I’m so bummed I have to work on Saturday and can’t make it to the National Book Festival downtown. On Saturday, Sept. 27, more than 70 authors are gathering on the Mall to read, sign their books and talk with readers through the afternoon.

I was super excited to see both Geraldine Brooks and Marisa de los Santos will be there, though I’ll be spending all day in an air-conditioned bookstore . . . and not out in the sunshine, talking about some of my favorite books with their authors! I just finished Brooks’ Year of Wonders and can’t stop raving about De los Santos’ Love Walked In and Belong To Me. I can’t praise her books highly enough — Belong To Me is definitely the sort of book that changes your perspectives on family, on relationships, on unconditional love and friendship. I know that’s a grand generalization gone horribly wrong, but I don’t know how to describe it other than to say . . . It’s amazing. Pick up one or both, but definitely give De Los Santos a chance.

And she’s going to be at the book festival! Get thee to D.C.! Too bad I can’t convince my employer that attendance at the festival should be mandatory . . . Hey, it’s research! And it’s only forty minutes or so away . . . I’ll see what sort of magic I can conjure up . . .