IRC Conference Recap (w/ lots of Pics)

I'm finally getting to share some pics from the Illinois Reading Council Conference in Springfield, IL, last week! First, it was AMAZING. Like, amazing amazing. I couldn't believe how huge it was. They were using meeting rooms throughout two big hotels and then also the convention center for exhibitors to set up. And then people still stayed at even further hotels and were bussed over. I heard there were about 3000 kindergarten through college English teachers there. So cool!

This is the view outside of my hotel room. Believe it or not, this was the first time I ever stayed in a hotel on my own! No husband or kids! It was weird at first but then I got used to the giant bed and massive tv all to myself. :-)

My badge and a page in the conference line-up guide.

The one and only pic I have of me from the whole conference. I sent it to my husband at 7am the first day to see if he thought I looked okay. :-)

Then I was off to give my hour long presentation three times.

My presentations went great! PHEW!

At the end of each one I gave out a list of my favorite funny contemporary YA also. Here's a copy of my handout if anyone is interested-- Kristina's Top Ten Fave Funnies.

I also got to sign in the exhibitor hall (and check out the great booths. Okay, and buy lots of stuff for the kids).

Then at 8:30 that night I went to the Hear the Authors Read event. It was HUGE.

Tons of teachers!

I got to sit with a ton of super cool award winning authors in the front. That's Nick Bruel above.

Including this year's Newbery Medal Winner, Jack Gantos. He's HYSTERICAL.

We took turns going up to read and when it was mine I read the first chapter of Just Your Average Princess. Then we signed books until about 11pm. It was a looooong but awesome day.

Night view from my window.

The next day was an awesome luncheon for 30 Illinois authors and 300 teachers to hang out at. We each got our own table and signed more books.

After two and a half days away from the hubs and the kiddies I was really missing them. I said goodbye to Springfield late Friday afternoon and headed for home.