From attendee to presenter, in two simple steps.

Hello, folks.
As you may know (no blushing violet, I), I occassionally present on readers advisory related topics at conferences. I did a couple of presentations at last year's ALA annual in Washington DC, and recently presented for the Ontario Library Association (and PLA) in Toronto, Bouchercon in Anchorage, OLA/WLA in Portland, and BEA (Book Expo America) down in L.A. What can I say? Word on the street is that I talk real loud and show funny pictures!

It was not, however, my intention to do any presenting at this year's ALA conference, which I'm attending in support of my work with the RUSA CODES reader's advisory committee, and to catch some programs for a change, instead of pacing around my hotel room sweating over my presentation. Until a couple of days ago, that is, when I learned that the sole speaker for our Book Group Therapy program, Nancy Pearl, would very regretfully not be able to make it. Which fact put me on this year's roster of ALA presenters in two simple steps, or stages: shock, and acquiesence.

Fortunately (for everyone), I am only going to be a small part of this presentation, as in the resulting flurry of emails among our committee members outed a number of other presenters, all of whom know much much more about book groups than I do. The ultimate shape of this 90 minute program is still being figured out - it appears that SPL's own Jen Baker (no stranger to book groups and book group workshops) may take her turn on our stage as well, but as for me, I have volunteered to distract people for ten minutes with something called Why Men Don't Join Book Groups.

Sadly, we won't have Powerpoint, so I can't show dirty pictures or use sight gags. So now, on my day off, I set about to pace the room and figure out just what on earth I can weave into my remarks to lower the BS quotient of the flow of words coming out of my mouth a couple weeks from now. Oh, I'm sure I'll come up with something. Though don't be surprised if you find me at Archie McPhee's the night before departure to LAX, buying up something shiny and attractive to the inner child to throw out in handfulls to the stunned crowd, a la Chuck Palahniuk or beloved SPL alum Ray Serebrin. I'll keep you posted.

How about the rest of you: anyone presenting anything so we can come and whoop! whoop! in the back row?