Book Expo America is, as I understand it, a massive event in the publishing world, an exciting opportunity for editors, authors, booksellers, teachers, librarians, and readers to come together in an explosion of enthusiasm for new books and the limitless possibilities of the written word and blah blah blah...

For me, it's about the free books.

Lots of free books. A Javits Center of free books.  As many books as I can pile into one of my ugly new tote bags, sling over my shoulder, and lug across several avenues of heat and rain and mosquitos.

I lugged a lot.

And it turns out all my favorite authors have books coming out this year, so I'm now loaded up with galleys from Tom Perotta, Philip Roth, Richard Russo, David Leavitt, and I am one happy girl.  But the book that makes me happiest isn't quite a book at all.



Because I'm completely clueless when it comes to graphic novels, I didn't recognize the name Adrian Tomine. I just looked over and realized that the nametag of the guy standing next to me was also on the cover of the graphic novel I was holding.  So I asked him to sign it.

And then, because I have no tact, I asked him if it was any good.

He must have thought I was crazy since, as I later found out, he's just a little bit famous.  I also found out that I accidentally lied when I told him that I'd never read a graphic novel or comic book before.

Because as it turns out, I have. One and only one: his.

Very early in freshman year of college, when I had pretty much no friends and was completely miserable, one of my roommates asked if I wanted to come with her to the local comics store. I didn't. But I went anyway.  We browsed around, then sat down and read through her favorite comic -- Optic Nerve...by Adrian Tomine -- and I pretended to care, because, let's be honest, I needed a friend.

And I got one, a good one.  The right one.

It turned out we had plenty of actual things in common, which meant I didn't have to return to the comics store with her, but -- because I tend to be sappy about such things -- I've always remembered it fondly as the place our friendship was born.

It's just too bad I didn't realize all this when I was face to face with Adrian Tomine.

I could have said thank you.