I realize that this isn't Panem (at least not yet), but if you're in Iowa City this weekend, there WILL be Hunger Games. And I'll be hosting/trying to get out of the way of any tributes swinging inflatable boxing gloves.
It's one of three appearances I'll be making at the Iowa City Book Festival this weekend hosted by the University of Iowa (Go Hawkeyes!).
I am Head Gamemaster, which means that I control everything, or at least judge who gets to win some cool prizes.
How, are you asking, did an author like me who is five foot one manage to land such a sweet (and potentially violent) gig? Well, as it turns out, I am a heck of a lot more available than Suzanne Collins. But to be fair, she's got that huge Hunger Games movie in production at the moment. She can't drop everything to referee Hunger Games fanatics who want to try out some Tracker Jacker sticker tag. I, on the other hand, have no major Hollywood productions in the works (unless you count my Netflix queue). So, count me in!
Plus, let's be frank. It's not every day you're asked to be a Head Gamemaster. I'm already heady with power. I'll be there gladly bossing people around in true, cruel, manipulative Head Gamemaster fashion. You will fear me, until you realize that I a) have no real power and b) don't actually own a hovercraft.
Come to Gibson Square at the University of Iowa between 1 and 4 p.m. and be a tribute for the afternoon. You get to "train" by learning how to camouflage cookies better than Peeta (already my favorite event), practice your aim with a deadly bean-bag toss, and learn how to call a Mocking Jay with some local experts on bird calls. During the actual games, you can expect extreme water balloon fights, giant plastic boxing gloves and lots of serious fun. I'll also be giving away five free signed copies of The Girl Who Was On Fire, too, so don't miss out - you might just be winner of the Qwell!
And if you haven't read the Hunger Games, I am sure you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. That's okay. If you're near Iowa City, come by to see me on Saturday afternoon. I'll be reading from my not-yet-published, brand-spanking-new Bard Academy Book A Tale of Two Proms, which will be out in late 2011. That will be at the University of Iowa Library at 1:30 p.m. At three, I'll be on a writer's panel with Joe Haldeman (The Forever War), who is a giant in the world of science fiction.
We'll be discussing science in literature, a topic that I am entirely unqualified to discuss, so you should come to laugh and stay to ask questions.
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