NAIBA

Yesterday Paige and I (That's us in the picture to the right) signed HALLOWEEN DAY BOOK OF FACTS AND FUN at the NAIBA. (New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association)
The bookseller group met in Baltimore this year -- very convenient. And they invited local authors to join the nationally famous authors -- the ones whose publishers paid for them to attend -- as guests. Paige and I were scheduled to display our books at the Children's book author luncheon. (a box lunch) and then to sign books afterwards.

Since the event was being held downtown at the Sheraton Hotel, I didn't even look at the address of the hotel. After all, I knew right where the Sheraton was. Down by the Inner Harbour tourist area -- near the football and baseball parks. Luckily I planned to be there early, because I was wrong, wrong, wrong.

It turned out that the convention was being held at the hotel next to the old Civic Center. (now called First Marina Center) Sheraton Hotels had bought out the old hotel owners. Luckily I knew that old hotel well, because I had attended many Science Fiction conventions there. It was no problem to zip up the hill from the harbor area. And I still arrived on time for the "luncheon."

Met many nice bookstore owners and was amazed at how many of them already knew our books and were looking forward to the new one. (I still say that it's difficult to look professional and attractive while you are eating -- which is why I wasn't able to eat very much of the sandwich, but did manage to scarf down the fruit cup in between talking to booksellers.)

Afterwards we browsed the exhibit area while waiting for our turn to sign books.

I checked out the group signing before us.
Hmmm. James Gurney is signing his new Dinotopia book and an artist demonstrating block printing. I knew Paige would be interested in that, so I dragged her away from the exhibits. She had no idea that all these books were being given out free. (and the artist was giving out signed copies of her block printing.) So she quickly got in line to get a Dinotopia for her son and a print for herself.

When it came to our turn to sign, we didn't expect anybody much. But there was a line of people wanting copies of our book. (It's a two-fer. Both writer and illustrator are signing!) We were busy the whole time we were scheduled to be there and signed most of the books that the publisher sent.

The thrill of MY day was meeting Debbie Dadey in person and talking about writing while working a day job and being able to retire to write -- my dream and her reality.

-wendieO