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Jacqueline West, Writer

Bestselling author of The Books of Elsewhere and Dreamers Often Lie

The Big Spring Tour! (and a bit about Dumpsters.)

April 12, 2012    Tags: , ,   

I had this mini-conversation at the Post Office yesterday, where I was mailing a package of signed books.

Postal Worker: These things are headed the way of the Dumpster.

Me (with slight concern, thinking she was referring to anything sent via “Media Mail” these days):  What?

Postal Worker: Everybody’s got their Kindle now.

Me:  Oh.  Yes.  I suppose so.

Postal Worker: My nine-year-old granddaughter, she’s always reading on that little screen.  I love books, myself.

Me: Yeah… So do I.

And then I walked away, feeling vaguely sad and disoriented, thinking of copies of my books being cheerily tossed into Dumpsters by house-cleaning Kindle-owners.

I suppose it’s true that Kindles and Nooks and iPads are taking the place of paper books — when it comes to certain books and certain readers, at least.  They are handy and speedy and trendy (and dubiously eco-conscious), and there’s not much point in bemoaning their existence, whatever their pros or cons.  But here’s the thing: They’re headed the way of the Dumpster too.

Just like phonographs, and record players, and Walkmans (Walkmen?), and CDs, and eventually, iPods.  Just like those weird, boxy, early-days mobile phones that are approximately the size of a man’s penny loafer.

Someday, Kindles and Nooks and other e-readers will be outdated items that no one can repair or supply with media anymore.  And on that day, books–all the books left in the world–will still work.

When I was in England with my college choir, we visited a medieval church where a monk showed us the oldest book in the church’s collection.  It had been handwritten by that very same church’s monks sometime in the 10th century.  It was a thick volume with a plain, graying cover, and he opened its pages to show us the squarish, black-and-red calligraphy that had come from those monks’ pens, recording the Latin chants they had sung more than a thousand years ago.  It was like a line strung through time, straight back to those medieval men squinting over their tables with their candles and quills.  I cried.  And on the day when the last e-reader is sold, supplanted by some new form of technology, that book from the 10th century will still be serving its function–being read, and making some other sentimental choirgirl cry.  I hope.

Speaking of books and ways to get them, I am about to embark on a multi-state, multi-author tour.  C. Alexander London (An Accidental Adventure), Adam Gidwitz (A Tale Dark and Grimm), E.J. Altbacker (Shark Wars) and yours truly are heading off on what the Penguin publicity department has named the “Endangered Authors Tour” — a game-show themed program planned and hosted by performers from Story Pirates — visiting schools and bookstores in Texas, California, and New York.  Craziness will surely ensue.

If you’d like to catch us for a signing on the road, here’s the current itinerary.  Public events are in bold.

April 18: Texas Library Association Convention, Houston, TX.  Panel: “Thrill Masters” – 10:15 a.m.  In-booth signings for the rest of the afternoon.
April 20: Eanes Elementary and Barton Hills Elementary, Austin, TX.
April 22: Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Los Angeles, CA.  Signing, 2:00 p.m.
April 23: Sycamore Elementary, Claremont, CA.
April 23: Mrs. Nelson’s Toy and Book Shop, La Verne, CA.  Reception and signing, 5:00 p.m.
April 24: Fairlands School, Pleasanton, CA.
April 24: Hicklebee’s, San Jose, CA.  Reception and signing, 3:00 p.m.
April 25: Santa Rita School and Covington Elementary, Los Altos, CA.
April 26: New York, NY.  School visit/bookstore info to come!
Spectacles

5 Comments (Leave a comment)

  1. Hi! I’m Olivia. I’m almost a tween, and I LOVE your books!

    Comment by Olivia on April 13, 2012 @ 2:00 pm


  2. 😀

    Comment by Olivia on April 13, 2012 @ 2:01 pm


  3. I’M FIRST!!! on wendy mass’s blog, i was 100 and something!

    Comment by Olivia on April 13, 2012 @ 2:01 pm


  4. Jacqueline, you’re coming to New York?!

    *faints*

    You can bet that when I find out that time and place, I will be there, and then I will bombard you with admiration. At least I hope I can make it–April 26th falls on a school day.

    Happiness will now ensue.

    Comment by Pherisphena Ladea on April 25, 2012 @ 6:37 pm


  5. I immediately thought of you when I learned we’d be ending the tour in New York. Unfortunately, we’re just making one school visit and then zooming back out again — no bookstore or library stops. Still, I’m sure this won’t be the last time I’m in New York, and I promise to keep you posted! I hope all is well with you and your writing…

    Comment by JacquiWest on April 26, 2012 @ 1:34 pm


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