Sunday, September 24, 2006

Thorpe Menn Awards Luncheon

Thorpe Menn nominees Felicia Hardison Londré, Joel Goldman (winner), and me.


Last Saturday, September 16, my husband and I attended the Thorpe Menn Awards Luncheon at the main branch of the Kansas City, Missouri, Public Library (more about this library in an upcoming blog post) and had a wonderful time. I’m always a frazzled nerve before events like this, convinced I won’t be able to think of a single intelligent thing to say to anyone and that I’ll stumble through these nonconversations with broccoli stuck between my front teeth.

I shouldn’t have worried. The Kansas City, Missouri Branch of the American Association of University Women is a fabulous group of women who know how to throw an awards luncheon. From Stefanie Hatfield, who coordinated the reading committee and chaired the luncheon hostesses (and first called me with news that Airball had been nominated), to Gloria Bandstra, who introduced the nominees during the presentations (and could easily take her stand-up comedy routine on the road, she’s that hilarious), to KC AAUW President Linda Berube and all the other members, each person there made us feel welcomed and appreciated. It’s hard not to have a good time with such a warm and gracious bunch.

Rainy Day Books was there with copies of the three nominated books, and I signed many copies of Airball for AAUW members.






Here I am signing
Airball for AAUW member Myla Gentry.


I want to thank the AAUW again for nominating my book and for making me feel so welcome at the awards luncheon. Thanks also to my husband, Larry, for his moral support and for being on duty to ensure that my teeth remained clean and broccoli-free.

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