Meg's Diary

AUTHOR SAVES PROM

Book Expo America turned out to be quite an adventure…and not in the ways I would have expected.

Not only did I sign about a billion copies of my newest book, QUEEN OF BABBLE (due in US stores TOMORROW!!!), but I got to meet tons of groovy authors, one of whom gets a special Meg Cabot Awesome Author Award for helping a prom-goer in distress.

Yes! They were having prom in my hotel!

But first, about the groovy authors:

First off, I met way too many of them to mention here by name (and enjoyed becoming re-acquainted with many, many more), but suffice it to say not ONE of them had a spirit guide, and ALL of them had brushed their hair.

Fashion has been on my mind a lot lately, I will admit, since Lizzie, the heroine of QUEEN OF BABBLE, is obsessed with it (she was a fashion history major in college, after all).

So I came to BEA feeling very Lizzie-like, armed with my tweezers, expecting to find a veritable literary rat's nest of unplucked brows. It is a fact that many authors are, shall we say, careless about their appearance, because they are so busy being creative, they do not take the time to groom themselves properly (and seem to think they shouldn't have to, because they write so wonderfully).

I don't mind the men so much, because they simply don't know better (case in point: while I, like the rest of the world, enjoyed The Da Vinci Code immensely, I cannot forgive Dan Brown for dressing his poor heroine in leggings and a big sweater. LEGGINGS??? ON A FRENCH WOMAN??? The poor thing had to run around dressed like an escaped member of the Go-Gos for the ENTIRE BOOK. Although I've noticed for the movie version they've spruced her up a bit, no doubt thanks to Audrey Tautou's gentle urging. I met her on a plane once, and she is the sweetest—but extremely elegant–person. I'm sure she went, “Leggings? I think not. What about Dior?”)

But when I see a female author in open-toe sandals and reinforced toe pantyhose, I die a little inside. Because ladies, we should just know better. Author Michele Jaffe agrees in an email she sent to me recently:

It is a crime. A crime against literature and a crime against eyeballs. In fact, I am going to invent a new super heroine, SuperCute, who will go around trying to repair the damage to the net of cuteness that so many ugly clothes creates. Hideous dressing creates a rift in the Goodness continuum, allowing the Evil Ones through to spread their wickedness through polyester and Talbots.

Seriously, there is enough horror in the world without this.

I could not agree more.

Fortunately none of the authors I met this weekend had to be struck by Supercute's Magic Pretty Stick. Author Marian Keyes, of whom I've long been an avid fan, was a sprightly vision, and so charming and gracious and sweet, it made me love her writing even more.

And who could forget the luminous and fairy-like Sarah Dessen, whom a bookseller (hi, Donna) and I stalked at an awards banquet (at which the hilarious Eoin Colfer spoke, um, hilariously)? Sarah's as gorgeous as her writing, as this picture I stole off her website proves (WHY can I never remember to bring a camera???)
7 p.m.
Anderson's Books
123 West Jefferson Avenue
Naperville, IL 60540

and

Wednesday, May 24
12:30 p.m.
Borders 405
150 North State Street
Chicago, IL 60601

so that I can have the pleasure of introducing you to her.

More later.

Much love,

Meg

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