ALA 2012 – to ARC or not to ARC?

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            ALA was in Anaheim in 2012, and since I’d heard so much about it from the Twittersphere in years past, I decided to go along with a couple of my friends. I’d read through the loglines of all the books that were going to be there (at least, from the larger publishers,) and I created a “Wish List” of ARCs (advanced reader copies) I wanted to pick up. And I got some -- hooray! (When they have pallet-sized stacks of books, it's okay for non-bloggers/journalists to take them). I also got to meet and hang out with a bunch of cool writer folks afterwards at a couple of bars, as well as rub elbows with a few agents – though I felt too awkward to actually talk about my work with the agents, so instead I just came up with pun-filled and borderline offensive one-liners. Like I do. So, while I didn’t get on a first name basis with any of the agents, I did become online friends with a couple of writers who are pretty cool and who have stayed in contact with me somewhat. Which I appreciate, since I am the Unpublished Unwashed, and sometimes (not so much in the kidlit world, but sometimes) people can be a bit snobby. Here's a picture of me with YA writer extraordinaire Andrew Smith, a man who is decidedly UNsnobby, and therefore We like him (the royal We -- I'm getting a head start in snobbiness!;)

            Sidenote: if I ever become snobby, someone give me the what-for.

           Sidenote #2: I convinced my friend Abby to take a picture with GAME OF THRONES author, George R. R. Martin.

 
No, he did not come to the mixer afterwards. ;)