Bleary Eyed @ WLMA!

I'm back in the States! My peeps have asked me what I miss most about the U.S. Was it the food? (Well, I did have a hankering for a hamburger...and satiated it with a big, greasy one!) Was it the clean water? (Yup, missed being able to drink and brush my teeth with tap water.) Was it Oreos? (Ummm...no.) And NO...it's not our sad, sinking economy.

To be honest, what I miss most are LIBRARIES (and my family and friends). I miss being able to check out a limitless number of books. I miss my favorite librarians: Robin and Dawn and Barbara and Darcy and Erin and Pam and Brenna and Jackie and all the others who have sustained me through research and book tours. Did you know that three of these librarians told me that they would help me with whatever research I needed this year while I was in China?! That they would scan and send whatever chapters I needed. How truly amazing is that?

So it was with huge delight that I returned to my book peeps--librarians where I spoke at the sensational Washington and Oregon Library Media Association Convention. I picked up Lorie Ann Grover on the way to the conference since she was worried that I would be driving by myself at what was the equivalent of 1:00 a.m. Shanghai time.

There I met Jone MacCulloch, the powerhouse blogger who hosted the Kidlitosphere Conference with Laini Taylor two weeks ago! I was so sad that I couldn't attend that pow wow...so was super happy that I got to meet her! She truly has the most luminous skin I've seen...as well as the cutest grandchildren.

After 30 hours of being awake, I presented on my favorite topic--readergirlz! And then wobbled with Lorie Ann down to the car where we had Hamburger #1. Honestly, I am not sure how much sense I made at the presentation. My head was fog. TODAY was much better after getting a few hours of sleep!!!!

More later, gators!