Back from the TLA Conference

Last week, I had the chance to rub elbows with the authors of some of today’s most popular books at the Texas Library Association’s annual conference in San Antonio. While this experience left me a little jealous (writing a novel has always been on my list of long-term goals), it was great fun seeing the people behind some of the most popular literary characters today and hearing about their writing processes. There were many sessions to choose from that were all geared toward librarianship, but my personal favorites were the author panels. Some of the sessions I attended included appearances by Jennifer Holm, the author of the Baby Mouse series, Shannon Hale, who penned the Princess Academy books, and Tom Angleberger, creator of Origami Yoda and friends --- and these are only a small portion of the authors on hand to answer questions and even sign their books. They were everywhere, and even better was the abundance of giveaways! What librarian isn’t delighted by free books? Of course, San Antonio is always a fun place to visit, and the cultural richness of the riverwalk atmosphere was the perfect backdrop to the entire event. Even though it was my first trip to the conference, I was travelling with other library mavens to show me the ropes, as well as provide great company. I truly enjoyed the TLA conference and can’t wait until next year. Meanwhile, I have plenty of new books to read!

Spring has sprung, so take your book outside and read in the fresh air!

Now that days are getting longer and we have more time to spend outdoors, don't give up on reading. Take a book along to enjoy on picnics, by the pool, or just in the backyard hammock. Those lazy, warm days are even better accompanied by a great adventure or a sweet romance. What is your favorite summer read?