We drove toward Lancaster on a sour-skied day—past sheep, goats, horses, cows, corn-stuffed silos, chicken cathedrals. The sun kept trying to come out, and sometimes, in a skittish mood, it did, but once we reached the town of Lititz, I wasn't thinking about weather. I was thinking about the town itself—cohesive, grounded, charming. I was thinking about that marvelous independent, Aaron's Books, which had engineered its first Kid's Lit festival and invited me to take part.
The first order of business was a panel seamlessly (and, because she's beautiful) beautifully moderated by Julie Peterson. Together with A.S. King, Lisa Greenwald, Lee Harper, Matt Phelan, Eric Wright, and Mara Rockliff I reflected on questions big and small; more importantly, I got to listen to what the others had to say about ambitions and priorities, about stories not yet told. It was be far one of the best panels I've ever sat on. It elevated book making, stayed focused on the true why for.
Later, there was pizza with local teens. After that, a long evening of clamoring and dishing with Caroline Hickey, Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian, and Lisa Greenwald—long-time best friends who travel the children's/YA circuit together and (when you're lucky, as last night I was profoundly lucky) let you in for some of their outrageous (and so smart and it all comes from loving, seriously, I know it comes from loving) drubbing. An evening at the truly gracious Lititz House was next, a B&B you can't help but love, a B&B, let it be known, in which I actually slept five purified consecutive hours. That's no small thing. That's Lititz speaking.
This morning I rose early, walked the town, took photographs. Had a delicious Heidi breakfast at the B&B we were already calling home. Went off, then, to hear the writers read, to read a bit from Undercover.
We drove home on the same country roads, this time glossed by sunny skies.
