For those of you that have clicked every link and read every twitter or blog post that I have written, you will see I have set a very nerdy goal for myself, to read 200 books during my Peace Corps service. And at first it was just going to be that. However, I am making it more than that now. My favorite author on the entire planet just released a book cowritten with her daughter Sammy; if you haven’t guessed yet, that would be Jodi Picoult. Being as this was the first year that I have not been able to go to a question and answer/booksigning with my best friend, I was and am a little sad. But my best friend was not going to let me go without a signed copy of Jodi’s new book. She meant it as a surprise, something I wouldn’t expect in a package that I would wait for over a month to receive once it’s been sent. However, she is just like my mom and can’t really keep secrets ;). So I received this post on my facebook wall this past morning (and Annica I hope you don’t mind):
OMG!!! SO if you have not checked your twitter. STOP!!!! Check my last tweet to you and then continue reading this post….
Back story: I was on Jodi Picoult’s site and noticed that their FIRST stop for her and her daughter’s book tour was in Mission Viejo. I was like NO way, that’s awesome!!! SO I decided to purchase a book and send it to you as a surprise. I held my secret VERY well (I think).
Today: Something happened that I HAD to tell you, because no one else would see the big deal out of it. SOOOOO my bubble burst and I am spilling the beans (honestly I could NOT wait a month to tell you this)
At the book signing: They were so sticking cute!!! The mother-daughter relationship that they have is amazing!!!! Poor Sammy had a horrible head cold and was still amazing!!! So at the end they made the announcement to stand in line, you are more than welcome to take pictures of them, but there will be NO posed pictures due to time constraint. i was completely fine with it, stood in line and waited.
At the table: Jodi asked me how I was doing and I told her this book is actually getting sent to my best friend in Madagascar who is in the Peace Corps. Jodi’s answer “NO WAY!!! I don’t think ANY of my books have made it to Madagascar!!!! Sammy did you hear that???”. Then Jodi tells the worker lady, take her cell phone and lets take a picture. So there is how I got the picture!! I GOT SPECIAL PERMISSION FROM JODI PICOULT!!!!!
And this morning I woke up to a twitter reply from Johnny Shaw, the author of the current book I am reading, Dove Season, thanking me for reading his book. Back story: I had nonchalantly posted a tweet thanking Johnny for writing a book so well: “Dove Season. This book is making me laugh so hard. Jimmy and his Spanish is like me and my Malagasy. Johnny Shaw. Props to you.” I didn’t even know he had a twitter and would let alone personally respond to me. But that got me thinking, what if during my service I not only tried to read 200 books, but I tried to personally contact each author of those books, obviously the still living ones of course, and see if I can get a response. I know, I know, sounds a little stupid, but hey wouldn’t it be something if I got a reply from each and every, or nearly every, one of them? Wouldn’t it?
It's a mad Mad Land out there. 
I say totally go for it and tell them what you are doing…you never know they may get you to write a book either about you or your service!!!! I think your friend is a great friend. That is something that is so great and when you get the book it will mean more than just a signed book!!! Keep going and reach your goal!!