Um, that's fan fiction in my carry on.

Last night I had the amazing opportunity to hear Cheryl Klein, Senior Editor for Arthur A. Levine Books, speak at the Belton High School in Cass Co. She gave a great talk on what makes a good children's book, using books she's edited as examples. We're talking Harry Potter, here, people. She was the continuity editor for the last three or four books in the series. She was funny, and sparkling, and very down to earth for someone who got to read the last three books in the series before just about anyone else. She also seemed very young, which was nice to see. She's a native of the Kansas City area, so it was nice to see a local girl made good in person.

She gave us a wonderful anecdote about carrying the Deathly Hallows manuscript around Heathrow and getting selected for a random bag check, and plugged one of her newest books, A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce (who is from Johnson Co. and was in the audience). This book has been sitting on my desk for a week or so now, I'm not sure why. I'm sure one of the teen associates set it back there, but why it hasn't gone back out to the floor in that time, I don't know. I think it looks quite good, and I've only read the first few pages on my breaks and whatnot.

All in all, she got me all keyed up to move to NY and make a move into publishing. Perhaps I'll try it sometime in the next few years. I feel I've committed to KC for at least another year, and I'm having fun.

But the best part of my day was that I went with Crystal Farris, KCPL's Director of Teen Services (who may be one of the coolest people I've met since moving here); April Roy from Plaza Kids and a couple others. We talked about our library, library school, books, New York - it was very educational. Spending time with them was fun and funny, and they're both people I have a feeling it will be good to know.