Monday, January 14, 2008

Saturday at the ALA

Well, the awards were announced this morning, and you can find out more HERE
Congratulations to all the winners!

Though I was not on the floor for the big announcements, I did spend Saturday at the ALA with some of my SCBWI-EPA cohorts, wandering through all the fabulous booths, snapping up a few ARCs and proofs here and there, as well as a mountain of catalogues. Our own SCBWI-EPA chapter had a booth this year, where many of our esteemed authors were signing their books and spreading the love. I got to see some familiar faces, editors with whom I was so fortunate to work and play at the Chautauqua Writers Workshop in 2006. And Congratulations Stephen Roxburgh and author Judith Clarke on Front Street's win for One Whole and Perfect Day!

It was so wonderful to soak it all in and get a glimpse at what's coming up in the next few months. Of course I spent half my time fantasizing about my own work being displayed on one of those tables. I also learned an important lesson about book signings--don't talk too much! One very amusing and generous author was signing his books, but he could not help but share a lengthy anecdote with each person who came up for an autograph. The line grew...and grew...and grew, and a lot of patience grew thin. Don't get me wrong, I love the personal touch and the enthusiasm, but it was endless. And when you've got 60 lbs of books hanging from your shoulder, you tend to get a little cranky.

Despite my inevitable chiropractor bill and the 18 extra hours of sleep I'm going to have to squeeze in sometime over the next 3 days, I would love to make this a yearly event. We were lucky that this year's meeting was in our own back yard, but I would love to travel and check this out every year. Thanks to Marilyn, Laurie, Diane, Lindsey, Pat, and the rest of the EPA crowd--it was great to catch up with all of you!

7 comments:

  1. Sounds like it was a great time! So glad you got to go and got all that free stuff - woo hoo!

    And I'm still waiting to see if you'll post a blurb on your Rochester-based novel! :)

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  2. Oooh! You were there! I am so jealous! Ah well, maybe in June I can go to CA for the summer meeting. I'd love to go to the Newbery Banquet. I went to one in 2006. Sigh.....

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  3. Yay for free stuff!

    I'm so jealous you got to go!

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  4. OOO, Joyce...I would love to go to CA! Not in the budget, though.

    Deena, I've been advised not to post the whole synopsis online, so I'll see what I can come up with that would be appropriate. Perhaps I could email you more. I know we talked a little bit about it at the Poconos.

    Linda, maybe next time we can all meet at the ALA! That would be a blast, ladies!

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  5. I totally understand about not posting the whole synop -- no prob. I just have a vested interest in the Rochester theme. :) You can email me just a blurb if you want --
    dinalapomy AT hotmail DOT com

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  6. That would be so much fun! I'll have to see how the year goes ... $ wise.

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  7. I'm so jealous! Sounds like it was a great time, despite the lack of sleep.

    I see Karen Breen chaired the Caldecott committee this year. She used to own a lovely little children's book store just down the road from where I worked and I once invited her to speak to our PTA about new books for gift giving. She was so nice! She came with a big bag of books which she shared with the parents. Anyhow, if Philly was a little closer I would have been there.

    Anyhow, rest up.

    Stella

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