My favorite memento ever
It’s late, I’m sure I should be in bed, the exhaustion hit me during dinner like a commuter train, but I just have to tell you about this.
My school appearance this afternoon was PHENOMENAL. And not because of me, but because of them.
Here’s how it went:
I arrived at North Crowley High School around two, and there just inside the door were about ten kids, waiting to escort me upstairs to the library where the rest of the fifty 9th-graders were waiting. But first, after an hour of driving from Dallas to Ft. Worth, of course I had to pee.
So two of the girls came with me, and waited patiently while I managed that on my own, and then when it was time to wash my hands, I was dealing with the kind of the faucet that you have to keep holding for the water to flow, and one of the girls reached over to hold it for me, and right away I knew I was in Luxury Circumstances. Better than the hotel in San Francisco that had the personal bottles of oxygen in the rooms.
Then up to the library with my full brace of escorts. And just outside the library, in the display case, was a collage of printouts of the cover of my book, downloaded from the internet. Along with a “Welcome Robin Brande.” And inside the library was a huge sign celebrating those of us who are freaks of nature. Meaning all of us.
It was a packed house in there, boys and girls, all fifty of them readers of my book. Which–stop right there–would have been pretty fantastic on its own.
But there was so much more.
They were smart, thoughtful, asked challenging and insightful questions, and generally made me account for a lot of choices I made in the book. But they did it politely and brought up things I didn’t even think I’d done, and some of them made me laugh, and all of them made me think.
I talked for over an hour. Then I signed books and had my picture taken with many of the kids. Love that. I wish I’d brought my own camera. If any of you student photographers are reading this, please, please, please send me copies! I want to remember you. I wish I’d brought my camera to capture the faces of all of the kids I’ve met this week. That was really stupid of me not to.
As terrific as all of it was, the best was yet to come. The librarian who had organized the mass-reading and my talk, Susan Geye, presented me with something I will treasure all my life. She’d passed around one of the advance copies of my book over the past few days and had each of the students go through and find their favorite passages in the book and write out in the margin what they liked about it. So what I have now is a copy of my book with sweet comments and notes to me written to me all over it in blue and black and red pen. Comments like, “This happened to me, too!” and “I loved this part,” and “I was so mad her parents did this. I hate being punished for something I didn’t do,” and “I’m so glad they kissed!”
I’m not sure if the kids and Ms. Geye understand how deeply touched I am by such a gift. What a wonderful memento to give to an author. And on top of that, many of the kids gave me notes separately, some about how my book affected their beliefs, some about how they love the romance, some about how they’ve felt that kind of rejection from their friends, too, and were inspired by how my girl handled it.
You write a book and you don’t know who will ever read it. You hope people will like it if they do. Today was one of those wonderful days when I got to meet the actual people on the other side of my book. In fact, this whole week has been like that. I’ve spent hours and hours now, in five different parts of the country, meeting strangers with whom it turns out I have so much in common, from the teen book clubs in San Francisco and Seattle to the seventh-graders in Chicago, to the high schoolers in Ann Arbor to the ninth-graders in Dallas, and all of the booksellers, librarians, and teachers along the way. The constant sleep deprivation and commercial travel suck, but the people part of this trip has been so entirely wonderful I can’t wait to do it again.
There were so many people who have made this week so spectacular and rewarding, but I want to thank in particular the bookstores, schools, booksellers, and librarians who sponsored my visits:
Jennifer and Shannon from Books, Inc. in San Francisco
Chauni and Rene from All for Kids in Seattle
Mary and Jan from Anderson’s Bookshop in Chicago, and Gail from Avery Coonley School
Aaron from Nicola’s Bookshop in Ann Arbor, and Diane from Community High School
Susan from North Crowley High School in Ft. Worth
If I’ve left you out or gotten something wrong, I’m so sorry. My brain is not on full function. But if I met you this week, please know that I enjoyed every single connection.
And thank you most of all to all of the kids who spoke to me so freely, who shared their thoughts and feelings and experiences, and who kept me going day after day with their enthusiasm and bright, shiny personalities. This is why I have such hope for our country: the generation coming up right now is filled with smart, passionate, creative, sensitive, committed young men and women. We will be in good hands.
It’s just up to those of us who are older to remember to treat them kindly, to foster their talents, to protect them from harm, and to let them spread their wings.
Technorati Tags: Writing, Publishing, Author Tours, Book Tours
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Aww. You made me cry.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:24 pm
rb, what a lovely, reassuring, life-affirming post. aren’t young folks the best? i like them so much i spawned a few.
ms. geye is why we all have a soft spot for libraians–they’re smart (because they get paid for reading all day) and they are thoughtful (and i don’t think they get paid extra for that, that’s just the gene that makes them libraians).
what a wonderful trip you have had and what a wonderful time we’ve had sharing it with you. thanks
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:27 pm
OK, that copy of your book that all the kids wrote in? Single. Coolest. Thing. EVER.
You win.
March 24th, 2007 at 5:01 am
You guys, I wish you could have been there and seen these kids. I wish I could put every kid from every event this week on the blog, along with pictures, the personal stories they told me, the questions they asked.
Really, when you meet kids like this, you know it’s all going to be okay.
March 24th, 2007 at 6:22 am
Oh my. I’m tearing up. These kids are so cool. I so enjoyed reading about your touring experience…but this is totally the best. This makes it all worth it in the end. Thank you so much for sharing this.
March 24th, 2007 at 6:24 am
I’m with Barry on this one. That is the single one thing that you will always look back on (probably literally) when remembering this whole first book launch. It’s the kind of immediate feedback most authors can only dream about, and you have it to look at any time you need a lift, or are wondering about a decision you’re making in your current project.
And yeah, I wanna SEE those photos! I hope the kids come through for you.
March 24th, 2007 at 8:17 am
Yup, teary-eye time…. that’s the single greatest gift I’ve ever heard about. I’m in full agreement with Annette - a very life-affirming post (which phrase I thought of about it halfway through, only to discover that SHE BEAT ME TO IT! *laughing*)
March 24th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Oh, Robin, I’m so happy for you. I love that librarian for thinking of that book idea, and those kids for being so thoughtful and engaged about the whole thing.
And thanks, annette, for the sweet words about librarians. I wish we really got paid to sit around and read all day, though…
March 24th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Your last stop without a doubt is very gut-wrenching, touching. Yes, I dripped some tears on my keyboard—so what? You described every city and visit with such enthusiasm and detail that I was there with you, pulling on my pantie hose ready to go.
You are right, young people are the best with their honesty and hope for the future. Guess that is why I love working with college students for ??? years, they keep you thinking and on your toes.
Your signed book is the ultimate gift, what a wonderful treasure to have with you always (that is, if you keep it out of reach for Bear to chew).
Thank you for taking us across the country this week, would not have missed it!!
Now, hurry up and watch Lost so we can discuss.
March 24th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
What a treasure. What a treasure. That’s all I can think, really. What an amazing thing for them to do.
And, though this is probably selfish, this has reminded me of one of the reasons I want to write for people so much. That feeling of love and honesty and acceptance - of you and your work - is so amazing to even see you describe, I can’t wait to have it for my own.
You continue to be an inspiration, in weird and wondrous ways.
March 24th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
“You continue to be an inspiration, in weird and wondrous ways.”
Miri, that’s the kind of compliment I can totally get behind. Thank you!
March 24th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Robin!
Robin!
You will have that book on your DEATHBED.
Welcome home! It’s been GREAT to follow your trip.
March 24th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
vc girl–ya gotta get up pretty darn early in the morning to beat me (say 9:30ish). and eisha, if you say so–wink, wink, nod, nod (about the “not” getting paid to read all day, it’ll just be our little secret okay–i wasn’t born yesterday).
March 24th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
How blessed we are to have librarians who care about books and kids. You had a great experience for your first book tour and wasn’t it wonderful that one of the best things happened at the end?
Middle school kids are pretty cool, which is why I have spent so many years with them. They can be dorky but they can also be stupendous. I had a couple of girls last year that I shared my fantsy books with and we had a great time. It was heartwarming to have children still love books.
Congratulations on a successful book tour-not in terms of books sold but in affirmation of what you love to do.
March 25th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Hi Ms. Brande!
We all enjoyed your visit at North Crowley! We are all very glad that you enjoyed the advanced readers copy we all signed!
Please come visit us again when you write your next book!
March 25th, 2007 at 11:06 am
Aw, whoa. What a great gift. Kudos to that librarian for thinking it up.
What a great book tour! Thanks for sharing.
March 25th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Dear Robin,
your experiences this week were just the beginning of the many new and glorious relationships that will fill your life because of your wisdom, wit and words. I am so happy that you loved your new friendships and could see, from the comments and the excitement, that you have made the world a better and more meaningful place.
As we say in my neck of the woods, MAZEL TOV!!!
xoxox
me
March 25th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Thanks, Amy!
Jules and Readerdiane, I’m glad people are giving the librarian props, because she is obviously a mastermind.
Bojan, so nice to hear from you!! Thanks for writing in.
Laura, you get it, absolutely.
March 25th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Robin,
I wish you could post a picture of your signed book. I hope this idea spreads to the ends of the earth. And becomes law. And that we start calling such a gift “a Brande Book.”
March 25th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Sara, that’s a great idea. I’ll snap some photos and post them in the next couple of days. You really should see what it looks like. Thanks for the suggestion!
And it should be called a “Geye Book” after the librarian who thought it up, don’t you think?
March 26th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Well, I feel a little uncomfortable saying that. I don’t know about anyone else.
Kinda like when I had to say Diana’s last name outloud, when I met her agent. Diana Peterfr- Peterfr-uh-mphflmunded- Secret Society Diana!
March 26th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
i dunno but i think an “annette book” has a certain jeu neu se qua–don’t you? doesn’t everyone?
March 26th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Annette, you’re channeling Patrick.
March 26th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
omg–you are so right!!!! it’s that crazy power of the “universe, unicorn jedi, king of” thing or whatever, that i am no match for. but who is?
March 27th, 2007 at 9:25 am
What a wonderful description of an author visit from the author’s POV.
I love the idea of having the kids sign/write-in the author’s book. That is brilliant. I am going to remember that!
I am very very impressed with the schools for hosting you. Our area elementary school libraries do fantastic work bringing in authors and illustrators but once our kids leave for jr. high, they never see another author in a school setting.
Just when their own creative lives are ramping up and AP classes and band/choir/theater/sports begin to consume their after-school hours, they miss out on the creative energy that an author visit inspires.
Time for me to “revisit” this issue with our librarians again.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Camille, I’m really glad you feel inspired by what that librarian did. And I agree that kids can get so much from meeting authors face to face. I met Judy Blume when I was young, and that experience has stayed with me to this day.