The table was piled with books! We found each other by them, in fact. Who else would be carrying Hugo Cabret or Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! into a restaurant and waving them about?
The conversation was scintillating! Tales of book ordering frenzies after the ALA awards so wild they would win a bond trader's admiration. Stories of manuscripts being finished, started, revised, sold, dreamed about. Newbery and Caldecott winners passed from hand to hand. Confessions about what we had read and what we hadn't. Who loved what (and who didn't) and why. Cheeky ARCs for 2008 hobnobbing with seasoned 2007 titles.
Yes, folks, the DC Kidlit Brunch was everything I could've hoped for. If you live near the DC area, please come out next time. Email Caroline Hickey to be added to the A-List. (Hey, around here, we're all A-List.)
The Brunch Crew, after being instructed
to hold a book we had NOT yet read
From left to right:
Susan (Wizards Wireless) holding The Wednesday Wars.
Louise Simone holding Henry's Freedom Box, written by Ellen Levine and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. I would buy this book for the cover image alone. Stunning.
Caroline Hickey (Author of Cassie was Here and member of those fab Longstockings) holding The Wall by Peter Sis
Gina Montefusco (PBS) holding Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers
MotherReader and Tami Lewis Brown (of the soon-to-be-released Soar, Elinor!) both holding Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!
Anamaria Anderson (Books Together) holding Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains by Laurel Snyder of Kid*Lit(erary)
Sara Lewis Holmes (me!) holding an ARC of A la Carte* by Tanita Davis (Finding Wonderland)
*But since I had PRE-ORDERED this book already, I let someone else take the ARC home. I could hardly stand it, but I did it. (After peeking at a few of the recipes.)
I had a lovely time at brunch, and your post captured everything perfectly!
ReplyDeleteI should explain the bond trader thing for those who weren't there. I'm a children's book buyer for an independent toy and book store. During the ALA award announcements, I was shouting the winners to my colleague, who was calling publishers, reps and distributors to get the winning titles. She was still on the phone with the Caldecott publisher when the Newbery was announced. So I was shouting: "It's Good Masters, Sweets Ladies! Candlewick! Go go go!" It was a crazy morning.
When I told the story at brunch the other day, someone (maybe you, Sara?) commented that it sounded like bond trading... only with children's books.
-Susan
Sara, you are TOTALLY getting one of my ARC's next time! How fun that everyone swapped books!!! Those brunches that you walk away with a book you haven't read -- are the BEST!!!
ReplyDeleteOohh! sounded like it was great fun. We are back in DC/VA this summer and would love to meet up with you guys. I will have to remember to send the email.
ReplyDeleteIt was really was that nice a morning! Next time I'm staying well into the afternoon, too. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteI wish we had cool gatherings like that in Rochester, or that I lived closer and could drive and hang out with you guys.
ReplyDeleteSigh, sigh.
Sara, I saw a little glass bottle of whipping cream in a natural food store yesterday, and I had to buy it. Even though I don't really need to whip any cream particularly this week. But it was in this cute little glass bottle! Who can resist the cute little glass bottle?!?
Anyway, I'm thinking your commentary on the coffee with whip is very serendipitous.
This sounds like so much fun, Sara! Wish I could have been there!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Adrienne. Why don't you all move to Nashville? Seriously, where were you all when I did live near D.C. (but then I wasn't blogging then anyway) . . .
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had so much fun. And what a fun write-up to read.
Jules, 7-Imp
Post a picture, Adrienne! You can't tempt me with a story of a cute little glass bottle and then not share.
ReplyDeleteJules, I hear that Nashville's a cool town...but I don't have much control over where I hang my hat these days. Maybe one day...
Everyone: don't forget to email Caroline! We're making plans for another meeting in March.
Thanks for the post. I will try to join in March!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got the picture up. It was so funny that after our last meeting when we had to come up with someone with a camera this time we all had cameras at the ready. Plus our own stand-by photographer! It was great fun and I'm so glad that my scratchy throat didn't keep me away.
ReplyDeleteI'm more than a little jealous...
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent idea - it looks to be a most interesting event.
ReplyDeleteAnd I missed it! And you could have finally seen the Kiki Strike shirt!!!!
ReplyDelete:(
One of these times, right?