A lovely reminder today that whether or not people are buying your books doesn't determine whether or not they are reading your books. According to Upstanding Author John Brown and his cohort Super Librarian Melanie, my books were among the most-checked-out for the Logan, Utah libraries! In fact, after Suzanne Collins and Rick Riordan, it looks like I might be the highest circulating YA author in Logan, Utah. Six of my books were in the top 50. Wow!
I know some of you may laugh at me, but I'd been wondering lately if anyone reads my books anymore. I know, I know. Before I was published, I just assumed all published authors were famous and wealthy and always had that "I've made it!" feeling. Some of my cut-off feeling has to do, no doubt, with the fact that I've spent 99% of the past nine months in this house. But that won't always be the case...
And with that, Logan, Utah, I'm making an offer. I'm so tickled that you read my books, even though I've never done a book event in Logan, Utah, that I really need to make the effort to come see you. Not this month. Maybe spring or summer? But I'm committing to it. Sometime this year I will come to you, Logan, Utah. That may not seem like a significant offer, but did I mention I had twins recently? I go nowhere. But I will come to you. And maybe I'll drag Jessica Day George along with me, who is also on your highest circulating list. And James Dashner. I mean, what else is Dashner doing? He doesn't work anymore. He just sits around all day WRITING BOOKS. And, he has a WIFE! I want a wife. I want Dashner's wife. She's awesome. You hear me, Dashner? I'm calling you out. If you won't let me have your wife at least you will go with me to Logan, Utah!
So let it be written. So let it be done.
EDIT: Alright, Dashner is in! (For the road trip to Logan, Utah, that is, not for giving me his wife.) And we shall sway Jessica Day George, because are practiced swayers. We just need some awesome bookstore or library in Logan to host us.
EDIT 2: Jessica has been swayed! Road Trip 11 is officially declared. Now we need a Loganite to make it happen, because, we're "creative" and can't be trusted to plan anything. BTW, the threesome is not quite as random as it might seem. Jessica, James and I are all neighbors.
EDIT 3: You beautiful people. Thanks for the lovely comments. I feel as though I've been hugged.
Hahahaha. Oh my gosh you are too funny. And just for the record. We not only buy your books, but we recommend them to anyone hanging around the YA aisle at the bookstore (and then delight in watching them walk them to the purchase counter). You are such a wonderful author Shannon. So lots of love from Sugar Land, Texas.
Posted by: Karen Adair | January 13, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Love this! I want a wife too! ;)
Congratulations on having twins!! I've had babies, but only one at a time. It's challenging enough, I can only imagine. Kudos to you queenhood!
Posted by: Karenof4 | January 13, 2011 at 11:12 AM
Ha! I love how you not only commit yourself to an event, but Dashner and Jessica as well.
Posted by: stacy | January 13, 2011 at 11:20 AM
I just re-read Goose Girl ^_^ I've gotten two reads for every buy out of your Bayern books. You are loved.
Posted by: Sarah in Tooele | January 13, 2011 at 11:20 AM
I usually avoid Cache Valley because of the many cuckoo relatives I have there that I don't want to have to visit but an event with you, Jessica Day George and James Dashner would definitely make a trip to Logan worth it.
Posted by: Amy | January 13, 2011 at 11:22 AM
Logan is in for a treat, a trifecta of a treat if Jessica and James join you :)
Posted by: Jena | January 13, 2011 at 11:35 AM
Yay for Logan! You should definitely visit. I may be a bit biased, though.
Posted by: hairyshoefairy | January 13, 2011 at 11:36 AM
I just re-read Austenland. In fact, I stayed up until 3 am this Tues (because I had a snow day instead of work the next day) to finish it! :) I lend my copies of your books to friends all the time, literally, they are never all on my shelf at the same time, but maybe I should just start making them buy them so you know people are still reading them! :P
Posted by: Carly W. | January 13, 2011 at 11:41 AM
That's great! I live in Logan but I haven't checked them out from the library since I own all of them!
Posted by: Lexie@BookBug | January 13, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Ha! I know plenty of people who still read your books. And way to go Logan! I feel they get overlooked sometimes. :)
Posted by: Enna Isilee | January 13, 2011 at 11:45 AM
I recently went to Dashner's event in Menlo Park, Kepler's bookstore, and while he was signing my copy of The Scorch Trials, we talked about you, dearest Shannon. He's a fan of your family.
Posted by: Je Reve | January 13, 2011 at 11:46 AM
That is an event I would drive up beautiful sardine canyon for!! I have yet to meet you in person, and would delight in doing so. Logan is a great place, but not in the winter. Too dang cold. Keep those cute babies safe and warm at home!!
Posted by: Bonnie Childress | January 13, 2011 at 12:01 PM
That's home to me!!! I no longer live there, but you should totally go there and do a book event!
(If I still lived there, you're books would have been checked out even more in Logan!)
Posted by: Lisa Hunsaker | January 13, 2011 at 12:15 PM
Dearest Shannon,
I'm in.
Love,
James
P.S. You can't have my wife.
P.S.S. Hilarious post!!!
Posted by: James Dashner | January 13, 2011 at 12:22 PM
We Utah reletives every summer, I hope it's at just the right time! We all want Dashner's wife. ah well...
Posted by: Dominique | January 13, 2011 at 12:31 PM
I just "discovered" you this year, Shannon. It's all Stephenie Meyer's fault for recommending you on her site and Full Cast Audio's for making such wonderful productions of your books (I've listened to them all 3 or 4 time this year).
And now that I've been reading your past blogs, I've started reading Megan Whalen Turner and Robin Brande. I have a feeling this is going to be a never-ending cycle...
Posted by: Carrie Jo | January 13, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Visit. we vist utah reletives. sorry!:D
Posted by: Dominique | January 13, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Your blog never fails to make me laugh.
Posted by: Janssen | January 13, 2011 at 12:36 PM
Last Sunday my sister in law asked my sister & I if we knew who Shannon Hale was. We laughed do we know who Shannon Hale is? What a ridiculous question, of course we know who Shannon Hale is, we only drove to Utah to see her. She just started reading The Actor and The House Wife.
Posted by: Connie Onnie | January 13, 2011 at 01:00 PM
I just recommended Princess Academy to a young lady at a local store this past weekend. I think that she, along with her nanny, thought me strange because I kept talking and talking about your books and how great they are to read. The Goose Girl was my introduction to YA lit a while ago.
Kel
Posted by: Kelvorhis | January 13, 2011 at 01:01 PM
I just read Goose Girl for the second time, and I am typically not a re-reader, so that's saying a lot! Loved it just as much the second time as I did the first!
Posted by: Christy | January 13, 2011 at 01:53 PM
"I know some of you may laugh at me, but I'd been wondering lately if anyone reads my books anymore."
Well, judging from Logan, Utah and the comments above, I'm not the only person who thinks your books are some of the best YA around and keeps recommending them to all her friends. :)
<3 from Bellingham, Washington
Posted by: Jenna St. Hilaire | January 13, 2011 at 02:15 PM
We would love to have you here in Logan!
Posted by: Rebecca F. | January 13, 2011 at 02:25 PM
Of course people are reading your books, still! Some of us are, in fact, using them to write papers in college, because they are THAT AWESOME.
Posted by: Debbie (Celes) | January 13, 2011 at 02:32 PM
I was just talking to a friend in Washington who is currently reading Princess Academy and while I was traveling this summer the woman in front of me at the Shirlington, VA public library was checking out one of your books. Proof of coast to coast Shannon Hale fandom :-)
Posted by: JenelC | January 13, 2011 at 02:36 PM
As someone who lives in Logan, come on up! May I offer my book club as your stopping point? No? You were looking to chat with more than 8 people? Eh. Have it your way...
Posted by: tawnya | January 13, 2011 at 02:39 PM
You can rest assured that people will still be reading your books in May. I have chosen The Goose Girl for my RS book club that month. :) And just today a friend of mine returned my copy of Rapunzel's Revenge and swapped it out for Calamity Jack.
Posted by: Ruby Diamond | January 13, 2011 at 02:42 PM
It would be amazing if you went to Logan for a major event. I know I'd go. And it's very awsome that you'd persuade Jessica Day George and James Dashner. I love your books you are my all time favorite author
Posted by: Jessica | January 13, 2011 at 03:07 PM
sorry one more thing you should go to a Barnes adn Noble store
Posted by: Jessica | January 13, 2011 at 03:10 PM
I am still reading your books. I read then over and over again and I just convinced my little brother to read the Goose Girl. Your writing has changed my life.
Posted by: Miri | January 13, 2011 at 03:31 PM
I have lost count of the number of times that I have given The Goose Girl to a friend or recommended it to a Book Club. I think it is absolute poetry and I was pleased to be able to introduce two of my daughters to it this summer.
Love from NYC
Posted by: Alecia | January 13, 2011 at 04:08 PM
I think I've read each of your YA books once a year since they've come out. And Enna Burning, I read twice a year. I can't tell you how much I love them. Right now they are packed up in boxes because of a recent move, and I feel the loss! Maybe I'll get on down to Logan and check out one of their copies. :-)
Posted by: Lia | January 13, 2011 at 04:20 PM
Hmmm...Logan is close enough that I might have to make it down for your event. Yep, faithful fan here.
Posted by: Emily S. | January 13, 2011 at 04:33 PM
Yay! We will love having you here. I suggest The Book Table. It's on Main Street, is well known, etc., etc.
Posted by: Liz | January 13, 2011 at 04:36 PM
As an Aggie, I think I can say, on behalf of all Utah State University, please come to Logan! There are lots of students here who love you and would pay money to hear you speak...well, as students, we don't have any money, but we still want to see you! You would be the sun that would warm our cold, student-loan lives!
Posted by: Carlie | January 13, 2011 at 04:49 PM
I've read your books way more than just once. I read THE GOOSE GIRL five times, ENNA BURNING two times, RIVER SECRETS seven times, and FOREST BORN four times! I also read BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS twice! I absolutely Adore your books with a capital A. Diffidently!
~~AAX
Posted by: aax | January 13, 2011 at 05:04 PM
Yeah! This made my day. I love it.
Posted by: hwalk | January 13, 2011 at 06:39 PM
I'm going to buy a book! I have Christmas gift cards that are burning a whole in my pocket (does it still count if you use a gift card?). Anyway, I'm going to buy The Actor and the Housewife because I checked it out from the library, read it twice, and realized that I would need to own it!
Posted by: Libby | January 13, 2011 at 06:44 PM
You're books are among the most read in our home! And yes, we own every single one of them.
Posted by: cheryl | January 13, 2011 at 07:13 PM
Could you plan this around my sister in laws due date? :0) Because I'm pretty sure she'll choose to come see you rather than go to the hospital and then you may find that you'll need to deliver a baby during the book signing. (I'm talking about hwalk, three comments above this one!)
Posted by: Amber | January 13, 2011 at 07:39 PM
I think James Dashner's wife has her own fan club, as least that's the rumor I hear in the Utah community. And just so you know, I reread your books whenever I'm sick--that's actually a compliment since everything you write takes me on such a compelling emotional journey that I'm distracted from my symptoms. Who needs Tylenol when you've got Shannon Hale, right?
Posted by: Kaylie | January 13, 2011 at 07:52 PM
Your books are like the mucker healing songs. They have been a great comfort to me. I love the way you view life and I feel so lucky at the chance to have a glimpse of it. I recommend your books to my students every chance I get.
Posted by: Elise | January 13, 2011 at 07:53 PM
Aaah! I've now read everything you've ever published! Just this past week I added RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE and CALAMITY JACK to my list of books I've read. I LOVE YOUR BOOKS!
Falmouth, Maine
Posted by: Keelin | January 13, 2011 at 07:56 PM
Your Bayern books are really my most favorite books (Along with Ella Enchanted, and Peter Pan, and The Enchanted Forest series; I'm sorry if you balk at any of those comparisons). I force them on anyone that will listen to me for long enough to be convinced.
Posted by: Christy | January 13, 2011 at 08:10 PM
Lucky Logan.
I still read your books. Over again mostly since I think I've already read them all at least once.
Posted by: Laura | January 13, 2011 at 08:11 PM
Just one hour ago, I sent my friend off with a copy of Goose Girl. She laughed when I was searching for it and she saw it at the top of my bookshelf. She said, There it is!" and I said, "Oh no. Those are my signed copies. I have a lender copy somewhere." Ha, ha. People think I'm nuts, but what's a girl to do. Anyway, I will continue to recommend your books where 'ere I go. And I don't live in Logan! :D If you are there the last week of May/first week of June, I'll come see you. We're there doing a concert in Salt Lake and recording a CD, but I get free time. I'll keep checking your plans and see what you end up doing.
Posted by: MelissaPete | January 13, 2011 at 08:52 PM
Goose Girl is our book club pick for this month. I am not in Logan, but just over the mountain and I am so there. I constantly gush about your books, they are the BEST!!!
Posted by: Amanda | January 13, 2011 at 08:57 PM
Hey, what about St. George? I saw one of your books being checked back in last time I was at the library. WE LOVE YOU TOO!! Actually, Hurricane would be even better. I always recommend you when people ask! Sorry you didn't get a wife out of the deal, but I'm glad you got a travel buddy.
Posted by: Jen | January 13, 2011 at 08:59 PM
Hilarious! I think I'd like to have a wife too. Or a dishwasher.
I love your books, Shannon, and I'm so glad that so many other people do too. Congratulations!
Posted by: Melanie Clark | January 13, 2011 at 09:27 PM
The Goose Girl is a huge reason I wrote my first novel. I was struggling in an MFA program, unsure where my writing fit. But then The Goose Girl fell into my lap, and I understood exactly what kind of writing I should be doing.
I just sent my book out into the world to agents. The Goose Girl will always be important to me, and I'll keep re-reading it forever.
Posted by: Stephanie | January 13, 2011 at 09:36 PM