Okay, I’m now officially in love with the Pacific Northwest. Sure, I knew it was beautiful. Puget Sound. Mount Hood. The Columbia Gorge. The islands off Seattle. But it’s also great reading land. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s not always sunny, maybe it’s because everyone has beautiful skin because it’s a little moist (okay, I know random, Hillary. Why would good skin = nice. I’m not sure but there’s something about a smooth countenance–it’s like the lifeblood hasn’t been bleached out).
Anyway, I have just spent two incredible days at the PNBA Show in Portland. That stands for the Pacific Northwest Bookseller’s Association. There is a day of conferences and a couple days of a tradeshow and lots and lots of nice people who love books. I signed last night at something called the Night Capper, which is just another way of saying that lots of authors sit in a ballroom with lots of books at night but it gets better than that. At night with lots of wonderful desserts. Strawberry shortcake and chocolate and coffee. Books and sweets. Sweet, huh?
The hardest part is having me sit and sign when I want to also clone myself and be a complete fan girl and talk to everyone. There’s a wide range of authors here. Memoirists, novelists, science writers.
I have heaved so many books into my carry-on luggage I’m afraid that there’s going to be a mid-air incident and my bag will explode books. I can picture it books (hardcover, soft, children’s picture books, cookbooks) raining all over the cabin. Okay, breath, Hillary. Nothing will happen to your precious books.
I had a chance to sit next to the talented Stasia Ward Keho whose debut YA novel Audition is wonderful. It’s a novel in verse about the ballet world and it shows the authentic struggle but there’s also delicious romance and wonderful descriptions of ballet.
I have picked up so many autographed books that I’m ridiculously happy (just picked up Maggie Stiefvater’s lastest –yay!). Anyway, the conference yesterday was very good too.
I really hope to be back as soon as I get a new book out, which I plan on being sooner rather than later!