7-13-09 Going home from ALA Chicago 2009

Friends:

Okay, I was supposed to blog a couple of days ago but I got stuck in a quagmire of catch-up work. So the above picture was taken on the plane from St. Louis to New Orleans (Chicago to St. Louis then a layover). I took the picture after the warning was issued, “We are approaching our final descent into New Orleans. At this time, please turn off and stow all electronic devices and bring your seat and tray table to its full, upright and locked position.” I know. I know. It’s dorky to know that by heart but I fly. A LOT. hahaha So I was being a bad girl and snapping pictures on the sly. Here is the Mighty Mississippi…

7-13-09 The Mississippi River from plane window

So after coming in a little early, I head for baggage claim and was greeted by this sight. A group of young brass band musicians were preparing to give some VIP a jazzy welcome. Where else in the world can you land and be serenaded by a brass band?! It is, after all, the Louis Armstrong International Airport. Here is a picture of John Perkins of the One Mind Brass Band prepping his horn.

7-13-09 John Perkins from One Mind Brass Band at the New Orleans airport

Such a cool sight. But the best sight of all is seeing your little girl running to greet you. Here is my cutie pie, Eliana, all DIVA-ed out in a new rock star-ish outfit. And yes, that is my cute zebra suitcase behind her. LOL

7-13-09 Coming home to my cutie pie, Eliana!

It’s been a productive week – I executed a book contract, handwrote a million thank you notes, entered ALA contacts, followed up with ALA contacts, edited a manuscript going to production, worked with my assistant and my web designer, sent out my newsletter, and even created a book trailer for The Cajun Cornbread Boy (more on that later).

And I am still processing all that went on at ALA! What a wonderful conference it was!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

7-12-09 Dianne de Las Casas & Neil Gaiman, Winner of the 2009 Newbery Medal for The Graveyard Book

Friends:

What a day! I signed books at the ABC-Clio Libraries Unlimited booth early today. I discovered that I left my camera’s SD card in my laptop at the hotel. Ugh. I took pictures with my phone but had trouble emailing them to myself. So all the pictures I have are from tonight’s Newbery Caldecott banquet.

After signing, I roamed the exhibit floor and ran into Carmen Agra Deedy, who was signing Martina the Beautiful Cockroach at the Children’s Plus booth. She is such a doll. I love her. Who doesn’t?!!!!

Afterwards, I met up with Juliet Bond, Kelly Milner Halls, and Stephanie Reynolds. I had a bite to eat and saw my buddy, MJ Diem for a few brief minutes. Love you, MJ!

Juliet and I wandered the exhibit hall some more when I decided to get some fudge. Lo and behold, I run into my friend, Vickie Beene Beavers, who was standing right behind me in line. The funny thing is we were both laughing so loud at a comment made by a nearby speaker. I turned around to see who was laughing as loud as me and it was Vickie! Her friend, Veronica, was with her and the three of us had some great laughs.

Juliet and I went back to my room and changed for the Newbery Caldecott banquet. What an event! Juliet and I sat at a table with some wonderful librarians. I even met a librarian from the Army Libraries of Europe! The food was great, a prelude to a great evening ahead.

The first awards were to the Caldecott Honor winners – Marla Frazee for A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, Uri Shulevitz for How I Learned Geography, and Melissa Sweet for A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams. Then came the big Caldecott award. It went to Beth Krommes for The House in the Night, a quiet and sweet bedtime book written by Susan Marie Swanson. Beth Krommes is soft-spoken and elegant woman. She was gracious enough to pull out her Caldecott medal and let me and some other authors hold it!! Just spectacular!

7-12-09 Dianne de Las Casas & Beth Krommes

Then it was time for the Newbery. First the honors were awarded to Kathi Appelt for The Underneath, Ingrid Law for Savvy, Margarita Engle for The Surrender Tree, and Jacqueline Woodson for After Tupac & D Foster.

7-12-09 Dianne de Las Casas & Jacqueline Woodson

Then it was gold medal time… Ok, so I have a crush on Neil Gaiman now. He is so funny and a true wordsmith. His speech was humorous, touching, and inspiring. He said that “children’s fiction is the most important writing of all.” I was so thrilled to be a part of this night because I absolutely loved The Graveyard Book. Meeting Neil Gaiman was the icing on the cake. And yes, his arm was around me!! LOL

Then Ashley Bryan, who is an amazing force on stage, received the Laura Ingalls Wilder award. With audience participation, call and response, and poetry, he enthralled the crowd with his speech. Afterwards, I told him how much I enjoyed his storytelling delivery. He said to me, “I don’t like to let words lie flat on the page. Let them fly!”

7-12-09 Ashley Bryan and Dianne de Las Casas

Again, I ran into my friend, Yuyi Morales, the Pura Belpre illustrator winner for her book, Just in Case. Yuyi is the most gorgeous, sweet and sophisticated woman you will meet. We both presented at the San Benito Literary conference last year and I was privileged to spend time with her. What a woman!

7-12-09 Dianne de Las Casas & Yuyi Morales - look at Yuyi's dress and shoes! Wow!

It was a fabulous day – I wish I could have posted more pictures! I am flying out in the afternoon on Monday. ALA was marvelous but I am ready to be home for a little while!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

7-11-09 Dianne signing books at ABC-Clio Libraries Unlimited

Friends:

Today, I signed books at the American Library Association Conference in Chicago. I was very pleased with the traffic in the exhibit hall – a lot of people came through. One library director bought a copy of each of my books and said that my books were “the best thing she had seen all day.” How cool is that?

I had some friends stop by such as Amanda Leblanc from the South Carolina Association of School Librarians (I presented there in March – awesome conference!) and Becky, Alison & Nancy from the Tennessee Association of School Librarians (where I will be presenting in September). I also ran into Tammy Dibartolo from the Rapides Parish Library system in Louisiana. Thank you so much for stopping by!

7-11-09 Dianne de Las Casas with Nancy & Alison, school librarians from Tennessee

Afterward my book signing, I met up with my good friend and fellow author, Juliet Bond. We had lunch and then toured the exhibit hall, checking out the latest and greatest in children’s books. Of course, we ran into some wonderful people – our author friends in the children’s lit world. I finally met Cynthia Liu face to face (after all that Facebook time! LOL). She is so beautiful and funny. I ran into the gorgeous Yuyi Morales. Then we bumped into Christine Urdahl and Christine Butler.

7-11-09 Dianne de Las Casas & Cynthia Liu

After 4 hours of walking, talking, meeting and greeting, Juliet and I needed to decompressed. We came back to my room and chilled for a couple of hours. Christine Butler invited us to dinner with a group of authors who are doing a non-fiction panel on Sunday morning. So Juliet and I met them at McCormick Schmick’s.

7-11-09 Juliet Bond, Kelly Milner Halls & Dianne de Las Casas

We dined with Kelly Milner Halls, Christine Butler, Hester Bass and her husband, April Pulley Sayre, Amy Hansen, Katherine House, and Gwendolyn (I didn’t get Gwendolyn’s last name!! Argh!). Gwendolyn lives in Oklahoma and I will see her at the Encyclomedia conference, where I am a featured speaker in September. It was a fantabulous evening with good food and even better company. The service was excellent.

7-11-09 A table of illustrious authors at McCormick Schmick. That's Kelly Milner Halls showing her lovely dessert.

Tomorrow, I have a book signing from 10am-12pm at the ABC-Clio Libraries Unlimited booth. Afterwards, I am hanging out with Juliet Bond and we are attending the Caldecott Newberry banquet later that evening. It will be a great day.

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

7-10-09 Arriving at Chicago's Ohare Airport, The Concourse of International Flags

Friends:

I arrived in Chicago’s Ohare Airport on Friday, July 10, 2009 for the American Library Association annual conference, after a slightly turbulent flight from New Orleans and a rather hard landing. I headed to the airport shuttle and booked a round-trip ticket to the Chicago Hilton on Michigan Avenue, where I had reservations. Seeing this van should have been an indication about how my day would go. It was a bad “omen.”

7-10-09 The 666 Airport Shuttle

The shuttle ride took 2 hours from the airport to the hotel. Fortunately, the van was full of wonderful people – ladies from England, librarians, ALA exhibitors, and our fabulous driver who even provided us with snacks.

I was so ready to decompress and get to my room after that long shuttle ride. When I arrived at the hotel, I was very dismayed to learn that the hotel did not have my reservation, which I made through the ALA housing system. ALA informed me that someone had cancelled my reservation. Unfortunately, all the hotels in the area were overbooked and sold out. I was “homeless at the Hilton.” But, fortunately, my publisher, Libraries Unlimited, came to my rescue. Barbara Ittner, an editor at Libraries Unlimited, offered to share her room with me. James Ingle, head of international sales, switched rooms with us so that we could have two restrooms. I am sleeping on a pullout sofa bed, which is actually pretty comfy.

My publisher took me to dinner at Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian churasco steakhouse that served 16 kinds of roasted meats carved tableside. It was delicious. Afterwards, we went to a blues club called Buddy Guy’s, right behind the Hilton. Thank you Ron, James & Christie for a fun evening!

7-10-09 The insane amount of meat at Fogo de Chao

Fortunately, all’s well that ends well. I found a place to lay my head and was wined and dined. Yay!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne