Monday, March 31, 2008

Back to my old stomping ground

On April 19, I’ll be speaking at the Alabama Book Festival at Old Alabama Town in Montgomery. At 3:30 p.m. I’ll be part of a group session with Jay Asher (Thirteen Reasons Why) and R. A. Nelson (Teach Me). But at 10:30 a.m. I’ll be all by my lonesome. I hope you’ll come out to support me. My mom has a bridge tournament that day. My dad will be on the premises because bluegrass musicians also meet at Old Alabama Town twice a month, but I’m not sure he’ll tear himself away from his banjo long enough to hear me speak. I picture an audience of hoity-toity writer types, wearing hats. And capes. And feather boas. And diamonds. I picture an audience that will not laugh at my jokes about marching band. I can already hear the crickets chirping.

*chirp, chirp*

Help me out here.

11 comments:

Victoria Dahl said...

My vote may be from the point of view of a Yankee, so you might discount it. Though I did go to junior high and high school in Texas and Oklahoma. We had a stadium at our high school that Northerners wouldn't believe. I'm talking a full, four-story, concrete, oval stadium with professional-grade turf, full-kitchen concessions... Amazing.

Jennifer Echols said...

Surely there are a few stadiums like this up north? All I know is, my BFF from high school went to Boston University, and our high school stadium was bigger than BU's by a long shot.

TJ Brown said...

Good Luck, Jennifer!

I am scared to start doing author talks!
Teri

Jennifer Echols said...

Thx Teri! I taught writing for a long time so you would think this would not give me any trouble. You would think.

Victoria Dahl said...

Surely there are a few stadiums like this up north?

Nope, I don't think so. I live in a pretty wealthy district and there is no stadium at all. Just a field and those foldable bleachers.

Jennifer Echols said...

WARNING SARCASM AHEAD==>Your school district must be wasting its money on unimportant things like teacher salaries.

Anonymous said...

Good luck, Jenn! Wish I lived closer. I'd be there. :-)

Cathy

Wendy Toliver said...

I voted! :)What a fun idea. I hope you have a blast.

Jennifer Echols said...

Cathy & Wendy, thank you so much!

Kelly McClymer said...

It depends how far north you consider north. I don't know of any big school stadiums in Maine, but when I went to high school in Delaware, we had a decent outside stadium with permanent bleachers. And an auditorium that was a dedicated stage/seating area (unlike the lunchroom that doubled for small stage productions and the gym that the musical is staged in at my kids' school).
...mostly, though, I want to know what writers you know who wear capes and diamonds? The ones I know wear jeans and sweatshirt. Clearly I am in the wrong writing crowd :-)
Good luck!

Kelly

Jennifer Echols said...

I want to know what writers you know who wear capes and diamonds?

Well, maybe that part is my imagination. I also think I see Truman Capote every time I go jogging.