Appearances

UPCOMING APPEARANCES

Over the weekend of March 14, I had the chance to make a whirlwind trip to New York City to meet my new editor for BITTER ANGELS, and from there to go to Lunacon, an annual science fiction convention put on by the Lunarians, the New York Science Fiction Society.

Note: This trip report is currently under construction, and will be updated soon. Really. I promise.

Here’s some of what happened en route and afterwards:

Got up at OMG-WHAT-Was-I-Thinking a.m., got breakfast, loaded up the car, kissed the somewhat sleepy kid who was just getting up (Alexander has always gotten up REALLY early(, and headed out. Got to airport in good time, found parking spot, checked luggage, acquired coffee, found gate, boarded plane, took off on time and got into LaGuardia early.
Found taxi queue, dutifully queued, got taxi and when asked "Where are you going?" said "Bloomingdales." You see, due to last minute shuffling of stuff, I had a few hours to kill, so I decided to kill them in style.
And off we went, and we did fine until we actually hit Manhattan, and all progress slowed to a crawl. My cabbie told me Bush was in town, and so the traffic was REALLY BAD. When an NYC cabbie says that, you know this is unusual.
And I can report that the signs saying "No Honking $350 fine" are doing no good at all.
Anyway, Bloomingdales. I have never before been to a department store with a doorman, who was there to help me out of the cab, and with the suitcase. I have never been to a department store that was so...thoroughly staffed. The SECOND you look confused, somebody in a neat black jacket and name tag is there to say "Can I help you?" and as the place is REALLY HUGE and massively crowded, this is a Good Thing. I was led to the coat and package check, got my coat and suitcase checked, and found a very good cafe on the street level where very good chili and an accompaning popover was acquired.
And then, Dear Reader, I shopped. And shopped. And shopped a little more.   I didn't buy a lot (two tops and some make-up), but I did a whole lot of looking about. And when I got tired, I parked myself in the upstairs cafe, drank mineral water and wrote. V. Nice way to kill a few hours.
Then, reclaimed luggage and found the doorman to get some help acquiring a cab.   This led to a New York Moment. I swear this happened. Doorman grabs up my suitcase, steps into the street, and starts walking down the street, hailing the cabs as he goes. Picture the slightly bewildered Midwesterner on the curb.   "Ummm...hey...you're walking in traffic with my suitcase!"
And then, the cop car coming around the corner, and flashed lights at him, and he had to stop and talk to the cops, presumably about walking in traffic with my suitcase. I stood on the corner, trying to work out what was Appropriate Etiquette at this moment. However, a cab finally made it through the intersection, me and my suitcase got in it, and when I left, the duly tipped doorman was back in conversation with the cops, but I figured this was now his problem.
Cab got me to Ye New Publishers Offices, although also got me rather CLOSER to the other cars and trucks on the street that I would have liked. However, me and my suitcase arrived in one piece.
It was a good meeting. Ye New Editore has a good sense of humor and we seem to agree on a number of important points. I am most comfy and optomistic with my New Book Home.
After that, it was back into another cab (one I successfully hailed myself, I was so proud), and off to Grand Central Station. Right at the beginning of rush hour. On a Friday.
And it was, in fact, like Grand Central Station in there.
Found the ticket window, found the track, found the train was already there. Boarded same to head to Rye.
As happens at these things, fan gravity took over and all of us who were headed for Lunacon wound up clustered together on the platform debating the merits of waiting for the shuttle we'd all heard was supposed to be coming, or trying to get a taxi. We waited, picked up a stray fan, and indeed the shuttle bus from the hotel did show up and we piled in. Got to the hotel. Got checked in and started hunting for my room.
Now. I had heard about this hotel. This hotel, indeed is famed in song and story. This hotel is called the Escher Hilton. And it should be. I tried to be prepared. Really. I asked the desk clerk for directions, and I listened to them and repeated them, and set off bravely. I found the first staircase, and went up it. I found the first corridor and went down it...and after that it all got...strange. Fortunately, as I stood there wondering if I should have left a trail of breadcrumbs, a tall man in a top hat carrying a lighted staff saw my distress and guided me to the elevator.
Because this is a con and stuff like that just happens, and it's one of the reasons I like cons.
So, got to the room, got unpacked, had a little lie down (because as you will recall I'd been up since OMG-What-Was-I-Thinking-thirty in the morning), and then got changed for the dinner party to which I had been invited.
Susan Shwartz was giving a dinner party for a select company in the hotel's gourmet resteraunt. And It Was A Good Thing. The food was great. I had a Ceasar salad that came in a basket made of toasted parmasagne cheese, a fillet mingon that was like buttah, a bacon and potato hash that I actually thought had too much cheese in it, which is NOT something I ever thought I'd hear myself say.
I was at the table with the heavy-weight wine experts. As I don't drink, it was a glimpse into an alien culture for me, which is always fun. Old acquaintances were renewed, new friends were made. It was a long, leisurely luxurious meal.   And, I think I can safely say a Good Time Was Had By All.
And then I wandered the corridors for awhile, until the hotel consented to release me to the elevator (and no, it really is that bad. In this hotel, the fourth floor is connected directly to the seventh floor, and the only way you can tell you've made the transition is that the carpet changes color, and to get to the main lobby from the sixth floor, where I was staying, you have to first go up to the seventh floor, cross the transdimensional rift to the fourth floor and go down two flights of stairs, which ought to only take you to the second floor, but somehow gets you to the ground floor), and I fell into bed and didn't get up until the next morning.