April Is for Authors 2017

On 4/29/17, after speaking at four schools over the previous four days, I had the pleasure of making my second consecutive appearance at the daylong annual event April Is for Authors in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

Twenty-six authors spoke and did panels for the public. I knew only one (Erica Perl) personally beforehand but left with a gaggle of friends.

 Aaron Hartzler, Crystal Allen, me, Cory Putman Oakes, 

S.J. Kinkaid, Jackson Pearce

view from the stage: Aaron, S.J., Lynda Mullaly Hunt (peeking out from back), 

Jackson, Aisha Saeed (with microphone), Erica Perl (patterned dress),

Paul Griffin

S.J., Claire Salmon, Jackson, Elizabeth Zdrodowski (librarian),

Jason Reynolds, Aaron, me, Andrea Parisi (librarian) 

I also had the honor of emceeing the closing event, which brought attendees together in an auditorium to try their hand at trivia questions related to each of the participating authors' books. Each author asked one question; the first audience member to (be called on and then) answer correctly won a signed book by that author. One of the most challenging questions involved the record-setting price a certain Picasso (I believe) painting sold for at auction. Suddenly I was Bob Barker but I failed to recall the rules of The Price of Right.

It turns out four of the authors fondly share an editor, Nancy Paulsen at Penguin Random House. Here I am with Ellen Airgood, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and Aisha Saeed.