, 2010

by Dianne on December 13, 2010

12-10-10 Dianne de Las Casas signs books at Barnes & Noble Citiplace in Baton Rouge

Friends:

On Friday night, Kid Chef Eliana and I had a book signing at Barnes & Noble Citiplace in Baton Rouge. Kid Chef Eliana was so adorable in her chef uniform and sold quite a few books!

12-10-10 Kid Chef Eliana signs books at Barnes & Noble Citiplace in Baton Rouge

After a vote by the audience, I performed The Gigantic Sweet Potato. It was a ton of fun! :)

12-10-10 Dianne de Las Casas tells The Gigantic Sweet Potato at Barnes & Noble Citiplace in Baton Rouge

The Barnes & Noble staff was dressed for pajama story time and Cajun Cornbread Boy took a picture with this adorable penguin!

12-10-10 A Barnes & Noble staff member in penguin jammies dances with Cajun Cornbread Boy

I had a blast and Abby Hannie, the Community Relations Manager of this Barnes & Noble, is a sweetheart!! I just LOVE doing events at her store!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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GIGANTIC book launch of Gigantic Sweet Potato at Barnes & Noble Citiplace, Baton Rouge, LA – Friday, October 22, 2010

by Dianne on October 25, 2010

10-22-10 The sign outside Barnes & Noble Citiplace in Baton Rouge

Friends:

The day finally arrived! It was our GIGANTIC Baton Rouge book launch of The Gigantic Sweet Potato, my new book illustrated by the incomparable Marita Gentry. Barnes & Noble was ready! There was signage everywhere. The stage area in the children’s section was cleared and my books were set up. Wow!

10-22-10 Look at all of my books lined up behind me! Too cool!

As has become our “signature” method, Marita and I performed the story together. She illustrated while I told the story with rousing audience participation.

10-22-10 Marita Gentry draws Ma Farmer in The Gigantic Sweet Potato

It was amazing to see the story come together and we had sooooo much fun!

10-22-10 Kids from the audience participate in the story and help pull The Gigantic Sweet Potato

What amazes me about Marita is how fast she can draw! And the characters always look consistent! Here’s the really cool part… when the drawings from The Gigantic Sweet Potato are lined up, they form a scene in the book where everyone helps pull up the sweet potato!

10-22-10 When the drawings line up, they form a page in the book of everyone pulling The Gigantic Sweet Potato! Marita is sooo clever!

Afterward, we gave away fun prizes and the kids got to make Sweet Potato Pals!

10-22-10 Lainie creates a perfect Sweet Potato Pal!

Then it was time to sign books, drawings and posters. We had an eager, patient crowd.

10-22-10 Dianne de Las Casas and Marita Gentry sign books, drawings, posters and meet and greet their fans

The really cool part is that the staff of Barnes & Noble dressed up as farmers to promote the event! How awesome is that?!!

10-22-10 Dianne and Marita pose with the staff of Barnes & Noble, all dressed like farmers! Yee haw!

Abby Hannie, the Community Relations Manager, orchestrated this fabulous idea!! Yay, Abby!! I just LOVE Barnes & Noble Citiplace!

10-22-10 Abby Hannie, B&N CRM with her cute daughters! Oops, we lost one under the farmer's hat...

We have the best booksellers and we have the best fans ever!!

10-22-10 Dianne, Marita and Alyson Guidry, a long time fan and friend!

Thank you so much to everyone who came out and supported Marita and me. We had the best time!! I look forward to my next event at Barnes & Noble Citiplace!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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Mama’s Bayou Book Signing at Barnes & Noble Perkins Road in Baton Rouge – Saturday, July 10, 2010

by Dianne on July 14, 2010

7-10-10 Dianne de Las Casas & Holly Stone-Barker perform Mama's Bayou at Barnes & Noble in Baton Rouge on Perkins Road

Friends:

This past Saturday, Holly Stone-Barker and I signed copies of our book, Mama’s Bayou at the new Barnes & Noble store on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I performed the story with the help of the kids. The children placed the magnets on our giant story time magnet board, which replicates a page in our book.

7-10-10 The children place the animals on the Mama's Bayou story time magnet board

Then after the performance, Holly demonstrated her cut paper and collage art, creating a dragonfly. We gave the dragonflies away to the audience, along with a goody bag. Then we headed to the front of the store to sign books. Carron Fillingim, the Community Relations Manger, was so sweet and fun. I look forward to working with her again!

7-10-10 Holly demonstrates a cut paper and collage dragonfly

More book signings are coming up this Fall. The Gigantic Sweet Potato illustrated by Marita Gentry is coming in September!

Keep checking my schedule and join my Facebook Fan Page for updates. http://www.facebook.com/fanofdianne

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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The Louisiana Book Festival; Saturday, October 17, 2009

by Dianne on October 20, 2009

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - "Float like a ghost down low...."

Friends:

What a whirlwind week it has been! I returned from California at 1am on Saturday morning and performed at the Louisiana Book Festival in Baton Rouge at 2pm. First, I performed in the Storytelling Tent, telling The Cajun Cornbread Boy, singing “Shake Dem Bones,” an original song, and telling “The House That Witchy Built,” an original story. I had a great crowd. Both children and grownups alike participated in the show! :)

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Even dads participate!

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Even dads participate!

I got to see old friends and even make new ones!

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Dianne with a fan

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Dianne with a fan

After my show, I signed books in the Barnes & Noble Jr. tent. It was nonstop busy. Several fans and friends bought my books. Yay!

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Dianne signing books in the Barnes & Noble Jr. tent

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Dianne signing books in the Barnes & Noble Jr. tent

My oldest daughter, Soleil, goes to LSU in Baton Rouge so she spent the day with us! Eliana was so excited to see her big sister again…

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Eliana & Soleil

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Eliana & Soleil

One of my dearest fans, Aly Guidry, who is now a beautiful 12 year old young lady, came to see me perform and even had the courage to wear Madame Poulet on her head. You rock, Aly!! I <3 U, girl!

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Aly and Dianne

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Aly and Dianne

After signing in the B&N tent, it was time to sign at the Pelican Publishing Table in another tent. Again, it was busy and VERY windy. The wind knocked down one of the poles that held up the tent. The tent did NOT collapse but it was a scary moment!

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Dianne signing books at the Pelican Publishing table

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Dianne signing books at the Pelican Publishing table

I can’t believe how quickly time passed. After my last signing, it was time to go… but not before taking a picture of Wonder Woman!!

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Eliana is Wonder Woman!

10-17-09 LA Book Festival - Eliana is Wonder Woman!

The book festival was a blast. I look forward to next year!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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