Here is proof that I really did a panel with Sonya Sones and Ellen Hopkins. They were both so calm, cool and collected while I, on the otherhand, could not stop shaking. At one point, I went to take a drink of water, while one of them was talking, and it was almost funny how much my hand was shaking. I wonder how many librarians saw that and thought, what is wrong with that girl - does she have a medical condition of some kind? I mean, it was that bad. Oh well. Thankfully, my voice didn't show it (much).
![](http://pics.livejournal.com/lisa_schroeder/pic/000k18ds/s320x240)
I took a picture of the room with 550 seats a few minutes before we started. Most of the seats ended up being filled, which surprised us, and which also made us very happy.
![](http://pics.livejournal.com/lisa_schroeder/pic/000k2735/s320x240)
The Texas Sweethearts (Jessica Lee Anderson (BORDER CROSSING), Jo Whittemore (FRONT PAGE FACE-OFF) and PJ Hoover (THE EMERALD TABLET) serving up some delicious desserts.
![](http://pics.livejournal.com/lisa_schroeder/pic/000k3tc6/s320x240)
And here's me with Jess and PJ at the cocktail party.
![](http://pics.livejournal.com/lisa_schroeder/pic/000k444b/s320x240)
You know who else was at that cocktail party? RICK RIORDAN!! Everyone was asking to take a picture with him, and although that would have been fun, I refrained, because the poor guy probably didn't even get a sip of wine with all of that going on. I did snap a picture from afar, however.
![](http://pics.livejournal.com/lisa_schroeder/pic/000k5g42/s320x240)
We had dinner Thursday night with a bunch of librarians, and I sat across from one of the librarians who was on the TAYSHAS committee and was instrumental in getting FAR FROM YOU on the list. It was a good time, and the margaritas were excellent!
![](http://pics.livejournal.com/lisa_schroeder/pic/000k6pcx/s320x240)
I had fun chatting with teens and librarians during a teen chat on Friday. Here's a group of middle schoolers from a school in San Antonio (Frontier maybe?? I'm terrible with names).
![](http://pics.livejournal.com/lisa_schroeder/pic/000k7qya/s320x240)
And finally, Jess was kind enough to give me a quick tour on Friday, after we had lunch, when the sun finally came out for awhile. Here I am, in front of the Alamo!
![](http://pics.livejournal.com/lisa_schroeder/pic/000k8g2d/s320x240)
One picture I don't have that I wish I did was of me and Suzanne Collins (THE HUNGER GAMES). We ended up on the Skylink in the Dallas airport together, and there was hardly anyone else there, and so I got brave and introduced myself. We chatted about the conference and traveling, and as much as I wanted to gush about her books and ask questions, I refrained. I attended her presentation at the conference, and a kid asked her if she could go back and change anything, what would it be? She said - oh no, there's something I should change? People laughed, and then she went on to say that even if there was, she's tired. Very tired! And so, I decided to give that tired author a break from those books that fill so much of her time. Still, a very cool five minutes for me!!
So there you have it. A fun, but busy, couple of days. I came home and took more naps this weekend than I can count. And now, I suppose it's time to buckle down and get writing.