Northshire Books in Manchester Center, VT

On the sidewalk outside of Northshire Books

I always thought that the greatest thing about being a published author was that you could sit in your studio all day, wearing pajamas, doing what you love. Don't get me wrong, it's really great. Especially the pajama part. But there's so much more to being an author. I present my growing list of Perks I Didn't Know Came With Being a Published Author That Rule:

1. When people say, "What do you do?" you can reply, "I'm an author!" and then people say, "Oooh!" because being an author seems respectable, unlike when I used to have to say, "I'm an artist" which usually makes people thing that you're probably destitute and maybe a little delusional. I have yet to master the "I'm an author" answer without freaking out a little and hopping up and down, but I'll get there. Maybe.

2. When you go to conferences, people just give you free books. I had no idea that this would happen. It blew my mind. There would be a pile of books at a booth, and then someone would say, "Here, take one," and I would start to hyperventilate, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME? REALLY? YOU'RE SERIOUSLY JUST GOING TO GIVE ME THIS BOOK? AND THIS TOTEBAG TO PUT IT IN???"

3. You get to visit the coolest bookstores. I never before knew that Northshire Bookstore existed (or that there was a place called Manchester Center in Vermont) but now that I've been there, I want to live there. It's one of these bookstores that seems normal-sized from the outside but just goes on for miles and miles on the inside. And it's not cavernous--every area seems designed for a reader to find their perfect book. So excited to go on the big roadtrip now to see more bookstores.

Still working on looking authorly

After the book event we headed to Bennington, which was hugely exciting to me. Here is why: One of my favorite books in the world is Donna Tartt's The Secret History. If you haven't read it yet (and you're over the age of seventeen, which was how old I was when I read it the first time), carve out a weekend for yourself and just lose yourself in her amazing storytelling. I don't usually go all starry-eyed when I meet famous people (except for David Wiesner, David Wiesner, I'm so sorry that I freak out every time I meet you, but that's a subject for another blog post) but if I ever met Donna Tartt I think I might just go catatonic.

Bennington!

Just like Chicago is full of cows, and Philadelphia is full of Phanatics, Bennington is full of Mooses. Meese. Meeses.

Anyhoo, The Secret History takes place in Hamden College in Hamden, Vermont. This is not a real place. But Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont is a real place where Donna Tartt went to college. Mark drove us around the campus of the college while I yelped, "Look, look, there are the white clapboard dormitories with the green shutters that Richard loved so much! That was the beginning of his undoing! Look, there are paths going into the woods! That was the beginning of their undoing!! Omigawd, there's the music building! I don't remember it from the book but it's really neat looking and probably had some hand in their undoing!" Mark hasn't read The Secret History, and is a very patient and indulgent husband.

We also visited the Bennington Battle Monument, which is this enormous obelisk that is dedicated to the 1777 Battle of Bennington, which actually happened in nearby Walloomsac. Still, it's very large and impressive.

Very large and impressive monument

Mark and a sculptural representation of Brigadier General John Stark enjoy pointing.

Brigadier General John Stark was totally not messing around.

Tali enjoys the view.

Today we're heading to Troy, NY for Tiffany's baby shower, and tomorrow we'll be in the Barnes & Noble in Dewitt, outside of Syracuse. Farewell for now, Vermont, you pretty, pretty state.