Book Tour Day 11 Report – Absolutely Austin

I adore Austin. This is one of the coolest cities I have ever been to. BH, we really need to come down here on vacation.

I spent most of the morning on phone calls and LJ entries, then scurried downstairs for lunch with my collection of librarians, plus one professor.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic They were lovely and lively!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Lamar Middle School, home of the Scotties.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic I spoke to 250 7th and 8th graders, in the cafeteria, on a Friday afternoon, at the end of March.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Yep, it was rowdy, but it was a good rowdy and the microphone and sound system was very good, so the cafeteria acoustics were better than you might expect.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Along with the Lamar students, we had kids from a couple of other middle school book clubs. But I didn’t get photos of all of them. And to be honest, I’m not sure which one this group is. Can anyone help?

Image and video hosting by TinyPic This one I am sure of; the ChickLit Book Club from O. Henry Middle School. (Thank you for joining us, ladies!)

Image and video hosting by TinyPic After school was the stock signing at one of my favorite bookstores, Book People. A bunch of friendly Texans came out to join me, including LJ buddies breca_halley and xxtriplestarxx It was really fun to meet the people behind the comments.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Some old and new SCBWI friends came out, too, including this glorious woman, Cynthia Leitich Smith, aka cynleitichsmith, akaspookycyn, aka the author of Tantalize which you should go out and buy right now.

Last function of the day was hanging out with bookstore owners at the Mountain & Plains gathering. After that, I hit the wall. And as of this moment, I feel like I am sliding down that wall into a warm puddle of melted fatigue on the carpet. Time for bed.

TOMORROW’S EVENTS

Wake up too early. Hop a cab. No, won’t hop it. Will sit inside with seatbelt buckled. Take plane to San Francisco.

Noonish – Lunch with librarians.

4:00 PM Signing at Kepler’s Books
1010 El Camino Real
Menlo Park CA, 94025
650-324-4321

7:30 Signing at Books Inc. (Not Your Mothers Bookclub)
notyourmothers
Opera Plaza
601 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-776-1111

23 Replies to “Book Tour Day 11 Report – Absolutely Austin”

  1. Okay, so I was in Border’s Books and Music today and I saw your book, and I read hhalf of the damn thing just standing in the isle! AMAZING! I cannot wait until you come to portland!!!!

  2. OMG!! I can’t believe it’s TOMORROW!

    But I’m sorry we’re at the end of such a long day for you — we’ll make sure you get some nosh and that you get outta there before it’s TOO late.

  3. Pride

    On behalf of the family, and having the honor of BH, I would like to say we love you and we are so very proud of you. As a family, we have shared you with everyone and now it is time to come home. The entire family would also give a round of applause for everyone that has taken such good care of you during your Book Tour. Congrads on a job well done, now come home. Oh don’t forget to wipe your feet on the way in! BH

  4. Pride

    On behalf of the family, and having the honor of BH, I would like to say we love you and we are very proud of you. As a family, we have shared you with everyone and now it is time to come home. The entire family would also give a round of applause for everyone that has taken care of you during your Book Tour. Congrads on a job well done, now come home. Oh don’t forget to wipe your feet on the way in! BH

  5. ooh I love Austin too! I may be going to college there. I can’t remember if Lamar is my cousin’s school or not, but I remember hearing about it. but I don’t see her in the pictures so maybe not. haha

  6. Twisted and Literature Guide

    Laurie…
    I just finished Twisted last night and thought it was great and afterwards just thought about the whole thing. I am currently a 1st grade teacher (I have written on here before) and will be teaching 4/5 grades…well, I know that your books aren’t suitable for those grades, but this summer I will be spending time writing some more Literature guides for books that we will be studying next year. I have written three so far (Milkweed, Bridge to Terabethia, and The Watsons’ Go to Birmingham-1963), I would love to write one for Twisted and send you one so that you can post it on your website or I don’t know how you would do it. I don’t think that I could send it over email because I add alot of stuff in them.
    What do you think?
    Thanks and again, your an extremely talented person!

    John Scovill
    St. George, Utah

  7. Thanks for coming!

    Deb loved the book, and it was a pleasure meeting you. Hopefully she’ll get a chance to see you in person the next time you come through . . .

    Best wishes,

    Chris Aylott

  8. Laurie, just wanted you to know I’ve posted a photo on my journal of two daffodil plants not yet in bloom. And guess where I got the bulbs? That’s right, from you at the Rutgers conference!

    Glad your tour is going so well and TWISTED is getting rave reviews! Congratulations!

  9. next tour and basketball

    Two suggestions from the cousin gallery:
    1. Next tour you come to Tampa area and I get to hug you
    2. Cheer for Florida…

    Love you.

  10. your billionth number one fan

    Dear Laurie Halse Anderson,

    We met on March 30 ( I know because I marked it on my calender), I am on the 6th picture on the Tour of Austin section and you are standing write next to me (I’m in the maroon sweater). When I first met you I didn’t know what to do. Scream. Gasp. Hyperventilate. Jump up and down. Or shut up and try to remember everything form the best day of my life. Yea I was very quite, but I listened to every single word you said and then I knew…you had become my biggest inspiration to me.

    While you were talking I couldn’t help but realize that we have quite a bit in common. We both moved around a lot, and every time it was to a different enviorment. And the fact that we both hated English class, though we love to read.

    I was supposed to be the first person to have my book sighned, but became the last in our group. You then told me that patience was a good life quality. At first I was like umm…yea okay. And then after a while I was like OMG I GOT A COMPLIMENT FROM “THE” LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON! Patience is really a good life quality, and seem to have much of it. Though if you ask any of my family members, they would say that patience is something that I lack.

    Thank you for writing such inspirational books. Thank You for being my inspration.
    Shifa Lateef
    O.Henry Middle School
    ChicLit Book Club
    age 13

    (Some people said that I should have sold my sweater on e-bay…but I think I’ll savor it forever…it’ll be a little souvenir to show my grandchildren)

  11. Burnet 8th Grade Book Club

    Hi, Laurie—

    The 8th Grade Book Club from Burnet MS in Austin, TX (that’s our picture up above) had a fabulous time and are still talking about your visit. Thanks for being so great with the middle school crowd and we are all fighting over who gets to read Twisted first.

    +Shelby Counts, Librarian
    Burnet MS/Austin ISD

  12. Laurie, first group of kids was the Burnet M.S. group. Shelby Counts is the librarian. Again, it was such a pleasure having you. Your book Speak and Prom has been a popular book at the book fair. We’re going to get a cold front tonight. Temps in the 50’s and 60’s; down from the 80’s. That’s Texas for ya. Take care and God Bless.

  13. Re: Burnet 8th Grade Book Club

    Hi Shelby! Thank you so much for bringing the kids over. I really had a blast with you all.

    Let me know what they think about the book!

  14. Re: your billionth number one fan

    Hello, patient Shifa! I really enjoyed meeting you and your book club, and am honored that the day was special for you!

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