Authorpalooza!

I attended the TLA annual conference in Houston last month.  This conference is always a highlight of the spring - time to spend with librarian friends from around the state, a chance to catch up with publishers and hear about upcoming releases, the opportunity to learn new things, and the fun of just talking nonstop about books and libraries!  

Another favorite part of this special event is the chance to meet authors and to hear them talk about their writing. 

It started with a bang with a Penguin dinner with young adult literature royalty: Sir John Green and Lady Judy Blume!  I was so starstruck, I don't think I uttered one intelligible word the entire night!     

 

The Queen with some of her royal subjects, my friends the Superhearts

 

 

I also had the honor of moderating a panel of Lone Star Reading List authors including, Adam Gidwitz, Kelly Milner Halls, Brian Falkner, and David Lubar.  What a treat!  Unfortunately, we were in a cave of a room,  and the photos are real duds.  The one with KMH is just a gray haze! :( 
  

Brian Falkner, author of Lone Star title Brain Jack

Adam Gidwitz, author of Lone Star title A Tale Dark & Grimm

David Lubar, author of Lone Star title Dunk

A final highlight: dinner with the darling and dauntless Veronica Roth, author of the bestselling Divergent and the newly-released sequel, Insurgent.  Thank you, Molly O'Neill and Harper Collins Publishers for this special night.  Is it really fair that she is so cute, talented, and the author of a bestselling book that has already been optioned for a movie, all before the age of 30??! 

 

 

It was another great TLA conference.  Thanks to all who worked to plan and program the event as well as to the publishers for bringing these awesome authors to Texas!  Next Nerd Herd event:  ALA  Anaheim in June!