Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Home from Phoenix!

I'm home!

In comments to my last post, Tone wondered if Phoenix had kidnapped me. Well, yes, it sort of did! After the AMAZING Project Book Babe came to a close, I stayed on to enjoy a few days of desert sunshine in the company of Stephanie Perkins, who was out visiting her home town from North Carolina, and I only got back to Portland last night. I haven't had a chance to sort through photos and video links yet, so for now I'll just say: I've never attended (or even heard about) such an awesome author event, and I'm so grateful I got to be part of it!!! It was So Much Fun. Such great energy, wonderful people, crazy laughter, and abundant good will. It was AWESOME!!!

And Project Book Babe continues in the virtual world, as the online auction rolls along. Currently on the auction block: an Advance Reader's Copy of Silksinger, signed by both moi and Jim, and illustrated by Jim with a one-of-a-kind drawing! It looks GREAT! If you'd like to bid on it (and I hope you would like), go HERE. (On the item page you can see the drawing.) A likewise illustrated and signed ARC of Lips Touch will go up soon, as well as an illustrated and signed hard cover of Blackbringer. This is a great way to get yourself an early copy and have the money go to a great cause!

Until I have a chance to write a coherent run-down of Saturday, I'll just say: Shannon Hale and Jon Lewis are hilarious and made fantastic emcees; the organizers and volunteers really created a phenomenal event (thanks, Daanon & Michelle for inviting me and taking care of me!); Stephenie Meyer is every bit as lovely and normal and nice as she is rumored to be (which, if you haven't heard the rumors, is: very lovely and normal and nice); Dean Lorey is a terrific prom dress model (and he wrote for Arrested Development, which had me geeking out all day); and basically: everyone was GREAT. I miss them!

Thank you to everyone who helped out, who attended, who bought raffle tickets, laughed loudly, bid on auction items, played music, or did anything else to make this work!!!

And here, before I go, are Stephanie and I at the Phoenix Zoo, Stephanie apparently being kissed by a baboon. We'd just bought our colorful sunglasses in the zoo gift shop (along with sun block. Wow, it's sunny in the desert!). Aren't we dashing?
Shannon Hale has a great post up with lots of photos and info HERE.

12 comments:

Amber Lough said...

What a great picture! I love Shannon's shoes. Wow am I jealous. :-) It was great of you all to do something like this.

Cool that you got to meet up with Stephanie. I haven't met her in person yet but I'm sure she's awesome.

Kiersten White said...

SO dashing. Steph and I spoke frequently and at length on how awesome you are ; )

Courtney Barr - The Southern Princess said...

Laini - I had so much fun at this event. All of you are the nicest authors. I have never heard of an event like this & I must say it was worth the trip from Alabama to Phoenix! My friends and I are huge fans of the entire panel! Meeting you was awesome. You have the best personality. I love that you waited until you were 35 to dye your hair pink! I understand the Demo-Sibling. I have two of them ;o). I really enjoyed every moment and I am thrilled to have been able to contribute in any way to Faith's fight.

Suzanne Young said...

Oh, I love the Phoenix zoo!! Sounds like you had a blast! And I'm so happy that you're back!

Lisa Schroeder said...

Wheeee - sounds like FUN! And I'm so bidding on that Lips Touch book!!! :)

lkmadigan said...

Adorable photos!

tone almhjell said...

Good, you're back! I wouldn't want to part with Balthus, really, even thought he did smash a glass to a gazillion pieces on the bathroom floor yesterday. He's in my lap now, so he's forgvien.

It sounds like you had a great time!

Christine Fletcher said...

I just read Shannon's account and my word, can you shimmy! I loved the "look right, look left" group photos...in which all heads turn except yours! Sounds like you all had a fabulous time...and for the best of causes. Many kudos!

Stephanie Perkins said...

Who are those amazingly hip and fun-looking ladies in that last photo??? I'd like to meet them. I'd like to buy them some gelato.

Heather said...

Ha ha! I think we have a picture of that same baboon! He stuck his tongue out at us!

Connie Onnie said...

Wait Dean Lorey wrote for Arrested Development!!! How did I not know this? Did you talk to him about it?
The event was such a huge success, you did such a good job, thanks. I had such a great time there.

Phoenix Home Auctions said...

Great stuff... How did you like Phoenix? I'm debating on whether to buy a winter home there..