Kate DiCamillo!
Guess where we were last Friday? :)
First, a little backstory (but most of it's in dialogue, so not too painful):
Last year, after writing a letter to one of her favorite authors and getting a note in return, Lucy started asking to write to other writers...
"I know! I'll write to Beatrix Potter!"
"Um...she died a long time ago."
"Oh. I know! I'll write to the person who wrote The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe!"
"C.S. Lewis? He died, too, Lucy."
"How about the man who wrote Redwall?"
"Brian Jacques. Well, you just missed him..."
Lucy stared at the shelf, downcast. Then she looked at me with pleading eyes and said, "Please don't say that the person who wrote The Tale of Despereaux is dead!"
Luckily, no. And we got to meet her last week! You can see by the looks on our faces that all of us (except, perhaps, little Ginny) are having a a major fangirl moment. :)
(Kate's newest book, Flora and Ulysses, is incredible, by the way--not that you'd expect anything less.)
And KdC is looking in the pink of health with three little chicks in a row beside her and lovely mother hen.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness she is! I never want to stop reading her new books, so I hope she lives to a hundred and twenty or so.
DeleteAwesome! I see a really, really talented and amazing writer in the picture!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd she's looking great in her striped sweater! But who's the friendly looking older lady sitting there with the smile?
;^)
Flattery will get you nowhere, you know. :)
DeleteI don't know if you read much children's literature, Chris, but I think you would be floored by Kate DiCamillo's masterfully confident writing if you haven't already experienced it. I could savor each word of The Tale of Despereaux, except each one is so good it pushes me on to the next.
Awww, I remember being young and wanting to write to L.M. Montgomery. It sure was a huge disappointment when I found out she died long before I was even born. I can commiserate with your daughter!
ReplyDeleteIt's so cool you got to meet Kate DiCamillo. I haven't read her new book yet, but I'm looking forward to it!
Happy reading and writing! from Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines
I shared your disappointment when I was a kid. :) It's been great to read LMM's journals, because I felt like I finally had the chance to connect with her as a person.
DeleteHow very, very special. What an amazing moment for you all!
ReplyDeleteEvery time I peek in on this blog, there's another book I have to go and get. I am ashamed to admit I've never read Kate DiCamillo. This pic is exactly as describe ... a major fangirl moment. Even Ginny's peeking in Ms. DiCamillo's general direction.
ReplyDeleteAnnie Freeman wrote a letter to Brian Jacques several years ago, and he wrote back! She was SOOO thrilled.
That is so neat about the letter from Brian Jacques! If Annie still has it, maybe she can show it to fellow-fan Lucy someday. :)
DeleteAnd, okay, you have to read some DiCamillo. I think you'd like The Tale of Despereaux the best!
Oh, but I should mention that this newest book contains a lovely (and well-articulated) mention of Pascal's wager, which you would surely appreciate!
DeleteLet the room rifling begin! (I'm sad to say that Annie is quite the messy room keeper, but she never throws anything away, so THAT is the silver lining. I'll see if she can find the letter.)
DeleteSo, so, so special!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was!
DeleteWhat a special picture! I'm going to see Kate DiCamillo on the 10th- so excited!!! And I was hoping she wasn't adverse to taking pictures...lol!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you get to see her, too! She is wonderful, and very inspiring.
DeleteWhat fun! This is something you'll always remember.
ReplyDeleteYep. :)
DeleteVery fun. We love Despereaux!
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely a favorite in our house. :) Although now that we're reading Flora and Ulysses together, the girls are becoming big fans of that, too.
DeleteWas this at BBF? I think I read that she was going to be there on Friday. My daughter and I were there Saturday. So glad you got to meet her!
ReplyDelete