Holmes log as she travels across the US for the Sping07 tour. Painstakingly typed out by Blizz from the original on warriorcats.com, PLEASE don't steal it! It took a very long time to type out. It's fun to read about Vicky's tour experience and what everyone gave her and did at the tours, but she doesn't really tell us anything about the books.
MONDAY, APRIL 23
Arrived in hot and sunny Washington yesterday afternoon. Spring flowers and blossoms everywhere! I didn't have any events scheduled, so I was able to meet SHeila Ruth, who runs the brilliant Wands and Worlds children's fantasy website, for lunch. She brought along her son, David--a discerning Warriors fan, of course--and her husband, Nick. It was great to have a trio of friendly faces to welcome me at the start of my tour!
After lunch we went to a store where David introduced me to the wonders of 20Q, the electronic game where you think of something and answer Yes, No, Sometimes, or Uncertain to a series of questions. I decided to test out something that's been worrying me ever since Warriors: The New Prophecy #5: Twilight. Just how well known are badgers in the US? I know they're not native here, like they are in the UK, and I'm concerned readers might struggle to picture the wonderful Midnight and the less than wonderful badgers that launch the vicious attack.
All the questions seemed very random--Does it appear in movies? Is it smooth? Is it brown? I answered Yes to living in a forest, Sometimes to being dangerous, and Yes to being multi-colored, but by the last question I was convinced I hadn't given away enough information to reveal what I was thinking of.
The last question (Is it black? No) was answered and the screen lit up with YOU'VE BEATEN ME. Oh no, I thought. I was right. Badgers aren't familiar to anyone on this side of the Atlantic.
A moment later, the screen flashed ONLY KIDDING! IS IT... A BADGER?
How amazing is that?!
Vikcy/Erin
TUESDAY, APRIL 24TH
First event today, at the independent bookstore Politics and Prose in Washington D.C.
OH MY GOODNESS! Entering a room full of 200 Warriors fans shouting my name was the most extraordinary experience of my life. Erin has the best fans in the world, and that's a fact.
First off, a big, big thank you to everyone who turned up -- and to their parents who drove them all the way to be there. Special mention for Karrigan and her mom who traveled for six and half hours for the two hour event. The response to The Sight and The Lost Warrior was so great, and I spent over an hour signing shiny new copies, even though writing in pristine books always feels like something I shouldn't be doing!
Huge thanks to all the staff of Politic and Proses, too, who organized with military precision so I didn't get tramped in the stampede to get books signed, but still gave me time to say hi to everyone. I learned a lot, mainly: Don't talk for too long after the reading because what the fans really like is to fire questions at me! But please, not too many hard ones! Like, why isn't Rosetail listen in the Allegiances for Into the Wild, or how come Tornear dies in The Darkest Hour but comes back in The New Prophecy? You're so good at spotting my deliberate mistakes. :)
Bug purr to all of you who've bought your copy of The Sight already. We're #2 on Amazon's Children Books today! Looking forward to seeing more of you over the next ten days.
Vikcy/Erin
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25TH
Boulder, Colarado, today. What an incredible place! I went from scorching-hot D.C. to a region that had two feet of snow in some places the day before. The mountains looked stunning covered in snow, and I was very disappointed I didn't have time to go exploring. The weather worked in my favor, actually, because lots of schools were closed so I had a great turnout at my midday event at the Barnes & Noble store on Pearl Street. Huge thank yous to Steve and Geoff for looking after me, and to everyone who came along. One couple had driven all the way from Wyoming (my US geography isn't great, but even I know that's a loooong way from Boulder) to get the book signed for their son, who couldn't make it.
In the evening I went to the Boulder Bookstore further along Pearl Street, among the beautiful tulip (words missing). Jessie did a great job or organizing the event and fitting me with a microphone so I didn't have to holler (words missing)... realized how high up I'd be -- having the mountains all around makes the area around Denver look like a (words missing)... was dizzy and breathless all day thanks to altitude sickness. Hey, you guys need to get some more oxygen in the air! Thanks again to everyone who turned out at this event; the atmosphere was brilliant and I'm not sure I'll laugh so much at any other signing. Special purrs to the people who came in fabulous costumes, and to the girl (I'm sorry, I don't remember your name) who gave me a hug at the exact moment I was feeling a bit jet-lagged and overwhelmed.
Then it was another lake flight to Portland, Oregon, where I'll be for the next couple days. Please come and see me if you can!
Vikcy/Erin
THURSDAY, APRIL 26
Hi from Portland OR! I have some very exciting news: the turnout at today's events took the total of fans who've come to see me so far to OVER ONE THOUSAND! In just four events! You are all amazing, thank you so, so much.
I had a morning off today, so took a stroll around downtown Portland and along the river. The sun shone and I took off my shoes and walked barefoot on the grass for a while; it was like being on vacation, and a welcome moment of solitude before my afternoon events.
First up was Barnes & Noble at Clackamas Town Center. Huge thanks for Page Jordon who organized the event with military precision and filled the entire upper floor of the store with queues snaking between the bookshelves. I kept thinking the end was in sight when another line of people appeared around the corner! There were so more awesome costumes here--special purr to the girl who came with a furry mask and a long, soft tail. Hmmm, maybe I should get an outfit like that too? Though a tail might get a little uncomfy to sit on.
The Clakamas event was so busy and fun that it ran a little over schedule and I had to scoot to my (words missing) at Powell's Books in Beaverton. I missed out on the chance to have supper--I may need to ask you guys to bring me food parcels to keep me going! The atmosphere at Powell's Books was fantastic and you did the best job ever of keeping me awake when jet-lag was telling my body it was 3 am. Emily at the bookstore treated me like a princess and kept checking I wasn't about to keep over, but there was no chance of that because I was having such an awesome time. Special purr to Jack, who brought in all his books to signed (wearing a terrific Cats sweatshirt), and to everyone who waited patiently in line for over two hours after the reading. Especially the moms and dads!
It sounds as if you approve of The Sight so far, which is great news. It's pretty nerve-wracking, having you comment on the latest book right there in front of me! But Kate, Cherith and I welcome your feedback. I promise we really do listen, so keep me posted with all your thoughts.
See you soon, I hope!
Vikcy/Erin
FRIDAY, APRIL 27
Just one event today, at Lake Grove Elementary School. This was my first school event, so I had to make sure I talked about the books in a more general way, to avoid giving away the exciting bit for anyone who might want to pick up Into The Wild and keep going. The students made me feel very welcome, even the ones who hadn't read the books, and several came up afterwards to tell me they'd give the books a go now. Thank you!
Special purrs to Amy, Eliza and Katie, who get the Dedicated Fans of the Day Award. Amy introduced my to everyone, and afterward they hung out with me for photos and more chat. I love having the chance to meet you individually, and I'm sorry there often isn't enough time at the bookstore events for us to chat for long.
After the event, I was off to the airport to fly to Seattle (on a VERY small plane!), where I'll be for the weekend.
Take care, everyone.
Vikcy/Erin
SATURDAY, APRIL 28
Phew! Today was my busiest day so far, with three events around Seattle. it's been a gorgeous sunny day, and Seattle looked delightful with it's spring foliage and sparkling blue water around every corner.
First up I went to University Bookstore in Mill Creek. Thanks to Jessi for organizing everyone (and admiring my outfit!). She made me feel clam and confident before I went out to face the fray. And huge thank yous of course to everyone who turned out to meet me. Special purrs to everyone who brought banners (the first banners of my tour, and I loved them!). There were some dedicated fans here, and I had to think fast to answer some of your questions!
Next was University Bookstore in Bellevue. Your shopping centers intrigue me--they look like theme (words missing) store in a differently designed building that could be mistaken for a cute little house. This store was full of sunshine, which gave me such extra energy. Thanks to Don, Pam and Abby who worked extremely hard behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly. There were some very enthusiastic fans here! Special purrs t those of you sitting in the front rows. You made me feel very welcome and I loved meeting each of you at the signing afterward. Purrs and meows to all sorts to the fabulous LEAFCLAN, who turned up with a banner and some fabulous photos. I love hearing about your role-playing games, schoolyard activities and own Clan lists. You are as good as I am at coming up with original names and creative scenarios! And an extra-special purr to the grown-ups at this event--I'm sure some of you were fans too!
Finally to the Secret Garden Bookshop, where Suzanne did a spectacular job of marshaling the crowds in the tricky space. Such a cute venue, but it was a bit unnerving when I had to stand in the center and rotate to make sure everyone could hear me! There were faces everywhere, sitting at my feet and peeping around the bookshelves. Two girls were squashed under a table! This event saw the World Premiere of After Sunset: We Need To Talk, the short play that I wrote especially for this tour. We haven't had a chance to perform it before now but Suzanne had found eight talented fans to rehearse before the event started, and their performance was ten-of-ten spectacular! Huge purrs to all of you for understanding exactly what was going on in the scene, and bring the characters to life in front of a packed audience. Space limitations meant that people had to queue outside on the sidewalk, right around the block. I was so relieved it wasn't raining!
I know there are long queues at all of my events, and I'm really proud of all of you for waiting patiently to get your books signed. Sometimes I listen to the conversations carrying on down the line, and it's like a Warriors party! Hmmm, maybe I should get someone else to do the signing and come join in!
I wish I had room to list everyone I meet because you all deserve special purrs. Whether you come in cute cat costumes, bring stories and artwork to show me, stagger in under a huge pile of cherished Warriors books, or just ask me to sign a sticky note, I love meeting every single one of you. If I'm coming to an event near you i the next six days, please come and see me to say hello!
Vikcy/Erin
SUNDAY, APRIL 29
Me again! After my frantic day yesterday, I had a much easier time today -- just one event, at the University Village branch of Barnes & Noble. Apparently this is the largest B&N store west of the Mississippi. I haven't been in every single one so I can't confirm this personally, but I thought this store was amazing, like a vast cathedral dedicated to books. Thanks to Callie for making me feel like a real superstar, and supplying me with endless bottles of water when my voice started to fade.
It was another great event, with so much energy and enthusiasm that I wondered if I needed to be there at all. It was just one big Warriors party! There were some particularly good questions here, including my new favorite: which cat was easiest to kill, and which cat was hardest? Not in terms of physically seeing them off, but in terms of how I felt about each one. Well, the easiest was... No, I won't say. You'll have to come along to an event and ask me!
Special purrs today go to the Parisa and Hans for being Lovely People I Wanted To Take Home, and to Allison who brought beautifully presented fan fiction for me to read (and in Allison's case, accompanied by a cover that is easily good enough to be part of the real series!). Kara also gets the Nostril Flaring Award of the Day -- that is a serious talent!
Cherith, Kate and I love to read your fan fiction; you have the best ideas, and it's a great honor to see you've taken our original characters and locations to fire your own stories. However, unfortunately we are not able to get in touch with you personally via e-mail, or any other form of contact. If we did that for one person, we'd have to do it for all of you, and that wouldn't leave any time to write the books! So you have a choice: personal correspondence, or lots more fabulous Warriors titles. I'm guessing you'll go for the books!
Vikcy/Erin
MONDAY, APRIL 30TH
A day of traveling today! I started out in Seattle and flew to Chicago, then drove around the edge of Lake Michigan (that is a big chunk of water!) to Mequon in Milwaukee. Once again, the fabulous atmosphere at the Warriors party made me forget about being tired and jet-lagged! I was visiting the Harry W Schwartz Bookshop where Barbara and Joyce treated me royally. I received my best welcome of the tour when I made my entrance: a lovely young lady called Allison exclaimed, She's just a girl! I'm a little bit older than that, but it was a wonderful way to be greeted!
It was an awesome event, with a lot of laughter and some great questions. Special purrs to everyone who came, especially if you wore a tail or whiskers!
I'm starting to feel sad that this is the last week of my tour. I hope to see as many of you as I possibly can before I go home!
Vikcy/Erin
TUESDAY, MAY 1ST
Still based in Chicago, but this time driving to the other direction to the beautiful town of Naperville. Time for some more school visits, first to Maplebrook Elementary School where I was greeted by some giant-sized posters with my real name! It's astonishing (and brilliant) how you guys have been so understanding about the way Kate, Cherith and I work together on the series. We are POWER OF THREE, and, I hope, living proof that while two heads are often better then one, three can be the magic number where creating fabulous books is concerned!
School events are quite different because my task here isn't just to impress die-hard fans, but to win over newcomers to the wonderful world of Warriors. I can't give too much away about plot-lines and character development, so I talk about more general themes like the warrior code and the role violence plays in the stories (and you'd be surprised about how non-violet my cats are. For example, bonus points if you can remember how many cats Firestar has actually killed.). I signed a lot of new copies of Into The Wild at Maplebrook so special purrs to everyone who decided to give the series a try following my visit. And an extra-special purr to the entire school for having a warrior cats name!
Next I went to Cass Junior High, where I spoke to sixth and seventh graders and two eighth graders who were major fans and kindly cut class to meet me. Special purrs to all the teachers who let me take over for hours! There were some great questions asked here, particularly about why and how I become a writer. Sadly, there isn't an exciting answer to this question--I can write better then I do anything else, except maybe bake triple chocolate brownies--but if you've been to one of the vents you'll know the story of how I started writing also involves a witch and windmill...
I had a couple of free hours in the afternoon so I went for a long sunny walk beside the River DuPag, Naperville. I'm so excited--It saw a little red chipmunk scampering along the opposite bank (so cute!), tiny baby geese out for a stroll with their proud mum and dad (even more cute, especially since their fluffy yellow wings), and a giant carp leaping out of the water (not so cute, but very impressive). It felt as if Naperville had laid on a nature trail especially for me!
I also need to give a special purry mention to Lou Malnati's restaurant on W Jefferson Avenue, Naperville. I went here for my first real American pizza--it was totally delicious, and they even made it without cheese because that's how I like it--and they treated me like a superstar when they heard I was a visiting author. I wish they did carry-out to the UK!
In the evening, I went to Andersons Bookshop, who had arranged the school visits earlier in the day. Thanks to all the staff who made me feel welcome--and totally like a superstar--and let the store stay open Longer then usual to give me a chance to meet everyone. I had so much fun at this event--I just hope I didn't laugh too much because I'm not supposed to find my own jokes that funny! Special purrs to everyone, especially (and sorry I haven't kept track of all the names) those of you who brought me pictures and stories, and to (words missing) made me a "Forest in a Pot"--a tiny recreation of ThunderClan's complete adorable bright orange Firestar on a very small scale with brilliant green eyes. My suitcase is getting heavier and heavier with all the tribute scripts and fabulous artwork that I've been given throughout the tour. As soon as I get home, I'll make copies of everything for Kate and Cherith, because I know they'll want to share your creativity. But again, I have to apologize that we can't get in touch with people individually, even if you give us your e-mail address. There are just too many of you!
Take care,
Vikcy/Erin
WEDNESDAY, MAY 2ND
Two flights today, one at each end of the day. I'm not the bravest flyer so while the trip from Chicago to La Guardia, New York was fine, I was a bit alarmed by the tiny plane that took me from White Plains, New York to Boston. It had propellers! I watched the one on my side very closely all the way in case it stopped (though I'm not sure what I'd have done if it had).
Anyway, between flying about I stopped off at Just Books, Too in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. This is a tiny but awesome bookstore, defidently worth a visit if you're anywhere nearby. In fact, the event had to be held in the coffee shop next door, which meant people could munch on fresh-baked cookies while they listened. Sounds purr-fect to me! Special purrs to Deanna who came all the way from Ohio in a fabulous home-printed T-shirt celebrating her warrior name, Muddytail. And to Katie and Maddy, who gave me a charming and flattering introduction, and who wore matching T-shirts that read "#1 Warriors fan... and proud of it!" I need one of those! There were some dedicated fans at this event and I loved having a little longer than usual to met you before the talk as well as afterward. I find it a little unnerving to be recognized as soon as I enter a room; I went to the coffee shop half and hour before the event started with the hope of wandering and chatting to folk unnoticed. I'd been talking to the first person for just a couple of minutes when I looked up and realized a queue had formed across the entire store!
Extra purrs to the staff at Just Books, Too, especially Jenny, Susan, Rosanna, Cornelia, Steve and Erica, who looked after me brilliantly on a day when I was feeling a little more tired then usual. You guys give me all the energy in the world during the events, but in between I'm starting to need food and rest, and not much else!
Oh no, it's my last day tomorrow! Quick, everyone who hasn't seen me yet, you need to head to the Barnes & Noble store in Framingham, MA. It's your last chance!
Vikcy/Erin
THURSDAY, MAY 3RD
So my last event (for this tour at least)... Huge thank yous to the staff at Barnes & Noble at Framingham, MA who marshaled the biggest, most enthusiastic crowd yet and kept everyone cheerful even when they had to wait in a long, twisty line for over two hours to have their books signed. This was the liveliest of all the Warriors parties, and I had so much fun that sometimes I forgot I was the guest of honor--I'd have been quite happy to sit back and let you do all the talking! Thanks to everyone who came--you made me feel like a rock star and I was actually quite sad to reach the end of the signing line. Special purrs to those of you who came in costume (the necklace of dog's teeth was awesome!) to brought scripts or artwork for me to see. Everything you create looks totally convincing in relation to the Warriors world, and I wish I had your imagination when it comes to making up cat names! You''ve given me lots of ideas for new characters; you'll just have to hope that doesn't encourage me to kill off more of your favorites...
Well, that's the end of my whirlwind trip. If I had the chance to meet you, extra-special purry hugs to you for making the journey to the event and waiting so patiently to have your books signed. And if I didn't see you this time, keep checking the warriorcats site for news about the next tour. I'll be visiting even more places next time, and hopefully one of the events will be in a store close by you!
Vikcy/Erin