My LA Times Festival of Books Brush With Greatness

See… I TOLD you I’d do it. But I’m going to make it quick because I leave on the next journey in 10 hours.

The LA Times Book Festival was off the hook. It is by far the largest and most prestigious book festival in the country. I suspect that attendance came close to 150,000 people. Most of them were pushing strollers. I also saw four dogs. And 300 booths, all book or story related.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Multiply this picture by a factor of one thousand and you’ll get a sense of the day.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Our panel: moderator Jonathan Hunt, me, Nate Powell, Jacqueline Woodson, and Suzanne Phillips managed to fill Moore Hall, which seats 400.

Those 400 people all went out and grabbed their best friends after the panel and stood in long lines to have their books signed.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Jackie and me appreciated everyone who came out. Thank you!!!!

And as I was walking back to the car, I had a Brush With Greatness, courtesy of my author nannies and Derry Wilkens, a publicist who knows all the right people.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic I got to meet Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul, and Mary!!! His picture book, PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON, is out now. He was so sweet, I thought he was Santa Claus in disguise.

Just got the word that WINTERGIRLS will be on the NY Times Bestseller List for Week #6! Thank you, everyone! If you haven’t heard about the book yet, check out blogger Vania’s review.

I’m off to NYC in the morning for an interview that I can’t quite tell you about yet. After that comes a few days of family goodness, then it’s off to Minneapolis, MN for the International Reading Association Conference. I will be blogging from MN, I promise!!

OOOHHH… But mark this on your calendars right now! FRIDAY MAY 1ST IS BUY A BOOK AT AN INDIE BOOKSELLER DAY!!! Go to your local indie or order from one online! Support local businesses and books and make the world a better place.

(Truth in advertising: I went to my indie, River’s End Books in Oswego, NY, today to buy my books. But I think it still counts.)

Really… I still blog

I was in LA for the Festival of Books all weekend, came home sick, and am now preparing to leave again tomorrow.

But I swear to you I will post a blog today!

Until then, I have a question: I have a picture book coming out next month. A silly one. Are any of you interested in me discussing the timeline of the creation of the story and the tangled tale of its eventual publication?

Candles lit in the gloom & cottage pics

It’s a dreary day in the Forest, but we have candles lit and good music playing to chase the gloom away.

(Linguistic tangent: The OED does not think “gloom” is in anyway connected to or descended from the Old English word “glóm”, which describes the growing darkness at twilight. What kind of tea are they drinking? Of course, they’re connected!)

Congrats to fellow Central New York author Tamora Pierce, whose new book BLOODHOUND will debut at the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List on May 3rd!!! Hie yourself over to Tammie’s LJ to congratulate her!

(Yes, WINTERGIRLS is still on the list, too! Along with some other awesome novels, and, er, the Twilight director’s notebook and Miley Cyrus’ book.)

My Beloved Husband and several elves have been hard at work on the cottage whilst I’ve been galivanting all over creation. Here’s the progress so far.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic I don’t have any pics of just the foundation. Here is the next step – building the frame of the cottage on top of the foundation.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Walls up. Roof trusses on.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Roof and porch on! Outside shell of cottage complete!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic And the magic window is in place. No glass, yet. I think the glass guy comes next week.

There is still lots and lots of work ahead – minor things like insulation and flooring and interior walls, and installing the woodstove. But the progress has been very exciting to watch!!! (I think that BH has been such a good egg about my travels this spring because it gives him more opportunities to work on his masterpiece.)

I’m taking my camera to LA and I’ll be twittering from the Festival of Books, but the blog post about it won’t be going up until Monday. (Follow me on Twitter.)

Don’t forget, Angelinos. I’d love to see you this Saturday, April 25, at the LOS ANGELES TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS!

12:30 – 1:30pm Young Adult Fiction Panel: “Problem Child” Location: Moore 100
Moderator: Jonathan Hunt
Panelists: Laurie Halse Anderson
Suzanne Phillips
Nate Powell
Jacqueline Woodson

2:30 – 3:30 pm Booksigning
Location: Penguin/Whale of a Tale Booth, #816

Earth Day & Peruvian wrap-up

Happy Earth Day! Go pick up some trash, turn out the lights, and plant something!

So, yeah! I am home. I leave again on Friday, but let’s not talk about that right now.******

I loved Peru. I loved the kindness of the Peruvian people, the energy of Lima, the incredible food, and the experience of a world very different than mine. Turns out, I was able to limp along better in Spanish than I thought, too. Peru is a vast country, with a fascinating history and mix of cultures. I know that my way-too-short stay there was essentially like skipping a stone across the the ocean. But my brief glimpse was lovely.

Let’s roll the tape!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Plaza de Armas at the heart of the city.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Soccer game in a courtyard.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic My awesome ceviche and a glass of my new favorite drink, chicha morada, made from purple corn and spices.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic I even ate a lima bean, even though it’s one of the few foods I hate, because, “when in Lima…”

Image and video hosting by TinyPic At the ruins of the pyramid at Huaca Pucllana, built by a pre-Incan people, the Lima. It is in the middle of Lima and is incredible.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic This guy works in a bookstore in the Miraflores neighborhood – that’s his favorite book.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic They’re reading Joe Hill in Peru!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic And yes, it’s official: Stephanie Meyer has taken over the planet.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic The 8th grade girls bookclub from the school. I ADORE the kids at the Colegio Roosevelt!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Back to the grocery store, called Vivanda, where the yogurt shelf has these goodies.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic And there is half an aisle – a long aisle – devoted to evaporated condensed milk. Peruvian desserts take the concept of “sweet” to a new level.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic I tried tres leches, purple corn pudding, sweet potato doughnuts with syrup, and other things I don’t remember the name of, but this (the one in the middle with the seeds) – cheesecake de maracuya – that’s right; passionfruit cheesecake, was indescribably delicious.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic But the best fusion I’ve ever tasted? Peru + Japan = yumminess. Sushi topped with MANGO!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Which isn’t to say that you can’t find decent junk food, if you’re in the mood. Bembodog!!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Best sign of the trip, found in the duty-free store at the airport.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic So good-bye, Peru. I can’t wait to go back!

****** I am going to Los Angeles! Can you come out and see me this weekend?
LOS ANGELES TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS

12:30 – 1:30pm Young Adult Fiction Panel: “Problem Child” Location: Moore 100
Moderator: Jonathan Hunt
Panelists: Laurie Halse Anderson
Suzanne Phillips
Nate Powell
Jacqueline Woodson

2:30 – 3:30 pm Booksigning
Location: Penguin/Whale of a Tale Booth, #816

Hasta luego!

Mas Lima

I think I have time to post a few photos.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic The opening paragraphs of Charlotte’s Web, La telaraña de Carlota, in Spanish.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic The adorable 1st and 2nd graders I talked to yesterday.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic The fruit section of the grocery store is a religious experience, especially the giant mounds of pineapples.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic This is the blue corn they use to make my favorite new drink, chicha morada.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Cafeteria menu.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Unexpected fun thing of the day. I was invited to join the women faculty who regularly play against the girls’ basketball team. I mostly sucked because I haven’t had time to run for a couple of months, but I had a blast and everyone was incredibly nice about the whole thing.