Jen Wrote This: Winter Institute and ALA Midwinter

Last weekend, I was honored to attend both the Winter Institute in New Orleans, an intimate conference for independent booksellers, and the ALA Midwinter Conference in Dallas. These events, to promote the upcoming release of THE FALSE PRINCE were so much fun, not only because of the spectacular booksellers, librarians, and book people I was able to meet, but because hanging out with Scholastic peeps is nonstop fun! This is a photo of the lovely Nikki Mutch, a Scholastic District Sales Manager (who is also responsible for the cute packet in the picture below)

At Winter Institute, I did a reading at a dinner for an invited group of booksellers.

These packets were at every seat - if you've read the book you understand the significance of these items! I was so glad they had one of these for me,

because I was thoroughly prepared to steal one away, if necessary.

Then the following evening, I signed books and met so many wonderful people. This is a picture of me with Eddie Case from Changing Hands Bookstore (one of my all-time favorite stores!) in Arizona. Photo credit to Claire Kirch, who I also met and liked very much. One of the other perks is that I also had the chance to meet Robin LeFevers, another author who was signing ARCs of her upcoming book, GRAVE MERCY. Even if she doesn't know it, she's been a mentor of mine, and getting to meet her was a real honor.

While I was flying from the beautiful weather in New Orleans to Dallas, here was the weather at home. Nice, huh? Thank goodness for a wonderful husband and family who support me while I'm gone.

On to ALA Midwinter. The highlight event was a reader's theater for librarians in which the participating authors read excerpts of each other's books. Group one was Siobhan Vivian for THE LIST, Francisco Stork for IRISES, and Ed Fotheringham and Barbara Kerley for THOSE REBELS, JOHN AND TOM. Wow! With their amazing source material, you can imagine how wonderful the performance was.

Siobhan, Francisco, Ed, Barbara

Then in my group was Jordan Sonnenblick for CURVEBALL: THE YEAR I LOST MY GRIP, and Lin Oliver for GHOST BUDDY. Her writing partner, Henry Winkler, was unable to attend because of a conflicting family event. However, standing in for him was David Levithan, who was absolutely hysterical. They all helped in the reading of THE FALSE PRINCE, and I was thrilled with what a great job they did.

Lin, David, Jordan, and Me.

Between all of that, we ate, enjoyed the sun, soaked in books, ate, met fantastic people involved in all levels of the book business, and snuck in some spare time to eat.

I found the hidden stash of FALSE PRINCE ARCs!