It wasn't entirely a surprise. "I had a clue this was coming," she said. Still, she had just heard the news from Watkins and read the e-mail announcing the appointment when a reporter called.
She already has ideas for what to do as laureate, including setting up a Web site similar to that of her predessor in the honorary post, Mary Washington alumna Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda.
Emerson planned to brainstorm more after she had time to digest the news.
"We'll see what happens," she said. "It's not like I have an office in Richmond I have to go to tomorrow."
She's delighted with her new role.
"I'm quite honored and very excited," she said. "I'll try to be a good representative for poetry and Fredericksburg and our wonderful state."
- Laura Moyer, The Free Lance-Star