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The Hollywood Library—Hollywood being a neighborhood in Portland, not the Hollywood—was a home away from home when I was young. The building’s exterior had a very 1960s red mosaic tile, and inside was a drinking fountain epic for its strong flow and cool water. Light poured in from huge windows; in my memory the lights are always off in the library and the sun just pours in, though that can’t possibly be true in rainy Portland. The librarians were friendly but matter-of-fact—even as a hyperactive child I knew the library was no place for being rambunctious.

Via New York Public Library's Facebook

Libraries have always been an important part of my life. When I was younger, going to the library was a regular occurrence for my family. Since we lived in New York City, there were a few of them that we would frequent and each one was special in its own right. The one closest to us had three floors and I remember climbing up and down those stairs to the different levels, each section brimming with books.

This was the first library I became familiar with and I can still picture it even though I haven’t been there in a very long time. One thing I’ll never forget is the feeling when a librarian guides you to the book you had inquired about, takes it off the shelf, and puts it in your hands. It’s a magical transaction, like being given a ticket to journey to another world.

The library of my teenage years was in a turn of the century Carnegie building and also the largest library in my borough. One time, I spent hours there with my father collecting data for a science project, something that would have taken a fraction of the time if the internet had existed, but it’s a happy memory that I would not have had if that were the case. When I was old enough, I went there by myself to work on research projects for school, looking for resources as I navigated the stacks.

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Spring is the perfect time for a picnic in the park. Like any food event, the company you keep is what makes a picnic as delightful as can be. The structure of a picnic has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it more casual and intimate than a fancy dinner party. It’s the perfect time to dive into someone’s brain and learn more about them than is probably necessary.

For these reasons, I’ve chosen six of the perfect literary characters to bring with you on a picnic. (If they were real people, of course.)

1. Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling): There’s no way I would miss this opportunity. Dumbledore is smart. He has years of knowledge tucked away inside his mind (and even more memories stored elsewhere). A picnic date with Dumbledore would be like meeting with a mentor.

He’d also bring some delicious snacks from the wizarding world, ‘cause we all know Dumblore is all about his sweets.

2. Holly Golightly (Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote): Holly may be a little scattered, but a picnic date with her would certainly be entertaining. I may do nothing but sit and listen to her talk, all the while shaking my head with disbelief, but it’d be an afternoon to remember.

She walks a fine line between endearing and annoying, but at least she’d be content with a simple bagel for lunch with a side of coffee.

3. Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald): It’s a well-known fact that Jay Gatsby can throw a party, but what about a picnic? I’d leave the planning up to him. I can picture it now: a lavish picnic blanket, a catered lunch from only the finest of restaurants, and a bottle of expensive champagne.

The champagne is a vital ingredient: a constant buzz will be necessary to survive Gatsby’s therapy-like rambling about the ups and downs of life.

4. The Mad Hatter (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll): I can’t begin to imagine the nonsense that would result from having a picnic with the Mad Hatter. Tea and sandwiches cut into four small triangles are the obvious choice for food, and I assume half the conversation would actually be rhymes recited in song-song voices.

I also expect a fabulous hat.

Image via

5. Holden Caulfield (The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger): I can’t lie: I’d choose Holden as a picnic partner solely for the chance to shut him up. Am I the only person who finds Holden insufferable? I’d probably let him whine for a little while before abandoning him completely. Or pushing him into a lake.

6. Matilda Wormwood (Matilda by Roald Dahl): As a book lover myself, a picnic with Matilda would be the perfect chance to learn about every book I need to read that I have yet to find myself. That girl reads like a champion. There’d also be very little work on my part, since Matilda can set up and put away all the food and supplies with a look in her eyes.

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Maria Vicente is an associate literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency. She likes books, coffee, design, & magic. You can find her on Twitter (@MsMariaVicente) or her blog, ibelieveinstory.com.

I love a good dystopian novel as much as the next member of the target 18-25 year old female who reads upwards of 50 books per year demographic, but I’m also a skeptic. Frankly, it takes me a Golden-Gate-sized suspension of disbelief to buy some of these “kill all the kids” and “let’s all wear tunics” scenarios.

Yes, the government’s probably evil, but they’re also not that organized (I mean, just look at how long it takes them to crank out census data every decade. Do you really think they’re going to force everyone to Sorting-Hat themselves into Factions? Think of the paperwork!)

With that in mind, I’ve come up with some realistic, low-stakes dystopian situations for the near future. The next hit series could be here! But probably not!

Set phasers to… sweet Kindle deal? Is that a thing on phasers? Probably not. Whatever.

Today only, Night of the Living Trekkies by Sam Stall and Kevin David Anderson is on sale as a Kindle Daily Deal for $1.99! So go pick up this thrilling zombie story, set during a Star Trek convention. 

And just in case you missed it, check out the amazing trailer. We were really proud of this one.