Meeting Authors at the State Fair (and Humiliating Myself Unaware)

I met an author today at the State Fair.  It was unexpected.  I was wandering around before my shift volunteering at a booth, and I saw that the Library had a tent set up that day.  Will Weaver was supposed to be the guest right then.  I've been reading his books for a really long time (like, decades), so I was tickled. 

Check out the movie Sweet Land, based on a short story he wrote, ("A Gravestone Made of Wheat") and the anthology that he contributed to called Guys Write for Guys Read.  (Even adults get a kick out of the anthology, especially that story about the car trip . . .)  Will's books and short stories are an easy recommend for kids and adults, alike; he is a quality author and he evokes place like he owns it.  (They somehow managed to convey this in Sweet Land almost impossibly well.  I really wish you could have seen those skies on the big screen.  Wow.)

Back to the fair.  A librarian took me over to where Will was sitting under the bridge to the grandstand with his concept car and crew.  He signed and gave me a free book and explained that he was currently writing a series aimed at boys who like race cars but not English class.  A little boy came up and asked how fast the car went, and Will waved goodbye and talked to the kid for a bit.  (80 mph, if you were curious.)

Only later did I find out that I had ice cream all over my lips.  Fabulous.  At least I didn't give him my last name.  Ah, well.  I guess I didn't look much different than his other fans.