The new book tour dates for Jodi Picoult’s House Rules, which will be released March 2, are up on her site. It is a draft schedule (visit www.jodipicoult.com and click on appearances), and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Picoult will make a stop near me. For the past few years she has and I’ve been lucky enough to make every one. Well, almost every one. There was the time my son arrived five weeks early, just a few days before Picoult’s reading, so I had to skip it. I’m sure she’d understand. 

Even though I’ve been to several of her readings, I am star struck every time I see her. My heart beats fast, my palms get sweaty, I begin to utter mere syllables instead of actual words. It is pathetic. 

After her reading of Handle with Care last year, she took questions and answers. When she announced she had time for one last question, I decided I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to talk to her, so I shot my hand up in the air. It was right as she called on me that I realized I didn’t have a question to ask! So, I pulled together a really lame, boring question: Has your writing routine changed since your first novel? Ugh. I might as well have asked what toothpaste she uses. She answered it graciously saying her routine hasn’t changed at all. Go figure. 

Next came the signing. I waited in line hoping I could get a picture with her, only to find out she wasn’t doing photos. She wrote my name and her signature in my book and I tried to think of something to say to her. "I love your writing" seemed too obvious. So I came up with the incredibly witty, "I love the MP3s you post on your Web site." That was it? That was all I could come up with? I’ve read every single one of her books, some of them twice and that was all I could think to say? I blame it on the butterflies. She thanked me and told me she’d be posting a new one next month. I walked away shaking my head. 

I’m looking forward to redeeming myself at her next reading, so here is hoping she stops in the D.C. area!