New York Comic Con

I was in NYC over the weekend, attending New York Comic Con, and I thought I'd give as brief a summary of the events as I could now.
Brief for me being . . . not so much.  But I'll try.

View from plane.

Thursday

Arrive in New York, head immediately to meet with my editor, Nancy and my publicist Jessica.  But I was a little early.  So I sat in the Pret a Manger [because a) yum and b) free wifi] and creeped on the Penguin building across the street.

When it was time, I went across and ran into Morgan Rhodes (author of FALLING KINGDOMS and a delightful person with whom I've spent time at cons with in the past) waiting in the lobby too.  We hugged.  And then she was whisked off and I never saw her again.  Well, that day.

Nancy came down to get me and we went to her office which is even more amazing than it was the last time I saw her.  Honestly she's a woman after my own heart in the way she decorates.  Little drawings everywhere, little collectable toys too.  It's so nice to meet a fellow chachka lover.  Jessica joined us and we had a wonderful chat about TFS plans.  Then Nancy and I chatted a bit longer.  And then I was off. . .

. . . To face rush hour traffic and cross the city from the downtown west side, to the upper east side.  Eventually I made it to my friends' place just in time to say goodnight to their adorable daughter and hang out a bit as they packed for a conference in New Oreleans.  I was very happy I got to see them before they left.


Friday

5:00am - sounds of the family departing are heard.

Later.

I get ready to head to New York Comic Con.  I wanted dress a bit Steampunk so I wore my lace top and brown cords with knee high brown boots.  I also wore the customed made TFS necklace that Lady Lilleigh had made for me, and also my goggles.

There's a similarity to be found in all Comic Cons, and it happens upon your approach.  You always know you're going the right way as colourful costumed characters start to replace the day to day wear of the average person, until you have unwittingly joined a parade of quirk.  It's very fun.  But also a little clausterphobic.

I arrived and finally made my way to the Penguin booth where I stashed my stuff and went on a tour of the hall.  Now I realise from my pics it looks like this was "Oldy-Timey Convention 2012", but there were other booths for all manner of geekitude: comic books, games, T-shirts, costume pieces etc etc.

Self explanatory

Apothecary Stand

Oldy-Timey fun times!

Hats!

Ah ha!  One non-oldy-timey geek picture!

Gandalf and Bilbo in lego!

Then at 2pm I signed ARCs.  It was a lot of fun and I met a lot of lovely people, in costume and in plain clothes.  And whenever the line dwindled Colleen Lindsay would turn into a carnival barker and the line would be replenished.  You see it's a different experience at a Comic Con.  At BEA everyone knows the books are free, and you have to be careful not to take one accidentally for sale.  But at a Comic Con almost everything is on sale.  So people were very stunned to learn they would be given a free book.  Stunned but quite pleased.  I don't really have any pics of me signing, but once again I ran into Morgan Rhodes, who took a picture!

Then Thea from The Book Smugglers came by and we stood in the corner of the booth as she interviewed me.  Let me tell you, she's just delightful, and I kind of hope she got something coherent from the interview.  I do go on.  As you all know.  We shall know how she managed when the interview goes up on Thursday.

Then I went home to rest.  But first I took a picture of myself with my one purchase from Comic Con - a wooden mustache on a chain (bought from the booth pictured above).  One can't be dignified without one:

 

And then I changed to meet author/illustrator Peter Brown for dinner . . . at the place used for the exterior establishing shots for Riff's in MAD ABOUT YOU!  Very cool for me.

Letter proving it.

Late evening my friend Carrie finally arrived from Boston and we caught up.  Then went to sleep.


Saturday

All about the hanging out.

We slept late, then spent the afternoon walking around the Park and talking. 

The famous Angel statue fountain in the park.

Then in the evening we went for dinner in the West village with her cousin (at a place called Moustache . . . note the running theme of the weekend . . . ).

 

And then Carrie and I went to this bar called Marie's Crisis and sang musical songs until the wee hours of the morning.

IT WAS THE BEST.

It's not like karaoke, nor like a piano bar, where individuals get up one at a time and perform a song.  No, everyone sings together (the odd waiter/waitress/regular did do a solo).  So you aren't nervous, you don't worry if you're any good.  And in some of the larger group numbers (think "One Day More" from Les Mis or "Downtown" from Little Shop) people take on different parts and sing in harmony and let me reiterate . . .

IT WAS THE BEST.

Singing.  With the top of Carrie's head in the foreground

Then we went home.  I went to sleep.  Four hours later I was heading to the bus to Newark airport.



So that was my weekend!  And it was much fun.  I love NYC.  SO much.  But as always, good to be home.  And of course Atticus the cat is all needy and stuff which makes me feel good.  And a little annoyed.