Gail Carriger in New York ~ Publisher Sales Conference & Beyond

I’m an author-beast, I’m a legal author-beast, an author-beast in New York…

Even though I have, just this minute, returned from San Diego I’m so behind on life right now that I have to first give you a quick report on my previous trip, to New York. So here it is, as rapidly as possible, the glamorous life of a jet setting type fashion mavinish gluttonous traveling author beast.

I hopped the non-stop all day from SFO to JFK, got caught up on movies (including Lost In Austen and the latest Thor), arrived bleary eyed at hotel, did ironing, tumbled into bed.

With Kate, my Finishing School editor. (Retro rack on the outfit.)

Up the next morning to meet with the Little Brown peeps for tea, and tour of their office, then off to lunch with Orbit folks and buyer, then out to sign B&N stock. (Ate some New Zealand lamb, hot diggity!)

I found airships in New York. (Retro Rack on the coat.)

Then back to change for the evening event. Ostensibly, it was this sales meeting that brought me to NY in the first place so I was feeling the pressure to be all things witty amongst very august company. I presented the new Custard Protocol series and the cover of Prudence, talked about Waistcoats & Weaponry, and then suggested my purpose ans an author was to cause my Gentle Readers to laugh on public transport, thus humiliating themselves. Much relieved I managed to talk without falling over, I swilled some white, noshed (helloooo coffee moose), and then, as you do, ended closing down the bar with the sales staff and my editor. Because, I’m a SF/F author, darn it, and we have a reputation to maintain!

Even drunk, I still find airships! (Retro Rack on the suit.)

Late nights in New York are easy on us West Coasters, but I still creaked getting up the next morning. And it was off to the media tea (chicken salad and BLT to die for) where I met a group of awesome ladies from print and online, bonded over rival high schools, and mightily envied Rose Fox’s sublime dapper look (curse me from not getting a picture).

Alice’s Tea House

I reconnected with my roommate from undergrad after that, and we press-ganged my Orbit publicist into a tour of their offices and then retreated to a catch up on eight years gossip. Eight years! She’s had two kids since we last saw each other in person, and I had ten (if you count the three manga’s who are kinda adopted). We ended up in the bar drinking hard alcohol, because, as she said, “I have two kids, I don’t get out much, alcohol is called for.” And if you can’t go out drinking with your old college chum author-beast, who can you go out drinking with, I ask you?

Word

That night, the crowd at WORD was gratifyingly packed in, especially for a last minute event in Brooklyn. Fun questions were asked by Diana Pho (AKA Ay-leen the Peacemaker) and the assembled rabble-rousers. I reconnected with old friends from the steampunk community, and I hope made some new friends as well. (Came back late to inhale some killer scallops in the hotel, nom.)

Look at the hat!

The next morning I was up and out the door to meet up with Peter V. Brett, longstanding author compatriot and fellow trouble maker. He chivvied me into an author’s tour of Manhattan, after supplying me with an excellent breakfast first (shrimp and grits!). We gorilla signed stock at various famous spots around town like Strand and Forbidden Planet. One of the stores actually asked me for ID! Then it was back on the plane home. You see? Whirlwind.

So there it was, that’s what I did in New York. So sorry I missed seeing some of you. Next time! Hopefully not too long in the future.

GAIL’S DAILY DOSE

Your Moment of Parasol . . .

My brown parasol, sadly died.

Your Infusion of Cute . . .

Analogue side table by Robin McGrath

Your Tisane of Smart . . .
Eating Ortolans Washington, D.C. & New York City 1879 (Someone once told me that, the napkin over the head while eating ortolan in France, was due to the shame of eating a national bird hiding from the eyes of God. All I can think about is the scene in Gigi, “Exquisite little birds.”)

Your Writerly Tinctures . . .  

Book News:
U-T San Diego “Carriger’s Fancy Fantasy World” 

Quote of the Day:

~ Tamora Pierce, Trickster’s Choice