I had the occasion to perform for the National Book Festival in Washington on September 8, 2001. This event was sponsored by the White House and Laura Bush.

I attended a gala event that was hosted by first lady Laura Bush and the president and I was pleased to see Mr. Colin Powell. The gala hosted a few hundred people and many writers and storytellers.
As a part of being invited to Washington I was also invited to a breakfast at the White House and there I had the opportunity to talk with Mrs. Bush about storytelling and the importance of the telling of stories to children and adults. I found her interested and supportive.

My most impressing meeting was a casual encounter with the author David McCullough in the library of the White House.
He was gracious and delightful and we had a brief discussion about the importance of storytelling in the world.

Today I received a letter from the White House and Mrs. Bush.