The Hales...

We went to a book reading at the King's English Bookstore tonight, and learned a few things:

1.  Goats are hard to move when they don't want to go somewhere.

2.  Dean Hale is very funny, and also very tall.

3.  Shannon Hale is super nice (and also funny, but not nearly as tall).

I got my three favorite Shannon Hale books signed (The Book of a Thousand Days, Princess Academy, and Austenland), and our sons got a copy of the cleverly-rhymed Scapegoat signed by Dean Hale.  They're such talented writers--I discovered Shannon Hale's work last year at the library, and most of my Christmas presents from my husband were books she'd written (yay!).  And this time I didn't get all mumbly, like I did when I met Eduardo Galeano, or nervous, like I did when we drove Marilynne Robinson to the Salt Lake City library (but--Marilynne Robinson!).  Kids help kill jitters, I think.  Anyway, I made a vow that I'd never pass up an opportunity to meet a creative person I like, and I'm glad we went tonight.  Plus our three-year-old is actually staying in bed after we read Scapegoat!  Maybe a goat's more essential to good parenting than I ever suspected...

Look that chubby little goat in the eyes...

...but not too close, or you'll see how freaky goat's eyes really are from inches away!