My Idol

Oh, yeah. What you see is not a figment, fragment, or frigment of your imagination. Along with other amazing writers and illustrators, Brian Selznick begged me for a photo when I cruised passed his signing booth at the ALA Conference in Washington D.C. The guy has a Caldecott and all, so it was the least I could do to make his weekend feel complete. I didn't want to intimidate him, so I humbly held up his book like a starstruck dork.

Everything but the dork part is all a lie.

But this was one of my most memorable author encounters because I was mortified when my camera froze before the click.

"You want to be in the picture?" Brian Selznick asked, looking up and catching me take a sneaky pic of him signing my book. (Note to self: Work on skill.)

"Yes, Brian Selznick. (Gosh, I love saying his full name.)

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Umm, not yet," I blushed. And then of course, my camera wouldn't work. I shook it. I made crazy 8 circles with it. I caressed it against my cheek, but no use. "When we get home, I'm gonna bid you for cheap on eBay, you useless piece of innovative technol..."

"It's okay," he says, catching me at mid-whisper. "I'll wait."

50 million frustratingly dark minutes later...

(Advice: The new iPhone 4 is not designed to work under pressure. Take note, Steve.)

"Are you ready yet?" the fabulously famous person asked again while my forehead dripped with sweat. I was so embarrassed, I just turned around and left.

"Hello? Are you okay?!" he hollered. "What did I do?!"

After a cold shower, wise coaching from an encouraging friend, and swallowing a box of breath mints, I finally gained enough courage to return. I strolled passed him as cool as a kumquat.

"You finally ready?" the man with a huge smile.

"I..I was," I stammered. "I mean, my ca-ca-camera w-was nervous. But we're re-ready now, Br-Brian SelzniCKK."

"Good. Smile!" he said.

Click. Flash. Capture. Easy. He was just about the nicest illustrator writer Caldecott winner there ever was.

More author sightings that weekend...Laurie Halse Anderson, Mo Willems, Christopher Paul Curtis, Grace Lin, Nancy Werlin, ...even Spike from Top Chef Season 4.

I am officially cool. Or cooled off?