We were the body, heart, soul, and mind—and we were together last evening at Children's Book World in Haverford, PA. (IW Gregorio, Margo Rabb, Tiffany Schmidt, Moi)
For me, it was so very personal. Time alone with the great A.S. King, who is essential in my life in ways that go far beyond the page. The stunning surprise that My Spectacular David (a last-semester student whose own mind-expanding work you will all no doubt be reading soon) pulled off—taking a long drive from his home to join the celebration. The chance to chill with the force that is Heather Hebert, whose store is, in a word, a mecca. Sister Kim and her girls, one of whom, Kathleen, is bound for glory, as you can see. Anmiryam, Anne, Jenn. Friends, familiar faces, new friends. Fishbowl questions that were, well, as you can see from the photo above, challenging. Margo Rabb—famous writer, provocateur,
New York Times-er, and
Salon-er, esteemed member of the literari—I now know to avoid the ink color green when questions are being passed down the line.
I was glad to have this chance to read three pages from
One Thing Stolen. To give my character Maggie, who was named for a fabulous former Penn student, a moment to speak out loud. Books are one thing on the page. They are something else raised from the page. I heard my Maggie as I read those words.
Time to return to a book in progress. I'm going to go quiet for a few days as I put my thinking cap on.
Yesterday I took several dozen books off my shelves and began to read the novels I forever return to.
Housekeeping. The English Patient. Crossing to Safety. Reading in the Dark. The Beet Queen. So Long, See You Tomorrow. I Was Amelia Earhart. In Hovering Flight. And—
How settled and peaceful and happy I felt, among old friends, enduring classics.
I was searching for something specific—literary signposts that will infiltrate the keynote I'm now writing for the
Moravian Writers' Conference, to be held June 5 through June 7, in Bethlehem, PA. The title of that keynote is "Where You Live and What You Love: The Landscape of the Story." The conference, magnificently organized by Joyce Hinnefeld, promises to be full of riches, with its galvanizing theme of "Stories and/of Home." So many fine writers, teachers, book makers, and book sellers will be on the campus that weekend. In addition to the keynote, I'll be joining Josh Berk at his library for a fundraiser, joining a panel focused on what people read and why, and closing out with a Sunday afternoon conversation with my dear friend, A.S. King. I am so looking forward to Moravian.
Before June 5, however, there is May 20, next Wednesday evening, when I will be joining Margo Rabb, IW Gregorio, and Tiffany Fowler Schmidt at Children's Book World in Haverford, PA, for an evening we've titled "Body, Mind, Heart, Soul: The Whole Self in Contemporary YA." This will be my only bookstore/library event for
One Thing Stolen. It will, as well, be a chance for you to meet my friends and discover/celebrate their talent. I hope to see you there.
Finally, at the end of June—June 27—I'll be conducting a Master Class/Reading/Q and A at the
Arcadia University Creative Writing Summer Weekend, in Glenside, PA, another event that I anticipate with great happiness.
