We wereTHERElast blog, and now here's more of the LA TIMES Festival of Books at the University of Southern California!

This is an iconic building. Why? Because when I was a senior at USC I fell down the stairs inside the building, that's why.

Oops. No digressions! Back to the book festival.

It's always great to seeLauren Myracle, who is alive (despite herAWOL website), and find out what kind of trouble she's gotten herself into. Thelast timewe saw her, at the National Book Festival, this happened . .

Wouldn't you know it? We had to bail Lauren out yet again . . .

After, we headed to the Diesel/Scholastic booth where we ran into National Book Award Winner and newly minted LA TIMES Book Award winnerPete Hautman. . .

BTW, Pete is a genius. Most authors I know get TONS of emails from students asking us todo homeworkor write book reports. Check out Pete'sfree book reports. . .

Other authors signing forScholasticincludedLibba BrayandMaggie Stievater. . .

After my book signing, the next author showed up --Lin Oliver!!!

While Lin and I gabbed, Peepy made new friends . . .

Marc Brownwas on the Target Stage . . .

And there was a crowd for this author . . .

(Um. It was "Real Housewife" Bethenny Frankel who wrote a novel?)

In the green room we admired the spread and gabbed withAaron Hartzler, who moderated many of the YA panels, the prolificCecil Castellucci, and Australian authorTristan Bancks. . .

For our second day at theUSC Civic Engagementbooth, I read fromBOBBY VS. GIRLS (ACCIDENTALLY). . .

Then a boy who was there to get an autographed copy ofSTANFORD WONG FLUNKS BIG-TIME(USC gave 100 ofmy booksout for FREE), volunteered to help me. While I read, he acted out a part . . .

It was so wonderful to be back at USC as an author. When I was a student there, I only dreamed about writing books. And now that's what I do!

In addition to books and authors everywhere, there were also films. We saw thenew Stan Lee documentary. Here'sthe trailer.

After, we ended our book fest in a Newbery-esque manner.Mary Casanovaand I were waiting for my car . . .

(That photo is not from the book festival. I was so busy talking to Mary, I forgot to take her picture. So the one above is of me withValerie Tripp, on left, and Mary when we werein the Caribbeanlast winter.)

Who should we see (also waiting for a car)? Behold! It's this year's Newbery winner,Jack Gantos!

We reminisced about the first time we met eons ago at the Booklist Humor Forum at ALA in New Orleans. Here we are withMo Willemsand Jack's daughter . . .

And now, KidLit Jeopardy! question of the day: What do these three authors have in common?

Answer: Dubai. Excuse me? Yes, Dubai. Jack spoke at the American School of Dubai last year, Mo spoke there this year, and I will be there next year! Squeeeee!!!!

CLICK HEREfor Publishers Weekly photo essay of the LA TIMES Festival of Books!

===========================

Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.

Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SimplyCLICK HERE.

Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference?CLICK HEREfor more information.

Upcoming Events . . .
LitFest Pasadena, May 12
10:30 – 11:20 -- Youth Knows No Bounds: Breaking the Cliques and Clichés of Young Adult Literature
with Cecil Castellucci, Ron Koertge, Blake Nelson, and Lisa Yee
Moderated by Sherri L. Smith

Lisa Yee

Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!

Email: 

Or you can click this for a RSS feed...