Brandon Stanton's Blog, page 453

"I’ve been working on a fantasy novel since the eighth...

"I’ve been working on a fantasy novel since the eighth grade. I’ve got about one thousand pages so far. I’m just missing the beginning."

“What’s it about?”

“Lots of fighting. In space.”

"I’ve put in a lot of years behind prison walls. You get...

"I’ve put in a lot of years behind prison walls. You get used to things when you’re in there. You get comfortable with people telling you what to do, when to get up, when to go to sleep. And when you get out, you don’t really know what to do with your freedom. They might not admit it, but most guys who come out are looking for a way back in."

"This is her first snow. Up until two months ago, we were living...

"This is her first snow. Up until two months ago, we were living on a beach in Thailand."

"I’m looking for some action."“What kind of...

"I’m looking for some action."

“What kind of action?”

“Any kind of action.”

"If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of...

"If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be?"

“I don’t think I should be advising anyone.”

“Ok, well if you could give one piece of advice to yourself at the age of eighteen, what would it be?”

“Stay sober.”

“Were you able to stay sober?”

“Not terribly well.”

“How would your life have been different if you had?”

“Not sure how different it would have been. But I’d have been a lot more at peace with myself along the way.”

"I was born in China, but grew up in New Zealand."“City...

"I was born in China, but grew up in New Zealand."

“City New Zealand or hobbit New Zealand?”

“… hobbit New Zealand.”

Look at this two-headed mutant I found on Park Avenue.

Look at this two-headed mutant I found on Park Avenue.

"I work at a yarn store."

"I work at a yarn store."

Seen in Central Park

Seen in Central Park

I’m going to be signing books tomorrow evening at the...

I’m going to be signing books tomorrow evening at the Upper East Side Barnes and Noble on 86th Street, from 6pm to 9pm. (No speeches or anything, just a casual, run-of-the-mill signing.)

I know it’s last minute, but I made the decision rather impulsively because the manager Will made me a sign, and I was quite touched. The negotiations went something like this:

"Wow! A sign!"

“Will you do an event here?”

“Sure!”

So here’s Will and the sign he made. After I took his photo, Will asked me if I was going to include the fact that he used to work as a callboy.

“You were a callboy?” I asked.

“Of course not,” he replied. “I give that shit away for free.”