(And On Gushing When I Did So)
It’s hard not to get one’s hopes up when attending a famous writer’s talk.
Will she think I’m cool?
Will we become fast friends and coffee buddies?
The answer, in this case, is a single word: No.
No, no, and again, no.
What’d I expect? It was Kate DiCamillo.
And there were hundreds of other people there.
For those of you who perhaps aren’t familiar with her, Kate DiCamillo is the author of many of my family’s most-beloved books. Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane…these are stories that (at least in my family) get read and re-read and purchased and kept.
Obviously, we were thrilled at the thought of seeing her.
We saw her (yay!) last Saturday.
Lucky for us that I’d confused the time, (I almost always do, you know), and got us there an hour early. There were already people lining up outside, and we were nine people from the head of the line.
It’s always fun hanging out in queues like that. We were a bunch of kindred Kate spirits.
The venue was the atrium of a local library–the atrium of the attached government building, actually. (I am nothing if not an accurate reporter.) Look at that crowd! If we hadn’t had our pick of seats–we sat one row from the front–I would have liked to be on the mezzanine.
I love the mezzanine.
Mostly because it’s fun to say.
When I wasn’t sitting in my second row seat—which was on the aisle and had the perfect view—I was standing at the back with my squirrelly girl.
My squirrelly girl and her brother.
I spent a lot of time at the back of the hall.
My apologies to Kate.
Events like this are hard for children, aren’t they? I’d go so far as to say that events like this are for the moms. (And dads…and fans…and aspiring writers…) This is not to say that my girls aren’t fans (or my boys, who unfortunately were on away on a scouting campout), but rather, that it is not that fun for a 9-year-old to hear a writer speak.
Better to read the writer’s words, no? Better to read the writer’s heart.
The best part for my older girls was the Q & A at the end of the talk. Kate answered all the questions from the crowd, including one lame-o one from yours truly who gushed despite her best intentions. The questions were one that Kate gets all the time—I know, I’ve seen them pop up in countless interviews—but she answered them all with grace and wit.
(To get a good sense of Kate’s personality, see this interview.)
We didn’t stick around for the book signing afterward because they had no sooner announced it then the bison stampeded. We were not at the head of that line, alas. Had we have stayed for an autograph we would have been there for hours.
(I did the math.)
The girls were disappointed but understood. *I* was disappointed, as meeting Kate (and not just seeing her) was meant to be the highlight of the day. Does this mean the morning was a wash? I was tempted to think so but fought the temptation.
I chewed this over on the drive home. Why is it that we seek autographs, anyway? Have you ever stood on line to get one? I mean, it’s cool to have a signed copy and all, but why do we need this validation? Is it the bragging rights that we are after, or is it something more than that?
I think it’s something more than that. I think it’s a wee tiny bit of their spirit we’re seeking–a touch of their greatness, a connection to them.
That, of course, and the bragging rights.
Ed. Note: Blogging will be light this week because we’re away at Catholic Vacation Bible School. Here are some related posts:
How did you find out about her talk? We would have loved attending. I'm so out of the loop living where we do!
The only time I have ever stood in line to get an autograph was as a gift for someone else… Pat Buchanan for my MIL (birthday present) and one for my hubby too. My dad arranged to meet Jacques Barzun (famous historian) and got his autograph for me so I could give it to hubby as a gift.
Alright, Margaret, I get it now! She's your favorite because of how she starts her day … and because she's also an excellent author. But, that coffee to start the day???
I have to admit, I'm not one to care much about autographs. Yes, I have some books that are autographed, but they were given to me. Lines … any kind of lines … are not my favorite place to be. Like Charlotte, I'd do it as a gift for someone else, though. That would be worth my time.
Jacques Barzun is still alive?!? (Wikipedia says yes!)
Back when we were engaged, my husband found himself in a line once by accident in a mall and discovered he was in the line to meet Bill Nye the Science Guy.
He stayed in the line and got a book autographed for us. (I believe the book is "Bill Nye's Big Blue Ocean")
The inscription reads, "For Mark and Erin. Go wild, mix your genes."
Why do we have four kids? "We have a mandate from the Pope AND from Bill Nye."
Yup! Alive and kicking the last time my dad checked. He found his number in the phone book, called him up and was invited to come to his house to have the book signed for my husband. I wish my husband could have been the one to meet him. I don't know that my dad really understood who this old guy was.
I would totally accidentally stand in a line to get Bill Nye's signature! For my kids, of course! 🙂 How cool for you!
Margaret,
Have your younger ones read any of the Mercy Watson books by KdC? My littler guys (found them when youngest was 4; older one is now 8)love them!
I have a few autographs with fun memories attached to them, but honestly, if there's a line, no dice for me. But, I don't really care. I did once, when I was young, and met Depeche Mode. Great memory, there, but . . . I get more enjoyment from remembering than gazing at Martin's autograph.
Anyway, I didn't meant to "brag" there. I meant to say, I totally get why you went and you were blessed to have heard her talk. You got great seats, too! Good for you!!!!! And, stop aspiring and just write your book(s)!
Kate Di Camillo came to my children's school a few years ago. My youngest is now a huge fan due to the visit & the Mercy Watson series.
I'm going to see Mary Karr in NYC next month. She's the author of the memoir "Lit". I can't wait. This will be my first ever book signing. I just really liked the book so I decided to just go.
I'm not an autograph hound, personally (I'm sure you're shocked) but I can see why one would be.
You're a better mama than I for bringing the kids (unless you actually uttered the words "you'll thank me someday for this" through gritted teeth, which I would have!).
😉
I once stood in line to get Margaret Atwood's autograph. She was giving a reading in Cambridge and I was there so why not. This was back in my grad school days when I went to lots of poetry readings and literary events and lines didn't give me allergies the way they do now that I have kids. I sort of did it because it was the expected thing. I'm still not sure I understand the point of autographs. her talk was very interesting though. Gae me some insights into her work, especially The Handmaid's Tale, which is set in Cambridge.
I think autographs seek a connection with the person. I've gotten a few books autographed, and when I was a munchkin we were in a restaurant and I got an autograph of our city's MLB team's manager, who happened to be eating there. (He was quite popular at the time.)
That autograph has long since disappeared (hey, how many seven-year-olds can hang on to a restaurant napkin?), but the experience of going up and asking, and having that brief interaction, is one that I'll have for the rest of my life. He was very gracious about it (naturally – he was from North Dakota originally, I have since learned!), and it was such a thrill for me.
That's what it was for me, anyway. Maybe some people seek it as something like a relic – touching a bit of the person. But at least in recent years, any time I've gotten a book signed, it's either been because it was expected or because I wanted to interact with the person. I really don't care about the signature.
(I did ask my college philosophy professor to sign my copy of his book. He looked at me like I was nuts. And he didn't do it. :-p)