Totally Excellent Weekend & My IRA Schedule

So. My trip to New York City last Thursday?

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Yep! I was invited to the offices of The New York Times. The very nice people there are running a review of WINTERGIRLS on May 10th, and wanted me to come in to record a podcast for their website. As soon as it’s up, we’ll post the link.

And yes, my little heart was going pitter-pat, pitter-pat, pitter-pat the whole time because growing up in my house the Times was revered as the top of the mountain in terms of both journalism and culture. Being invited there to speak about my work was an incredible honor.

I came very close to swooning as I was leaving because the next author recording a podcast was Colson Whitehead. But I managed not to.

The weekend was one giant celebration because

Image and video hosting by TinyPic our Officemouse graduated from college!!! Not only did she graduate, but she graduated summa cum JOB: two jobs actually; a substitute teaching job that starts next week and goes to the end of the school year, and a full-year job as an 8th grade science teacher starting in September.

The entire clan turned out to celebrate.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Here is Officemouse with her village of parents: stepmom Sue, her dad, Officemouse (aka Meredith Anderson), me and BH. We are incredibly proud of her!!!!

And now I am in Minneapolis for the International Reading Association conference. Today I’ll be signing at the Scholastic Bookfair booth and the Anderson’s Bookshop booth (both in the exhibit hall), then speaking on a panel this afternoon with John Green, David Yoo, Alex Sanchez, and Sean Beaudoin. Tonight, I’ll be speaking outside the convention. I’m not sure if it is open to the public or not. Here are the details:

7pm: TEEN EVENT AT THE LOFT LITERARY CENTER

Location: The Loft Literary Center
1011 Washington Ave S, Ste 200
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: (612) 215-2571

I’ll try to take lots of pics today, I promise!