Childrens Festival--Meeting the Big Wigs!

I have been waiting for this huge event at my library for over two months. They hosted a Childrens Festival and invited over 31 authors and illustrators to come out. My 6 y/o and I went almost the entire day and had a great time. She was such a trooper. We had to wait in a few long lines and she was doing so good!

I had such a great day. We first stopped by the librarys used sale where 6 y/o found about 20 books that we bought for only $6. Then we went to hear the keynote speaker Laura Seeger (Dog & Bear). Afterwards they had a breakout session and we choose to go to the fantasy panel.

Pic 1: Dean Hale (Rapunzels Revenge), Shannon Hale (Goose Girl, Austenland), Jessica Day George (Dragon Slippers), J. Scott Savage (Far World), Brandon Mull (Fablehaven, Candyshop Wars), Brandon Sanderson (Alcatraz Portal) and James Dashner (The 13th Reality--he also gave us a sneak peak to Maze Runner cover. Sweet!). It was so fun to hear their thoughts on their industry and why they write Fantasy. They had a great time together and it was fun to get to hear them tease each other.


Pic 2:Back row: Nathan Hale who illustrated Repunzels Revenge (and has no relation to those that wrote the book), Dean & Shannon Hale who wrote Repunzels Revenge (plus Shannon has written a bunch of others). Front row: My 6 y/o, me, Shauna, Jenni.


I had Shannon sign my books and I told her I'd been following her blog and told her one of the latest things she had posted I thought was funny. She said, "Oh yeah you comment as Debbie right? That comment about 'snizzle' was so funny!" Then she signed it into my book!

Pic 3: Looks like we're gonna give a high 5 right? I dont remember what we were doing but that wasn't it. Haha. Or maybe it was. We're best friends now and all.

There were so many great authors and illustrators there. We got some books signed by the Hale's, Brandon Mull, Laura Seeger and Sydney Salter. My 6 y/o picked up some books and we got them all signed but one (by Brad Wilcox). Jealous some? I got an extra few SIGNED books. Trying to decide what to do with 'em...

(These were some of the authors there: Brandon Mull, Shannon Hale, Jessica Day George, Nate Hale, Kristyn Crow, Anne Bowen, Sharlee Glenn, Mette Harrison, Guy Francis, Dean Hale, Aprilynne Pike, Sherry Meidell, Laura Seeger, Ann Dee Ellis, Emily Wing Smith, Will Terry,
Ann Cannon, Carol Lynch Williams, James Dashner, Brandon Sanderson, J. Scott Savage, Wendy Toliver, Rick Walton, Brad Wilcox, Sydney Salter , Alvina Kwong, Carla Morris, Louise Plummer, and Maryn Roos)