Shannon takes the East Coast (sort of)

Back! Good trip! Exhausted. But good. Once again I was a lame-o and forgot most of the time to take photos. Recapping book tour is so hard. A million things happen and picking out significant moments seems impossible and arbitrary too, and I always worry that anyone I don't mention will feel like I consider them less significant, which isn't true! So here are my few photos (mostly phone photos and so not top quality) and a few details.

In Baltimore I spoke at some schools and signed at the Children's Book Store. I've said it before, but I notice a difference in all-girl schools. In general the girls there are more confident and thoughtful, willing to venture and even make mistakes. Why do boys make us stupid?

At Politics & Prose in Washington D.C. I met this cute girl. Her awesome mom got her up at 5 am and they drove 6 hours so she could come get her books signed on her birthday.

More awesome school visits in Philadelphia. If you're part of a school and hosting an author visit, the more prep you do, the more the kids will get out of it. I notice HUGE (and i mean H-U-G-E) differences in the visits between schools that prepped their kids beforehand and those who just threw me at them. Most students in a school won't know the author who is coming, and therefore won't care. At Bala Cynwyd, the librarians there did a ton of stuff with all the classes attending, such as presenting the reader's theater of rapunzel's revenge, handing out the Rapunzel paperdolls to color and cut, arranging times in class for kids to explore my site, etc. And it was one of the best assemblies I've ever been a part of. The kids obviously cared, were interested, asked great questions. It was a pleasure to present to them.

At the Baldwin School, one of the things they did was hold a contest for the biggest Shannon Hale fan. They picked two winners from the essay entries, and these girls got prizes as well as introduced me for the assembly. What a great idea!

Here's an awesome photo--I'd finished my chat and was starting to sign books at Children's Book World in Haverford, PA, and I snapped a photo. Look at those sweet faces! Aren't they gorgeous? Moments like this, looking at all those awesome people, I just can't believe how lucky I am to be doing this job.

This sweetie pie showed me a photo of her goose girl Halloween costume, renewing my desire for a character costume contest next year. What fun!

And here's one of them grassroots fans I was very happy to meet. I love you, Little Redders!

Really, what's better than a cozy, local children's bookstore? Children's Book World has been around for 20 years, and I was ruminating on all the good they've done in that time, all the readers they've matched to the right books, and all those books that helped those readers through tough spots. It's so encouraging. Here are some of those booksellers: Heather, Sarah, Hannah, and Hannah's sister...(sorry, forgot your name)

I don't have any photos of my visits with Barnes & Noble in Fairless Hills, though I met many wonderful people. I was so happy to see the boys from St. Andrew come to the store, and even more Little Redders. One little girl stands out, a smart whipper snapper of about 9 years who asked me 25 very intelligent questions, including, "Why does Princess Academy have a Newbery Honor sticker and your other ones don't?" A very valid question indeed!

I had the great fortune to attend a lunch with Baker & Taylor, hosting many librarians, and those of you who know me know my keen affection for librarians. I like them an awful lot. We got to have a good laugh. Here I am spying the Baker & TAylor staff, "pretending" to be bored and confused as they read Forest Born. I'm sure they're just pretending...

Then off to NCTE, the annual conference for teachers of English. Great conference, though I was only there for about five hours. I spoke on a panel with Malinda Lo, Diane Zahler, and Suzanne Selfors about "fractured classics." I was the serious, erudite one.

And before going home, I did get to grab my first Philadelphia cheese stake sandwich! K, this photo isn't flattering of me, but I'm including it because I look as tired as I felt. I didn't get to sightsee or rest much, but I'm sure glad I went. Thanks to Bloomsbury and all you fabulous Easterners!

Comments

[L.T. Elliot]

Wow! What a turnout! That goosegirl costume was darling. What a cutie!

[Mary@The Sweet Bookshelf]

Sounds like fun! I agree the Goose Girl costume was awesome!

I wish you'd come to the UK!

[Beka B.]

Wow, that looks like so much fun, getting to meet all those new people!

Ever think of coming to Canada, eh? Particularly in the rural Ottawa area???

(I'd beg, but then I'd be going on forever!:P)

You rock, Shannon! BTW, I just recieved the Audio CD of The Goose Girl, and I'm head over heels! The cast at Full Cast Audio are simply amazing!

[Stacey]

What a fun trip! I'm glad you had so much fun, eventhough it was tiring!

[Karen]

I wished I looked as good as you even at your tired-est. :) Fantastic update!

[Ali]

Looks like a cool trip! Wish I could have been there. You have lots of fans in Northern California, you should come there!

[Je Reve]

^ I concur, Ali. But she came last summer (2008), so we might have to wait.
Thanks for the post and photos!

(And we HAVE NOT forgotten about the super secret reveal that you promised, Shannon.:)

[Katie-wa]

Someday I will go on tours. Maybe I will get to meet you again, not as a fan, but as a fellow writer. That would be amazingly fun. I can't wait. Glad your trip was awesome and that you're well and safe!

[Christen]

I wanted to make it to Baltimore SO BAD, but college got in the way. Maybe next time... looks like you had a blast though! :D

[Kylie]

You know, Utah isnt that far from Arizona... you should TOTALLY come here! me (not to mention my various bayern obsessed friends) would LOVE LOVE LOVE that.
and we havent forgotten that "secret project" you keep mentioning...

[Emilie]

Yeah, as Kylie said, about that secret project...

WHEN DO WE GET TO KNOW?!?!?!?!?

[Danica]

I wish you would come to Canada (Winnipeg)! I love all your books and it would be great to meet you in person!

[Diane Zahler]

Shannon,

It was great to meet you at NCTE. I was so glad to have you on our panel -- and glad you went last! Nothing could have topped your presentation. Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful --
Diane Zahler

[Debbie/Cranberry Fries]

I love all the prep that those librarians did for the students to get them excited you were coming. I bet because of that too they'll never forget what an honor or an awesome experience that was.

[Alexa]

I thought you were fabulous, I saw you at P&P in DC. That little girl was so sweet. I was sitting behind her and she was so excited to be there. I just adore that her Mom brought her all that way and that she got to chat to you for so long. I'm sure it made her birthday :)

[Sally Reed]

Here at the National Coalition of Girls' Schools, we love hearing your comments about "our" girls. Thanks for the compliments! There's actually research to back up your observations about single sex education for girls. We'd love to have a chat with you sometime.
http://www.ncgs.org/researchshowsgirlsschoolgraduateshaveanedge/

[Libbi]

Looks like you had a lot of fun! I was bummed I couldn't make it...even though I only live like an hour away. Still, maybe if I show my darling mother that picture of that little girl whose mother woke up at 5 am to bring her there she will see how much she truly wants to take me next time :). *Sigh* Yeah, yesterday she saw me reading Princess Academy again, and she asked me why I had to read it more than once "I mean, what's the point?" Those were her exact words.I gently tried to explain to her how sometimes you just need to reread your favorite book while she gazed at me uncomprehendingly. Sometimes I wonder how I grew up to be such a bookworm.

[Amie]

Cheese 'stake' sandwich... hehe. Sounds like a lovely trip. : )

[Danylle]

Great write up. Why do boys make us stupid?
Did you see the article in The Daily Utah Chronicle? where you are praised as a successful and more prolific Alumni from the U as apposed to that other alumni from the blue school? Kudos to you!

[Chelsea]

Sounds like you had a blast!! Let me know if you ever plan on coming to Florida :]

[Children's Book World]

Shannon, you are made of awesome! Having you here was a wish fulfilled. Thanks for the lovely writeup! Fans forever,
Heather, Sarah, & the staff at CBW

[Anna]

I really want to come to one of your signing! How do look up where you are going to be??

[Jen DeLapp Pocock]

So sad I couldn't make it to your signing. Sick kids and associated Mommy crises. Looks like it was wonderful. Glad your trip went well, what a whirlwind!

You know the reason they invented Philly cheese steaks? So they could still sell the worst cuts of meat hidden deep under that orange stuff they call cheese. Obviously, I'm not a fan. Philly could come up with far better things to be famous for.

[Katie Anthony]

That is kinda sad that she can't even read her emails. I have had Stephanie Tolan answer my e-mails and that was the best day of my life. But when i found out she barely answer her emails i was upset because I love her books

[Haley K.]

Shannon Hale! I just want you to know that you are my hero! Thanks soooooo much for my signed copy of Forest Born! It never hurts to have another copy of your favorite book on hand and I am obsessed with my, as I like to call it, "personalized" message! Thanks again! Oh, and by the way I have this friend named Abby and if I don't mention her now I'll be in trouble! She loves you (but not as much as I do) You rock!