MWT - Live and In Person

[eachase.livejournal.com]

Update with full schedule:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/533e23e8e4b06aba0766e9cc/t/5c82c73e4e17b6669a035a2e/1552074567034/NTTBF19+Program+8.5x11+Booklet+ONLINE.pdf

And event website:
http://www.northtexasteenbookfestival.com/general-info

There are 57 authors attending. (None of the others are as exciting as MWT, but you know.... there are quite a few recognizable names. :-))

http://www.northtexasteenbookfestival.com/young-adult-authors-1

Does anyone else plan to attend? 

Comments

[whataliethatwas.livejournal.com]

Man, don't I just wish it was doable. Have fun if you're going!

[rouan1.livejournal.com]

I wish it was feasible! If anyone from here goes, please give us a rundown about it.

[eachase.livejournal.com]

I'm going. And I'm *so thankful.* I checked out every stop on the TaT book tour, but they all involved a flight, a hotel, local transport, etc. This is a 30 minute drive for me!

I'll do my best to take notes and then share them here. And if anyone else can make it, please let me know. We could arrange to meet.

[readsintrees.livejournal.com]

Sadly, Texas is a bit far from Maine. Not really anyway to book a flight/hotel/etc for one book fest to meet one author without seeming like a crazy.

Now, if there's ever a Boston book fest where she's at....

[eachase.livejournal.com]

I completely understand.

I'd love to get to Maine. One of my other favorite authors - Van Reid - lives there and I'd love to meet him and see the places he talks about in his books.

[rouan1.livejournal.com]

I have read his books; the Moosepath League series, I mean. I thoroughly enjoyed them. 😊

[eachase.livejournal.com]

Wow! Finding a Van Reid fan "in the wild" just made my day. I booktalked him to MWT and Bookish Babe last weekend!

Which is your favorite? Daniel Plainway is mine and I re-read it every December.

For all that they have nearly diametrically opposite writing styles, I think Van and Megan have some interesting things in common. Neither is well enough known given the quality of their work. They both use stories within stories to good effect. Both have been writing an unfinished series for 20 years, but their books all work as stand-alone novels.

Are you a member of his Fan group on Facebook? If not, and you're on FB, I recommend it. The fan base reflects the nature of his characters. Delightful!

For everyone else reading this who hasn't read Van Reid's Moosepath League series, here's how I describe it: He has the storytelling style of Garrison Keillor and/or John Iriving; his characters (and humor) are P.G. Wodehouse, but their names are rather Dickensian (as are the plots). The novels are set in the late 1890s in Maine and follow three innocents whose experiences start to widen when they meet Mister Tobias Walton, who introduces them to ever more interesting characters.

Depending on my age at the time (I've been reading them for 15 years), my bookish crush has been Sundry Moss, Tobias Walton, and Daniel Plainway.

Series order:
1. Cordelia Underwood, or the Marvelous Beginning of the Moosepath League
2. Mollie Peer, or the Underground Adventure of the Moosepath League
3. Daniel Plainway, or the Holiday Haunting of the Moosepath League
4. Mrs. Roberto, or the Widowy Worries of the Moosepath League
5. Fiddler's Green, or a wedding, a ball, and the singular adventures of Sundry Moss
6 or 1.5. Moss Farm, or the mysterious missives of the Moosepath League [it was published later, but chronologically fits between Cordelia and Mollie]

I don't think you necessarily have to read them in order, but Cordelia introduces all the characters and their backgrounds (like TT). I do recommend reading Mollie before Daniel. It sets up some of the goings on in that one. (And like QoA is darker than TT, Mollie is darker than Cordelia.)

They all have strong seasonal settings, so Cordelia is a great July read, Mollie in October, Daniel in December, Mrs. Roberto in May, and Fiddler's Green in June. Living in Texas, reading these is how I experience the seasons.

Highly recommend!

rouan1, what would you add?

[rouan1.livejournal.com]

You said it so much better than I could, that I don't have much else to add. lol. His writing style reminded me of 19th century writers, but I can see your point about the similarities with Garrison Keiller etc.
I don't have a favorite right now; it's been a few years since I read them so I'm a bit rusty on the story lines. I think that means it's time to re-read them all. 😉 Cordelia, here I come!

[eachase.livejournal.com]

I think they're a great "while she knits" option.

The only problem I have is that once I get into them, I have a really hard time leaving that world again. I just want to get on a train with Mister Walton and ride until we come across Mr. Tolly and hear a story.