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An
Eoin Colfer, Scott Westerfeld and Me Event
This Sunday, Mother's Day, I believe (hi, Jan!),
me and Scott
Westerfeld and Eoin
Colfer (!) will be doing an event at Books
of Wonder, the children's book shop on 18 W. 18th St New York,
NY (cross street: Fifth Avenue). We'll be there from 1PM to 3PM.
The event's free and it'll be fun—if you're in the area come
join us.
For those of who don't know, Eoin Colfer is one of the best-known,
best-selling, and popular writers of children's books around. His
Artemis Fowl books have
put him up there with Lemony
Snickett, Holly Black &
Tony DiTerlizzi, Garth
Nix and Jonathan
Stroud. Exalted company indeed. It's quite the honour for a
total beginner in the genre like me to be on the same billing. Here's
hoping I'll be able to impress one or two of Colfer's legion of
fans enough that they'll want to check out my book. Fingers crossed
and gulp.
I can't tell you exactly what we'll be doing because I'm not entirely
sure. Books of Wonder events are varied and as the name of the shop
would suggest—wonderful. I've seen writers and artists do
short readings, discuss their books, their children, their life,
interrogate their readers in the audience, draw the audience, answer
questions, juggle and tap dance (okay, I may have made up the last
two). I'm hoping this Sunday will be more of a laid-back chatting
thing. I have no problems gasbagging about Magic
or Madness, but for some reason I get very nervous when
I'm asked to read from
it. Nope, I don't understand it either. I'm sure Eoin Colfer has
no such problems, and I know Scott doesn't. And this recent
article full of advice on how to read in public has only made
me more nervous.
Books of Wonder is my favourite bookshop in New York City. It's
huge, beautiful, full of books I've read or want to read, the staff
know their stuff and are sweethearts. The shop is owned by Peter
Glassman who has an encyclopediac knowledge of children's literature
and does his level best to read everything new that comes out. An
impossible task, but if anyone gets close it's him (or Joe Monti
the children's and YA book buyer for Barnes and Noble).
One of the things I love best about Peter and his wonderful shop,
is the way they support writers. Books of Wonder has an event two
or three times a week for most of the year. If you live anywhere
near NYC, or you're visiting, and you have even a slight interest
in childrens and YA books you have to visit. And if you're not being
showered (or showering your mother) with presents and attention
this Sunday why not stop by around 1PM?
See
you there!
New York City, 6 May 2005
©
2005 Justine Larbalestier
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