TT: The first preparation act was deciding whether or not I should go to the event at all. I've been a wayyyy liberal democrat all my adult life, in fact the democrats are generally too conservative for me LOL. So participating in an event I like and respect, the National Book Festival but one that happens under this regime presently in Washington with whom I profoundly disagree about almost everything, wasn't a slam dunk for me. I asked several writer friends including Chris Crutcher, Kelly Milner-Halls, Dan Webster and Bob Glatzer if they would go and they all said, "NO!" But in the end I teased them and said, "Well then, I guess it's a lucky deal for you that YOU'RE NOT INVITED!!!" LOL. The rest of my preparation seems to have all kind of blended together, tux rental, flight arrangements, begging HarperCollins to pick up the tab, etc. I do remember listening intently to Patti explain the proper use of flatware (you use the utensils, forks, knives, etc from the outside-in . . . a great tip, I guess).
SW: What was your impression of the setting? Can you describe it? What it looked like, if you saw anyone you knew, just give us a picture of the room.
TT: Actually there were two settings. Friday night was a black tie reception at the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress for authors, political bigwigs, and corporate sponsors only. The place is amazing, one of the most beautiful, odd, unforgettable buildings I've ever been in. When I first arrived there was a great deal of security and then, once past that, a casual wine and drinks reception in the foyer where I knew hardly anybody (thankfully Richard Peck was there and I know him a little bit). Soon we were all directed into an auditorium and were somewhat shocked by the arrival of the President, escorting Mrs. Billington, the wife of the Librarian of Congress into the room. The President's presence had not been previously disclosed, so it was a genuine surprise. As I've mentioned, I disagree with President Bush about almost everything he does politically, but I have to admit that being a the same room with him was a rush. Sorry, it just was, whether I like and or agree with what he's doing, he IS the President and I have great respect for that office and that job, one that I wouldn't take under any circumstances . . . I guess it's a lucky deal, then that I HAVEN’T BEEN ASKED!!! LOL
After hearing from four of the invited authors giving brief readings and talks (they were all great but my favorite was Doris Kerns Goodwin who read a moving selection from Team of Rivals) we were escorted to a dining area and I had dinner with the Prez...okay, he was at table one and I was at table fifteen, about fifty feet away. Still, it was great. I didn't know anyone at my table at first but eventually discovered that two of the ladies were cabinet wives including Rebecca Turner Gonzales, wife of the Attorney General. Dinner was wonderful.
The next morning Patti and I went to the White House for breakfast. It was an awe-inspiring experience, at least it was for us. The White House doesn't belong to the President living there, it belongs to all of us, living and dead who pay for it. Patti and I had our pictures taken in front of Hilary Clinton's picture in the First Ladies Portrait hallway, and Bill Clinton's in the Presidents Portrait room. I stole all the White House embossed paper hand towels and little cocktail napkins I could get my hands on. The food was good, a big buffet thing, if a little confusing in a hoity-toity, 'what the hell is this?' kind of way. Authors only got our picture taken in a big group shot with the first Lady on the front steps of the White house; My bald head it sticking up, top row center, in between Richard Peck, who is also pretty bald and Elmo the puppet who is most certainly NOT bald at all!
SW. What did you say to the First Lady and the President, if you got to say something, OR what would you have said, if you had that chance?
TT I never got close enough to the President to speak to him and, truthfully, I didn't try or want to. What was I gonna say, "It's a great honor to meet you Mr. President, and oh yeah, by the way, when the hell are we getting out of Iraq?" I wasn't invited to this thing for my astonishing political brilliance or wit. The First Lady was gracious, friendly and welcoming. A very nice person, it seems to me and very classy. After breakfast I did get to meet her and shake her hand and I asked if I could have my picture taken with her, I think I might have been the first author to make this request, and she said of course. After that there must have been twenty or thirty flashbulbs popping every few seconds.
Truthfully I can't imagine anybody wanting to be either President or, especially, First Lady. One of the nattily attired Marines guards, I think he was a Marine anyway in a white uniform with a bunch of gold braids and shiny buttons, told me that the first lady would be arriving at 9:38 . .not 9:37, not 9:39 and a half . . .9:38, and I think that's when she walked into the room. Can you imagine your life being scripted down to the minute, every minute of every day for four or eight years?
All in all, the experience was remarkable and by starting the National Book Festival Mrs. Bush, a former librarian herself, has established something that hopefully will go on for a long time after she has finished her years in Washington. The entire event is a celebration of books and authors unlike any other I've ever experienced; we authors were given celebrity status and rock star treatment, (sans drugs and babes of course). For pure scale and excitement, the NBF outranks any other event I've ever had as an author, including even winning a big award at the American Library Association Summer Meeting, which I didn't think anything could surpass.
