I will be all over California October 16-31! I wanted to spend a bunch of time in the Bay Area, as that’s where Smile takes place, and it’s where I’m from. Here’s information about where you can find me and what I’ll be doing. ALL of these events will be family-friendly, so feel free to bring your kids, your friends, and yourself!

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October 16-17
Alternative Press Expo
The Concourse
San Francisco, CA
Find me at the Comics Bakery table, 202

I’ll be conducting a short workshop on Saturday the 16th at 1 PM, called Smile! Drawing Facial Expressions, with Raina Telgemeier. It will run about 30 minutes.

Monday, October 18
Green Apple Books: Book signing & presentation
506 Clement Street (@6th Ave)
San Francisco, CA
7 PM

Wednesday, October 20
Milpitas Public Library: Presentation
160 North Main Street
Milpitas, CA
3-4 PM

Wednesday, October 20
Comic Relief: Book signing & presentation
With special guest, Dave Roman!
2026 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA
7 PM

Thursday, October 21
Alameda Free Library: Presentation & Workshop
1550 Oak Street
Alameda, CA
3:30 – 4:30 PM

Friday, October 22
Pleasanton Public Library: Presentation
400 Old Bernal Ave
Pleasanton, CA
4 – 5 PM
My books will be for sale at this event!

Friday, October 22
Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary & Garden Arts: Signing/Reading
2904 College Ave
Berkeley, CA
7 PM

Saturday, October 23
STORYTIME! Activity Day at the Cartoon Art Museum
655 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA
1 – 3 PM
Come hang out with me and a bunch of the creators in the museum’s STORYTIME! exhibit, where you can see a bunch of original pages from Smile on display!
My books will be for sale at this event!

Monday, October 25
Santa Clara City Library: Presentation
2635 Homestead Road
Santa Clara, CA
6:30 PM
My books will be for sale at this event!

October 29 – 31
Long Beach Comic Con
Long Beach Convention Center
Long Beach, CA
Find me at the Comics Bakery booth in Artist Alley!

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Whew! I’m also doing several school visits, a signing at my old orthodontist’s office, and a private library event, but those are invite-only. However, as you can see, there are so many public events, you can surely find a time to come out and see me! Feel free to bring a book you’d like signed, and I’ll have original art for sale if you’re interested.

When we get back to New York, the fun continues with an event in Brooklyn, and then it’ll be off to Miami for the Miami Book Fair. I’m seriously busy until Thanksgiving, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Happy Haunting, and I hope to see you this month!

October seems to be GO month. I’m busy almost every day until Halloween! Here’s what I’ll be up to this week:

Wednesday, October 6
Youth Workshop at The Queens Public Library
Steinway Branch
14-01 Astoria Boulevard
Astoria, NY
4-5 PM

October 8-10
New York Comic Con
Jacob Javits Center
New York, NY

Please note: I am not tabling at NYCC this year. I will be around the convention Friday, and possibly part of the day Sunday, but I won’t be selling books. I am on one panel, on Friday morning:

Panel: The Other Side of the Table
Panel Room 6 (1A21)
Friday, October 8
11:15 am – 12:15 pm

Creating your product is only half the work it takes to succeed in the comics industry. What about the other half that we don’t see as clearly after the product is released to the world? This panel will explore what it is like to be on the other side of the table, as a creator. We will discuss what it takes to exhibit at conventions, promote yourself, and gain a loyal audience – from the POV of professionals already behind the table. We will be giving away one signed copy of Ultimate Cerebus Guide to Self-Publishing by Dave Sim to one lucky audience member.

Join creators Jimmy Palmiotti, Raina Telgemeier, Bryan J.L. Glass, Carla Speed McNeil, and Carolyn Belefski in this conversation, moderated by Joe Carabeo.

UPDATE: I’m also doing two signings at the MoCCA Table! I’ve been told their table is in the Artist Alley. Come say hello and get a sketch from me:

Sunday, October 10, 1-1:30.

Next week, I’ll be attending the opening reception of the Ink Plots Exhibit at SVA, and then hitting the road for California–massive post about that coming shortly!

This past weekend, I was in Boston to receive the Boston Globe-Horn Book Nonfiction Honor Award for Smile!

The Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards have been presented every year since 1967, choosing Winners and Honors for fiction, nonfiction, and picture book titles…and this is the very first time a graphic novel has been awarded.

I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to receive this honor by the awards committee, and I can’t thank the judges (Julie Just, of the NY Times; Gregory Maguire, whose book Wicked you may have heard of; and Martha V. Parravano, executive editor at Horn Book) enough. The rest of the Horn Book staff, most especially editor in chief Roger Sutton, also deserves huge and amazing thanks for their kindness, and I can’t overlook the staff at Simmons College, who not only have a long-standing history tied in with the Awards, but also hosted the events this weekend.

The ceremony was held on a stormy Friday evening, and I had to make a short speech–I was pretty nervous, but in the end didn’t trip or fall or embarrass myself. Listening to the other Honoree and Award-winners’ speeches was incredibly inspiring, and I felt so humbled to be among all them.

After the ceremony, I got to sign copies of Smile, and then went to a really fun and delicious dinner with my Scholastic friends. I was happy to be joined by my editor, Cassandra Pelham, as well as folks from the publicity and marketing departments, and also the independent bookstore owners who were selling our books at the weekend’s events.

The next day, Simmons College hosted an all-day colloquium with the Winners and Honorees, as well as the judges, Horn Book staff, editors, and librarians. I met a ton of interesting people and had some very meaningful conversations. It’s always nice to talk to groups who aren’t necessarily familiar with graphic novels, and spread the joy to all of them. I had a very fulfilling day. This was followed by a dinner with Horn Book folks and some of the Award recipients, and that gave me a chance to finally talk to some of them, and relax in the company of interesting people and great food. I went home with a full belly and a very full heart.

Although our time in Boston was short, it was one of the best weekends of my life. I was thrilled as always to be able to share the experience with my husband (and unofficial photographer), Dave Roman, and we both felt like we walked away with many new terrific friends and heads full of ideas.

Thanks again, to everyone who made it possible.