Thank You Judith Viorst!

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 by Erin Dealey

If I were at BEA today, I would be in line at Table 15 to get Judith Viorst’s autograph.
Events: Autograph Session, Wednesday, May 26, 2010 @ 11:00AM – 11:30AM

Lulu and the Brontosaurus A brand-new illustrated chapter book from two legends in the industry:
Judith Viorst, Author
and Lane Smith, Illustrator
Published By: Simon & Schuster, Inc.

I’m envisioning myself there right now, even though it is 11:05am in California, and hopefully by 2:05pm in NY the line has wound down so that Ms.Viorst can go to lunch! (Odd how I can’t call her Judith. I feel the same way about Beverly Cleary. Calling them Judith or Beverly would feel like calling the Bard Will.

Anyway, back at Table 15…here is my imagined, highly fictitious, #armchairBEA meeting with the amazing Ms. Viorst.

Erin: Hi…um…Ms. Viorst…

(Starstruck, handing her a copy of LULU.. as well as well-loved copies of ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE HORRIBLE NO GOOD VERY BAD DAY, ALEXANDER WHO’S NOT (DO YOU HEAR ME? I MEAN IT! GOING TO MOVE), IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD AND OTHER WORRIES, and I’LL FIX ANTHONY, all of which I’ve lugged from California–plus SUDDENLY SIXTY AND OTHER GOOD SHOCKS OF LATER LIFE…)
I’m a huge fan.

Ms. Viorst: Why thank you.

Erin: (as she signs SUDDENLY SIXTY AND OTHER GOOD SHOCKS OF LATER LIFE…) My sister can quote your HOW DID I GET TO BE FORTY? and FOREVER FIFTY so that’s for her. She is the one you wrote about in “The Blissful Couple.”

Ms. Viorst: My latest, EXCEEDLINGLY EIGHTY AND OTHER ADAPTATIONS, will be out in October.

Erin: Yeah, but she’d kill me if I got her that one.
(Ms Viorst starts to sign IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD AND OTHER WORRIES…)

Erin: As a teacher I want to thank you for all the years I’ve used IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD.. as a writing prompt for kids. These are for you:
(Handing her a few student poems that 2nd graders wrote recently.)

Brock: “If I were in charge of the world, I would make everybody into an adult, and people wouldn’t be mean to other people…”

Eryiann: “If I were in charge of the world, we could read a lot…”

Andrea: “If I were in charge of the world, we could eat a lot of ice cream…”

anonymous: “If I were in charge of the world, all kids would have parents…”

Ms. Viorst: The world would be a better place, if they were in charge of the world.

Erin: (as she starts to sign ALEXANDER WHO’S NOT (DO YOU HEAR ME? I MEAN IT! GOING TO MOVE) Sorry about the teeth-prints…I’m not sure if it was my daughter or our nephew who started teething on that one.

Ms. Viorst: (about to sign ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE HORRIBLE NO GOOD VERY BAD DAY) Are these coffee stains?

Erin: Um…possibly…either that or wine…

Ms. Viorst: If your child has a terrible horrible no good very bad day, chances are you’ve had one too.

Erin: Yeah, moving to Australia has been a tempting concept from time to time in our family.

Ms. Viorst: (signing I’LL FIX ANTHONY, and noticing the line’s growing agitation –at me for monopolizing Ms. Viorst’s time…) Oh dear…

BEA: Excuse me, but Ms.V iorst needs to move on to the others waiting for autographs.

Ms. Viorst: (with “A reservoir of undiminished Z — zeal –” ) No worries. (signing LULU) Good luck with your own writing, Erin.

Erin: How did you know I’m a writer?

Ms. Viorst: I’m following you on Twitter, my dear. @erindealey, right? And Facebook, and both blogs and gee, why don’t I mentor you? You’re fabulous!

Erin: Wow! Really? Are you serious?????

ArmchairBEA bouncer: NOT. This is your dream autograph, remember? Time to get back to your manuscript revisons. You know–the real world.

Erin: Right… Thank you Ms. Viorst, for decades of reading enjoyment, from our entire family. It’s been a wonderful, joyful, ArmchairBEA dream.