As a lifelong librarian, I have gone to more conferences than I can count. Mostly local (Library Association of Rockland County, New York Library Association, and occasionally a national conference. I would have wanted to go to New Orleans but I’ve never made it. Not yet anyway, but I hope to one day.

This year, though, the conference was in Chicago. What an interesting city!

My usual plan is to take a few workshops and hit the exhibits. Always the exhibits.

And now that I am a published author, I do writing stuff.

I look like I’m sleeping but I’m not. Really. I was on a panel with Charles Finch, Julia Keller,T heresa Schwegel and Tasha Alexander. All very talented writers. After the panel discussion, we signed books. I met a fan, one of the great thrills of my life.

I signed three and a half cartons of books at the Sisters in Crime Booth. I am seated with Libby Hellman here.

Any downsides? Well, I didn’t get to stay in Chicago as long as I would have liked. And now I plan to reread the Harry Dresdens. As I traveled around Chicago, I kept looking for a likely building that would house Harry’s apartment (destroyed in one of the newer Books – Ghost Story I think.) I also believe the McCormick Center was featured in one of the more recent works. I want to find out, now that I’ve been here.