Category: LHA

Wow.

This has been a whale of a day. It started with tourists.

This is one of the fun ways you can get around Austin. This is actually a tour group, cruising the city on those bizarre Segway things. It looked like so much fun, I was tempted to ditch the conference.

But the people here are too nice. I spent most of the day at the Texas Library Association Conference. I had a booksigning, bought jewelry (yes!), and gave a speech to LOTS of librarians. LOTS. I freak out a little bit when the back row is too far away to see. The folks in the back row of my speech were in a different time zone.

After the conference I met up with Sarah Dessan (who is sweet and fun and is someone I wish I could hang out with more) and we went to the best bookstore in Austin, Book People.

They keep a bulletin board for people looking to start new book groups. How smart is that?

Got to love a bookstore that has poultry displays.

Sarah aka writergrl

We had a magnificent crowd, including my friends Sean and Tekla. It was a fun night.

I have a school visit in the morning, then a mad dash to the airport, to head to Philly via Chicago. I’m bummed I didn’t get to see some of my other Texas friends, but there wasn’t enough time. Shucks. I guess that means I have to come back to Austin to play, ride Segways, eat barbeque, listen to great music and buy a hat.

Sounds like a plan.

Yes, it’s true. Maybe not the whole state (I’ve only seen Austin) but this part is beautiful and the folks real nice. You have to love a city with enough sense to honor both Barbara Jordan and Stevie Ray Vaughn with statues. Then they named the airport terminal after Barbara!

They’re letting me stay at a Very Fancy Hotel – one of those places where the shower is big enough to get lost in and if you sit down on the bed to tie your sneakers you wake up four hours later because the mattress was so comfortable you fell into a coma. This hotel might be Too Fancy for me, though. I couldn’t figure out how to turn on the lights last night. Why? See for yourself.

No stinkin’ switches!

I spent half an hour trying to figure this out. Know where it is? That little black box on the corner of the table. That is a light switch. Guess I’m too much of a hick to know these things.

Besides being baffled by fancy technology, I got to hang out with librarians yesterday.

A bunch came to our Baker and Taylor gig to hear all the details about the PROM fanfiction contest (click on “official contest rules” for details).

They lined up to have their photo taken with this wooden “standee”.

Sarah Dessen and I played musical chairs at dinner, switching tables between courses. Here is my Table 1.

This is Table 2 where I enjoyed dessert.

Sarah and I desperately wanted to talk, but we were both wiped out, so we went to sleep. We’re doing the signing together tonight and I’m looking forward to hanging out with her. Live around Austin? Come and see us!

6pm tonight – Book People (great store)
603 N. Lamar (at 6th & Lamar)
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 472-5050

Now I’m off to the convention center. Stomach is getting nervous about this afternoon’s speech.

Still catching up on email, thank you notes, etc. Gack. I can’t get ready for tomorrow’s trip until I clear up everything from last week. Gack, gack.

At least it didn’t snow this morning.

I head for Austin tomorrow for the Texas Library Association Conference. On Wed., you can find me from 3-4:30pm at the Baker & Taylor event in the Old Pecan Room (interesting name) of the Radisson Hotel. Wednesday night I finally get to meet Sarah Dessen!!! We’re having dinner with a group of TX librarians.

On Thursday I’ll be signing in the Author Pen (ha – just made that up. Get it? Texas – cattle – pens – authors…), the book signing area of the convention floor. I think it is in Aisle 7. I wonder if there will be any blue light specials. I am giving a speech called A Voice for YA Readers from 3-4. Don’t have the location for that yet, but it will be someplace in the convention center.

At 6pm on Thursday, Sarah Dessen (aka writergrl) and I will venture out of the conference to sign books at:
Book People (great store)
603 N. Lamar (at 6th & Lamar)
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 472-5050

I predict a lot of fun, so come on out if you’re in the area.

Friday I’m speaking at a middle school in Austin. I get back to Philly late Friday night.
Back to the mail mountain now.

I’m still in a fog – feel like I could sleep for a month or three. I’m slogging through my email, so if you’ve been waiting to hear back from me about something, you’ll probably get a message soon. My goal is to get it all done in time to watch the Finals tonight. I’m bummed that Michigan St. won’t be playing.

Sarah writes: My name is Sarah and im a sophmore and Holy Names Academy in Seattle. You came to my school a month or so ago and told us all about your books. After that assembly my friend and i decided we were going to go get your books because they sounded awesome. anyways i’ve just gotten them yesterday, i got Prom and Speak. I got them yesterday around 2 and its almost 1 the next day and i have finished both of them. i absolutely loved both of the books!!!!!! and i cant wait to share them with my friends and read them over and over again. And i cant wait until the Speak movie comes out, i wish they would make one for prom too, i think that would be hilarious!! Thank you soo much for sharing your stories they are incredible! You have picked up an eternal fan!

Thank you very much, Sarah. That’s the kind of letter that makes authors quit whining about being tired.

And then this came in from Rachel:
Dear Ms. Anderson:

As I was quietly fishing through the bookstore one night, I came across “Prom”, your newest book. A golden sticker was plastered on the cover; it said, “Signed Copy.” I opened it, expecting to see a fake, copied signature, but no. I saw your autograph, with the word “Dance!” before it.

This made my day.

At the start of my 8th grade year, if someone had told me your name, I would have gaped at them and asked them, “Who on Earth is she?”

But as I continued on with my year, I was introduced to “Speak.” This entralling and meaningful book was one that I read over and over again in the course of two days. It was amazing and meant so much to me. The voice that you portrayed of the main character was what I loved most. I still read this book daily.

A few weeks later, I read “Fever 1793”. I admit I didn’t read this book as fast as “Speak”, but nevertheless, it was another meaningful yet very different book.

So I then stumble across “Prom,” which I just completed today. I must congratulate you on your success as a writer. You are such a role model to me, as I dream to become someone like you. Your voice is so strong, and speaks out to so many teens. After reading your books, I’ve discovered what being a teenager is really about. You’ve taught me so many aspects of writing, and I thank you dearly for that. I can now say, “Laurie Halse Anderson? She’s my favorite writer.”

Thanks also to Librarian Susan who gave me the great feedback about PROM from the Upper Dublin Book Bites club, and to Robin for the encouraging note.

God, I love my job.

I graduated from high school 26 years ago, but yesterday I had my senior prom. In a very booky way.

My favorite (and my local, as soon as I move) independent bookstore, The River’s End in Oswego, NY, wanted to throw a big bash for my PROM signing. I started writing the book in the store’s comfy reading chair, and this was the last official stop on the book tour, so it all made sense. The owner, Bill Reilly, also wanted to bring one more round of publicity to Ashley and Bridgette, the masterminds behind The Prom Project, which has raised money and collected donations to ensure that all the students who wanted to attend the prom at Oswego High School could afford to do so.

So yesterday just proved my point that proms (and faux proms courtesy of nice booksellers) can be a lot of fun.

It started with the limo. (Note the muddy condition of our driveway. Central New York welcomed me home with torrential downpours. *huddles under umbrella*)

Jessica performed a miracle with my hair and let me borrow a tiara. Bill provided us with corsages and boutonnieres. We might look middle-aged, but you are looking at two kids whose hearts were thumping.

Hot booksellers! The entire staff dressed up. They decorated the store and Mindy, Bill’s wife, made a cool cake and other yummy munchies. Bookseller Alex made to-die-for peanut butter cups. The staff was busy all day. Despite the monsoon, more than 150 people came out.

That’s me (yes, I really did wear a dress. And stockings. And shoes, not sneakers. Hard to believe.), my Beloved Husband, Scot, and Bill The Magnificent Bookseller.

The New York branch of our family: Scot, Christian, Jessica, and her boyfriend, Nate, who was very patient with all our craziness. (Thank you, Nate.)

The entire staff kicking back at the end of the prom.

A million, bazillion prom queen air kisses to Bill and Mindy, the River’s End staff, Christian for taking the pictures, Mary Jean’s Alterations and Tailoring (tuxedos), Mr. John’s (flowers), and all the amazing people who braved the rain to rock the bookstore. It was the signing of a lifetime.

How do you top that? You don’t. We went home and put on normal clothes, then we ate wings, watched a little basketball, and hung out at the bowling alley with my sister and her family. (Michigan State lost. *hangs head in sorrow*) Today is full of more family events. Tomorrow and Tuesday are trying to catch up on life. I head for the Texas Library Association Conference on Wednesday.

PS – Happy Birthday, Greg!