WLA Conference in Spokane

I just came back from three nights in Spokane for the Washington Library Association’s Annual Conference. I went there to promote Blogbook 2009, my international online teen summer reading project. I plan to publish my teen novel, Loulane Lambert’s Lists for Life, on its own blog beginning June 1. The book is written as a journal, so I’ll post entries each day until the entire novel is on the blog. See my website for more info.

But, I also came to Spokane to get off the island and have a bit of a getaway. I chose this conference because it was relatively close by, looked interesting (a number of famous authors were speaking) and also because I could get there easily. Spokane is only an hour plane flight from Seattle and the hotel shuttle picks up at the airport.

I was stunned by Spokane. It is a beautiful, tidy, accessible city located near several rivers. There is a mini-Niagara Falls right in town! (See video.) Numerous footbridges cross the river, and there are an amazing assortment of walking/biking paths all along the river as well as through town. Name-brand stores such as Macy’s and Nordstrom’s were next to well-stocked bookstores and even the local library! I want to move there! Check out the video of the falls below!

The conference was also interesting, and I was able to connect with quite a few librarians. Most were receptive, but I occasionally felt like I was a fish oil hawker trying to get people interested in my product. I had ironed on a Blogbook 2009 placard to the back of a pink t-shirt which I occasionally displayed (when I didn’t have it covered up by a sweater) as I walked through exhibits and attended sessions. I had printed out Blogbook 2009 information on business cards which I kept secreted in my plastic nametag pocket. At the appropriate time (I hoped…) I would take one out and talk about Blogbook 2009. One highlight at the closing banquet was a kind library director actually asking me for cards so that he could help spread the word.