Quick post because it’s not quite 8 am as I write this and I have to get going. I’m in Washington, DC for the Annual ALA conference. Today is the YALSA pre-conference on the topic “The Sins of YA Literature.” I originally thought I was supposed to be on a panel with Frank Warren, talking about “sins of format,” but last night I learned that I’m actually supposed to give a speech.
Which is fine. I love a captive audience.
Had dinner last night at The Oceanaire with over a dozen of my fellow attendees and YALSA staff. Big shout-out to Walter Mayes and Ty Burns for setting up this whole deal. And thanks to Little, Brown for picking up the tab.
Got to meet some terrific folks last night, including Elizabeth Partridge and Annette Curtis Klause (on the writing side) and Nicole Gilbert and Jamie Watson (and the aforementioned Walter and Ty) on the librarian side.
I also got to catch up with Nancy Werlin and Gail Giles, both of whom I’d originally met at the way-cool Rochester Teen Book Festival. Gail had some absurdly nice things to say about Fanboy and Goth Girl, but I think we can chalk them up to the booze on tap.
Last but not least, I also got to see Victoria Stapleton from Little, Brown, and Elise Howard from HarperCollins, both of whom had been on a very cool, very fun panel with me at Library Journal‘s Day of Dialog event right before BookExpo.
Lots of good food, lots of good drink, lots of good conversation… And now I have a speech to give!