My awesome friend Jen came through for us again!! She went to the Jane Kurtz/Lanie book signing event in Denver this past weekend. Not only did she take some great photos, she also sent me some notes about the event.
The event started by walking in the door and signing up for a drawing for a Lanie Doll. Then we browsed items that were available through the silent auction. They had American Girl books and services and products from local vendors.
Then we headed to the book table and purchased 3 books by Jane Kurtz; Rain Romp: Stomping Away a Grouchy Day
Next it was to the main auditorium area to listen to Jane speak.
She gave us some background on her youth. Both of her parents grew up poor and when she was very young her family moved to Ethiopia (I think her dad became a minister and that’s why they moved). They lived in a hut, without a TV. She loves the outdoors and loves camping.
She is the second oldest of 5 kids – 4 girls and one boy. Her brother is also an author and they do some writing together.
She was first asked to write the Girls of Many Lands, Saba book by American Girl. They had two of these retired sets up for auction.
She also said while she was writing Lanie, she had to use a code name for it because American Girl did not want anyone to know the name of the new character, so
she named the project “apple”.
After the main presentation, she answered questions and signed books.
Thanks again to Jen for sharing her photos and notes from the event!
wow! firstie. That day I was meeting Dominic Colon from the new electric company on pbs kids go!.At dutch wonderland read my jane kurtz invite about that! He was nice.I got a ty girls cat. I named her Katsele like my cat. I did not get a chance to go to the doll store but i went to Goodwill found some dolls but my mom did not let me buy them.
Jen,hope you had fun It was like the experance last summmer meeting Robert Best and Carol Spencer at the barbie convention
That must have been fun to go to!For some reason,I really like Lanie,so I wish I had gone.But those pictures are great,Jen!Thanks for showing us Jen and Char!
They had a Lanie Holland, book event over were I live. I have the doll and the book I think they are both cute.
I really want the Lanie doll! What do you think the next AG movie will be?
And by the way, fourthies.
Oh,cool!
I wish I had chance to get Saba BOOK!
It’s so sad that AG retired GOML books…
Well,I got Minuk:Ashes in the Pathway book at Scholastic(probably for half price?) and it’s
a really good book..And I’m close to finishing it! I really want to read other GOML books,especially
Cecile:Gates of Gold and Saba:Under the Hyena’s Foot.
Leyla:The Black Tulip,Kathleen:The Celtic Knot,Neela:Victory Song,Spring Pearl:The Last Flower,and
Isabel:Taking Wing…
I really wish that they didn’t retire any of the GOML books,even if they retired dolls!
And I think that event was nice as AG’s-maybe even better! I’m wondering where they got Saba Doll&Book????? AG?? (I’m sure they got Lanie doll from AG,since there is AG store in Denver)
Jessie, I too love the GOML books, but the doll weren’t big sellers for the company. And you know Mattel, all they care about are profits (as is their right as a company).
In the last photo, she looks like one of my teachers, Mrs. Rogers!
HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO, MEXICO!!!!!!
TENTHIE!!!!!!!
Wow! Looks so cool!
Haha, Cinco de Mayo is a small holiday in Mexico, like veteran’s day here. I don’t get why Americans seem to think its so important.
That is so cool i wish i was there!!
Oh im #13!!
Isnt lanie pretty!!??
Oh,Lanie IS pretty(although she looks like Beckie,by having curly hair,same type of eyebrow,and almost same skin color,I think)!
She’s my favorite character next to Nicki-she’ll be my favorite GOTY forever unless AG does makes GOTY of my dreams(it will never happen,of course)!
GUYS!!!1 GUYS!!!! OH MY GOSH MY HORSE HAD HER FOAL!!!!!!!
YAYAYAYAYAYAYA!!!!
Congrats Grace!
I have good and bad news.
Good: SONAL, MY BFF, IS GOING TO LET ME GO INSIDE HER ROOM DURING OUR PLAYDATE THIS SUNDAY!!!! SHE READ MY MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bad: I got stuck inside tiny holes at the playground. I always get bad luck! I have been scared of falling through holes, and NOW it HAPPENED!!!!!!!
grace- congrats!!!!!:) i love horses!!! my room is a horse theme:) anyways awesome!!! is it a girl or a boy? what are you going to name it?
My Mexican-American friends went all out for Cinco de Mayo. They all wore red, green, and white and some had little Mexican flags. Also some 7th graders at my school brought a life size flag and carried it around the yard at lunch. It was awesome.
hey guys!!!! so i think im gettinh lanie!!!:) can u guys tell me about her? what you like or dislike? etc
omg grace!!!! thats awesome!!!!!! i love horses!!! my room is a horse theme really!!!:) awesome ; 0 im happy for u:) is it a girl or a boy? and what are you going to name it?:)
i cant wait till 2011 goty comes out:) wonder what it will be?…….
jessie- ya i wish thay would do this thing where you would put the goty of your dreams and whoever wins…….. their idea gets to be sold…….. and you could get some of the money… nut that would never happen….:(
again…i the first post oday lol
Ana-Thanks!
Sarah-That’s cool. It’s a girl. We don’t have a name but we love Stormy, Breezy and Rosie!
Emily L.-What do you mean?
I mean, I was running on this jumpy thing, and next to it is a HUGE gap. I fell in. I now have a LOT of broken parts and casts! OW!
I fell in the giant gap, sorry. OUCH!!!!!!
Grace,congrats! You are just like Felicty! because in “Changes For Felictiy” Felictiy’s hourse has a foul. Grace do you live on a farm? you are so lucky you have all those horses.
Emily,What holes? What parts did you break and how about your teeth?
Emily are you okay? I hope you get better soon!
What ABOUT my teeth, Alyssa? It’s a HUGE gap. YOW!!!!!!
Ana, not really. D: Anyone else want to give me advice? YOW!!!!!! 
Emily, Alyssa meant because you said your tooth was loose and hurt really bad.
Alyssa-yes I am, I never thought about that! Now I have seven horses, and I do live on a farm along with eight hens, two roosters, two dogs, two inside cats, five barn cats (soon to be nine to eleven, the Mama Cat’s pregnant. Now it’s HER turn to have the babies (lol) ) and…hmmm…lol that’s it!
Haha, I meant
Wowww you gotta lot. I live on a farm too but it’s more of a produce farm (it’s actually an old run down farm) we have blackberries, wheat, onions, and honeysuckles lol i kno it doesnt count but i put it anyway. We used to have horses but their all gone now
(Grace)
Hope you feel better soon Emily!
And happy mothers day everyone!
My grandparent’s mare recentley had a foal (it was a colt). I was scared for that poor thin becuz one of the mares, Beauty kills all the foals.
but i was happy to find out Beauty was the mother and the colt wouldnt die (young lol)! And I’m gonna go up to their plantation and see it soon! 
Why is my comment waiting moderation Char?
I didn’t say anything bad. Could just one of those comments be shown?
I posted it 5 times!
Happy Mothers Day everybody! I really need to catch back up on here! anyone remember me? I’m sure Lena does. Anybody like Justin Bieber?
I think I remember you, Abby.
Emily, I suggest to go to the dentenist. (It may be spelled incorrectly).
you had too many smiley faces in your comment – sorry
It’s okay, Ana. Abby, you sound familiar……. NO, I don’t like Justin Bieber! Sorry if I offeneded you. I was just expecting a playdate with my BFF today, but NOW I can’t!
I wish I could have gone! It sounds so awesome!
Does anybody know information about the Wild West girl? Isn’t her realese date coming?
I have lanie she is so pretty she looks just like me,but my eyes are not the same
Hi everyone.
I am going to AG Place in Chicago this summer and I am thinking about getting Rebecca. I need some opinions tho. Should I get her or not? Thnx!
cool i got lanie from the mail yesterday sara i think you should get rebecca
oh thanks Char
and I LOVE Justin Bieber!!!!!!
Obession died :’( it was one of my grandma’s horses
umm not to be well annoying or offensive but sum ppl celebrate it becuz they are originally from there! It just helps them remember their home country, even while they are making a new life in the USA. my bff is from there. Sadly, her father did sumthing illegal and now (she didnt want to leave her father) she is back there again. I really miss talking to her.
Sara.You should get Rebecca. She is the prettist one out of all the american girls. She has neat books too! I do not know your opions but In am Jewish so I could be wrong.
Grace,What did you name your horse? congrats to your cat! I have a cat but he is fixed.My dad saved him when his tenants left him and left him there to die.I read on your blog that you were getting Soni on Ebay. Did you get her?Please write back!
Char,I sent you a bunch of e-mails about the new Monster High dolls. you are welcome to write about them on here. P lease e-mail me back!
Alyssa – I got your emails – thanks for sending them in. I hope to get a chance to post about them this weekend.