Lotta Authors and Others starring in Conference Confidential, Part 2
Hmmmm . . . let's see, where were we?

Oh, that's right. We were grocery shopping with our friends . . .

Oops. That was last month. We were at the mega-marvelous SCBWIXYZ National Conference!

Okay, so on Day Deux I did more manuscript critiques. All went well and no one cried! (Critiquers and Critiquees were instructed not to throw carrots at each other or to make each other weep.)

I attended a really funny-insightful keynote by Printz-winning, nerdfighting John Green. See if you can find me in the audience . . .

(Above: John asks the audience to say hi to his brother Hank, asks the populace to support a candidate, and talks about leg waxing. Plus I make a slight cameo--but it has nothing to do with waxing.)


(Above: Flanked by Moi and Dutton editrix Julie Strauss-Gabel, John decides to stand on his tippy toes -- HA! I wrote tipsy toes first, by accident.)

That evening it was time for The Light of the Silvery Moon Gala. I had brought a roll of tin foil to make a costume with, but didn't need it because blog buddy Julie Winkler MADE ME A WONDERFUL PEEPY SCARF . . .

(Above: Lisa wearing Peepy scarf and some tin foil. Newberyesque Linda Sue Park made her outfit out of duct tape and sterling silver-like material.)


(Above: Neither Linda Sue nor Moi won the costume contest, that honor went to The Rushmore Kid.)

Everyone at the party got very unchildren's book-like and disco-ing, drinks and quesadillas abounded . . .

(Above: A very glam Erin Vincent boogies with super talented debut novelist, Jay Asher.)


(Above: Heads of the SCBWI, Lin Oliver and Steve Mooser, only you can't see Steve in this photo because he is hiding.)


(Above: Three wild and wonderful YA authors, Erin, Ellen Wittlinger, and Cecil Castellucci.)

The next day it was time for my workshop on Point of View. I got lost and almost began speaking at the agent workshop, until someone escorted me to my room . . .

(Above: There was only mood lighting in the room when people began to filter in. It seems a lot of other people got lost, too.)

The room eventually filled up, but the mood lighting remained . . .


I ran out of handouts. (I was secretly happy to have run out because I had been scared no one was going to show up.) The workshop was fun and Paula Yoo shared her thoughts on POV and picture books . . .

(Above: Paula tries not to notice the hand growing out of her neck.)

Later, I made author Deborah Davis run around on stage, do the hula, hold Peepy and make pig noises. (This was all part of the workshop--honest!)

(Above: This is not Deborah Davis, but pretend it is--I don't have a photo of her acting strange.)

Well, this is getting long, so the SCBWI Conference mini-series-reality-show will finish next blog. Stay tuned for the final chapter, it's a doozie (doozy?). Find out why Peepy threw up, what it's like to go note-less, and much, much, more!!!