The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

The LA Times Book Festival is exciting because so many authors attend. No matter what time it is or where you’re standing, there is always some booth within twenty paces that is featuring an author signing. I don’t recognize most of the names, and the famous writers tend to group near the Barnes & Noble tent or the Target tent, but I was passing the Simon & Schuster booth when I saw a small sign on a table that read, “Susan Patron: The Higher Power of Lucky.” Sitting next to the sign was a woman who I could only assume was Susan Patron.

“Oh my God!” I elbowed L. “It’s Susan Patron! She won the Newbery Award this year!” L nodded blankly.

“Do you want to get a book signed?” E asked.

“No, no, that’s OK.” I didn’t want to spend any money (and totally regret that now, in retrospect). I started to walk away.

That’s when I noticed the long line of people leading up to that little table. And then I noticed that there were other authors sitting at it. One was David Shannon, and sure enough, everyone in the line was waiting for him. Susan Patron was sitting there, right next to the hubbub, twiddling her thumbs, looking very unlike a famous Newbery-Award winner ought to look at a signing. No one getting The Higher Power of Lucky signed? That’s outrageous!

L said, “Look, she’s sitting there all by herself. Even if you didn’t get a book signed, you could still say hello, tell her you loved her book. She’d like that.”

I lowered my voice to a loud whisper. “But I didn’t read her book yet!”

“Oh.” L was nonplussed, but only for a moment. “You could still say hello and tell her you didn’t read her book yet, but you will. She’d like that.” And she pushed me toward Susan Patron. That’s what friends are for.

And there I was, face to face with Susan Patron (with no book in hand). “Hi,” I smiled. “I haven’t read your book yet, but I wanted to stop and say congratulations.” She made some nicety-nice remarks back, thanking me. I went on: “Also, I hope you’re doing well in the midst of all this controversy.” She said she was holding up, yes. “I mean, I really hope this controversy gets more people to buy your book.”

I think I stopped listening at that point because I was trying to figure out if I had just said something really stupid, and then next thing I remember, Susan Patron was saying, “Well, I hope you enjoy the book.”

“Oh, I definitely will,” I replied. And we said our goodbyes and that was it.

I’d like to think that even if a person has won the Newbery Award, they still like to have total strangers express interest in their book when they’re sitting at a signing next to a long line of kids who want to learn how to become a pirate. I’m going to think that L was right. That’s what friends are for.

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Tags: LA Times Book Festival author signings scrotum Susan Patron