Dear Readers,

Sadly, my book tour is somewhat patchily documented as I was mainly traveling by myself and never really got it together to take pictures. The one time I took out my camera in Seattle, the battery had run out. Austin, on the other hand, is extremely well-recorded as my parents live there -- and Dad's never been one to NOT take a picture, if you know what I mean. My point is, if we met and you took a picture (not necessarily of me) and you'd like to see it here, feel free to e-mail it to askgab@memoirsofa.com. Maybe I'll even throw in a prize for the best pic? How about a signed audiobook version of Memoirs?

The one picture I took in Boston was of the stuffed pug my editor, Janine, gave me to take on the road. Here he is enjoying the hotel room. I wish I had taken a picture of the scariest cab driver in Boston (readers of Elsewhere may be put in mind of the circumstances of Liz's death) OR the Purel dispensers in the lunch room of the Dana Hall School OR the sweet college professor type who offered me Purel on the train -- what is it with Massachusetts and Purel? Alas, I did not take pictures of any of these things! You can, however, read an article about my stint at Dana Hall here. 

Here I am at at the lovely Wellesley Free Library with some... wait for it... actual readers of my adult novel, Margarettown. Thanks to one of those readers, Kristina Lareau, for the pics.

You may wonder what we're pointing to in the third picture -- it's a secret.

(Actually, it's Ariana from Rhode Island. I wish I had a picture of her. I do, on the other hand, have her entertaining paper on Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart.)

In Illinois, I  ran into fellow childrens' author Julie Halpern at Carleton Washburne Middle School -- and no, she wasn't crazily researching the social mores of teens -- she is the librarian there. I have no pictures from this appearance which is just as well -- I had just gotten off the plane and hadn't had any time to change. And to further complicate matters, it had been 45 degrees when I left Boston that morning, and it was 70 degrees in Chicago -- which meant I was wearing wildly inapprorpiate clothing, climate-wise.  But back to Julie -- she is the author of a delightful little book called Get Well Soon, which also happens to be the first book I ever blurbed. It is also the last book I blurbed, but that is neither here nor there. Here is said blurb:

"I completely fell in love with Anna Bloom’s voice – it’s wry, romantic, and so, so true.” --Gabrielle Zevin, author of ELSEWHERE

Here I am posing with Diane, Stephanie, and Kelly, the comely librarians of Glenbard South High School in Illinois. For all those who were wondering, we happen to be in front of an elaborately and really rather beautifully decorated cow.In addition to the splendid cow, Glenbard South High School also had SNACKS. I think this was my first or second-best tour hair day for all you who are keeping track. I am also wearing my special "book tour" boots). (I don't know about you, but I often wonder what authors look like in full-length -- and, well, if you happen to have been wondering that about me... now you know.)

In Dr. Bucci's classroom at the Dana Hall School -- I look shiny and also a bit stunned. Thanks to Dr. Bucci for the tips and the use of her room where the word of the day was lugubrious.
The Splendid Cow -- Thanks to Stephanie Wallace for the picture!
As aforementioned, the most well documented stop on my tour was Austin, TX! Thanks to Richard Zevin AKA Dad.
Don't you love Bookpeople's marquis? Congrats to Jimmy G, who I did not meet but who is apparently BookPeople's Employee of the month.

Here I am acting "surprised" to have come across my book title on yet another marquis.

And with my mom. I'm wearing the same boots as in Illinois for those who are keeping track.

(My family obviously really enjoyed that Book People Marquis.)

Let's go nuts. Here's my dad in front of the Book People marquis, too.

With some bonafide Austin school children. I have no idea what I was raising my hand for. Maybe I was asking myself a question? I am just that polite. 

The class was the youngest audience I spoke to, but they had many good questions and were truly an excellent audience.

PART II - COMING SOON.