This past Friday, Judy Blume was interviewed by Kerri Miller from MPR at the Fitzgerald theater. I was there, bringing 4 wonderful women with me on a girlfriend blind date! None of them had ever met, with me being their only connection. FUN!

Judy Blume is an icon. She epitomizes what I was reading as a preteen. She was the only adult I was ever aware of that actually understood what I was going through in life, and I totally didn't understand how she could remember if nobody else around me could. I literally had chills when we sat down and they began to introduce her! I am a nerd. :)

Judy seemed to understand me more than even my family & friends did. Her writing made me feel as though I wasn't this weird kid, I was as normal as the kids in her books! It made me believe that maybe even the other kids in my school had the same stuff going on, they were just better at hiding it.

I really enjoyed hearing Judy talk. Never would I have guessed that all of her writing is semi-autobiographical. She was Margaret from "Are You There God . . . "; she was afraid of everything that Sheila the Great was petrified of; she was most likely the Fudge of the sibling relationship in "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing." These are books that helped me when I was growing up. They are books that bring me a comfort similar to thoughts of my family - cousins, aunts, and uncles - during that time period give me. Peace. A circle of love and understanding.

I was not impressed with the interview questions. But the audience question/answer session was awesome with all of the new Judy Blume readers (children) asking her questions and having her interact with them - not just give an answer and move on! MPR has played their edited version of our evening and I am sorry to say that it did not do the experience justice. Too much was edited away!

Saddest part of the evening: A little girl, MAYBE 4 years old, was waiting to ask a question. They ran out of time and ended the Q&A. Her mom picked her up and she clung on, burying her head in her mom's shoulder and wrapping her arms and legs around her body! Remember when you became so devestated by something as a child that you just needed a parent or loved one to wrap yourself around so you could let go of those emotions and let the disappointment flow freely? We all agreed that if her mom brought her up onstage for an autograph and told Judy what had happened, she would take the time to chat briefly with the little girl. Regardless of what the manager said. She just loves kids and understands where they are coming from. Always.