Let me explain. I don't own a smart phone so I didn't explore the scheduler option on the conference web site. I hand-wrote it. So I wrote the Coffee Klatch, which I paid for, on the Monday page in my notebook instead of on Sunday. So I awakened on Sunday morning thinking that the morning was free until the Scholastic Brunch at 10:30.
I learned otherwise at 8:50 when I checked Facebook and saw that Patrick Carmen posted about his pending Coffee Klatch experience. I was in my pjs. I was freaking. I paid for this event. I didn't go to the Coretta Scott King breakfast in order to attend this event. Did I mention that I was freaking. Do I throw some clothes on and dash down to the Convention Center? There is no dashing down to the Convention Center and I. Was. Exhausted. Ruing the decision not to attend the CSK breakfast, I stayed in my pjs and relaxed. Or tried to.
Scholastic Brunch: so happy to have snagged an invite to this and so sorry I couldn't stay for it all. I did catch most of it. The six featured authors all participated in Reader's Theaters of each other's works. Fun. Fun. Fun. I was most excited about Kathryn Erskine's upcoming, Seeing Red, but after hearing the others, I'm excited about them all.
I tried not to pig out at brunch because I knew that the Little Brown lunch was up next. I hoofed it up to the Sheraton, hoping to move brunch along. Thank you Victoria Stapleton for including me in this intimate setting featuring three middle grade authors. I got to gush to Jewell Parker Rhodes about how her children's debut, Ninth Ward gutted me before we all sat down to a lovely lunch, sans beef option. Well played Victoria! Leading off, Paolo Bacigalupi read from his upcoming YA debut, Zombie Baseball Beatdown, due out in September. I've already read this one, but haven't written about it since the pub date is so far off. Suffice it to say, I, a beef-lover looked askance at my beloved steaks after reading it, then again after hearing him read aloud from it. Look for it in September.
Next up, Karen Harrington read an excerpt from her children's debut, Sure Signs of Crazy after an, um, shall we say emotional introduction by Victoria. I had featured this one in a Waiting on Wednesday post and was thrilled to get my arc signed by the author. Can't wait to read it. Also happy that the cover art was changed.
Jewell Parker Rhodes read from Sugar, her sophomore children's novel. Jewell just bubbles with enthusiasm and energy and I can't wait to get to Sugar.
I hoofed it back down Michigan Avenue to the Hilton to attend the open discussions I mentioned yesterday. I finally got to sit in on a Notable Recordings discussion! Good thing I stumbled into that one first because they were ahead of schedule and I listened to the committee discuss the final three nominations.
Next up was Notable Books. Again, the group was ahead of schedule but I listened it on their discussions before popping in on BFYA.
I had an hour to kill before the Awards Banquet. This being the 75th anniversary of the Caldecott Award, attendees were invited to channel a winner. The best I could do was Lily of purple purse and Julian fame. No, a book featuring Lily did not win a Caldecott, but Kevin Henkes did win a Caldecott for Kitten's First Full Moon, as well as an Honor for Owen. Additionally, he won a Newbery Honor for Olive's Ocean. But I have always wanted to own a pair of red cowboy boots, so I ordered a pair, found a purple suede (as opposed to plastic) purse and a red silk shawl, which, in a pinch, could serve as a cape, and hoofed it to the Sheraton.
On Monday, I made my way to the convention center to mail my books home. Good thing I arrived at 9 AM because I did wait on a line. However, the line quickly grew behind me. I walked the exhibit floor a bit because there were publishers that I hadn't yet said hello to. I ended up with six more arcs. Then I walked the path by the lake from the convention center to the Hilton to listen in on some more BFYA discussion. It was windy, but gorgeous and I had an audiobook plugged in. They broke for lunch and I ate at the cafe at the Hilton and read Gone Fishing while enjoying a corned beef sandwich before returning to listen in on more discussion of BFYA nominations.
The Odyssey Reception was at 3:30 at the convention center. As you may know, I love reading with my ears and this event happens to be a favorite of mine. This year, the only winner that I had already read was, The Fault in Our Stars. I hadn't realized that this was basically Kate Rudd's narrative debut. She was poised and gave a great speech. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Nathaniel Parker spoke first. He was hysterical. As I listened, I recalled that, while I hadn't listened to The Last Guardian, I had listened to him narrate at least one Artemis Fowl book. But I couldn't shake the fact that his face was so familiar. Luckily, I had my trusty iPad with me and a quick search revealed that Nathaniel Parker is/ was Inspector Linley! Mystery solved.
I had already read The Ghost Knight as an arc, but I would happily reread that one with my ears. Elliot Hill did a wonderful job narrating. Katherine Kellgren narrated Monstrous Beauty, a book that I totally missed, even after the awards were announced.
My last event of ALA was the Printz Reception. This is also a favorite of mine because every winner gets to give a speech. Let me tell you that there was not a dry eye in the house after Benjamin Alire Saenz gave his acceptance speech for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. This one moved way up on the tbr list after Saenz's heartfelt, emotional speech. He set the bar high for Beverly Brenna and Elizabeth Wein. Terry Pratchett was unable to attend to accept a Printz Honor for Dodger, but his editor did a fine job delivering his speech. Nick Lake's speech for In Darkness was brilliant. I have some reading to do.
Tuesday morning I winged home, waited for the car service to pick me up at the airport and took a nap after saying hello to the pets.
ALA Annual = energizing + exhaustion.
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