Writer times in review

It was a strange week last week. I was applauded by a room full of librarians, had people ooh and ahh over me signing my book for them, and talked to a room full of fourth graders and got them to have fun writing. Big things for this quiet little writer.

I learned alot at the summer reading program workshop. So much work goes into putting on this free program and the librarians are so enthusiastic about it. Everyone came up with crafts and skits and they wrote tons of book talks to go read to the kids at school to get them interested in coming to the library. And we sang kids songs. I wondered what the two guys were thinking when they came into a room full of a bunch of women singing, "there ain't no bugs on me". They certainly looked confused.

It's easy to see how having the support of even one librarian can help a writer immensely. And it was just so fun to see people so excited about children's books, and not because they write them. I hope I get to go again next year, except I'll probably be expected to get up and give a book talk since I'm a writer and all. And now they all know it since my boss had to brag about me to everyone. There's no being anonymous with her around.

My book signing went pretty well. I remembered a pen, talked to alot of nice people, and even sold some books. Not too bad.

I was a little nervous about going to talk to the fourth graders, but now it seems silly that I was. Except for right at the beginning when the teacher told the kids I was there to talk to them about being a writer then walked to the back of the room followed by an eerie silence and a moments panic, it went pretty well. It seems I do have quite a bit to say about being a writer. I should, but I'm not much of a monologuer in person.

The kids had an inordinate amount of fun creating characters. I had cut faces out of magazines and pasted them onto index cards(thanks to the blue board for that idea). I couldn't help but pick the extraordinary sorts of pictures(Spin magazine was great for that). I think it made it more fun anyway. The kids made up crazy names and occupations and cracked themselves(and me!) up. It was great fun. And I've been told some of the kids are hoping I'll come back again. Don't know if I can top that though. Oh, and one of the coolest things was when I showed them the cover for Bedtime Monster. One boy blurted out, "that is sooooo cool!". I think so too.

Alas, the glory is short lived(thank goodness)and now I must wallow in the waiting of an overdue deadline. When will the torture end!