Autumn keeps playing hide and seek here in New York. One day the temperatures hover in the 60s; the next it plunges into the 30s making it hard to believe that next week the holidays kick off with Thanksgiving. I have been traveling a lot and confess that this holiday snuck up on me --- it IS early this year --- but I look forward to pulling together a traditional menu for family and neighbors. I have a favorite list of recipes that I bring out for this meal, but I also try to weave in one new one. If you have a favorite to share, send it my way at Carol@bookreporter.com. At the same time share the name of your favorite author or a genre of books that you enjoy. If I end up making your recipe, I will send a book your way as a thank you.

"Wish you were here." How many postcards have you sent with this line over the years? I know I have sent my fair share. I am in Miami for the Miami Book Fair, which is in its 23rd year; I am attending for the third time. The dates moved up a couple of weeks this year, and thus the Fair is coinciding with my boys' school break for Teacher's Convention and they have joined me for this trip. It's fun sharing the places that I travel to with them. Of course, with them the entire experience takes on a new tone. They have a pretty good grasp of dealing with the hotel personnel, so this morning as I wrote they handled their own needs from housekeeping, room service and the concierge. There was a steady stream of people in and out of the other room as I sat writing, but since calm seemed to be prevailing I just kept writing.