Famous Authors Entertain at Project Book Babe
Stephenie Meyer, Shannon Hale and More Raise Money for Book Buyer
Apr 9, 2009
On April 4, 2009, hundreds of fans traveled from New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and California to Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona to attend an unprecedented gathering of popular children’s authors.
The guest list read like a fan’s ultimate wish list of writers: Stephenie Meyer (Twilight), Shannon Hale (The Princess Academy), J.S. Lewis (The Grey Griffins series), P.J. Haarsma (The Softwire), Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), James A. Owen (Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica), Janette Rallison (Just One Wish), Laini Taylor (Dreamdark), Chris Gall (Dinotrux), and Dean Lorey (Nightmare Academy).
Yet it wasn’t a book festival that brought these children’s authors together, but a benefit for Faith Hochhalter, a book buyer who has nurtured the careers of many authors for years by publicizing their events. When the authors heard Hochhalter had been diagnosed with breast cancer, they rallied together to create Project Book Babe, an event that would help pay her medical expenses.
Shannon Hale and J.S. Lewis Emcee Project Book Babe
The show began with an address by Hochhalter, who thanked the audience for coming before introducing emcees Shannon Hale and J.S. Lewis, who announced they had some “bad news.”
“I’m really sorry about this… but I’m sorry to say Stephenie Meyer will not be appearing today… in her bunny suit,” quipped Hale, to the relief of the hundreds of Twilight series fans.
Fans then got to see the coveted prize of the event’s live auction, the prom dress Stephenie Meyer had worn at her Eclipse Prom – modeled by screenwriter Dean Lorey.
Musicians Adam Kump and the Adam Watts Band then took the stage for some live performances – interspaced by a surprise music number by fantasy author James A. Owen who entertained the crowds with a rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Baby I Love You” as the authors danced in the background.
Brandon Mull and Chris Gall Joke at Author Panel
The authors then re-took the stage for a panel – preceded by an introduction by Hale, who jokingly advised the audience not to clap when Stephenie Meyer came out, refrain from making eye contact, and make sure to call her “Your Grace.”
Moderated by Arizona State University associate professor Dr. James Blasingame, the panel covered many topics, including a question asking the authors to describe themselves at age fourteen. Not surprisingly, many were readers.
“When I was fourteen, I was the only kid I knew who was grounded from going to the library,” said Dinotrux author Chris Gall. “All my friends lied and said they were going to the library when they were going to the mall, and I lied and said I was going to the mall when I was going to the library.”
The Candy Shop War author Brandon Mull admitted he was “kind of a nerd” in high school, then triumphantly added, “Now I write the books nerds read.”
Asked when they knew they were professional writers, Stephenie Meyer amazed her fans by saying she still doesn’t think of herself as a writer.
“Saying ‘I’m a writer,’ sounds like a joke – I still haven’t gotten to that point,” she stated, prompting J.S. Lewis to ask the audience if they thought Meyer was a writer – earning her a round of thunderous applause.
Rock Star Children’s Authors
The event ended with a raffle drawing that gave away many autographed books and advance copies – and culminated with a live auction of rare memorabilia donated by Stephenie Meyer that raised thousands of dollars in minutes. And while some may be astounded by the level of enthusiasm the fans showed the authors, for the show’s beneficiary, the response was well justified.
“[Children’s authors] are rock stars,” stated Hochhalter, who was overwhelmed by the support showed to her by her friends. “Writing good books for kids is the most amazing thing to do.”
Want to know how Stephenie Meyer’s auction went? Read Stephenie Meyer Auctions Off Rare Manuscripts.
And learn how Project Book Babe began by reading Children’s Authors Help Fight Cancer.
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