In which I went to New York and visited my editor and agent

So. It finally happened. This past Friday I went to New York and, as the title of this post suggests, met my editor and agent. Let’s discuss that in detail, shall we? With pictures?

Because I am one of excellent foresight and planning abilities, I had to be up before 4 a.m. on Friday to make my flight, so that when I got off the plane at Laguardia at 1130, I was left with exactly one hour to get to my meeting with my editor, Wendy. This ensured that I was tired, red-eyed, unfresh, and basically looked like a stoner to meet everyone at Random House for the first time on top of being nervous as heck. 

Here’s a shot of me in the lobby, looking awkward. 

And another of the amazing bookshelf in the lobby, which has first prints of some of their books. The faded copy of Pipi Longstocking made my heart smile. 

So after I’d shown my I.D. and it was checked against an appointment book, and after the receptionist called up to Wendy's office to say I was there, I was admitted inside. I felt important.

Did I mention I was nervous? Well, I shouldn't have been. Wendy was completely warm, friendly, upbeat, chatty, and fun, and it didn't take long before I almost didn't feel like hyperventilating. Here's us! 

Wendy gave me a tour of the children’s floor, then when she went to the bathroom I took creepy stalkerish pictures inside her office. Here’s the view out of her window. 

And if you look closely, you can see HEXED sitting on her shelf!

So then we walked to this amazing Italian restaurant nearby, and I tried not to look like a girl from small town Ontario, in New York for the first time and amazed and overwhelmed at everything (OMG LOOK! PIGEONS! PEOPLE ARE HAILING TAXIS LIKE IN THE MOOOOVIES!).

After that we went back to RH and I got to meet with various heads of various departments, which made my palms all sweaty.  But everything went really well and everyone I met was so completely friendly and really excited about HEXED. Basically what happened was that my ego became inflated and now I can barely fit through doorways because my head is so huge.

In all, it was an amazing and completely unforgettable experience. I love Random House and everyone who works there like whoa.

Saturday night my sister and friend joined me to meet my agent, Adriann, for drinks. We met her at this amazing hotel bar and were the three of us dressed totally not right while Adriann was effortlessly cool NY, but whatevs. We had a great time and chatted about everything from my book, to my friend Barb’s weird elf fetish, to eating disorders, to gang activity in Phoenix. It was great! I left there feeling like I couldn’t have landed a more perfect agent (Also: I left there drunk). I can’t believe I didn’t think to take a picture with Adriann. I almost want to go back to NY just for that.

Other things that happened on the trip: went to see Wicked on Broadway, checked out the Brooklyn bridge, shopped, ate food, and went clubbing in Chelsea.

Things that did not happen on the trip: sleep.