creativeWhen readers gather, whether formally or informally, in large groups or small, with friends o strangers, the central question always comes down to, "What are you reading?" And in part this is why we all tend to love coming together for workshops and conferences, It provides us with opportunities to tell someone else what we are reading and what we ae thinking abut the books we read. We also manage to do the same on social media. Yesterday, I read several posts from fired and colleague Karin Perry about the picture books she was reading. I cannot wait to read them so we can talk about them together. Donalyn Miller's flight was cancelled, and so she read and posted about the book she was reading. So now, I have some more books to add to my wish list and TBR stacks.
Despite the fact that it is more than a month away, I am already anticipating the discussions at NCTE and, in particular, ALAN. Touring the exhibits to see forthcoming gems, talking to authors and publishers, and gathering in hallways to compare notes: it is exhilarating and exhausting. I always return from these meetings bone tired but eager for the boxes I shipped home to arrive so I can dig back in.
So, we might not make it to the red carpet of fame in designer gowns. But each and every one of us who loves books and reading, will have ou own red carpet moments as we talk about the real rock stars: authors and the real prize: their books.