Just before I began a YA panel last Thursday at the McClay branch of the St Charles public library, Heather Brewer (awesome writer of the VLADIMIR TOD series) asked me if I’d ever done one before. I said I hadn’t, to which she replied: “Oh, you’re going to love this. Author panels rock.” And you know what? She was dead right.
The panel also featured Susan McBride (awesome writer of THE DEBS series), and the three of us had a blast. The audience was large and enthusiastic, and we could have kept going for hours. True, some of the older audience members may have begun to drift off by then, but never mind.
The great thing about author panels is that it although they are supposed to be an informative forum for readers and would-be writers, they also give the authors themselves a chance to exchange ideas, share experiences, and remember that we have a job like any other . . . only much more fun. I can’t say enough about Heather and Susan, who made me feel like one of the gang, even though I’ve got a long way to go before matching their skill and accomplishments. And to the organizers, all I can say is: When can we do it again?
Antony, that was your first author panel? Wow, you had me fooled. You were so calm and cool and funny. Good job, dude!
I agree that it went very well, and I’m game for another panel with you and Heather anytime! (Well, after I meet this latest deadline, which reminds me…time to write!)