aprilstarchild | OH EM GEE

A story of fandom, told through pictures.

What I wore!!

Except that I ended up also wearing a velveteen coat and my big red scarf and my white brimmed hat. Oh well.

I got to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall ridiculously early. There were random media people waiting to get in. I took a picture of the red carpet inside, before it was covered in said media folks, but they turned out really crappy. C'est la vie. I got something to eat and came back and was still the only person just milling about. So I took a couple of pictures.

The Poster!!

I saw them change this sign, and giggled with glee:

aaand if you don't know why the button is a big deal, you should read the book. Or watch the movie.

SO after a while, they put up yellow barricades, and other people showed up to stand outside of them so I didn't look like a complete goofball. I ended up standing next to a larger group of mixed-age people who, like me, were there to see Neil. We were all armed with various paperback and hardback books and pens. I brought a fine-tip sharpie and tested it to make sure it still worked and jumped up and down a lot trying to stay warm.

A few people came out of a limo, signed a couple of posters, and walked in. I have no idea who they were, and nobody standing around seemed to either.

Around then, someone with an internet phone shouted, "He just updated his Twitter! He just left the hotel!!" and the group of us there to see Neil became even more excited. Within a minute or two, a dark SUV pulled up, and out comes....Maddy! Neil's daughter. With Neil right behind. I couldn't help myself and said, "Hello Maddy!" and she smiled and said hello back. (I recognized Maddy from pictures of her and posts by her in Neil's blog.)

Now there was only about thirty people surrounding the barricades, and about ten of us were there for Neil. I was worried he'd be like: sign, sign, sign, go inside. Nope. He took his time, asking people how their names were spelled, giving hugs, getting his picture taken next to grinning people. I was last in line on my side. I handed him my copy of The Graveyard Book and my pen, and told him my name, and said, "Congratulations on getting the Newbery Award!" "Oh, thank you so much, it's exciting isn't it?" "Oh yes!"

And then I noticed: he was drawing a whole picture in the front of my book. He handed me back my book and pen, I thank him and smiled, and he went inside, and after that I left. I thought about sticking around just to watch the spectacle of Famous Actor-Types arriving but decided to skip it. I got on the bike and just went home, since I'd got what I came for!

The Before Shot (aka weapons of mass fandom):