Monday, April 22, 2013

NYC Trip!

I am in love with New York City. I miss it like crazy. If you've never been and you ever get the chance to go, take it!

My hubby and I started out with a trip to the Natural History Museum. Or, as my kids like to call it, "The Night at the Museum" Museum.


Where we got to see things like the most adorable little skellies imaginable.


Okay, I may be just a *little* scared of spiders. They don't even have to be real. Give me any six-legged creature and I'm fine. Give me something with eight legs, and eeuurrrrghh. So, I'm standing there, staring at this wall, trying very hard not to be freaked out that there's some crab-like creature that looks very spider-like and as big as me....


...when my hubby looks up and says, "Uh...." In an "Oh, no-- this is going to freak her out" sort of way. Which immediately makes me crouch, cover my head with my arms and look up. Gosh. This picture so doesn't do this giant squid justice! This baby is like 40 feet long. Big enough that when I looked up, I didn't see the squid body--- all I saw were legs bigger around than my arm, and I screamed. An Imminent-Death-By-Gigantic-Spider-Consumption scream that drew everyone's attention and freaked out every kid (and possibly every adult) around.

Then I realized it was a squid and not a spider (and clearly has ten legs instead of eight), and everything was okay. (At least for me. Some of the kids were still a little rattled.)


We took tons of pictures for our kids, including this of an ancient wall phone that my kids didn't believe actually still existed anywhere in the world. They were awed by the photographic evidence that they aren't extinct.



I loved the Subway. A LOT. Even though there was a disappointing lack of crazy people on it. Seriously? Why so many normal people? I was dying for at least one crazy!

We took it everywhere, even though we were both Subway Newbs. I thought we were getting the hang of it after the first day, until we woke up the second day and headed off toward Random House. Apparently I led us to the wrong Subway entrance on 34th Street, so when we couldn't find the train we needed, we walked in the labyrinth underground for what felt like forever. Eventually, we found what was the right place, but then we thought that Random House was now halfway between where we were and the next subway stop. So we went above ground and started walking.....


And walking faster. And faster. And then hurrying as fast as we could because ohmygosh we were so very wrong and so very far away and even though we left very early, we were going to be very late. (Why it didn't occur to us to hail a cab, I'll never know.)

Oh, and it was the hottest day New York had seen since last fall.

We finally arrived at our destination (late, but excited, smelling like the street, with sweat on my back) and stared up at the beautiful building. (Seriously-- is this not so very pretty?)


Yes, I stood in front of the building and took a picture, while I'm sure the guy inside grinned and thought, "Another Newbie Author's first time here." I didn't even care. IT'S MY FIRST TIME AT RANDOM HOUSE!!


I walked into the lobby in reverenced awe. The lobby is lined with their books. In 5 months or so, mine will be there amongst them. Surreal? You betcha.


The guy behind this desk led us up to the 8th floor to meet my editor, Shana, who is just as beautiful and amazing and kind in person. She hugged me, and all I could think was I SMELL LIKE THE STREET! AND MY BACK IS STILL SWEATY! She probably thinks I'm not okay with hugs by how quickly I pulled away.


But then she gave me two ARCs (and I almost started crying, right there in her office, at seeing my book in book form for the first time), and took me around to meet people. First was my publicist Paul. He is incredible. And I found out that my teacher from a few years ago, Brandon Sanderson, and I share the same publicist! James Dashner, too! Then I met the school and library marketing people, the copy chief, the President of RHCB, the art director, and the marketing folks. I was blown away by how kind and enthusiastic everyone was. I love them all to pieces.

Then I my hubby and I went out to lunch with my editor and the art director, where she told me all about the awesome treatments they're doing on my cover. It was so much fun, I totally forgot to take pictures!

That just means I get to go back again soon, right? ;)

Now let's look at the pretty building again, shall we?


This is me, in the subway, still giddy at holding my ARC.


Then we went on the Staten Island Ferry.


And to the memorial at Ground Zero.


And the next day, to Bobby Flay's restuarant, Bar Americain, with my lovely agent Sara where we got to hear some of the funniest query stories ever. I think this was possibly the thing my kids were most excited about us getting to see. My daughter was dreaming about me running into Bobby and getting his autograph for her for DAYS.


I didn't run into Bobby, but I did get a picture of my dessert! And yes, it was every bit as tasty as it looks.


Then we took a Pedi-Cab on a tour through Central Park where we got to see a wedding under the bridge....


And this fountain. And the homeless man bathing in it.


And as we walked the streets of NY for hours, we saw things like F.A.O. Schwartz....


... where they have Hot Tamales bigger than my laptop!


Then we went here...


....and got to see this. :) :) :) :) :)


And decided that 5 days (two of them travel days) wasn't nearly enough time to spend in a place with so much to see.

Then we took one last ride on the subway-- to the airport. About halfway there, a man entered our car, and started chanting sermon-like. Between his strong accent and the subway noises, I couldn't understand what he was saying at all. Either he was selling drugs that would make you "sleep forever," or saying that homeless people shouldn't be hungry. It was unclear. Another man in the car didn't like the man's loud chanting, so to counter it, he started singing at the top of his lungs "DOE, A DEER, A FEMALE DEER..." The man was unfazed by the competition, so the other man kept getting louder and louder until the song was over and he was just yelling, "LALALALALALALALALALA!"

Crazy subway riders at last. I could've died of happiness.

35 comments:

writing and living by Richard P Hughes said...

How exciting. Thanks for taking the pics and sharing them with us. And how funny, too. You're one in a million.

JeffO said...

Awesome trip, Peggy. Thanks for sharing. And I will point out that, should you ever encounter a giant spider crab again, Crabs technically have ten legs, not eight, so you're safe!

Neurotic Workaholic said...

I'm scared of spiders too. Once I saw a spider dangling from a web just above one of my student's heads, and I started shrieking and jumping up and down rather than just warn the student in a normal voice. And your trip looks like so much fun! Random House looks amazing. That lobby looks like a fancy bookstore.

Donna K. Weaver said...

Sounds like you had an awesome trip. Is your editor camera shy?

Emily R. King said...

LOL! I'm glad you had so much fun, Peggy. What a memorable experience! Sounds like you'll have to go back again soon.

ilima said...

I love this post! I want to go there so badly now. Take me with you next time. :)

Natalie Aguirre said...

Sounds like such an awesome trip. Had to laugh about the "ancient" phone.

And awesome you got your ARCs. Hoping that I'll get mine soon for your interview.

Chantele Sedgwick said...

Ha ha! Crazy subway people indeed. ;) When we all get book deals the girls will have to take a trip to New York together. That would be AWESOME! :D I'm so glad you had such an amazing time!

Rena said...

That sounds like a perfectly spectacular trip! I've had my fair share of crazy subway riders, so I'm glad you got to witness a few. They are extra special.

And how cool is it to be holding your book!!!! Isn't that so awesome?

Jessie Humphries said...

Oh man! Trip of a lifetime! The only thing that was missing...was me! :)

Patti said...

Looks and sounds like a great trip. That's one huge box of Mike and Ike's. My son would be in heaven. Glad you had fun.

Sara B. Larson said...

Sounds like an amazing trip!! Wicked in NYC?? Dying of jealousy. And everything else, too. And YOUR ARC!! AGHGHGHG!!! So much happiness packed into 5 days!

Katie Dodge said...

I am so glad you shared!! I was wondering how it all went! I got a little teary when you mentioned your arc and how your book would be in that beautiful lobby soon! I am so happy for you! So glad you had such a great trip. :)

Kristine said...

SO STINKIN' AWESOME! What an exciting thing for you two! So happy you got some fun out of all the work you've been doing!

Rechelle Owens, Romance Author said...

Looks like you packed a lot into a short trip! Glad you enjoyed it. That dessert looked fabulous!

Carrie Butler said...

How fancypants are you now? I love it! :D

Jenny S. Morris said...

That sounds fantastic!

Livia Peterson said...

Sounds like an amazing trip, Peggy! Glad you had fun! Now you've convinced me to vacation in New York City one of these days. ;)

Kelley Lynn said...

OH my gosh! Look at you! Such a professional author!

I'm going to NYC for the first time EVER in May. Just for fun with my sister and cousins. We might have to walk past Random House so I can say that's my friend's Peggy and Cassie Mae's Publisher!!! :)

And Wicked is amazing, no? :)

Taffy said...

Love the pics and your update. Can not believe you went any where near a room full of arachnids!

S.P. Bowers said...

Sounds like the best trip ever!

Tyrean Martinson said...

That's so exciting! Congratulations on your awesome trip! Those are wonderful pics, but the one I loved best was the one of the ancient phone. :)

Jeff Hargett said...

NYC is one place you can visit a hundred times and still not see everything.

Carrie-Anne said...

That sounds like an awesome trip. I'm so jealous of people who can afford to live in NYC, even though I'm not a big city person and would probably be more at home in a smaller type of big city like Boston or Pittsburgh. The last times I was in NYC, I went on tours of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and then our group ate at kosher restaurants in Manhattan.

Unknown said...

I highly doubt you would have been the first author to cry over an ARC. :) And I'm with you on the buildings. I can't not look up. I must look like a newbie everything I go into the city.

Rick and I did something similar in Boston on the T. We walked blocks in one direction only to take it blocks passed where we had started. How did we figure this out? After our return trip we decided to go for a walk and ended up right back where we had just come from! We met my college roommate and her husband for dinner that night and they laughed themselves silly over our mistake.

Coleen Patrick said...

Exciting, Peggy! I love NYC, and you're right there's so much to see. Every time I go back I see something new! :)

Elizabeth Seckman said...

Awesome Peggy!! Seriously? I'm glad I like you or I'd be totally green with envy!

Ghenet Myrthil said...

Looks like you had an awesome time!! :)

Nicole said...

Ha-this recap was amazing! Sounds like you had an awesome time and created so many, many memories.

Susan Kane said...

What a trip!! How awesome it that?! Congratulations!

Susanna Leonard Hill said...

Wow, Peggy! It sounds simply fantastic! I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time. And I bet you'll remember the moment your editor handed you your ARC for the rest of your life :) Can't wait to read the book :)

Susanna Leonard Hill said...

Wow, Peggy! It sounds simply fantastic! I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time. And I bet you'll remember the moment your editor handed you your ARC for the rest of your life :) Can't wait to read the book :)

Small Town Shelly Brown said...

Awesome. Awesome. and crazy-person-Awesome!

This makes me so happy on so many levels. Peggy, you rock and I'm so happy for your success. I hope that the book is met with amazing accolades.

Anne said...

I'm so happy for you Peggy! You just don;t get to visit NYC, you even get to Random House! How surreal can that be?! Really, so happy for you :)

Deanie Humphrys-Dunne said...

Thank you for sharing this exciting event with us. So glad you celebrated in the Big Apple. Best wishes.