I am writing this in the Springfield, IL airport, which is wrapped in fog so thick the planes can’t land or take off.
Yesterday was a crazy busy wonderful day at one of the best state reading/English teacher conferences I have ever been privileged to attend. Thank you to everyone in IL who greeted me to kindly and made a long day a lot of fun. I gave the lunch speech, a workshop on revision, and a workshop in which I divulged the “stories behind the stories”of my novels. And met a lot of very enthusiastic teachers at three book signing sessions. AND, last night, I read a chapter of CHAINS for the first time in public, which went over very well.
I ran into a couple of old and new friends, but didn’t have much time to chat.
Lisa Yee and her traveling Peep.
Richard Peck and I chatted while waiting for our suitcases and in line for coffee.
I just gawked at Brian Selznik
This teacher was so, so, so sweet because she looked through DAMES and made all the right cooing noises and exclamations. And I am a heel for forgetting her name, but I will always remember how happy she made me.
I met Liz last year when I was in St. Louis on book tour; we got to hang out a bit and talk about historical fiction.
OK, fog is lifting, plane is boarding. Thank you, Fine Teachers of the Land of Lincoln! I salute you!
Richard Peck! Oh, lucky you! I heard him speak at SCBWI NY and he gave the most wonderful, inspiring speech. I kick myself all the time for not taking out my camera and filming it to listen to over and over.
Oh wow! He totally has hair now!!!!
And he has AWESOME hair!!!!
This is him and my fiance:
fog, rain, full flights
I drove to St Louis to fly back home and all the flights are full until tomorrow at the crack of dawn. Just wanted to second your take on IRC as a terrific conference with warm wonderful and organized folks at the helm. Loved my busy day as well. Hope the flight home was uneventful for you.
ProfessorNana, aka Teri
Re: fog, rain, full flights
Thirding The Goddesses remarks about the conference. Also, wanted to let you (Laurie) that I posted a suspiciously similar photo of you, Peepy and Moi on my LJ blog.
Springfield conference
Was at that conference and attended the luncheon and rivision session…AWESOME! Sorry I missed your first session…got a summary from a friend but hope to get another chance to hear you speak! Got turned onto your writing from my two boys (16,13) when they read Fever for school…have since read Speak and so looking forward to Twisted and the rest!! Thanks!! Trish from Central IL
Great meeting you at IRC
Hi Laurie,
We met when you signed my copy of CATALYST at the conference. I’m a fellow author and SCBWI member. I attended three of your presentations, and especially enjoyed hearing the stories behind your characters’ names. I write a column for the SCBWI-Illinois online newsletter, and have been doing a series on character names. (Part one is posted at http://www.intelligentlight.com/PrairieWind/?p=277#more-277 .)
Sorry you’re not feeling well. Hope you bounce back soon!
Carmela Martino
Thanks for coming to the Land of Lincoln
It was great to be in your session on revision. Just knowing that someone who has written such great novels started out doing things wrong was a great comfort to us novelists wannabes.
Gail, a picture book writer