So ALA Conference was a blast. I'm a bit exhausted after all the hullabaloo, but on the whole I'd say that the event was a complete and total success. Aside from getting to hang out with all the wonderful folks at Penguin, I also got to meet some actual readers who attend actual high schools, which I don't get to do enough. It was really great to hear their thoughts about Looking for Alaska.

Okay so but that's not the story. The story is:

So Saturday morning Penguin hauled my exhausted ass down to the convention center to sign copies of Looking for Alaska. I was pretty sure that no one was going to show up, but then much to my delight a lot of people showed up to have their books signed, including a bunch of really cool YA librarians and noted authors David Levithan, Cecil Castellucci, and Nancy Werlin.

Then I saw Judy Blume. And, you know, I like Judy Blume. I have liked her books ever since I was seven, and I still like them, and you can't say that about any other author--not even William Faulkner, who is no slouch when it comes to me liking him. Now, mind you, Judy Blume was not standing in line to have me sign her book or anything. She was just there on account of how she is a Penguin author.

But then a very unlikely thing happened. Judy Blume sidled up to the table at which I was signing and she reached out her hand to me and asked me to autograph a copy of her book. Here is a picture of what transpired.

If you look carefully at this picture, you'll note that my editor, Julie Strauss-Gabel, is laughing hysterically at something that Judy Blume (whose face you cannot see so you'll just have to believe me that it's her, but it is her, I swear) has just said. I, meanwhile, look like I'm trying very hard not to pee on myself.