Reflections from the Road: Madison Middle School and Wright Middle School

Yesterday, I was in and about Nashville, visiting two schools on the Nightborn tour.

I drove down the night before, where I tried the friend chicken and fried catfish at rustic cabin-themed eatery, Cock of the Walk, where your server flips a pancake-sized loaf of cornbread high into the air before placing it before you, and where I ate far too many picked onions.

Then the next morning it was off to Madison Middle School, located in Madison, Tennessee, where I spoke to around seventy-five students in the 5th grade. The kids were great, very engaged with the material, and had fantastic questions. They also clapped at some of the artwork I showed (by the brilliant and talented guys Justin Gerard and Andrew Bosley). They even clapped for the photo of the Thrones & Bones cake we had at the initial launch party. I've never seen a cake get a round of applause before and I think more cakes should get that. It was a great visit and let me give a sincere thank you to librarian Angela Frederick and her students for making me feel very welcome.


Afterwards, I drove to the other side of Nashville, where I visited with around two hundred 6th grade students at Wright Middle School in Nashville. We spoke in the gymnasium. I am happiest when I have a wireless microphone in my hand and can run up and down the stands asking kids questions directly like a day time talk show host so I was in my element. Two boys in particular were ancient history and mythology experts and answered the bulk of my questions. But all the students were great, and we had a great time. Thank you very much to Media Specialist Denise Tabscott and her students for a great visit (and for the jar of peach jalapeños sauce! My son and I are both eager to try that out!)

I'd also like to give a shout out to Parnassus Books of Nashville, who helped set up both of these Frostborn and Nightborn visits and was on hand for my talks. Afterwards, I drove to Parnassus to sign a stack of books, where the wonderful employees had me in and out fast enough to beat the five o'clock traffic. (This was much appreciated as I had a three-hour drive home.)

Than you to Parnassus, Madison and Wright for a great day in Tennessee! I'll be back in nine days time for the Southern Festival of Books, where I'll be giving a talk at noon on Saturday, October 10th! Catch me there!

Meanwhile, here is a shot of Denise Tabscott and I making our Viking Faces!