And the Torso Twins say goodnight

As I was going through my photos, I realized I had a lot fewer than I thought. I think I thought I was getting some of the photos with my camera but it was really Libba's or someone else's. So, basically, I'm super smart. But here's an abbreviated scrapbook of the Ohio-Miami legs of the Torso Tour. For more info, check out Libba's fabulous blog and a lovely write up in PW offered by the incomparable Sally Lodge, who was very patient with me as I did our phone interview while I was boarding a plane.

In Cincinatti we did a fun interview on Mark DeWitt's radio show Cover to Cover, and he did a very good job of pretending not to be completely terrified of us. At least, he didn't phone in security. Then off to the fabulous Joseph-Beth Booksellers for a terrific event.

Libba and I decide to make our entrance on a sliding ladder. I looked down and noticed Libba seemed to be gripping that ladder with every inch of strength, a frozen smile stuck on her lips. She was probably, oh, twelve inches above ground. Seriously, she had bruises on the insides of her thighs from griping that thing. She kills me.

Three of Libba's awesome fans looked great sporting shirts that those who have read Rebel Angels will understand. So many fun fans. Again at this event, people were driving in from hours away, often from other states. It was very cool.

Reese told me she'd never won anything in her life. "I've never even won an arm wrestle." So I said, bring it on, girly. And folks, let me just say, I really did try. Really. She whooped me. Congratulations, Reese! You are a winner! (You were before our arm wrestle, of course, but it's always nice to have some physical proof.)

At Books & Company in Dayton, here's Anidori Isilee, who flew in from Philadelphia to come to our event. How hard to my fans rock? Seriously hard. She was darling. Sadly, this is the only photo I have from this terrific event. Lots of great school visits in Ohio too!

Books & Books in Miami did such a rockin' event. This group of teens helped organize it, dressed as Victorian ladies or Asian ladies. Very cool.

Here are the prizes they made for the trivia contests--a crescent and eye necklace (from Libba's books) and a charm bracelet with a pine cone, cat, and book (for b1000). Also, everyone's name tag was an anagram of their name (a detail from Libba's books), plus it assigned them a home from one of the Eight Realms. Very classy. They also gave us each a stuffed cat, and our cats had a photo-adventure, which I will post another time since my family is even now calling to me.

Olivia came from Tampa to the event. Her mother brought her and her two sisters, driving over 6 hours just to come. It was an early birthday present. How awesome is Olivia? How awesome is her mother?

Olivia's sister Hannah had her stack of Spiderwick books and said, "Do you really know Holly Black? Would you sign my books?" So of course Libba and I signed her Spiderwick books. Here are our inscriptions. And congrats to Holly as the Spiderwick movie opens!

Yes, when you've left at 4 am for a flight to Miami, by eleven at night, you might start to get a little punchy. It seemed only natural at the time for us to pose for a torso picture.

While waiting in the back office at the Miami Barnes & Noble for our event, Libba and I discover breakfast sandwich labels. And some tape. Naturally we made crowns. Here I'm trying to get a photo so you can read the fantastic muffin text.

And laughing.

And laughing harder.

It seemed the central theme of our Torso Tour was the laughing. I'll miss that Libba Bray. She's a gem. She's a crackerjack. She's my torso twin. Muffin crowns off to you, my dear. And huge thanks to Deb Shapiro, Bloomsbury, Random House, and everyone we met along the way. I feel positively optimistic about the world lately, having met so many genuine, fantastic, kind people. YOU ROCK!

Bonnie Tyler has has left the building.