Elizabeth Bird

These round-ups are dangerous in part because I suffer from a severe case of ALA Aphasia. I'm going to try to tell you about some of the folks I bumped into while at ALA. This is partly self-indulgent and partly apologetic because I know I've forgotten people.  Sorry, guys.  Next conference I'll let you tattoo your names on my left cheekbone (but it'll have to be backwards so that I can read them in the mirror later).

One of the Abrams people took the picture (which explains the lovely view of all their upcoming books here).  And if you're wondering why this is the only picture of an author in this post, it is because Ms. Perl was the only person who asked to take one of us with her camera.  I never think to take photographs.  It's my curse.

The next day I ran into Jeff Kinney, author of the Funniest Book of the Year (no discussion on this one) Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  Read. This. Book. People.  I mean it.  Do it.

I also performed a dynamic tumble over Avi's feet. Fun Fact: Avi's not really a trip-over-my-feet kinda guy. He didn't say anything or, for that matter, notice me at all though, so that was all right. I then noticed that he was going to start signing stuff, but after you've tripped over a man what else is there to do but move on and find someone else to trip over?  Word on the street had it that David Wiesner has some nicely trippable feet.  I did not linger.  

And then there are the big name authors you keep running into without ever figuring out how to talk to them. I've never spoken to either Holly Black or Judy Blume, and it's getting awkward. We're always at the same places. Wait. That's not entirely true. I did speak to Judy Blume once. I told her the black and white cookies being served at a NYPL librarian event "were good". That's the kind of pure unadulterated brilliance Ms. Blume doesn't see every day, I'm sure. In the case of Holly Black, I'm sure we could chat, but what would we say? I've reviewed some of her books on Amazon, where they were swallowed up by the inky blackness that is that site. She would not know me from Adam, and it seems a shame to bother her. Still, every time I run into Ms. Black I feel a twinge of, "Should I say something?," followed swiftly by a quick, "Naaaah."

Speaking of Judy Blume, John Green (oh, I know all about his Guilt Free Three) wins the Remember My Name Award of the conference. Like the guy has nothing better to do but recall that Fuse #8 = Betsy Bird. But when I ran into him at a cool Simon & Schuster party he not only remembered me but gave me a big ole hug. This felt natural as I am a regular viewer of Brotherhood 2.0 and, as a result, am under the mistaken impression that he's a buddy who talks directly to me every other day (except on week-ends). I asked him about this too. "Isn't it weird that everyone in the world now regards you as their friend?," says I. John countered by confiding to me that it was a clever marketing scheme on his part. He'll just make everyone his friend and sell his books that way. MySpace Friends be damned!

In any case, newbie author Karen Day was present as well, which was nice. She came to the SCBWI Kidlit Drink Night long long ago. Her book is currently sitting in my To Be Reviewed Pile. The pile is enormous, messy, and mumbles insults at me when it thinks I'm not listening.

I saw the lovely Ms. Linda Sue Park at the Newbery Banquet later in my trip.  I'd seen her the night before at the aforementioned hot S&S party, but didn't get a chance to chat.  Every time I see Linda it's like she's hugging and hanging out with some fellow Newbery winner.  Once during an SCBWI Conference I interrupted her conversation with Katherine Paterson.  Ms. Paterson was very nice about it but I have learned an important rule regarding Ms. Park.  Wait for her to come to you.  Anywho, she look faaaaabulous at the Newbery night.  Wish I'd taken a picture (consarn it...).

Continued