NCBLA Literary Lights Readers Theater!

special thanks to Richard Groth for the photos

Even though I had my own performance, the real reason I was at the National Book Festival was because the NCBLA invited me to take part in their  Literary Lights Readers Theater. Readers Theater is a dramatic presentation, kind of like a radio play. This presentation was to feature literary stars like Katherine Paterson, Jon Scieszka, Susan Cooper and your truly! Okay, honestly,  I think I was invited because my old (as in former, not as in age) teacher Mary Brigid Barrett is the president of NCBLA and I might bribed her with a visit from Rain Dragon...

But it was worth it! The rehearsal alone was full of hilarity. Rain Dragon couldn't take her eyes off of the 1st Ambassador of Children's Literature, Jon Scieszka. She was star-struck...or, rather, octopus-stricken.

Rain Dragon recognized that the octopus' eyes were really balls (the awesome costume was made byElizabeth Barrett Groth and has made me envious the Halloween outfits she must be able to create) and has since called all octopi, "Ball!" since.

Jon didn't wear the costume for the whole time but Rain Dragon remained in awe of him the rest of the rehearsal.  Which made her behave well enough for the rest of us to practice the performance:

me, Susan Cooper, Carol Rasco from RIF, Linda Robb Johnson, Jon Scieszka, and Katherine Paterson! talk about rubbing elbows!

And though Jon wore the costume at rehearsal, he did not during the performance. That honor went to Carol Rasco, CEO of Reading is Fundamental:

She and Cowboy Linda Robb Johnson, had to fight the paparazzi to the stage:

But they made it and the performance was a great success!

Squeeze me, I'm sitting next to the Susan Cooper! She's so classy, like the Helen Mirren of children's literature.

Which I guess would make Katherine Paterson and Jon Scieszka the King and Queen of children's literarture, as they were both Ambassadors:

should be crowns instead of medals, then

My imagination fails to make any other analogies, especially as I cannot figure out a place for an octopus in British hierarchy. Needless to say, I was extremely honored to be in the company of ALL the performers and organizers!

Thanks so much NCBLA!

the NCBLA organizers/heroines of the event, Mary Brigid Barrett (my former teacher at RISD), Marilyn Ludolph and Geri Edins

National Book Festival

And we were in DC! Hello Capital!

special thanks to Richard Groth and Lorraine Tong for the photos!

This was my first time at the National Book Festival and I wasn't sure what to expect. Unfortunately, it didn't begin auspiciously as there was a mix-up with the booksales (which I'm pretty sure was my fault, I think there was a form that I never got around to sending...ugh! I need an assistant for my life!) so they didn't have many of my books, and none of the  Ling and Ting books.

Also, my performance was right after Food Network Star's Giada De Laurentiis presented! So the overpacked tent quickly and disheartenedly thinned after she left.

But I persevered:

And things quickly took a turn for the better! The tent repopulated nicely:

And I pulled out my Starry River of the Sky presentation which is always a lot of fun:

and probably went over better than if I had done a Ling and Ting presentation anyway!

And I was whisked away for the book signing which was surprisingly long considering the book sale mix-up. Many readers brought their books from home, which was so nice to see.

though Rain Dragon got bored

And even though there weren't any Ling and Ting books, I did get to meet a real life pair:

So a nice time was had by all! It was great fun, thanks DC and the National Book Festival! I hope we get to come again!

on my desk monday

It's the author tag from the National Book Festival and some reference for a charity art auction I'm taking part of! More details on both to come!