Baby Got Back!

I'm baaaaack!

Yes I know how you must have all missed me so! I actually did miss blogging truth be told. Though it is also nice to have a break from all things internet. Of course that meant I had many an email to catch up on when I got back. The best being that my book has now sold to France! Ooh la la! So super exciting! And again, major thanks to Lucie and Julia who make the whole thing happen. You guys are amazing.

So I know you are all just dying to read about my trip to the big apple. So without further delay.. . let's launch into it!



I flew into NY with my lovely friend Lesley, whom I have mentioned oh, a few times on here . . .



. . . on Friday morning and we dropped our stuff at the Crowne Plaza at the United Nations (can I just say what an amazing hotel, and the cheapest we found online, definitely check it out the next time you all go). Then we parted ways, Lesley went to meet with her agent (which went spectacularly well I am told, and which I have no doubt she has regaled, or shall be regailing on her blog, so check it out) and I to meet with my exciting artist pen pal, Peter Brown.

We had never met, and I always get nervous about those sorts of things, but we got on swimmingly, had some surprisingly good Thai food, and went to a coffee shop for dessert. We were the only people there who were actually sitting with each other. It looked like the sort of place people go to to do work, or write, or whatever. I felt bad for speaking loudly, like it was a library or something. Anyway, had a great time with Pete and have decided to stay friends with him (wow, won't he be honoured).

Once Lesley and I met up again we went out for dinner with two of her friends who were in town preparing for their move to the great city. They most generously took us out for meat. I mean it. We went to this Brazilian restaurant where they give you these coasters, on one side it is red, the other is green. When your coaster is on green, then waiters come up to you with various meats on sticks. And you must take it. You simply must. Because it is so darn delicious.

After the amazing dinner, it was time for bed. I think the meat kept Leslie awake, but I slept rather soundly (having woken up at 4am that morning and gone non-stop).

Next day we were tourists. We went to the National Library (some of you may remember it from "Ghost Busters". Others from "The Day After Tomorrow").



It's simply gorgeous. And just reaffirms my thoughts that no matter how technologically savvy the writing world becomes, or how much e-books flourish, they will never do away with the good old fashioned book. The writing world is inherently romantic. And so are writers. And readers.

Then we walked up 5th Avenue to the park and Lesley wanted to go for a carriage ride, and being the classy dames we are we chose the most sophisticated of transports. White with purple feathers. And a poor white horse who's hooves had been painted in sparkly purple paint. It was fun. But seriously cold.

Then we went to the Tavern on the Green and it felt like going for lunch inside a birthday cake.



Except for the corridor that led you to the dining room, which was like a funhouse hall of mirrors.

And then we met for drinks two friends of Lesley's whom we had happened to meet on the flight over. One is a book seller here in Toronto, and the author also a children's book author. They were both coming to NY to go to the SCBWI conference, an unfortunate acronym, but much fun to say once you practice it enough times. So we hung out with them, and I have to say it was fascinating listening to Kris, the book seller, talk about her job. She speaks with such knowledge and passion. Really cool to see a completely different perspective on the industry.

Then Lesley went home first thing Sunday morning and I moved on to my friend Jenny's place in Williamsburg with my friend Carrie who had got in from Boston the previous night. We had many a reunion, and went for dinner at Jenny's bar where we hung out with some of my fellow LAMDA grads. This is also the part of the adventure where the tourist half ends and the hanging out with the locals half starts. Hence no more pictures. Seriously. I just stopped taking them when Sunday happened. Which was kind of stupid and weird. Ah well.

Carrie and I moved onto "Don't tell mama's", a piano bar where unemployed and employed Broadway actors get up and sing for fun. A small cozy place, where everyone knew each other. It was much fun. Then it was time for bed.

Finally on my last day, I bid farewell to Carrie and went to meet my American editor, Rob Weisbach, at Miramax Books (though it will soon become Weinstein Books). It was so great. Rob is such a happy guy, and has so much energy. In fact everyone there just seemed to be bubbling over with it. We talked a lot about the book, well okay, that's all we really talked about obviously, and it looks like it will be coming out in October in the States, just so ya'll know. And then they showed me the cover which I just love! And eventually I will write more on the subject and show you all as well, but I would like to wait until I get my UK one as well, for which I am just dying to see!

And finally Jenny and I went to a reading that night of a screenplay. Jenny got to do some networking, and I got to do some bragging about the book, and we all just had so much fun. And had sorbet made of champagne.

And that was it. Flew in this morning, just in the nick of time before the storm hits that everyone is going on about.

Just want to do a shout out to Jenny and her housemates Daria and Kaitlin for putting me up, and putting up with me, and of course the lovely Carrie who I wish I'd see more often, and the amazing Lesley with whom I just got to be the best tourist ever, and in her usual Lesley self managed to introduce me to yet more fabulous interesting people.

And of course shout out to New York city itself. I know you might not hear it that often from people, but I love you man. You could even say, I heart you.

(congrats to the readers who made it to the end of this tale . . . your cheque's in the mail. And by "in the mail" I mean sitting on my desk, firmly in my cheque book)