Day 9 started with a drive from Chicago to Milwaukee. We headed to the breathtaking Milwaukee Public Library, where I was greeted by my old friend (and the man who set me on the path to write CHAINS), Ben Franklin.
He said he hasn’t read CHAINS yet, but he’s hearing good things about it.
I looked at some of his books on display. I told him I’ve been hearing good things about them, too.
I had lunch with and spoke to a group of Milwaukee librarians, then drooled – at a respectful distance – at the shelves of their rare book collection. They had this giant book of author and artist signatures on display where
the page showing Maxfield Parrish’s signature was delightful.
Thank you Kelly, Karen and Gail for arranging my visit!
Wisconsin schools were closed Thursday and Friday for the state teacher’s conference, so my Author Shepherd set up six stock signings for the afternoon.
The flavor of the day was Turtle, with caramel, chocolate and pecans. Kopp’s custard is to ice cream what champagne is to water. Get the picture?
The ladies at The Little Read Book were very excited about the National Book Award news.
Lisa at Books & Company was loving CHAINS and had just received her advanced reading copy of WINTERGIRLS (my new YA that comes out in March).
And then I had a POSTSECRET MOMENT!!!
At a Barnes & Noble stock signing, Mary Lou the bookseller asked me to sign their author book. As I was flipping through the pages, I found this:
Frank Warren, of PostSecret fame, had been there. I LOVE what he wrote, “The children the world almost breaks – become the adults most likely to change it.” And he had been there on my birthday! Fate, I tell you, it was fate.
Finally we made it to Schwartz’s a fantastic indie bookstore for the evening event. Almost everyone in the audience was a teacher, including a pair that run a before-school book club at a middle school that has 90 active members in it. I am going to do an online chat with them after the tour is over. The teachers asked LOTS of questions about writing process. If we had had a gallon of coffee, we could have turned it into an all-nighter writing workshop.
Note to self – mention this to publicist…. could be fun…..
TODAY’S EVENT: Fly to Delaware. Try not to snore or drool on plane.
SATURDAY’S EVENT: Saturday, November 1: several appearances during the day: Delaware Book Festival, Dover, DE.
SUNDAY: A little rest, a little run, and a drive to the DC area.
MONDAY’S EVENT: November 3 at 7:00 pm: Barnes & Noble, McLean, VA 703-506-2937