Conference Jitters

Yesterday, I hosted my first ever joint panel with a group of children's authors - PJ Hoover, Jenny Meyerhoff and Barrie Summy. We are all members of the Class of 2k8 debut children's novelists, and we all spoke yesterday at the Oklahoma School Librarians' Conference, EncycloMedia.

I sweated the details of the conference like a first-time parent. I really really really wanted us to do well. And I really really really wanted us to have an audience. I had visions of the lone cricket sawing away at his music in the back of an empty room. Oklahoma librarians had another vision. They came out in huge numbers to support and listen to a group of slightly nervous but very excited debut authors, who put on some really funny, heartfelt, clever, and entertaining talks. No two were the same. I learned as much from giving my own speech in front of a real audience - as opposed to my silent computer screen - as I did from listening to each of their differenct styles.

Here's a huge SHOUT OUT to the amazing authors of 2k8 that traveled long distances to speak in my home state and the wonderful Oklahoma librarians who came to hear us all talk. It was a huge success that I was honored to be a part of. One I'll not soon forget this day.