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The City of (among other things) Angels
Thanks to the good people at Target and Random House, I will be hitting the L.A. Times Books Festival next weekend. My job is to be smiling and shiny on the Target Children’s Stage at 4.40pm on Saturday the 25th. In L.A. (if you missed that part). If you too will be around the Fest, stop on by and give me a beauty queen wave.
A little more info here. Cheers.
Hip-Hip for Olney, Illinoisey
So, I owe public thanks to the good folks of Olney, IL (home of the white squirrels). They participate in the One Community, One Book program, and this year they picked Leepike Ridge to be their community title. They foisted free copies on folks out of their local businesses and even went so far as to set up a life-size diorama of Tom and Argus (and corpse) in the front of their Super Wal-Mart. Of course, too many people did find the corpse disturbing, so it moved into schools.
They also brought me in for a day’s worth of events, and the kids kept me hopping throughout–catching biographical errors in paperbacks, prying their way backstage into the creative process, and helpfully suggesting future books, characters, concepts, etc.
And yes, I saw white squirrels in their natural Olney habitat. Two of them.
Thanks to all the people who made it such a great program (and especially to Pat Carlson for all the dirty work). Much gratitude. Cheers.
Research (More and More)
Aloha to you all (and apologies for disappearing without a word of farewell). My family and I (along with my older sister’s crew) have been sprawling our collective way through a last minute European tour–already dubbed Eurolap 2009. The trek started in London, barged through Belgium, down through Germany, reached the bowels of Rome, looped back up the Italian coast, and sliced through France. Currently, we are all in Oxford, tongues lolling, chests heaving.
We clocked more than 3000 miles of certifiable research in eleven countries–profitable, glorious, hilarious, excruciating research. Robberies in Rome, car-wrecks in Monaco, the tunnels of Brussels, the Grund of Luxemburg, the nefarious ways of Italians . . . I remember them all like they were yesterday. Because they were.
Tomorrow, we hop into a tube of steel and rodeo our way through the turbulence home.
Dandelion Fire Tour Schedule
The time has come (the walrus said) to get out and push the new book. Dandelion Fire releases on February 24th, and I will be on the road celebrating that fact in the traditional way (with readings, school visits, a smiling face, a cramping and inky right hand). For those interested parties, here’s a list of the public bookstore events on the roster:
Tuesday, February 24th, 7:00 p.m.
CHANGING HANDS BOOKSTORE
Address: 6428 s. McClintock Drive, Tempe, AZ
Wednesday, February 25th, 7:00 p.m.
BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC
Address: 1 N. La Grange Road, La Grange, IL
Thursday, February 26th, 7:00 p.m.
BARNES & NOBLE
Address: 55 Old Orchard Center, Skokie, IL
Friday, February 27th, 7:00 p.m.
BARNES & NOBLE
Address: 7433 Mineral Point Road, Madison, WI
Saturday, February 28th, 2:00 p.m.
COVER TO COVER
Address: 3560 N. High Street, Columbus, OH
Sunday, March 1st, 1:00 p.m.
JOSEPH-BETH BOOKSELLERS
Address: 2692 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208
Tuesday, March 3rd, 7:00 p.m.
BOOKS & CO.
Address: The Greene, 4453 Walnut Street, Dayton, OH
I would, of course, love to see any of you at any of these places. Cheers.
Muggles, Muggles
Mugglenet has recently posted enthusiastic reviews of both 100 Cupboards and Dandelion Fire. In their general excitement about the series, they have also announced a 100 Cupboards inspired writing contest. (Another shot at free books anyone?)
You can read about it on their site, but I’ll give you my favorite line from their announcement here: “MuggleNet is ready to admit that magic awaits beyond the world of Harry Potter!”
Muchas gracias muggles.