Theis version of "The Gift of the Magi"

[Ann C. Theis]

Silence by Thomas Perry

Cloud of Unknowing by Thomas H. Cook

At the ALA annual conference this summer I was thrilled find out that Thomas Perry and Thomas Cook were both going to the signing books. I've been avidly reading both authors from the start of their careers.

So, I was bouncing all over the Harcourt booth expressing my glee. Ms. Berg, Director of Marketing, took pity on me and kindly offered me a place at a dinner honoring the authors. I asked if Mike could also attend but I was able to sneak in only because someone had cancelled. Well, with a choice of going without Mike or not going I made the only logical decision. I told Mike he was on his own for dinner.

I stopped back by the booth while Perry and Cook were signing and picked up signed copies of their most recent books, then asked the authors to sign books for Mike: “sorry you couldn’t join us”.

Got back to the hotel room and met up with Mike, who had stopped by the booth to get books signed for me. He wasn’t sure I would be able to make the signing due to other conference duties. Patty Berg made the connection between Mike and me and invited Mike to dinner as well (due to another fortuitous cancellation).

Thanks to the generous folks at the Harcourt booth we had a great dinner and enjoyed the company of the authors - and now we each have multiple signed copies of their most recent books.