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Hello all. For those of you familiar with The Emperor's New Groove, my shoulder angel and shoulder devil have been arguing over whether or not I should de-lurk. I suppose the shoulder angel (depending upon your view it might even be the shoulder devil) won out. My name is Lauren (I believe it's an internet faux-pas to mention your real name, but I can't have people calling me by my username. It was made when I was young, foolish and in love with the Scarlett Pimpernel) and I'm a first year at the University of Toronto (yes, Meghan Whalen Turner did come to Toronto last week and yes, I did attend but more on that later). I despise analyzing young adult fiction, but I can appreciate it and believe me I appreciate the Attolia trilogy (do please make it a tetralogy and soon, Megan) to a great degree. Eugenides figures prominently in what my sister calls my "League of Extraordinary Gentleman," which also comprises of Howl Jenkins, Peaceable Sherwood, Christopher Heron, Sir Percival Blakney, Faramir etc etc. However, as much as I would like to meet Eugenides my sister and I agree that he would probably break my heart by making some cutting sarcastic (but brilliant) comment and stealing my earrings.

Anyhoo, last Friday I believe, two other sounisians and I met MWT at her hotel in downtown Toronto. Now all I have to do is meet Diana Wynne Jones and I can lay my adolescent spirit at rest. Megan was gracious, funny, charming, witty, intelligent and she was wearing black socks with red hearts (the five adjectives previous were meant to assuage any embarrassment due to the last observation). We discussed books (no brainer there) and in particular Rosemary Sutcliffe (whose books I adore) and Cynthia Voigt.  We also discussed Gen's handicap, why he loses his hand and how he learns to deal with it.  Lastly we talked about how Megan wanted to make her books realistic in a political and emotional sense (boy did she ever succeed).  I am kicking myself right now because I didn't manage to wheedle any hints out of Megan for the next novel. She did mention a scene in which Gen and his attendants discuss the length of his hair, so that is somewhat of a consolation. I did take some pictures of the momentous event; however I was so befuddled in Megan's presence (throughout the meeting I could only nod and smile, reinforce Megan's opinions and say inane things like "I love your books."  I was also quite stunned at my own courage in meeting Megan without an RSVP) I neglected to turn on the flash and what with the romantic lighting in the bar my pictures came out blurry (this is of course an excuse because in reality my eyes were closed and my mouth was open and I looked like a total dufus in the pictures).  

Having done a proofread just now (I feel almost naked without a spell check) I realize how many brackets I've included (I even included one in this sentence...make that two), but I do go off into tangents quite often.  I was reading back a couple of posts and to whoever made the comment about the "rapist-in-a-boat" cover of Queen of Attolia:  thanks so much, I now can't even look at my copy without alternately laughing and wincing.  Forgive me for any further and future misspellings, lack of grammar or abuse of the English language as my grasp on the meanings of large words is somewhat tenuous.  I look forward to reading many more hilarious discussions here and I might even be pretentious enough to post some of my own ramblings, but it appears I've blathered enough.

Lauren  

(I think I stole my icon from someone on this community so forgive me for that as well)