Blog – Page 117 – Laurie Halse Anderson

November 1, 2008

Book Tour Day 11 – Recombobulation

Friday was mostly a travel day. At the Milwaukee airport I went through security and came across the best airport sign I’ve seen in a long time.

The Recombobulation Area is where you pull yourself together after having been discombobulated (removing shoes, jacket, laptop from your backpack, etc.). Brilliant!

Two more quick shots. I found this in my hotel room.

Pretty, right? It gets better.

A chocolate box! Loaded with M&Ms! Thank you, Delaware!

TODAY’S EVENT: Saturday, November 1: several appearances during the day: Delaware Book Festival, Dover, DE.

MONDAY’S EVENT: November 3 at 7:00 pm: Barnes & Noble, McLean, VA 703-506-2937

October 31, 2008

Book Tour Day 10 – frozen custard & PostSecret

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.

And he made sure I ate a sinful Milwaukee specialty. (Note – a POSTSECRET moment behind the cut!

October 30, 2008

Book Tour Day 9

I hate baseball, but I love Philadelphia, so GO PHILLIES.

(I cannot believe I just wrote that.)

Yesterday was a calmer-paced day, which was much appreciated.

I went to Crone Middle School, Home of the Cougars to talk to the 8th grade.

It was Crazy Tie Day at Crone, and I didn’t have a tie with me, but Michael here helped me out and let me wear his while I was talking.

The librarian, Karen Hutt, and the teachers did a terrific job preparing the students. They even decorated the room I presented in with chains hung from the ceiling. This is me with Bill Young. Technically he is my Author Nanny right now, but I’m not sure he would appreciate that title. Bill is one of the best media escorts in the business. He took me around the Chicago area on my PROM tour and it is wonderful to work with him again. I will call him my Author Shepherd, because he’s not quite the nanny type.

The evening event at Anderson’s was wonderful, 50 people with loads of questions, plus a 6th-grader who interviewed me for her school paper. Thank you, thank you to everyone who came out, especially the teachers who didn’t flinch when I admitted I still don’t know what a theme is.

The crowd was mostly teachers and librarians. One of them brought me a copy of CHAINS freshly processed for her library. She said she already has a waiting list for the book.

I leave in a few minutes for Milwaukee (yes, I have been singing the Laverne & Shirley theme song all morning). I’m scheduled for a lunch with librarians, a bunch of stock signings, and then, The Main Event.

Finishing up the librarian thread of today’s post, Librarian Goddesses Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan have published their review of CHAINS on their Bookends blog. Check it out!

TONIGHT’S EVENT: Thursday, October 30 at 7:00 pm: Harry Schwartz Bookshop, Mequon store 262-241-6220.

TOMORROW’S EVENT: Tomorrow is just a travel day. If you see me in an airport, though, I’ll be happy to sign a book!

SATURDAY’S EVENT: Saturday, November 1: several appearances during the day: Delaware Book Festival, Dover, DE.

October 29, 2008

Book Tour Days 7 & 8 – Playing Catch-up with popcorn and bunnies

So I’ve been on the road for a week. Things are officially starting to get blurry.

Let me play catch-up quick, before I forget everything.

Day 7 was Monday and Monday was….. checks notes…. Chicago! Right!

Windy City with big shoulders!

(Want to know where that phrase came from? Poet Carl Sandburg’s poem, “Chicago.”)

My Author Nanny in Chicago was Judy, who might look like a mild-mannered knitter, but has the driving skills of Mario Andretti and a photographic memory for bookstores, schools, and the locations of every bathroom in Cook County.

Chicago was three school presentations (Hello Highcrest Middle and King Lab Middle School!), a phone interview,

an internet-radio (I think that’s the right expression) interview with Barnes & Noble (will be on their website next week),

four stock signings,

a quick chat with Laura and Gillian from Booklist and Book Links, and then

an evening trip to the airport, much muttering at the Departure Screen as my flight out of the city was delayed, delayed, and – finally, stepping foot on the soil of Nebraska for the first time in my life. I was picked up at the airport in the middle of the night by terrific Omaha YA librarian Paul Christopherson.

Picture the Tired Author, struggling down the hotel corridor, the wheels on her suitcase gone funky, her backpack slipping off her shoulders, her little mind whining “Why? Why are we still awake? We never stay up this late!”

Tired Author fumbles with her room key, drops it, fumbles again, and finally – finally opens her hotel room door. And the room smells like……

POPCORN.

October 27, 2008

Why I won’t post on Tuesday

I’m about to board the plane for Omaha and it is already past my bedtime. Day 7 was a blast and very, very busy. I’d show you my pictures except my camera cords are in my suitcase and it is checked luggage because it’s big.

So bear with me for a day or so while I ride this bucking bronco of a schedule.

We should be able to return to our regularly scheduled posts on Wednesday morning. Or maybe Thursday. Definitely Friday!

Signed,

Laurie, who will start whining if this plane doesn’t show up soon.