Megan Bostic's Blog, page 37

NYC Day 2: Class of 2k12 and other fun stuff

Hard Rock CafeDay two was FULL. Of course it probably wouldn't have seemed that way if we could have gotten up on NY time, but we were still pretty much on west coast time and were woken up by the maid knocking on our door wanting to clean our room sometime after 10 am.

We headed out toward Time Square. First stop, Hard Rock Cafe to by Thing Two, my musician, a souvenir. Ended up buying her a cool t-shirt with a Jimi Hendrix design. Then it was to American Eagle, where I found Thing One, my little fashion hound, a t-shirt. Then Starbucks and Rockefeller Plaza, and the American Girl Store, where the BF wanted to buy Kaya for his daughter. OMG, I'd never seen so much AG crap or so many whiny little girls in my entire life. The store was really cool though.

A little snafu kept us there for a bit, then again we were off, first getting a hot dog at a street stand ( a NYC must do) then hitting FAO. I have to say, FAO was much different than I remembered. I remembered it being a little more open, walkable. I felt a little claustrophobic in there. We did a very quick walk through, saw Spidey and Captain America there, I had no idea they were friends, then we hit Central Park for just a few minutes because I began to panic because I was supposed to meet a friend at 4:30 and had my 2k12 event at the 10th Rail at 6:00.

Did I mention the weather called for rain and it was absolutely gorgeous the entire time we were there?

Back to the New Yorker to freshen a bit, then we had to find a place to meet my friend Theresa. I must say, it's very cool when you find a very cool place in New York to hang out and have a drink. We went to a place called McGarrys, a little Irish Pub on 9th Ave. It had a beer garden in back, which was awesome. We ordered an appetizer because we were starving (did we eat that day? no recollection) and waited for Theresa, whose bus had yet to appear.

While we were sitting, an Irish guy, assuming the owner or manager comes and sits next to the BF, and in his Irish accent says, "I need to sit and observe." He eyeballs a table in the corner with a large group. Then he says, "There's a group of ten over there, and only two of them drinkin'"
Theresa and I
I was like, "Oh, taking up space and not spending money." "Yeah." And then he must have put some kind of Irish curse on them or willed them to leave because not five minutes later they were up and gone.

Theresa shows up, and we enjoy a drink together. It was so nice to see her. I don't think I had since high school! She comes with us to the 10th Rail for the 2k12 Mix and Mingle.

Sarah, Annie, Kimberly, Me, Sarv, LyndaThe mix and mingle was small, but fun. So nice to meet my fellow 2k12ers, Sarv, Kimberly, Annie, Sarah, and Lynda. It's so weird, you talk to these people all year on the computer, and sometimes you never get to meet, so it's very surreal when you actually get to meet in person!!  Anyway, we had a great time, then it was back to the New Yorker (after a stop at Lucy's Cantina for $12 martini's O.o) and sleep.

Come back tomorrow for NYC Day 3: Books of Wonder

Monkey Madness Monday: NYC Baby!

I went to New York City last week for BEA, Book Expo America. Although I didn't attend the event itself, I got together with fellow class members, Sarv Tash, Kim Sabatini, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, AC Gaughen, and Sarah Tregay for a couple 2k12 events during the week. (Lynda did the planning for our events and I was ever so grateful, feeling completely useless on the west coast)

We (the BF and I) flew in on Tuesday, got in about 4ish, and were at our hotel, the beautiful art deco New Yorker (where I saw my one and only cockroach, but it was waaaay in the basement and wasn't huge), by about 5. We didn't do that much, but we did walk around a little, got acquainted with our neighborhood.

First of all, our room was nice and clean and had a great view of the city, but was built by Lilliputians (at least the BF said so, as his feet hung off the end of the bed, fit me perfectly).

Here is a picture of our hotel room to the right. Yes, it's just a bed. That is pretty much what our room was aside from the tiny bathroom to the left of the bed there, a closet the size of my pinky behind from where I took the picture, and a desk, to my left. Of course, when you're in NYC, you're not going to sit in your room and hang out, you're going to explore the city, so you really don't need much space (and I wouldn't have wanted to pay for much more space).

the view from our roomWe were starved, so the first thing we did was go find a place to eat. Close by. We ended up at Hudson Restaurant and Bar, around the corner from the hotel. They were serving $5 margaritas, and that didn't suck. I have no recollection of what I ordered, may have been a turkey sandwich, which is my normal fair at bars and grills.

My friend Gae Polisner (The Pull of Gravity, buy it, read it, love it) was in the city to see our mutual friend Jim King speak, and had plans to meet up with Cindy Minnich of the Nerdy Book Club, so we decided to tag along, and met at Seven on 7th. Drinks were consumed, and the three of us women bored the BF to death with all our writer/book talk. It was wonderful to see Gae again of course, and very nice to meet Cindy. Their blog just won the Independent Blogger Award. You should check it out.

After that it was time to collapse and get ready for a full day in NYC?

If any of you were at BEA, what was your favorite part? What were you looking forward to the most?

Now I leave you with one of my souvenirs I bought in the city, apropos for MMM...

Monday Monkey Madness: Teenagers are inappropriate...

[image error] ...at least mine are, and I'd like to know, are all teenagers inappropriate? Some of it is my fault I know this. I have the mouth of a trucker I do. And I honestly don't care if they swear. I know they're going to do it at school anyway. I don't care if they do it at the house, but they know it's not acceptable out in public, and they abide.

But, um, their sense of humor is a bit...unseemly. Not just theirs, but Thing One's friends as well.  I'd go into detail, but I don't want to offend any readers, and I haven't put an R rating on my blog, but if you think about the kind of humor that's in a movie like, say, Superbad, you'll get what I'm talking about.

The thing is though, it's funny. And sometimes I laugh, but when they're really out there (gross, or whatnot) I pretend that they disgust me and shake my head and tell them it's inappropriate.

Then I leave the room and laugh.

I'm writing a book: Shit My Kids Do and Say. It will be complete with pictures and all. I will probably be writing it under a pseudonym because while it is funny, it's embarrassing as all hell.

So, please tell me, do the teenagers you know have a warped completely sick sense of humor?

New York Here I Come

As I'm sure many of you know, next week is Book Expo America! Book writers, publishers, and gatekeepers will be gathered to see what's out, what's new, and what's next in the world of books. I'll be there with fellow Class of 2k12 members touting our books.
And I will say, there more than likely WILL be vlogging involved.
So, if you're going to be in New York next week, here are some of our events you may want to check out:
BEA Kick-Off Party  MONDAY, JUNE 4th, 7pm Bank Street Bookstore610 West 712thStreet (Broadway) 212.678.1654Breaking into the business of children's and young adult fiction withA.C. Gaughen, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Kimberly Sabatini, SarvenazTash, and Sarah Tregay.
  An Eveningwith the Authors  WEDNESDAY,JUNE 6th ,6pm 
Tenth Rail473 10th Avenue(33rdStreet) 646.455.0873Sit back and relax with Class of2k12 authors  Megan Bostic, A.C.Gaughen, Lynda Mullaly Hunt,  Kimberly Sabatini,and Sarvenaz Tash. Enter the raffle to win fabulous literary prizes!  Class of 2k12 Book Signing  THURSDAY, JUNE 7th, 7pm Books of Wonder18 West 18thStreet (between5th and6th Avenues) 212.989.3270Have your books signed by  Megan Bostic, A.C. Gaughen, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Sarvenazlash, andSarah Tregay.
I would LOVE to meet some of my readers! So, if you're going to be in New York for BEA week, consider coming by for one or all of our events. (note I will not be at the first 2k12 event). Some of my classmates will also be at the Teen Author Carnival, more than 20 Apocalypsies will be at BEA! 

So, seriously, if you're in New York, get your ass to one of our events! We'd love to meet you. And did I mention prizes?
Friday Scribbles:
Random iPod shuffle song of the week:

Book of the Week: Still reading The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges, and can I just say, Katerina is in some deep shit.
Netflix of the Week: Friday Night Lights. Watched the First Episode. Love me some football.
Quote of the week: Okay, normally I would not quote Oprah, because honestly, I'm not a big fan. Please don't get on me for that, it's just an opinion. But, I wanted a quote that projected how I feel about being among other writers, and well, here it is: "Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher." ~Oprah Winfrey Happy Friday ya'll.  See you in NY.

Shit Storm Averted

So yesterday I was a little stressed. I didn't mention why, but I guess I will now. I'm going to make a short story long to give you some back story.

So, Thing Two is very musically talented. She's been picking out stuff on the piano and guitar for eons, but she also wanted to take voice, so I put her in music lessons for guitar and voice.

Her music teacher had been working with her, then a couple months into her lessons she came home from practice one day and said, Vinny's band (her cousin, yeah, I know, "her cousin Vinny") needed a bass player and could I take her to buy a bass.

Me: you know how to play bass?
Her: Scott's (music teacher) teaching me. We have a gig in a month.

O.o

So we go to the pawn shop and buy a bass. One month later, Thing Two is playing her first gig. And she's good. She also sang a song in that first gig, and she's very shy, so I was very proud of her.

And she's come home since from lessons having played drums, and saying her teacher is going to teach her cello.

Again, O.o. I'm sure she can learn it because she's played the viola. Right? *cough*

So, anyway, to make a long story even longer, she had another gig last night, planned for at least a couple months.

In a parallel universe, okay, in mine, but it seems like a parallel one, I know at some point she has a choir concert coming up because she tried out for a solo and she got this singing part with two other girls that she was excited about. She loves choir, only class she's been getting an A in all year, yadda yadda yadda...

So day before rock gig, she tells me choir concert is the same night. O.o.

Okay, in theory if I was June Cleaver, I'd have known this. But I'm not JC, I'm JFC which stands for June Fucking Cleaver which is this day and ages June Cleaver which means I'm a kick ass mom that's too unorganized to be JC but is awesome in her own right. *cough*

I also forgot about that solo thingy.

And Thing Two is freaking out because said choir concert is a major part of her grade.

So I say screw it. I've paid for lessons, the band can't go on without her, the choir can. I write her teacher, explain that she's doing a music thing can she be lenient with the grade.

I get a call back immediately. And when I say immediately, I mean now.

Rachel is an integral part of the soprano section.

Choreography will need to be changed (really? choreography? I had no idea choreography would be involved).

Teacher is very disappointed.

Her grade would go from an A to a B-.

WHAT TIME IS IT? XANAX TIME! YAY TEAM!

Teacher is freaking out. Mom is freaking out. Thing Two is freaking out. Mom calls Dad and alerts him of the situation.

What time is the choir concert? What time is she supposed to go on at the gig? When during the concert is her solo thingy?  What is music lesson guy's phone number?

I DON'T KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to hand it to the guy. I dealt with teacher, went to the club to save seats for a bajillion people including him, grandparents, aunts, uncles, other family, friends, he contacted music teacher, took Thing Two to her concert, which we found out was from 6:30 to 7:00 (though teacher kept them ten minutes late >:( shame on her). Then her rushed her to Jazzbones for her gig. She got there in plenty of time.

Teacher was happy. Thing Two was happy. Mom was happy (once they'd finally shown up because Grandparent One and Two were driving her nuts about when is she going to get here? is she on her way? where is she? to the point where I almost had to tell my own parents to shut up, which I would never do *cough*)

And the shows went on.

Here's to dad for saving the day. Here's to my BF for keeping me off the ledge (and the drink called the white gummy bear).

Happy Thursday everyone. Rock on.

I was going to blog about the Zombie Apocalypse but...

...then chaos struck again. Why is it when you feel like you finally get your shit together another crap storm hits?

Megan needs a xanax.

So yesterday was a great day. I got up early. Did crunches. Blogged. Caught up on email, Facebook and other crap. Was productive at work. Ran the kids around. Wrote. Walked. Grocery shopped. Watered plants. Folded laundry. Read. Had insomnia so wrote some more.

Aside from the insomnia, a good day.

Today, worlds collide. And it sucks.

That's all I'm saying about that. Need to let go and breathe.

Monkey Madness Monday: Fresh Starts

How many fresh starts are we allowed in life anyway? Do you think we should be limited? I feel like I'm always starting over on something, mostly being healthy and happy in life.

Is it possible to sabotage our own health and happiness in favor of creativity? Sometimes I wonder if I do this to myself. I know that sounds horrible, but I think I may fear that if I let myself be utterly and completely happy I will use that edge that allows me to write the way I do.

The BF said maybe if I let go of that I'll be free to become an even better writer. What if he's wrong? What if I become completely blissful and I can't write another word? I'm already struggling with poetry. I have this crazy idea, which I'm keeping to myself at the moment, but involves poetry, but I'm not sure I'll be able to do it because I've not written a poem in...let's just say...awhile.  And don't get me wrong. I'm happy, but I keep that little bit of angst that give me an edge, teetering on madness, in my opinion, in a good way. lol. And really, I'd have to change the name of my blog, right? :)

Regardless of all that, I'm heading for a fresh start health wise. I ran yesterday. Something I hadn't done in a couple weeks, and while I wasn't really starting at square one, it was like two or three, so I have some work to do. And I eat well during the day and at dinner I fail. SO for this girl only good stuff. Fruit, veggies, poultry, fish, probiotics. Yep.

I think though, the bliss can wait for now.

F³A: Why I like school visits

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School visits for me is one of the most rewarding things about being an author, and right now, I don't even get paid for it. Then why you ask? Why do I love school visits so much?
(to the left, Danny Marks, me, Marissa Meyer, J Anderson Coats, and Jennifer Shaw Wolf at North Thurston High School)
I like to connect with teens. They are who I write for. I like to know what they're reading, what kind of books they'd like to see on the shelves in the future.I like to make teens laugh. I sometimes worry that they won't laugh in the right places of my presentation, but they always do.I like to shoot SWAG at them. They love SWAG and it engages them and gets them to ask question they may be timid to ask if they know they'll get something for it. Yes, I'm bribing them, sue me.I enjoy telling them that in this age of technology, word of mouth is still the best form of publicity for an author, and if they like a book, they should tell someone. This always surprises them. Mostly, I like to encourage and inspire kids to pick up a book and read, whether it's my book or one of the books I mention in my presentation (I mention a lot of books, it's not just me me me). I feel like when I leave, kids are excited about reading. Even if just one more kid picks up a book that normally wouldn't I've done my job.If you know of a school that would like a guest speaker, doesn't matter where it is, Skype is a beautiful thing, I love talking to the students about reading.

I encourage all authors to do school visits. If you're nervous, climb out of your comfort zone. I was terrified at my first visit, but once I started talking, I was fine. And I feel that I get better and better with each one. Or, if you have other authors in your area, do a group presentation, I've done that too and it's great fun!

Okay, time for the Friday Scribbles.

Random Pandora Song (Nirvana Radio):


Book of the Week: May B. by Caroline Starr Rose. Terrifying and wonderful. A story about a young pioneer girl with dyslexia trapped in a cabin alone for months, including during a winter storm.

Redbox of the Week: The Vow. One of those heartrending movies. I love Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum, swoon.

Quote of the Week: “I bet if you look at the average teenager and the average adult, the average teenager has read more books in the last year than the average adult. Now of course the adult would be all like, 'I'm busy, I got a job, I got stuff to do.' WHATEVER! READ! I mean, you're watching CSI: Miami. Why would you be watching CSI: Miami, when you could be READING CSI: Miami, the novelization?”
― John Green

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Right?

Did you miss me?

Did you even notice I've been absent for a few days?

Megan who you ask?

I swear, I've been a scattered mess lately. I had a four school visit yesterday with some of my fellow Harbingers of Doom, Danny Marks, Jennifer Shaw Wolf, Marissa Meyer, and Jillian Anderson Coats. It was great fun, completely exhausting, and I had no idea what I was doing all day. I just let Danny drive me around and followed everyone.

I've got BEA coming up and feel so lost. Thank god I'm not planning it and double thank god for Lynda Mulally Hunt who is.

I'm doing a complete rewrite for Cheesy, aka An Unbalanced Line, some of you may remember this as my girl-who-wants-to-play-high-school-football boot from a few years ago. Yeah, well my editor likes the idea, but it needs a lot of work, like not even revisions, it needs to be rewritten. So I've been trying to do that.

One top add: two teenage girls with music, soccer, social events, a day job, continuing marketing on Never Eighteen, yard work, house work, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Okay, maybe not that last one.

I'd also like to get back to my vlog and doing video reviews.  (I miss my vlog and I'm sure my vlog fan, no that's not a typo, misses me)

What I need: I new driver, mine quit (college girl, internship, NY). Seriously, you may think I'm silly for having hired one, but she took a lot of pressure off of me. Well worth the money. I also could use a cleaning person, yard person, and personal assistant.

What I don't have: $ for all the above.

I could also use a deadline so I'm more motivated to finish rewrites.

Oh, and an agent. Did I mention I'm without one now?

This is what my life has become in the last couple of weeks. A ball of chaotic mess, which it normally is, but the ball got wound a little tighter and became a little bigger.

Maybe during the long weekend I can sort things out and get to fresh start number 7,948,849, but who's counting?

For the Love of Reading

In my busy world of working, marketing, writing, rewriting, Things One and Two, etc, etc, the one thing I abandoned was a good book.  Every year I tell myself, I'll read more, and I really don't. I think I read about 5-7 books last year. I'd like to read at least one a month, and that's pathetic I know, two a month would be better.

This year I'm up to four, which I suppose, isn't too far behind my goal, but still feels like it's not enough. I miss getting lost in a good book. I love the feeling of not wanting to put the book down, of can't waiting to pick it back up.

I finished a book Monday night, Velveteen by my friend Danny Marks. It felt so good to finish a book again. I picked another one up last night, Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay. I devoured that one in one sitting. I forgot how much I love to read, and of all things in my life to push aside in favor of others, reading should not be one of them. It's one of the only things I do for me.

Lately, I've been feeling the need for a little escape--to forget about where I am, who I am. To forget or not care what time it is. To travel to a place outside my own reality, be it Purgatory, New Hampshire, or Vietnam (one of the books I read this year was Inside Out and Back Again , by Thanhaa Lai).

I am going to read more this year. I'm up to four books. I'm starting another one today. I'm not going to push aside my means of escape, my free therapy, my only thing for me, anymore.