Sunday, September 21, 2014

North Loop Week 1 Highlights

The first week of the Northern Loop tour is complete, and there have been some really great moments.

For example, imagine walking into a bookstore and seeing this display. The closer you look, the more detail you see--they've even identified the various awards the books have received--talk about doing your homework! And the header is so cute!

A display like that just puts you in a good mood. And then the people arrive.

Best of the best:: meeting Sammiacs.

I'm not sure if it's cool to identify them, so I will leave that to them in the comments. But nothing makes me happier than meeting y'all in person.

Other happy moments:

      • Having reunions with booksellers who have been hand-selling Sammy Keyes books since Hotel Thief.
  • Having some of my former students show up with their children. Wow.
  • Having family travel distance and converge to see the "he said, she said" thing -- like they haven't seen enough "he said, she said" at Thanksgivings? Pass the gravy!
  • Having long-time friends do the same.
  • Booking people! 
  • Signing a Sammiac's first pair of Converse. She got them in 7th grade. She's now 23. They were spray-painted, too!
  • Receiving a box of "Kiss Goodbye" t-shirts from a librarian. Hello? Or, really, holy smokes! They are awesome! (And I will give a few away as prizes at the Sammy Keyes Goodbye party in Puyallup.)
So we are off to a good start, and are looking forward to more next week. If you haven't already seen the full tour schedule, you can find it here (with the exception of one last-minute addition, which is Anderson's Bookshop in Downers Grove, IL on 9/29). Please let us know if you can make any of the dates.

That's all for now. This travelin' fool needs some sleep! Thanks for checking in--I'll look forward to seeing you in the comments!

14 comments:

Kylie said...

That looks so cool! It sounds like you guys are having a blast! I am crossing my fingers that I can make it to Chico, but if not maybe my sister will go for me or even my friend who lives down there.

Are the tshirts the one that was in the picture above? Because that is so cool!

Have a great week everyone!

Kylie

Kylie said...

Also seeing post about bookstores you visit makes me really want to work in a book store or own one!

Unknown said...

What an awesome tour!

Yusa said...

I'm just gonna copy and paste the comment I put yesterday because I am still feeling the same emotions.

I. Just. Met. Them.
I have given my brother custody of the final SK book because I read the first 2 sentences and started crying so for the sake of my education I must first complete my essays, homework, and studying before I am allowed to emotionally destroy myself through it. This said, I am already emotionally excited and panicked because I just met THEM.

I almost cried when Wendelin recognized me.I sat alone in the front row, but all the empty chairs around me were in honor of all the other bloglettes who could not make it. I represented with the Oklahoma T-shirt (Thanks to Caradith). Me and my brother also hunted down their van afterwards and took a bunch of stalker pictures in front of that. My hi-tops have already been loaded with shoeslaces and the horseshoes. I completely forgot to get my shoes and t-shirt signed because I was starstruck but if I get to come to Eldorado Hills, hopefully I'll remember.

OKAY SO MARK AND WENDELIN YOU GUYS WERE SO EXCITED AND FUN AND I WAS SO EXCITED AND IM STILL SO EXCITED and it was honestly so so so amazing from beginning to end. Couldn't stop smiling the whole entire time. YOU ARE BOTH AMAZING.

I better get my studying and homework done so I can dive into the emotional rollercoaster of Kiss Goodbye. I put all the rest of my gushyness in the letter.

--Yusa

P.S. It was my mom's birthday and so we went to her favorite Thai restaurant in Eldorado Hills and I see the same small bookstore always close at that time that we go and for some reason i stop. "Face in a Book... Face in a Book. Why does that sound familiar?" and I suddenly realize that you guys are going to be there on November 6. I happened across the same bookstore that you will be at! Coincidences dont even exist. Well I scouted it out for you, and I actually like how it looks. A month and a half until I hopefully make it there again.

Ari said...

I suppose this is where I identify myself as the Sammiac who got her first pair of converse signed!

Jessica said...

I'm nearly as excited for leg 2 of the tour, even though I won't be attending this one myself. It's so fun to hear all the other Sammiacs' adventures. Thanks for sharing yours, Yusa and Arianna. Arianna, do the high tops still fit? I was the same shoe size from ~13-21 or so (and then my feet started growing again after the rest of me stopped). Yusa, I hope KG was good enough motivation to do your homework, so that you've gotten to read it already.

Kylie, I really hope you get to go in person.

That t-shirt is awesome. I love the book display. I need to find time to get on Twitter and Facebook and read more tour adventures.

I'm still waiting for KG. I hope I don't have to wait too much longer...

Unknown said...

I'm sure you don't know this little fact...but I was born in Downers Grove (along with my dad and his 10 siblings). And I still have tons of family right there in the area so I will rally the troops for that event! What a great surprise addition to the schedule!

It was fabulous, as always, to see you! And finally get the rest of the collection signed.

Mary-Mary

Leslie said...

Happy and safe travels, Wendelin and Mark! Too bad Hawaii is not in the north! :)

Jo said...

It was awesome getting to see you at Menlo Park! Sorry for being so shy that I could barely formulate a complete sentence when talking to you! :P

I really enjoyed seeing you and Mark chat, and I loved how you shared about Sammy's age dilemma in Psycho Kitty Queen. Thanks again for signing my book and for the Sammy swag! Hope the rest of the tour goes well~

Unknown said...

It sucks that I couldn't go to the tour for my city :/

Anyways, I just finished SK and the Kiss Goodbye and I'm so sad that this story that I started years ago is coming to an end.

But of course, it's got to have taken so much work to write all of these 18 books!!
Have fun on the tour! :)

Ames said...

Please come to the east coast and Maryland! I'm so excited to read the last book. I started them in fifth grade and now I'm a senior still in love with them!

Yusa said...

I forgot to say.

No, I didn't forget, I just have not been emotionally capable to say.

I finished Kiss Goodbye. Before my homework since I have as much restrain in my curiosity as Sammy does AKA very little.

I finished it about 1am at night and I started crying. Because I understood the point of view at the end. And I understood it all. And I was sobbing. But it was beautiful. And you ended it perfectly. Nothing lacking. Thank you for tying most of the loose ends, because I had a satisfied cry. And I am more than satisfied with this whole series. And I cannot thank everyone who was part of it enough.

--Yusa

Yusa said...

I forgot to say.

No, I didn't forget, I just have not been emotionally capable to say.

I finished Kiss Goodbye. Before my homework since I have as much restrain in my curiosity as Sammy does AKA very little.

I finished it about 1am at night and I started crying. Because I understood the point of view at the end. And I understood it all. And I was sobbing. But it was beautiful. And you ended it perfectly. Nothing lacking. Thank you for tying most of the loose ends, because I had a satisfied cry. And I am more than satisfied with this whole series. And I cannot thank everyone who was part of it enough.

--Yusa

Jessica said...

Aaaggghhhh! I just went on Twitter to read about the tour (since there was no post last night, I figured there was excitement and adventure), and I thought I got spoiled about KG (I didn't, but it was close...). I need to hurry up and get my hands on that book!