Eddis, Attolia, Sounis

I got to listen to Megan Whalen Turner at the University bookstore on Friday, and it was fantastic! She talked about being expected to write long thank you letters for gifts when she was a kid, which seems like a lost art and a great tradition. She talked about how she chose the style for the Mede poetry, which is one of my favorite parts of her books and in my opinion is more unique and accessible than iambic hexameter! She Didn’t Tell us anything about the upcoming book, though she did mention that she might want to write a story about Ina and Eurydice someday, and that would be awesome blossom!

My seven-year-old, Charles, came with me mostly because he wanted some mom time away from his little siblings, but as we drove into downtown I summarized the story of The Thief for him and I couldn’t take a breath without him urging me to “keep telling it, keep telling it!” He liked listening to Megan’s presentation, and asked her a somewhat nonsensical question about if she had been an artist as a kid. I’m not sure if he meant to say author instead of artist, or if he asked about art because he himself likes to draw, but she gave a great answer! I’m going to remind him in the future that a real author once told him that we become good at whatever we put time into practicing! She chose writing; he can choose art or whatever becomes his interest as life goes on, but great talent doesn’t just come to us automatically.

He drew her a picture of Hephestia holding Hamiathes’ Gift, which she posted on tumblr. What a memorable experience!