I was supposed to be at the North Carolina School Library Media Association conference on Thursday night to sign books at the author booksigning. I had been looking forward to seeing the other authors there and getting to meet and talk with librarians from around the state.
Unfortunately, I never made it there.
I made it as far as Raleigh–the conference was in Winston-Salem–when the cars on I-40 stopped suddenly on the rainy, wet road. We managed to stop and not hit the car in front of us. The car behind us wasn’t so quick with the brakes. He slammed into us–into the back of my new car! I’ve had the car exactly two months today–and then the big truck behind him slammed into him, sending him into my car for a second, harder hit.
I learned that if you tell the EMS workers that your neck hurts a little they’ll insist on putting a collar around your neck and then strapping you down to a backboard and wheeling you into a waiting ambulance. My first ever ride in an ambulance. Maybe I can use that experience in a future book? 😉 The EMS people kept asking me why I was shaking. I said, “Um, because it’s cold and it’s raining on me while you have me strapped down to this stretcher on the road?” I was worried at the hospital that they would cut my clothes all up–I always see them do that to people on those emergency room TV shows–and I was wearing my favorite jeans and my favorite jacket. So the whole time I kept thinking, “Please don’t cut my clothes! Please don’t cut my clothes!” Also, at that point that I thought that maybe if I got out of there quickly I could still make it to the conference and imagined myself having to show up in a hospital gown and neck collar. Thankfully, they left my clothes intact and a nurse insisted on helping me change into a hospital gown. After a long wait in the emergency room and X-rays, they finally determined that I wasn’t seriously injured, just some whiplash. The guy in the car behind me wasn’t so lucky. He was pinned into his car because of the truck’s impact and seemed to be in a lot of pain. I hope he was okay!
So once I was finally released from the hospital, there was no way I’d make it to the conference in time. I felt really, really bad when I called my marketing director to let him know what had happened, even though the accident wasn’t my fault. I still feel terrible that I didn’t make it to the conference and I wanted to apologize to the librarians who attended. I really wish I could have had the chance to meet with you!
Now I get the fun of dealing with trying to track down the other drivers’ insurance companies to get my car repaired. A piece of advice: Don’t ever get into an accident in Raleigh, NC. The Raleigh police officer gave me only her card with a case number on it. She gave me no information at all about the other drivers or their insurance. The guy that hit me was in so much pain and in no condition to exchange insurance info at the scene before he was taken away by ambulance. I called the police department and they said I can get the police report from their website when it goes into the system.
As of today, it’s still not in the system. (Picture me growling and grumbling here.) Meanwhile, my bumper and muffler are about to fall off my car and the impact was so hard that it pushed the outside frame of the car inside so that the storage area doesn’t close like it should anymore.
On top of that, my laundry room floor is currently destroyed because my air conditioner unit inside the house leaked and caused the floor to warp and break the ceramic tiles. So the insurance company sent someone out yesterday to tear up my floor, they found mold under the tiles and had to cut out some of the insulation under the house because the water had soaked all the way through. I currently have three giant fans and a dehumidifier roaring in the laundry room to dry out the floor and walls over the weekend before they come back to repair everything.
So to sum it up: Not my best week ever! My neck is now sore and creaks and pops when I turn it too quickly. I am thankful though that my injuries weren’t worse. The speed limit on that stretch of road is 70mph–so it could have been A LOT worse. Still, I feel SO bad and disappointed that I didn’t make it to the conference. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to sign books for all of the librarians that were there!
I just found out about this conference. Le sigh. So now I know you would’ve been there, and that Lisa Yee and Lauren Myracle WERE there. I am never going to meet any of you guys, lol. No one ever tells me when any of you guys are around doing events (and, in Lauren and Lisa’s cases, when they’re actually on this coast). 🙁
That totally sucks about the car accident and all that. *hugs* It must’ve been traumatic. Hope everything works out!!
Aw, I’m sorry you didn’t hear about it in time! 🙁 The next time I hear about a conference like that in this area, I’ll let you know. I’m REALLY disappointed that I didn’t get to go because I was looking forward to seeing Lauren again and getting to meet the other authors that I hadn’t met yet.
Thank you for the hugs and comments! *hugs* It was scary when it happened, but I’m very thankful that it wasn’t worse!
Oh no! I am so glad you’re okay 🙂
Thank you! 🙂 I’m very thankful that I walked away with just a little whiplash and some damages to my car that can be fixed and that it wasn’t worse!
Glad you are okay! Hope your car and your laundry room will be too.
Thank you! Hopefully the car will be all back to normal after next week. And hopefully my laundry room will get back to normal soon. 😉
So sorry that happened! I was at the conference and we had no idea!
You did have a bad week! But here is something to make you feel better! We just got our Scholastic Bookfair posters and your book is on the cover of them! We will be hanging them all over our school!
We would love to have you for an author visit for our Reading Rewards luncheon in January 2011. We live in Raleigh though so let us show you the good side of Raleigh!
Cyndi Morgan
School Librarian
Carnage Magnet Middle School
cbmorgan@wcpss.net
Re: So sorry that happened! I was at the conference and we had no idea!
Awesome!! Thanks for letting me know about the posters!
I’d love to attend the luncheon! You can email me at shana @ shananorris.com with the details and I’d be happy to attend! 🙂
hi my name is ashley and i really like the book troy high. I really want to know what happens between Cassie and Greg. I was wondering if you could write a Troy High 2. I loved it. OMG IT IS MY FAVORITE BOOK. PLZ WRITE TROY HIGHT 2. YOU ARE A GREAT AUTHOR. PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ. The ending was such a cliff hanger. PLZ WRITE ANOUTH TROY HIGH. My fav caractors were Cassie Greg Elena Hunter Perry and Lucas Plz I am dying to read more.
Hi Ashley! I’m very happy to hear that you liked Troy High! Right now, I’m working on some other books about other girls, but maybe one day I’ll get a chance to write another book about Cassie and Greg. 🙂
Plz Write another and if u do how long would it take? You are my favorite author and the Troy High book was the bomb. I want to know what happens between Gabe and Cassie. Write another. How long will it take? Plz say like 6 months or less because i need to read more troy high books they are the best.
Aw, thanks! I’m glad you liked Troy High! Writing books takes a long time. It takes a few months to actually write the book, and then at least a year or sometimes more after that for it to be published. Sorry! 🙁 I know, publishing books is a very slow business. It’s hard to wait sometimes!
Omg the girl ashley is right your book Troy High was wonderful. You should write another. The ending of Troy High made me ask all these questions. Like what happened between Elena and Perry. Did lucas get elena back. when Did the gym get fixed. What happend between cassie and Greg. How long did they date. Did they get in another fight and break up. These are the questions you want from your readers when you are going to write another. This should help answer all my questions.
Before i read this book i hated reading. Then i saw the cover of Troy High and just exploed and wanted to buy it. I bought it and read it in 4 days. I am also a slow reader when i hate books. I was crying whe i finished the book because i looked online and didn’t see there was a second one. I was balling all night. I love your writing and want to read another troy high book. You should make it a series. I love you so much. Keep writing.
-Cassandra
Aw, thank you! I’m glad you liked Troy High! I hope one day I can write another book about Cassie and Greg and answer your questions. I’m glad you enjoyed reading Troy High even though you don’t like reading. It always means a lot to me when readers who don’t enjoy reading very much tell me that they liked my books! 🙂
oh my gosh i love the book troy high! will you write a sequal?! im pretty sure all the other girls ar thinking that too!
I’m glad you like it! 🙂 Right now, I’m not working on a sequel, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t ever be one. I’m working on some other books right now, but maybe one day I’ll get a chance to write more about Cassie and Greg. 🙂
new book
im sorry for your bad week but i loved the book troy high i mean i loed it and i was wondering if you were going to write more books based on troy high?
Re: new book
Thank you! It was a rough week, but things have gotten better. 🙂 I’m glad to hear that you loved Troy High! Right now I’m not working on a sequel, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t ever be one. Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to write another Troy High book. 🙂
Troy High
Dear Shana Norris,
My name is Emma Johnston.I am 10 years old and reading Troy High. So far I am on chapter 6.It is very descriptive and fascinating book.I would give you 5 stars for the rating of this book.
Free The West Memphis Three,
Emma Johnston
Re: Troy High
omg i know right i am on chapter 17 it is really good
Re: Troy High
Thanks! I’m glad you like it! 🙂
Re: Troy High
Hi Emma! Thank you so much for the five star rating!! I’m glad you’re enjoying Troy High. Have you finished reading it yet? If so, did you like the ending? 🙂
i feel so bad 4 u!!!! 🙁
Thank you! It was a really bad week, but it’s gotten better. I’ve gotten my house and my car fixed now so hopefully no more bad weeks for a while!
love ur book
hi! my name is romei i live in columbia maryland and i was hoping you can make anotheer seris fof this book btw im only 11 and i love it sooooooo uch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Troy High
Dear Shana Norris your book Troy High is amazing i love how you got all of your characters from the Iliad.I love this story!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! I will read it over and over again because this book is so good!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Troy High
Dear Shana Norris my name is gaby and i think that the book Toy High is fun and very creative. And I also like the twist of the Cassie and Greg at the end. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
sorry!
I’m so sorry i know how it is to lose someone very special to you. I lost my grandpa last november because of cancer it was very hard on all my family!
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