And what a day it was! Opening ceremonies featured a table presentation of crowns and tiaras, introductions, and a champagne toast.
Then Victoria Eugenia, Queen of Spain (AKA Laura Ruby) opened with an inspiring talk on antagonists, and she read from Sahara Special by Esme Raji Codell (Hyperion, 2003); Holes by Louis Sachar (FSG, 1998), and Feed by M.T. Anderson (Candlewick, 2002).
Initial group discussions went well, followed by a field trip, and dinner at County Line on the Lake.
Participant Roster and Code Names:
Franny Billingsley: Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India
Libba Bray: Alexandra Feodorovna, Tsarina of Russia
Anne Bustard: Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and By the Rhine
Carolyn Crimi: Helena, Princess of Schleswig-Holstein
Tim Crow: Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg Gotha
Shutta Crum: Elisabeth, Grand Duchess of Russia
Katie Davis: Beatrice, Princess of Battenberg
Meredith Davis: Louise, Duchess of Argyll
Frances Hill: Sophie, Queen of Greece
Page Koehlert: Margaret, Crown Princess of Sweden
Kimberley Griffiths Little: Victoria, Empress of Germany
Sean Petrie: Edward VII, King of Great Britain and Ireland, Emperor of India
Laura Ruby: Victoria Eugenia, Queen of Spain
Tanya Lee Stone: Charlotte, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen
Brian Yansky: Wilhelm II, Kaiser of Germany
