I’m thrilled to share the news that I’ll be heading back to beautiful Chittenango, New York, the birthplace of Oz author L. Frank Baum, for their annual Oz-Stravaganza! festival in 2012! The three-day event (June 1-3), which draws a whopping 15,000 attendees annually, was a true highlight for me in 2011.

I’ve been invited back to join their forthcoming celebration, this time as a “special guest,” in a rather humbling lineup that includes original Munchkin Margaret Pellegrini from the 1939 MGM film of “The Wizard of Oz,” recording artist Grayson Hugh (“Talk It Over”), and Andre De Shields, who starred as the title role in the original 1975 Broadway production of “The Wiz.”

I will be discussing the genesis of my novel “Silver Shoes,” including Oz and Baum inspirations and the creative process for writing the story, plus I’ll be doing a presentation about my wonderful pen pal when I was seven years old and in the second grade—none other than Margaret Hamilton herself, the Wicked Witch of the West!

There is a nice writeup today announcing my participation along with the other special guests on Syracuse.com:

Author Paul Miles Schneider will be attending to talk about his 2009 book “Silver Shoes,” which attempts to unravel the secrets behind the silver shoes in Frank Baum’s original story, changed to ruby red slippers for the movie.

Marc Baum adds that Schneider was also pen pals with Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West in the original MGM film. Schenider will share some of their correspondence at the event.

Read the full article by CLICKING HERE.

UPDATE:  (2/1/2012) It has been announced today that renowned “Wicked” author Gregory Maguire will be joining the line-up as the grand marshall for Oz-Stravaganza! 2012. This even just keeps getting better and better! Can’t wait ’til June!