Before my Spring Speaking Season kicks into high gear later this week, my family drove up to Big Sur to spend a few quiet days and nights in nature. Along the way, we stopped to stretch our legs, and Isaiah had his first experience with a rollie pollie stretching its legs on his fingertip.
From bugs to trees and rivers, everything is so much more magical if you choose to see it (again!) from a child's perspective.
JoanMarie and I are always excited to show off our outdoorsy skillz to our son. But sometimes the ground's too wet, or the wood's still too wet, or... Oh, whatever. We just couldn't get the fire to stay lit!
But the main reason we drove up the coast was so Isaiah could spend some time with his extended family. Here he is getting a quick tour of the campgrounds by his Auntie Sydney.
Along with Sydney's boyfriend, Aaron, we began our trek up Buzzard's Roost.
Before heading home, I taught Isaiah the fine art of tossing rocks into a river and saying "buh-LOOP!" when they hit the water. (Skipping stones will come later.)
Of course, if a nearly-fifteen-month-old is throwing rocks and you say "Isaiah, look over here!" a rock may come dangerously close to buhlooping your camera.
This is what Allie Brite says in her YouTube description of the song she wrote and performed:
I wrote this song after reading Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It's a pretty sad song but I'm really proud of it!!! I messed up a few times :( especailly in the chorus and bridge so just ingnore that! haha; but i hope you enjoy this and get inspired to read the book; changed my life!!!
It's a beautiful feeling to have written something that inspires others to create their own art. And that art, in turn, inspires me. It inspires me both creatively and personally.
If you follow me on Twitter, you already know that I get very excited to watch the Academy Awards each year. Not just because I get to eat my traditional pint of Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby, but because I'm also a movie freak!
And one of my not-so-secret fantasies is to one day write an Oscar-nominated screenplay. Something just as exciting would be to have one of my novels turned into an Oscar-nominated adapted screenplay.
If either one of those things happen, hopefully I'll get the chance to walk down the red carpet. Of course, the question then becomes What will I wear? Or What shall I do with my hair?
So, with the help of InStyle's Hollywood Makeover, I decided to try on some hairdos of the nominated actors/actresses of 2012...
Other than the school where I graduated, my recent trip to Florida included my first return visits to speak at schools. It was nice to catch up with people I met three years ago, and meet so many new people.
But when I first landed, I met local author (and fellow member of the Class of 2k7...the original debut author co-op) Greg Neri for dinner. We had a great chat about past and future writing projects, and possible 2k7 reunions. It is, after all, our 5 year anniversary!
Here are the brilliant high school media specialists responsible for bringing me to Florida: Tara Cain, Deborah Monck, and Jennifer Sloan.
My first stop was Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda. At each school, I gave three presentations in the auditoriums. If you're a student looking to see your face in a crowd, click on a pic to enlarge it.
As usual, not having a copy of Thirteen Reasons Why or The Future of Us was no reason not to get an autograph.
After school, I met with the school's book club to answer questions and munch cupcakes.
The next day, I spoke at Lemon Bay High School in Englewood.
Students at the school created book trailers in advance of my visit, and I had lunch with the creators of the top three student-voted trailers.
Here's the first place entry!
Amazing, right?
On my last day, I spoke at Port Charlotte High School.
That last group had me laughing so hard. During part of my speech, I shared the back-and-forth editing process of a certain scene in The Future of Us. In that scene, Carolyn and I kept revising Sydney's clothes, and we also see the introduction of her "flippy little wave." For the rest of my presentation, I kept spotting students trying to make their hand do a flippy little wave when they thought no one was watching. The looks on their faces were always so determined, and once I noticed it, I couldn't keep myself from laughing...each time!
At lunch, I was presented with a booklet of student-works inspired by my books. It was a very touching gift. (Don't worry, Carolyn, I'll make color copies of The Future of Us projects for ya!)
Recently, I can't speak anywhere without being presented with a box of donuts. Y'all know me so well! Each school day in Florida began with me eating one (um...or more) donuts. Port Charlotte actually had two donuts custom-made for each book. There was a sun-shaped donut, representing Sunshine Donuts in The Future of Us, and two donuts shaped into a 13, representing...well...I think that one's a given.
To everyone I met or saw again on this trip, thanks for a wonderful time. When my next book comes out, I'd be absolutely honored to make a three-peat appearance!
When we got to Austin in the evening, I took a cab downtown to meet up with a high school friend, and Carolyn went to bed. The next day, with a couple hours to act like tourists, Carolyn and I went out to lunch and browsed a few funky stores (Austin has a lot of funky stores). Then she returned to the hotel to take a quick nap and I took a tour of the Capitol.
Have you figured out which one of us values sleep more?
We were even given a Texas-sized donut (which I ate after Carolyn went to sleep)!
Early the next morning, we finally flew to my side of the United States, driving straight to a speaking engagement at Chino Hills High School.
That was followed by a presentation at Ayala High School.
Then Carolyn took a quick nap (who would've thought!) while I watched TV and drank coffee. Yes, we each have our own ways of making sure we're sharp for evening bookstore events. Even though Carolyn and I have both been published for several years, we still get goosebumps when we walk into a store and see a nice display of our books, like the one at Mrs. Nelson's Toy & Book Shop.
On our last day, Carolyn and I had brunch in Pasadena and reminisced about the past eight days. For two people who barely knew each other when we began writing The Future of Us, and had only hung out four times before this tour, we somehow managed to travel across the country for nine days without annoying each other once.
And then we both quickly knocked on wood because we still had a full day ahead of us.
First we spoke at Mayfield School.
Then Burbank High School. When we were driving to B.H.S., we were told not to have any expectations. The school librarian had never brought an author to the school before, and the event was after school, so no one was required to be there. We could be speaking to just three people.
But the place was packed!
When Carolyn and I arrived at Once Upon A Time that evening, it was a mix of emotions. It was our last stop on the tour, and we were both ready to go home, but we were also feeling sad about parting, and sad that we won't be chatting with so many readers every day.
When I walked into the store, I immediately recognized my friend Danielle, even though I haven't seen her since...seventh grade!
The audience included some of my favorite authors. Lisa Yee is circled in yellow, Ned Vizzini in blue, and that's either Ben Esch or Greg Pincus in green (they're both rather fuzzy).
With the final speech given, and the final book signed, Carolyn and I wilted. But someone wanted us to pose for one final end-of-tour photo.
I don't think I've ever flown into and out of a state in the same day, but that's what Carolyn Mackler and I did in Florida.
But between flights, we had an amazing time. The weather in Coral Gables was perfect, so we took a stroll through downtown. Instead of shopping, we chatted about the books we're each working on. We may not be co-writing these books, but we're still bouncing ideas off each other.
And then we relaxed for a few minutes before our presentation by hanging out with Judy Blume. (I told you we had a great time in Florida, right?)
The moment we announced our tour dates, other authors began telling us how much they love Books & Books. And it is a wonderful store, with an amazing cafe.
And once again, a lovely reader made my tummy very happy by bringing me donuts. They were, without any exaggerating, the best donuts I've ever had. The photo I took of them was blurry, and they didn't last long enough to take another photo, but I need to say a very special Thank You to Crissa for the delicious gift.
Crissa also posted this photo from the event:
While Carolyn and I were speaking, I didn't notice the photography books with partially nekkid ladies over my shoulder. No wonder the audience was paying such close attention!
After that event, Carolyn and I hopped on a late flight to Houston, Texas.
In the morning, we drove to every bookstore we could find, hunted around for our books, and signed them. On one hunting expedition, I heard Carolyn calling for help. She had coffee in one hand, and a stack of slowly sliding books in the other.
But before I came to her aid, I took a photo.
In the afternoon, we spoke at Blue Willow Bookshop. Every time we enter a store and see a nice display of our books, we both tilt our heads and sigh.
Ahh...
And then people show up, and we tell them about how we wrote The Future of Us, and we answer questions, and we autograph books, and Carolyn and I look at each other, feeling so thankful for all of our readers.
Ahh...
And then, at the bookstore we found on the way to the airport, she got me back.
