David Macaulay

I went to see author David Macaulay at Knox Presbyterian Church in Naperville. He was there to promote his new book "The Way We Work." I have his previous book "The Way Things Work." which I had autographed back in 1988 when Kroch's and Brentano's was still around. He talked for about a half an hour about why he wrote the book and then he had to leave to go to Philadelphia. After he left we got to watch a PBS movie based on his book "Cathedral." I really enjoyed the movie and now I want to visit all the old cathedrals in France. I ended up buying his book "Cathedral" in addition to the new book "The Way We Work." Both were autographed by him. The inside of the church was a great place to see the movie. I'm glad I didn't miss this even though it was a rainy night.

ABOUT THE BOOK

"The Way We Work", illuminates the most important machine of all—the human body. This book is about you and how and why you are what you are. Your body is made up of various complex systems. It shows how the parts of the body work together, from the mechanics of a hand, to the process by which the heart pumps blood, to the chemical exchanges necessary to sustain life. "The Way We Work" shows how individual systems—circulatory, respiratory, lymphatic, digestive, nervous, endocrine, immune, musculoskeletal, and reproductive—work together to make the human body function the way it does. Beginning with cell structure and the DNA that defines us, and ending with the cells from a man and a woman combining to create new life, this captivating journey brilliantly shares with readers the science of ourselves.

Cornelia Funke

After I had my pizza at Lou Malnati's next door I went to Cornelia Funke's booksigning of "Inkdeath" at Anderson's Books in Naperville. I was number 76 in line. I had seen her previously when she was in town to sign "Inkheart." My youngest son now has all three of the books in the trilogy signed by her. He's read the first two and enjoys her writing.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Adderhead--his immortality bound in a book by Meggie's father, Mo--has ordered his henchmen to plunder the villages. The peasants' only defense is a band of outlaws led by the Bluejay Mo's fictitious double, whose identity he has reluctantly adopted. But the Book of Immortality is unraveling, and the Adderhead again fears the White Women of Death. To bring the renegade Bluejay back to repair the book, the Adderhead kidnaps all the children in the kingdom, dooming them to slavery in his silver mines unless Mo surrends. First Dustfinger, now Mo: Can anyone save this cursed story?

Christopher Paolini

I went to the booksigning for Christopher Paolini's latest book "Brisinger." It was held at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove and over 800 people showed up. He talked for about a half hour than answered questions for about a half hour. He said the best thing an aspiring writer can do is read, write everyday and never, never, never, never, never give up (I think he said never more times than that but you get the point. They showed the movie "Eragon" based on his first book while people in groups of 25 went out to the lobby to get their books signed. I was number 500 and I got my advance ticket 5 days before. I left the theatre at about 9:45 p.m. My son now has all three of his books autographed. He's read the first two and enjoyed them.

Eoin Colfer

We took my youngest son to see Eoin Colfer at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove. He was there promoting his new book "Artemis Fowl - The Time Paradox" until after 9:00 p.m. He had his own tour bus and Radio Disney was there. This was the third time he's seen Eoin Colfer. He has all of his books autographed.

Lee Child And Me

I went to Lee Child's booksigning at Border's Books in Oak Brook. He had an excellent turnout. It is always enlightening listening to the authors tell their story behind the story. He use to be a television producer before he became and author. He explained the story behind Jack Reacher's name. Lee Child is tall and was able to "reach" something high on a shelf and needed to come up with a name for his main character. I'm pretty sure I've read all of his books. An excellent writer.

Do What You Are Meant To Do

JK Rowling gave a wonderful address to Harvard graduates last week where she spoke of failure and imagination. Describing the place from which she wrote Harry Potter, she said: "So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had already been realized, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

http://harvardmagazine.com/go/jkrowling.html

T. Jefferson Parker

I went to the booksigning for T. Jefferson Parker's new book. "L.A. Outlaws" at Border's Books in Oakbrook. He talked about how he got the idea for his book and how all of his books are different. I meet him one time previously for another signing. I had him sign his new hardcover and two paperbacks I also bought - "California Girl" and "Storm Runners."