Josie here. Okay today was a blur — a fun blur, but a blur nonetheless. The day started with Elizabeth, my partner in life and the store, signing her picture book, My Father, the Dog at the Candlewick booth. The signing was (get ready for shameless proud boasting) so full they went an hour beyond the time it was supposed to. I was so happy for her. I then went from event to event, culminating in the amazing Random House cocktail party at Dodger Stadium. I’ve never been on a real baseball field before so it was a thrill. The dugout was surprisingly clean. The coolest part was that all the bookstore names were on the marquee that went around the stadium. To walk in and see Flying Pig in lights was totally cool. While the party itself was delightful, the getting there and back was somewhat fraught.

On the way over to the stadium we got lost, a little. The half-hour drive turned into 45 minutes. That wasn’t so bad considering it was L.A. and these things happen. Coming back to the hotel was a whole other story. To his credit, our driver was trying, in vain, for a short cut. I knew something was amiss when I noticed we’d passed the Pupuseria restaurant the fifth time. A name like Pupuseria is a really good landmark. There is no doubting that you’ve passed it, again and again. It’s not like Quiznos, which can be found on every corner. After an hour on the bus, anger at missed dinner reservations turned to out right hilarity with my fellow passengers who turned out to be the staff of First Book. Their mission is getting kids free books. They have been hosting great signings all weekend, and if you drop your business card in their box, they will donate a book to a kid. So, go to their booth, just outside the children’s wing in the West Hall. By the time we were heading in the right direction, the traffic was so bad we gave up and walked the eight blocks back to the hotel. An hour and a half after we started out, we all arrived back at the hotel, weary, but happy for the newfound friends.