Happy Mother’s Day… now go read the New York Times

MOTHER’S DAY!!!! I LOVE MOTHER’S DAYYYY!!!

I love it so much, I don’t want to waste a minute of it, so I am going to keep this short so I can get back to my garden.

The best Mother’s Day present for me is the incredible review of WINTERGIRLS in the New York Times. In case you aren’t registered and thus cannot click through on the whole review, here is my favorite quote:
“Anderson, the author of “Speak” and other award-winning novels for teenagers, has written a fearless, riveting account of a young woman in the grip of a deadly illness.”

::basks in the glow::

And as if THAT wasn’t sweet enough, this edition of the Times also contains a review of my dear friend Deborah Heiligman’s book, CHARLES AND EMMA. I met Deb about 12 years ago when I joined her writer’s group. It is beyond awesomeness that we get to share space in the Gray Lady today!

I am very slowly recovering from the last six months of being a road warrior. I’m going to ask Queen Louise to total up the mileage since last October. It feels like I’ve been to the moon and back a couple of times. The first plan of action is to get my garden put together. I am doubling the size of it this year, so there is much wrestling with the rototiller in my future.

In addition to my flower gardens and vegetable and herb garden, I am planning a shade garden around the writing cottage. I don’t dare plant it yet, because we still have a bunch of guys in trucks coming and going. This week, the insulating crew should show up. We’re using a soy-based insulation foam that has much lower off-gassing than traditional insulation. We’ve also decided to experiment with a small wind turbine in addition to the solar panel, instead of going with two solar panels. BH has been seen stalking the Forest while muttering calculations and figuring wind speed.

Now it’s time to pull on my pink boots and go play in the mud!!!

Last Day on the Road!

I’m off to the airport to go HOME!!! And this time I get to STAY home for two months!!

::dances around hotel room:::

Here are the final pics from the IRA conference.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Ambassador Scieszka was in the house.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic So was Ashley Bryan.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic And Sharon Draper!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Who can resist a photo with Skippyjonjones?

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Penguin publicity people in Skippyjonjones regalia.

And the highlight of the day for me…. drum roll

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Katherine Paterson!

Authors galore

Here are a couple of quick photos from yesterday before I dash out the door.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic The world-renowned Minneapolis Sisters of the Book Shirt showed up in Wintergirls shirts and brought one for me!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Then Jordan Sonnenblick stopped by to say hello.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic I signed books with Jane Yolen and her son Adam Stemple, and Steve van der Ark.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic And was on an awesome panel with John Green, David Yoo, Adam Sanchez, and Sean Beaudoin.

Totally Excellent Weekend & My IRA Schedule

So. My trip to New York City last Thursday?

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

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!