Decautur Book Festival Here I Come

Actually, I won't be going until Saturday, so the heading is a tad premature, but that's what excitement will do for you.

But before I tell you all about the Decatur Book Festival, here's a link to an interview I gave concerning e-books, a topic about which I know close to nothing. As we all well know, that's never stopped me from pontificating. This is an especially fine interview because it mentions that Life As We Knew It was on another best seller list. I love being a best selling author, even if it doesn't happen very much (and in this case it did because my publisher slashed the price of the e-book).

Back to Decatur. Oh, before we go back to a place we've never been (editorial we- for all I know, you've been there many times), I want to assure you that even though I've given up working (can't say as I miss it), I came up with an entire plot for a Lifetime Movie last night, so if you know anyone in need of one, have them call me. I have the whole thing, twist after every twist. The only thing I'm missing is a shootout in a warehouse (Lifetime movies love shootouts in warehouses), but that's what happens when part of the movie is set in Bolivia (a country which I'm sure has lots and lots of lovely warehouses, but none of them fit into the plot). But there's kidnapping and insurance fraud and murder and no good husbands, and what more does a Lifetime movie need, except maybe a script.

Don't bother suggesting I write the script. TV movie scripts involve all kinds of skills I don't have and don't care to pick up. And don't think of suggesting I write it as a book, because even though the plot is fabulous and would work as a fine trashy novel, I'd have to learn things about insurance and Bolivia and I don't wanna. Which is pretty much my attitude about work these days anyway.

The Decatur Book Festival, while technically work for me, looks to be so much fun, I won't hardly notice I'm working. As best I can tell, it's absolutely enormous. Here's the list of just the exhibitors. Since my presentation is at 3 PM (followed by autographing), I'll have plenty of time to walk around and see what they're all about.

Well, maybe not all that much time, since the one program I'm determined to see is at noon on Sunday.

Marriott Conference Center Ballroom B

12:00-12:45:

My Beloved Brontosaurus: On the Road with Old Bones, New Science, and Our Favorite Dinosaurs featuring Brian Switek

My plan is to read the book before I get there (although I don't have a lot of time between now and then, what with getting my hair cut and visiting my mother and cleaning the apartment and watching the US Open every chance I get), so when Brian Switek talks about dinosaurs, I'll know which ones he means. Apparently brontosauruses don't exist anymore, but since I still regard Pluto as a planet (and my favorite one at that), I figure if I know and love brontosauruses, then by gum, they still exist (well, except for extinction and all that).

Don't worry about Scooter while I'm gone. I don't think he's going to notice. His new obsession is sleeping under the chair in the den, and since that's a place I don't tend to hang out in, he won't be expecting to see me.

All right. I'll tell you everything about the Decatur Book Festival after I get home. Until then, have a great Labor Day weekend, if you're in a place that celebrates Labor Day weekend, and if not, have a great weekend anyway.

I know I will!