Tuesday was a day of High Concept book readings around our fair city.  The day began with Eoin Colfer reading at the Decatur Public Library.  Mrs. Got Books and Lil’ Got Books went to check it out.  The author of the Artemis Fowl books receives rock star treatment and rolled up to the Library in his pimped out tour bus.  A separate van with Radio Disney staff was on hand to hand out prizes and direct games, etc.

The author's Rock Star tour bus

The reading included a video conference with the author’s son in Ireland via Mac laptop.  They exchanged greetings and knock knock jokes before the author began his presentation.  Rather than just read from the latest Artemis Fowl book, the author gave a multi-media presentation about his life and his books.  It was reportedly very interesting and very funny.

Knock Knock jokes direct from Ireland

Knock Knock jokes direct from Ireland

Later, just down the street, Doug Crendell read from his novel Hairdos of the Mildly Depressed at Wordsmiths Books.  The evening began with the ladies (and later, a gentleman) from Salon Red presenting hairstyling tips and discussing how a change in your look can change how you feel about yourself - certainly a theme that hits home for the protagonist of Hairdos. The follicly challenged members of the audience (including the author and myself) shared laughs over advice to “change our look” every so often.  Great idea!

The ladies from Salon Red

The author read from an entertaining section of his novel that featured a Ton-Loc reference.  A quick show of hands revealed that not many of us remember the genius of Ton-Loc.

Doug Crendell reads about a "Wild Thing"-esque encounter

After the reading, a drawing was held for a free styling/cut at Salon Red.  That was all very interesting, but the real action for me came afterwards when the author handed out a few select hairpieces as trivia contest prizes.  I finally got to see what I’d look like as a blonde.

Not my real hair