APRIL HENRY, WRITER
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    • In the name of research
    • Why I write scary things
    • Roald Dahl Made Me a Writer
    • Fun Facts about April
    • My Parents >
      • My Dad, Hank Henry >
        • Witnessing Nat King Cole's Greatest Hit
      • My Mom, Nora Henry >
        • My Mom and the Round Rock
    • My great-grandfather, the killer
    • I come from a long line of criminals
    • Questions teachers often assign
    • 10 Reasons I Love Martial Arts
    • Learning to Fight Back
    • Dear Teen Me
    • Goodbye, 2021
    • How my Apple watch saved my life
    • Masks for Covid-19
  • Books
    • For Teens (and Adults) >
      • In the Blood
      • When We Go Missing (May 2025)
      • Stay Dead
      • Girl Forgotten
      • Two Truths and a Lie
      • Eyes of the Forest
      • Playing with Fire
      • The Girl in the White Van
      • Run, Hide, Fight Back
      • The Lonely Dead
      • Count All Her Bones
      • The Girl I Used to Be
      • Blood Will Tell (2nd in the Point Last Seen series)
      • The Body in the Woods (1st in the Point Last Seen series)
      • The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
      • The Night She Disappeared
      • Girl, Stolen
      • Torched
      • Shock Point
    • For Adults (and Teens) >
      • Lethal Beauty (3rd in the Mia Quinn series)
      • A Deadly Business (2nd in the Mia Quinn mystery series)
      • Matter of Trust (1st in Mia Quinn series)
      • Face of Betrayal (1st in the Triple Threat series)
      • Hand of Fate (2nd in the Triple Threat series)
      • Heart of Ice (3rd in the Triple Threat series)
      • Eyes of Justice (4th in the Triple Threat series)
      • Learning to Fly
      • Circles of Confusion (1st in Claire Montrose series)
      • Square in the Face (2nd in the Claire Montrose series)
      • Heart-Shaped Box (3rd in the Claire Montrose series)
      • Buried Diamonds (4th in the Claire Montrose series)
    • Foreign Covers
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • About My School Visits
    • A Sneak Peek at a School Visit
  • Fun
    • FAQ
    • Does Your Character Need a Job?
    • Girl, Stolen Alternative Covers
    • I Get Letters
    • Blob on the Side of the Filing Cabinet
    • Books I Like
    • JB's Cinnamon Rolls
    • Vanity Plates
    • Diary of My First Book Tour (From 2000)
    • 1999 Interview with James Lee Burke
    • 1997 Interview with Carol Shields
    • Oregon, the Writer's Toronto
    • Stealing From Myself to Create A Character
    • Panties in a Twist
    • Heteronyms
  • Write
    • How to get an agent
    • Videos with writing tips
    • Writers writing during Covid-19
    • Tips for writers
    • Story starters
    • Write what you know?
    • What if you get stuck?
    • More tips about writing
    • Need to create a fake social media profile?
    • How to start a new book
    • My daughter is 14 - how can she be published?
    • I'm a teen writer-can you give me feedback?
    • Publications for teen writers
    • Student Writing
    • How to get it right
    • Questions about writing from two teens
    • Should I pay to be published?
  • Blog
  • Contact

Vanity Plate Gallery

Welcome to the Vanity Plate Gallery. I wrote four books in the Claire Montrose series, which featured a vanity plate verifier (there really are such people!). Know of a good vanity plate? Click here to submit it, and we'll add it to the gallery.

Here are vanity plates submitted by readers:

NTN HONY   
Bob in Pennsylvania says, "From the days of Nutn Hony cereal  on various cars. When one car got stolen, the plate got confiscated, so I ended up with a standard plate.  He adds, "I also have Corvette vanity plates from 38 different states."

Chuck Williams shares this matched pair:

U DORK 
Douglas Smith in Hillsboro Oregon shares this one

MIYY4U 
AN Oregon contribution from Taylors Towing
(am I too wise for you)

WARP 5 
Tommy J Edwards' plate on his black 2006 Chevy Avalanche in Memphis TN

PREP H 
Bill Parker saw this one on a Porsche leaving a hospital parking lot in Orlando. Writes Bill, "..figured it was a proctologist, my wife said maybe he was just a butt!"

COOLHUH 
Kevin Knoke sports this plate on his 1998 Corvette Convertible in Arkansas

26Y4U 
Dee Dennis reports they were driving along behind this one in Idaho recently

MZ MARPL 
Submitted by Ruth. This is her own vanity plate.

NT CRBY 
Submitted by Leslie. It appears on a Virginia Chesapeake Bay plate featuring sea grasses and a blue crab.

BKWRM 
Also submitted by Leslie. She wonders if there are any Dorothy L members in Alabama(?) where they're issuing a bookworm plate to raise money for education.

UPPA US 
Submitted by Pattie. As seen on a car screaming past her!

ACAR 
Submitted by Sandie. This is her own vanity plate on her 1997 Corvette. The original owner of the car, Jim Schefter, wrote the book ALL CORVETTES ARE RED and initially got the plate in Utah. Sandie was able to get the same plate in her state when she bought the car.

OPN 4SN 
Submitted by Jodi as seen on a convertible.

ICU I2I 
Also submitted by Jodi. This plate belongs to an optometrist.

IXIIIX 
Jodi saw this plate on a Mazda and provided this hint: they make the 323 and 626.

XQISIT 
Mary saw this plate after seeing April at a reading in Arizona.

MYN HARE 
Ruth (1QTP2T) caught this plate on a VW Rabbit in California.

Ruth has quite an eye for vanity plates. The following are Pennsylvania plates she has seen. 
HVE F8TH
IPRA4U
INO HYM
RFNR FYR
HLON WLS
SAIL AWA
SRFNSUN
ACELLR8
H82BEL8
CME-DOC
MPRCTCL
JOI DVIE
BLW BYU
LNCH MOB
IRIGHTI
MRALD
CURTN UP
UNBELDI
GETA LFE
HEYY NOW
WA2COOL
NO PBLM
EEYORE
WNA PLA
MOBEE DK
STELLLA
YEEEHAH
FEAR TAZ
WANNA PLA
EE ORE


ISAYES 
William sent this one as seen on a Nebraska University coed's vanity plate. "Probably a very popular young woman," William muses.

OLD DUCK 
Another Nebraska plate submitted by William. If this were an Oregon plate, we might believe it was a University of Oregon alumni.

BEME UP 
Star Trek fan Elizabeth saw this plate and wished she had thought of it first.

2BOR&2B 
Mem offers this plate: To Be or Not To Be

IMATCHR 
Elizabeth noticed this scholarly vanity plate.

Karen sent us these four vanity plates...
MANAKN
NVRANF
OPNHSE
FWEEBE


Tamara and her family have owned a number of plates...
T N LACE 
This is her current plate. Very appropriate for a tea loving lacemaker/designer. Surprisingly, someone in her state had already registered her first choice: T&LACE.

NU2THIS 
Tamara remarks, "It worked a treat—people gave me a wide berth, especially when I tried to parallel-park..."

MBVLENT 
Ambivalent. "I learned to drive like I learned to use E-mail—kicking and screaming all the way," Tamara quips.

0 2L84T 
"When I thought it up, I meant the 0 to be interpreted as "naught" (not)," Tamara explains, "so the plate was to read 'not too late for T', meaning that I learned to drive late, but still managed. However, most people read it as 'oh, not too late for tea' which was OK, but not satisfactory."

IMAQT 
"I'm a cutie" This is a plate Tamara happened to see.

UCYIMPO 
Tamara saw this one on a Caddy. Translation: "you see why I'm poor"

MD MD 
Lynne offers this clever plate representing "paradox" via "pair of docs".

AIC YPS 
Lynne's friend, Janet, is an Attorney at Law and has this vanity plate. To translate, read it backwards.

AZ IF 
Lynne noted this plate on a shiny blue sports car in Oregon. "Of course the Oregon tree was right in the middle of the words, so it was AZ (tree) IF," Lynne quipped.

BWARM2 
Lynne's husband, Bob, noticed this plate on a Buick sedan.

77AG47 
Bob had this plate in California for a 1977 car, silver (ag47) in color.

LRT 
Another Lynne find in Oregon. "Maybe it means 'be alert, the world needs more lerts'," Lynne jokes.

FISHED 
This plate was spotted on a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo with an Oregon salmon license plate. "FISHED" displays right over the salmon.

NOT A MG 
Lynne's 1959 memory:
Today Bob and I pulled into the parking lot at our gym near a little bright red car. "Oh, look," said Bob, "That's an MG."
"No," said Lynne (also known to family and friends as "Clueless about Cars"), "That's a Morgan."
We got out of our car and went over to the little red convertible. At that moment another couple walked over, saying "Look at the MG."
Said I, "I think it's a Morgan."
When we got to the car, we found small plaques installed on it (both front and back) stating "75th Anniversary of the Morgan" or something similar.
And to cinch the matter, the license plates clearly proclaimed "NOT A MG".

MY GEE 
Seen in the parking lot of Costco on a small, dark green convertible MG.

WNT MOR 
This plate adorns a shiny new red GMC RV somewhere in suburbia.

SLYPIG 
Mike offers this plate from his friend in Oregon.

ID10T 
A "computer error" reported by Scott. This one is best heard first, then written down to reveal the nature of the computer error. This is an "ID10T" error.

O-QUAP 
Jo Ann saw this plate in Sausalito CA about 20 years ago and notes, "I don't know if you could get by with that today."

Judy sent April these plates...
YB ERLY 
The owner of this plate is running late in Missouri.

BTLSFAN 
A Fab Four fan in Idaho sports this plate.

SHADOS 
An intriguing Oregon plate.

FANTOM 
A Washington plate of mystery.

GLFNUT 
The Oregon driver with this plate would rather be on the green than on the road.

UNLMTD 
Endless possibilities for this driver.

OXY MRN 
Drivers education?

AG HG 
While living in California, Mardi frequently saw a silver Mercury with this plate. Given there was always a male and female in the car, she logically concluded these were the initials of the owners. Mardi continues, "Then one day I was giving a ride to a co-worker who was an engineer. He idly asked me if I had figured out that license plate message. It was then I learned the cleverness of it and have not forgotten it. (Reading your current paperback Heart-Shaped Box reminded me of it as you used AG in a plate.)"

LUV2CDL 
Mardi saw this license plate which she took to mean "love to cuddle." Says Mardi, "...it being on a small camper really tickled me."

PURRR 
Brenda submitted this vanity license plate as seen on a Jaguar.

Shon (The Mad Hatter) spotted these plates...
MYMYMY
MRY WDO
BLOOEY
4C GEESE


"Now, picture this: You pull into the parking lot at MailBoxes, Etc. In front of you is a VERY GREEN, brand new VW Bug. Picture the back of a new VW: see the shape, and think of an animal. Now, think of the view through the rear window, of the head rests--with a big oval hole in the middle of each one. Do they make you think of eyes? Picture the rear bumper: doesn't it resemble a really wide mouth? Now back up enough so you can see the license plate--Ta Da!"
RRIBBIT

NO HEIRS 
Shon noted this wistful plate on a zippy little silver Mercedes sports car.

UBIQTUS
THE HECK
WHATA ZU
SCHUEY
YNO
WRITE BK
IM1DRFL
HALCAT


U2 FNATIC 
Guess we know what's in this driver's tape deck.

RLST8GAL
HM4SALE
 
Seen on Realtors' tour day.

DOGOES2 
K9 AGENT
 
On an SUV with animal cages in the back.

SUNBUM 5 
As seen on a convertible, of course.

GINYBUG 
On a VW Bug (current model)

TICKL8S 
On another current model VW Bug

AYE DOK 
Presumably an ophthalmologist

RAZBER1 
Seen on a really raspberry-colored car

STL CRZE 
Decorating a Mazda Miata

DUX VOVO 
On a Volvo, of course.

MRS MVP 
Shon saw this plate on a red Dodge 4x4.

KZILVUR 
"Cause I love her?"

3 CHIENS 
As seen on an SUV with a dog screen in the back.

And from Northeastern Oregon...

STMPDN 
This plate belongs to the Inn Keepers of the Stampede Inn in Elgin, Oregon.

PTCRUISERGUY.COM, whose own personalized plate is GUY.COM, submitted these Floridian plates...

12THDR 
1 Tooth Doctor (a.k.a. dentist)

SPLIT 
Gynecologist's Mercedes Plate

DEENSEA
OB/GYN's Plate (DNC)

Every plate tells a story and so do these plates submitted by Sharon...

FRDLVR 
This plate, "Ford Lover", adorns a Ford pickup owned by Sharon's friend. Explains Sharon, "The interesting part is her boyfriend's last name is Ford, so she apparently loves two Fords."

LK2SKY 
Sharon's husband owns this plate symbolizing "Lake to Sky", the name of their 50 acre land on Flathead Lake in Montana

UU EEEE 
Mike contributed this easygoing plate which translates to "to use for ease"

AR UCNOK 
Scott saw this plate just fine.

CN DBBLE 
No, you're not seeing double. Scott submitted this plate, also.

Greg noted these plates on his travels...

IAMB4U 
Here's a plate you can get behind.

EZ2PLZ 
Can't go wrong with this one.

NOXQCS 
There's no excuse for this plate.

IC U 2 
Don't look now, but Greg spotted this one, also.

IMOKRU 
You're OK, I'm OK.

INOU 
Have we met?

WAZIT2U 
Now here's a plate with attitude.

IXLR8 
Don't slow down to read this plate.

4U2NV 
A real vanity plate.

PERQL8 
Keep on perking?

URAQT 
Hey buddy, keep your eyes on the road.

6UL DV8 
Here's a driver to avoid.

Here are some classic plates on some classic cars at the 20th annual Klamath Kruise in Klamath Falls, Oregon...

XCITMT 
on a Corvette

FORDY-7 
on a 1947 Ford

BCHN32 
on a 1932 Chevy

NEAT56 
on a 1956 Thunderbird

6T7VET 
on a 1967 Corvette

57T 
on a 1957 Thunderbird

RED68 
on a Chevy Camaro

TRK TOY 
on a 1964 Chevy Impala

AMC JAV 
on a 1971 Javelin

LUVR55 
on a 1955 Chevy

1BAD67 
on a 1967 Camaro

CRZN32 
on a 1932 Ford

6D6NOVA 
on a 1966 Chevy Nova

GIDIUP 
on a Ford Mustang

SIZLN55 
on a 1955 Chevy pickup

SEEUSA 
on a 1957 Chevy

MY70SS 
on a 1970 Chevy Super Sport

BYE BYE 
on a Corvette

Only in Beverly Hills...
MSWASMR 
Karyl spotted this gem in Beverly Hills CA. Says Karyl, "Driving the SUV was an incredibly, astoundingly lovely woman!"

Judy spotted these plates in Washington and Oregon...
BE LUKY 
As luck would have it, Judy spotted this plate in Oregon.

WY WURY 
This carefree plate adorned a black Honda Accord.

LVA LTL 
This plate was seen on a fast traveling red Volvo.

GO4RET 
Motivation on wheels. In this case, very nice wheels—a red Ford Mustang convertible.

Kevin sent April these clever plates...
H20 MLN 
Kevin spotted this plate on, what else, a green VW bug. (Watermelon)

I1DER Y 
I wonder why someone wanted this plate.

JEENYUS 
Jan sent this brilliant plate. Says Jan, "My friend used to have this one, but it kept getting stolen, so she gave up on it."

BKEYPR 
Here's one to keep traffic buzzing.

W8TR 
A plate that doesn't have to be served.

CUZI12 
Jan explains, "A young, blond girl, 20-ish, in a BMW, on the phone (of course)."

MOFAUX 
Lori sent us this plate that somehow got past the Vanity Plate Decency League.

2PCME 
Karyl offers this urologist's license to pee in North Carolina.

XQUIZT 
Ravin spotted a white Corvette sporting this exquisite plate.

LVS4FR 
Barbara paid tribute to a music icon with this vanity plate which could also mean "love's forever".

PP DR 
Michael shows us once again that Urologists are not humorless.

MER M8 
Should this one be driving?

12MANE 
If you can't figure out this vanity plate, you may have had one too many.

IM4GZS 
I'm for Jesus

IBELVNU 
I believe in you.

ICURBZ 
I see you are busy.

IMAQT 
I am a cutie!

BTUCNT 
Donetta spied this plate while driving through Albany, Oregon. Translation: Bet you can't.

DMV SUX 
Jennifer spotted this one which makes one wonder how it slipped past the DMV censors!

HITN RN 
As the saying goes, if you can't serve as a good example, serve as a bad warning.

EC2 LUV 
Can't help but like this driver.

HI M8NS 
Mary submitted this tricky plate seen on a white Honda Accord in Phoenix Arizona. Translation: High Maintenance.

HA Y N 
Kevin saw this plate on a brightly-colored VW bus. Says Kevin, "It took me a minute to figure this one to be 'Hawaiian'."

MILL1ON 
Another Kevin find, "One that was obvious, but subtle in its creativity. One in a million."

SWE PEA 
"And it seems like every new Beetle has to have a personalized plate," Kevin quips. This one is on a green Bug.

CHEETO 
This one is on an orange Bug.

BMBLBG 
This one is on a yellow Bug.

LDY BUG 
This one is on a red Bug.

Liz spied these plates on the streets of New York...

4EVRGRAY 
Seen on a gray sedan, driven by a gray-haired man.

ILB BAK 
Seen on a black sports car with tinted windows.

Rot may not have his own vanity plates, but he's friend or family to many who do...

CME4DK 
"my dentist has this one"

LV2 SKI 
"my dad has this, we're a family of snow skiers"

BVR BTL 
"on my mom's orange VW Beetle—my parents are Oregon State Univ. (Beavers) fans"

NA LOS 
"on my sister's VW Passat (German for "let's go" or something to that effect)"

FAU WEH 
"saw on red VW beetle it is the German spelling for the German pronunciation of 'VW'."

Mike tells it like it is...TOPLES-T
Mike in Florida keeps a sense of humor on his Convertible Thunderbird.

Beth takes her work on the road...
OPC3 
" OPC3 is a super antioxidant that I take and sell."

HUT234 
"I was in the military, but I am now retired......25 years Active Duty."

John sent us this one...
Doody 
As seen on an AUDI

April recently spotted these plates...
SEWNLUV 
EXCV8R


Jo G and her husband saw these two plates:
SAVYGRL
4ZENUF
 
"Being the parent of four children there were days when I really identified with the second one!"

David has had all of these plates on his black Convertible:
AYR HEDS
I LUV LIZ
IT OPENS
OH QUAP


R K noted this enviable plate:
4U2NV 
"..on a white Jaguar XJS with a blonde babe driving it.

Irene saw this vanity plate in Ontario, Canada:
NTFADA

"My husband thought about applying for "4Q", but decided against it. He saw LQQKIE: "Lookie " with the Q's for eyeballs - kinda cute."

"WNPLSHO (WinPlaceShow) and QNSPL8 (Queen's Plate -the Cdn version of the Kentucky Derby) are two I saw in the parking lot at the Woodbine Race track (also in Ontario)"


Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Needs no explanation
Picture
For those old enough to remember the song
Picture
The license plate on Kristy's 1966 Corvette.
Picture
License plate on Nancy & Tom Montgomery’s 1966 Corvette which thy have owned since 1976!
  • Home
  • Past News
  • Bio
    • In the name of research
    • Why I write scary things
    • Roald Dahl Made Me a Writer
    • Fun Facts about April
    • My Parents >
      • My Dad, Hank Henry >
        • Witnessing Nat King Cole's Greatest Hit
      • My Mom, Nora Henry >
        • My Mom and the Round Rock
    • My great-grandfather, the killer
    • I come from a long line of criminals
    • Questions teachers often assign
    • 10 Reasons I Love Martial Arts
    • Learning to Fight Back
    • Dear Teen Me
    • Goodbye, 2021
    • How my Apple watch saved my life
    • Masks for Covid-19
  • Books
    • For Teens (and Adults) >
      • In the Blood
      • When We Go Missing (May 2025)
      • Stay Dead
      • Girl Forgotten
      • Two Truths and a Lie
      • Eyes of the Forest
      • Playing with Fire
      • The Girl in the White Van
      • Run, Hide, Fight Back
      • The Lonely Dead
      • Count All Her Bones
      • The Girl I Used to Be
      • Blood Will Tell (2nd in the Point Last Seen series)
      • The Body in the Woods (1st in the Point Last Seen series)
      • The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
      • The Night She Disappeared
      • Girl, Stolen
      • Torched
      • Shock Point
    • For Adults (and Teens) >
      • Lethal Beauty (3rd in the Mia Quinn series)
      • A Deadly Business (2nd in the Mia Quinn mystery series)
      • Matter of Trust (1st in Mia Quinn series)
      • Face of Betrayal (1st in the Triple Threat series)
      • Hand of Fate (2nd in the Triple Threat series)
      • Heart of Ice (3rd in the Triple Threat series)
      • Eyes of Justice (4th in the Triple Threat series)
      • Learning to Fly
      • Circles of Confusion (1st in Claire Montrose series)
      • Square in the Face (2nd in the Claire Montrose series)
      • Heart-Shaped Box (3rd in the Claire Montrose series)
      • Buried Diamonds (4th in the Claire Montrose series)
    • Foreign Covers
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • About My School Visits
    • A Sneak Peek at a School Visit
  • Fun
    • FAQ
    • Does Your Character Need a Job?
    • Girl, Stolen Alternative Covers
    • I Get Letters
    • Blob on the Side of the Filing Cabinet
    • Books I Like
    • JB's Cinnamon Rolls
    • Vanity Plates
    • Diary of My First Book Tour (From 2000)
    • 1999 Interview with James Lee Burke
    • 1997 Interview with Carol Shields
    • Oregon, the Writer's Toronto
    • Stealing From Myself to Create A Character
    • Panties in a Twist
    • Heteronyms
  • Write
    • How to get an agent
    • Videos with writing tips
    • Writers writing during Covid-19
    • Tips for writers
    • Story starters
    • Write what you know?
    • What if you get stuck?
    • More tips about writing
    • Need to create a fake social media profile?
    • How to start a new book
    • My daughter is 14 - how can she be published?
    • I'm a teen writer-can you give me feedback?
    • Publications for teen writers
    • Student Writing
    • How to get it right
    • Questions about writing from two teens
    • Should I pay to be published?
  • Blog
  • Contact