New York City was at its hospitable best yesterday. Through the windows of a train I watched the sun both rise and set on Manhattan. In between
I opined on the future of YA at the Publishing Perspectives Conference, saw old friends (Rahna Reiko Rizzuto, Jennifer Brown, Laura Geringer, Melissa Sarno, Dennis Abrams, Ed Nawotka), made new ones, did a little Amen shout as Doris Janhsen, David Levithan, Francine Lucidon, Eliot Schrefer, and Dennis Abrams (pictured above), reminded people what publishing is really about, or should be about: good books. By mid-afternoon, I was sitting with the remarkable team at Gotham, discussing the future of
Handling the Truth. I was thinking—truth—how lucky I am. (Then got even luckier sneaking in a little stolen time with Jessica Shoffel of Philomel and my own son, at 30th Street Station.)
It took every bit of driving craftswomanship I have (and there isn't much) to get to Anne Lamott's talk (and promotion of her new book on prayer,
Help Thanks Wow) at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church by the 7:30 start. My father had saved a seat for me in the balcony, and a lucky thing that was, for there were at least 1,000 people gathered in this church where I grew up, wed, and baptized my son. Anne does what I cannot do. Talks without a plan ("I have prepared nothing," she began), works her way toward a theme, gets grace right out there, where it belongs, and triggers a bout of group hysteria with a single word (
Okay) and a prop (my father's pen).
And so we laughed. And so it was ten before I finally got home, after a day that had begun at 3 AM. The mail had been brought in. There was a card, the smart, precise handwriting of an amazing writer whom I love. Alyson Hagy, you of the million things to do, you of the bad bronchitis, Good Lord, girl, you didn't have to. But I love this from you. I will treasure it, always.
Today, another short note, a simple reminder:
I have the great privilege of joining David Levithan, Ellen Hopkins, Eliot Schrefer, and Jennifer Hubbard this coming Friday, 7 PM, at
Children's Book World in Haverford, PA. CBW is billing us as the Fab Five, and I have Philomel publicist (every author's dream publicist and my good friend) Jessica Shoffel to thank for making me Feel So Fab.
I hope that you will join us. The photograph above was taken during the Publishing Perspectives "What Makes a Children's Book Great?" conference held earlier this summer, where I had so much fun joining moderator Dennis Abrams on the author panel. The smart and savvy notables from left to right are Roger Horn (The Horn Book), Pamela Paul (New York Times), David Levithan (Scholastic editor and author phenom), and my good friend Jennifer Brown, a former school teacher, editor, reviewer, and jury panelist (not to mention head of children's books for
Shelf Awareness) whom I always rightly refer to as this country's ambassador for children's books.
Twelve books, twelve years, four genres, and seven publishing houses ago, there was a lovely small
New York Times review of a book I'd written called
Into the Tangle of Friendship.
Between that day and this one, I have been buoyed by readers and friends, by an agent and editors, by good-hearted bloggers and students, and of course by family in this strange but essential writing dream. I have written odd books (a river speaks in one, corporate America is transformed into a Wonderland in another), "small" books, books that might have been more than they were and books that reached more readers than I thought possible. I have kept writing because I can't help it, because it is, as I have said before, medicinal, because even when I tried to stop, I didn't know how stopping worked. What does a life look like without story making and sentence crafting, without reaching and metaphor? I don't know. I don't want to find out.
Over the past few weeks, extraordinary kindnesses have been shown toward
Small Damages, a book that I had worked on for many, many years. Kindness within Philomel, that big-hearted publishing phenom that has gifted me with the talents and deep hearts of my editor Tamra Tuller (do I love her? yes, I do), Michael Green (president and (also) writer of some of the best emails ever), Jessica Shoffel (publicist extraordinary—unbelievably smart and quick and precise and there), Julia Johnson (who told me once that she has a secret third eye), Jill Santopolo (that uber-bright cutie who forged the original link), a fantastically talented design and editorial team, and an amazingly generous sales team. Kindness from interviewers like
Abby Plesser and
Dennis Abrams. Kindness from magazine editors like
Darcy Jacobs of Family Circle and
Renee Fountain of Bella and the super nice people of the
LA Times. Kindness from friends and from bloggers, each of whom is so dear to me, so valued. (In case you are wondering, the spectacular quilted cover of
Small Damages above was created by blogger and friend,
Wendy Robards of Caribousmom.)
That should be enough, truly, but a few days ago, something else happened. The phone rang, and it was my agent, Amy Rennert. Fortunately, I was sitting down, for Amy had called to read me Jen Doll's most amazing review of
Small Damages—a review that appears in this weekend's
New York Times.
We yearn, as writers, to be understood. We yearn to be read with an open heart. We can't even believe our good fortune when this happens to us in the pages of the
Times. When we are read and assessed by one as intelligent and thoughtful as Jen Doll.
The
Times.I have always loved the
Times. Today I love Her even more than always and forever.
There are no words.
A final note: I have been typing this blog post with fumbling fingers, and I'm quite sure that I have erred somewhere up there. But my fumbling became a trembling when Jillian Canto
After all was said and nearly done at the
Publishing Perspectives "What Makes a Children's Book Great?" Conference, we gathered on Scholastic's rooftop lounge and took a look out across New York City. What a view, and what a day.
Dennis Abrams, who hosted my panel, has captured the content of this conference impeccably (as the man tends to do). Here's
his report, with help from Alex Mutter.
If I am too exhausted to state with any inch of eloquence how grateful I am for today—for being included in a well-run, truly substantive, inviting conference, for sitting on a panel among greats, for meeting, at long last, the delightful Jenny Brown, for spying on Roger Sutton's socks, for a chance to hurry through a loved city's streets, for an excuse to visit the extraordinarily wonderful Tamra Tuller, Michael Green, Jessica Shoffel, and Jill Santopolo, for the opportunity to meet the funny and fun and winning Lauren Marino—if I am too exhausted, might I at least share these two images of a conference I won't forget?
Thank you, Ed Nawotka and Dennis Abrams of
Publishing Perspectives for making this day what it was. For making me a part of it.
Poor Dennis Abrams of
Publishing Perspectives! He was given the task of interviewing me, and it was one of those days when I was talking too fast about, well, everything. That Dennis was able to create
this beautiful profile for
Publishing Perspectives says much about his talent for deep listening and fine cohesion. I am grateful, and I am so looking forward to the
Publishing Perspectives Children's Book Conference, to be held on May 31st at the Scholastic Headquarters in New York City, where I'll be joining
Peter Brown, John Rocco, and Raina Telgemeier on a panel Dennis moderates. Earlier in the day, conference participants will meet Pamela Paul, Jenny Brown, Roger Sutton, David Levithan, Ken Wright, Rosemary Stimola, and Erica Rand Silverman, among others.
I hope to find some of you there. And, again, thank you, Dennis.
What a treat!
What a day! I wish I could have been there to hear Anne Lamott. I have heard her before, and yes she is rollickingly funny plus full of beautiful insights about life.
For the record I also want to say I am a huge fan of Rahna Reiko Rizzuto and her book, Hiroshima in the Morning, thanks to your bringing her work to my attention via this blog. Which now reminds me I have been meaning to get a copy of and read her other book. So, thanks for that.
Love this Beth. Hope you're cozied up today, going nowhere, savoring the memory of yesterday.
Oh my, quite a day. The kind dreams are made of. Ending with Anne Lamott? In that church?
"No way."
"Way!!!"
It was such a treat to meet you in person at the Publishing Perspectives event. I can't wait to see your keynote speech on video - SO moving,so brave. Many Amens muttered here.
I adore Anne Lamott's BIRD BY BIRD so much, I can imagine how fun and funny she must be in person.
You had one busy day, girl! Hope you got some sleep.
Wow!!! What more can I say? :-)
I'm so glad you had a good trip. It sounds amazing just hearing about it.