Well, as I expected the old woman Slow brought photos from the Book Festival and I have to say I’m unimpressed. As far as Festivals go, I was imagining flags waving, bands playing loud music, dancing in the streets and maybe even a parade like we have when the Gamecocks win the College Baseball Championships in Omaha every year. Okay. so it’s not EVERY year – but the last two out of three anyway. Heh, heh. A little sports trivia for the literary night. At any rate, Festival equals Party, right? Uh, actually not so much.
Party in a special collections library?
Yeah, let’s go throw down in the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library of the Thomas Cooper Library at the University of South Carolina. Wow that just makes you want to toss on your best party outfit and boogie, let me tell you. The Red Man’s thinking Rock Around the Clock for sure over at the EFHSCL at TCL. You gotta wonder what they keep in their “special” collections or more importantly, what constitutes a collection. They’re not talking Elvis memorabilia.
Pretty and Slow dressed to party
OMG, is that really Pat Conroy?
Pat Conroy and Pretty in the EFHSCL at TCL
Pretty’s favorite writer of all times is Pat Conroy so she was thrilled to talk to him at the Party. This was a Magical Moment for her. Hello Amigos in cyber space – note party background. See any dancing? See any bands? See any Disco Balls? They Rock Not.
Maybe things picked up on Saturday. Slow was paneling somewhere so that must have been Group Fun.
Slow paneling on Saturday
The old woman looks all Serious when she talks about her books. Boring. Super Boring. Hey, is that our Amigo Dr. Rogers Peep paneling with her? Probably – he loves books, too – birds of a feather, etc. Sigh.
Post paneling – Slow signs books
Pretty Too (#1 Son’s Pretty) and Pretty helped the old woman Slow sell her books
Pretty buys books faster than Slow can sell hers
So Sports Fans, this is what the high drama has been about for the past couple of weeks. Frankly, I don’t see what the Big Deal was about a Festival without a parade or music or Jose Cuervo or some kind of excitement, but Slow has worked and worked on her talks and must have sold a few books because Pretty brought home a boatload she bought at the Festival. Last night I heard them talking about what a great time they’d had at the Festival and how much they loved books.
Everybody to their own tastes. That’s what the old lady said when she kissed the COW.
Get me outta here Percy…I need a shot of caffeine…hope the rest of your weekend is filled with contained excitement…catch you later, Sports Fans.
Red's Rants and Raves 
It’s a taxing pace you set for the more slow-moving of us. I am usually fanning my over-heated head ventilators and crawling to the fridge for ice to cool my Margarita pitcher by the time you’re signing your third book, or Pretty is buying her ninth. I’d baby-sit the Pack, because I’m a laid back bype who likes to snooze, snack, and plan Welcom Home surprise attacks. Thank you…I got all the rhyming pipes cleaned out in this one post. Sympahties if there is aother day…congratulations for Surviving if it was only one.
Later…
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Only one day for me, thank goodness. Long, long day – but a good time for me to mingle amongst the real writers. Supposedly 6,000 attend this festival, but I’m assuming the 5,950 attendees who weren’t at my panels were trying to catch up with Pat Conroy. And thanks for the babysitting offer. You’d feel right at home with this group who mostly snooze, sometimes snack but always plan surprise attacks when we wander home to Casa de Canterbury.
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Leader of the Pack sounds like good resume material to me…fit right in there with beach bum and sarcstic curmudgeon.
Guess you answered my question from a reply I just sent. If it don’t Rock you, Rock yourself, I always say, so one day seems enough for you. My friend Nin Andrews, the prose poet, would always get “sick” when she had to read. I read some of her newest book one year, and toward the end looked out to the audience, and there she was in a trench coat and sunglasses !
Later…
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That’s too funny!!! I am really laughing to myself!!
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A Book Festival is something we don’t have on our island. Maybe I ought to start one, with marching bands and dancers of course. You seem to have had fun Sheila 🙂
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Aha, and what island do you live on that has no Book Festival? If you decide to start one, I would advise a marching band for sure. I think it makes for a more festive atmosphere! 🙂 Thanks for writing, and I did have a wonderful time but was exhausted last night.
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My human mommy says that we should all be really proud of Slow–mommy says that being on a panel is a big deal–and we should be happy for Pretty–meeting a great author who is one of your favorites is also a big deal. But, Red Man, what I would really like to address is this college baseball smack talk you’re throwing out there. As a proud supporter of my LSU Fighting Tigers, I would like to point out that our Omaha appearances have been somewhat stellar in previous years (ok, maybe not last year, when there wasn’t an appearance), and we’re making a fairly nice run this year. Care to make a little wager?
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You must bleed purple and gold, and I have to say I can’t blame you. In our Gamecock SEC lifetime I’m not sure we’ve ever beaten LSU at anything. However, let me think about the wager. Baseball Coach Ray Tanner was promoted to Athletic Director last year so we have a first-year coach to worry about in addition to the regular problems. Also, let me perform a quick audit of the performances of both teams to date. Hmmm…this sounds lame. Ok. What’s the bet?
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I have given this considerable thought–long enough for my mommy to have a few sips of wine–and I have it: If the Gamecocks get lucky in post-season play, I will do a post in Gamecocks gear. If LSU makes the run we all expect, then you will have the option to post a tribute to my Tigers. Does that sound good?
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Yes, I see this as a win-win situation!! 🙂 Please remind my editor of our wager at the the appropriate time. She may conveniently forget!! 🙂 Go Cocks!
P.S. My next-door neighbor on Worsham and another neighbor down the street also bleed purple and gold. Egads! Now I’m finding Tigers in cyberspace..what’s next? They’re everywhere.
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we are lost with the sports metaphors and chat (another country) but do think that Slow and Pretty did good things at the festival 🙂
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Thanks so much for reading and we apologize when we drift off into sports metaphors…sometimes we can’t help ourselves! 🙂 But yes, Slow and Pretty did good things at the festival. Books were bought and sold!!
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Even without the band and dancing and disco balls, it sounds like the event was highly successful! 😀 Well done all!
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Thanks Dianne – yes it was a fun time and good to be with other writers for a panel. It’s like having a brief lesson! 🙂
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Cool…that’s a pretty big deal…very glad you got to go!!!! Really enjoyed your pictures!!!!
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Thanks so much Trevor! Slow and Pretty had a great time, and what can I say but that it keeps them off the streets…:)
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BOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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🙂
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Litchi LOVES books. Loves tearing them to shreds, that is! Sabre, the cat, seems to have learnt from her and finds them equally delightful. I’m guessing they’d both be more impressed with piles of books, accompanied by music and lights, dancing and fun. Oh well, hope the sale of books went well and has somehow allowed for some moola to purchase more 😀
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Yes, I’m afraid we have a few “Book Snack Lovers” ourselves which drives Pretty crazy! Tennis Ball Obsessed Chelsea thinks nothing of substituting one of Pretty’s collectible books for her mid-afternoon tea party when we aren’t here to make sure she has ample food! 😦
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Slow just doing her professional thing. Red needs to understand and take a nap.
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Exactly. Often Red needs to take chill pill. 🙂
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