It’s not too late
To duck out of work and come see me and Alaya and Cassie and David and Diana and Holly and Scott make total fools of ourselves sharing our earliest attempts at writing, while Libba laughs her head off.
For extra incentive: in Sydney I unearthed a piece I wrote while in the thrall of Raymond Chandler at the age of 13 or 14. It involves a scary Erroll Flynn and has to be heard to be believed.
Details of this extraordinary event:
- Juvenilia Smackdown
Monday, 16 March—otherwise known as TODAY—4-6pm, Tompkins Square Park branch of the NYPL, 331 E. 10th Street
Join Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Justine Larbalestier, David Levithan, Diana Peterfreund, Scott Westerfeld as they read some of their (ahem) less accomplished work from their teenage and pre-teenage years. Hosted by Libba Bray.
You will laugh and laugh and laugh and never feel the same way about any of us ever again.
Posted by Justine at 11:59, 16 March 2009 under Cons & Other Gatherings, New York City/USA | 9 Comments »

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Sherwood Says:
Oh, how I wish I could be there. I could blow you guys out of the water, with my 13 year old, 400 page masterpiece!
March 16th, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Darice Says:
Brave, brave souls! Me, I am just happy every day that my juvenilia years were pre-Internet. SO HAPPY.
March 16th, 2009 at 1:52 PM
Rachel Says:
Oh, gods. Everyone keeps blogging about this as I sit here, so, so far away and yearn with every fiber in my being to be there. Break a leg, Justine!
March 16th, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Rachel Says:
Or have broken, I guess: it’s over now.
March 16th, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Rebecca Says:
That was seriously the best event I’ve ever been to. I have never laughed so hard!
March 16th, 2009 at 11:59 PM
6. Justine Says:
Rebecca: Thank you! That’s what we were going for. Wasn’t Libba a seriously awesome MC? How about her poem at the end? Composed on the spot out of the awful bits and pieces of our readings. She’s a genius.
March 17th, 2009 at 12:59 AM
Eden Brower Says:
Great panel today..Truly hilarious! So glad I came by…
March 17th, 2009 at 3:38 AM
Winchester Grey Says:
I’ve been rasping liquidly all day. It was a most excellent event.
March 17th, 2009 at 12:29 PM
tess Says:
For those of us who can’t come – could you maybe post some your old writing here? I’d love to read it.
March 17th, 2009 at 10:28 PM