As a stalker? I suck!

Okay, I did forgo the Nora talk at the PRO retreat this morning in favour of Emily Giffin's talk, (not a hard decision for me) but I totally missed some major stalking opportunities. An aside... the moderator of the presentation called her Emily Griffin 3 or 4 times... Cringe-worthy. Emily was pretty cool about it though.

While I was a total failure in my kidnap-her-for-lunch conspiracy, I did manage to ask the main question I wanted to. In a nutshell, "What was the major thing (other than a really great book) which made SOMETHING BORROWED break out?"

I was simultaneously relieved and disappointed to hear that it probably wasn't anything in her control--other than writing a really great book (a relatively crucial ingredient ). Sounds like it boiled down to her editor's whole-hearted belief in the book, and her editor's ability to make things happen publicity-wise. Man, the kind of thing new authors dream of--and from what I've seen (and read!) it couldn't have happened to a nicer, more deserving writer than Emily.

But even though I did get the last question of the workshop in and she (I think?) remembered meeting me in Toronto, I didn't talk to her after her presentation. I did hang around a bit... but there were so many people waiting to see her and, well, I went all shy. I didn't find her at the Literacy signing on Wed night, either. My excuses that night were equally pathetic: it was about 400 degrees in the room; and (this part isn't exaggerated) over 500 authors signing. Seriously. Who were all those writers? It was crazy! I hope RWA raised a heck of a lot of money for literacy.

My new friend Nadine Dajani, whose book FASHIONABLY LATE comes out in 2007, was bold, though! She talked to Emily and gave her an ARC. You rock, Nadine! Diana, too. A little authorial bonding. Good job girls!!! I bow to your superior stalking--I mean networking--skills.