A bit about the Writers Lunch
We had been up to 17 people at one point, so when I realized it was only going to be 10 people I felt a little disappointed. I worried it wouldn't feel like much of a thing. Turns out, ten is a lot of people. And it's hard to talk to all of them when you're at a long table and the restaurant is busy and noisy and you can't hear a word anyone is saying who is sitting more than one seat away. So, in brief, 10 people was just fine.
I sat next to volleypop who had brought "show and tell." Her picture book had just come out as a board book and she also had an article in Baby Bug. Everything was passed around the table and everyone shared in the excitement. She also talked a little about the pb she just sold. And she mentioned the series of books she is working on with bluemalibu. Della said to me, "Oh, you know Meg" and I said, "Oh, sure" because of course any self respecting LJ user does!
The best part was how excited everyone seemed to be to meet each other. When D. walked in we all recognized her from her avatar. "Oh, look, it's D! Oh, she's even prettier in person." Just like you would upon seeing any celebrity.
Everyone talked a little about what they write, how long they've been writing, etc. People wanted to hear a little about my getting an agent. Oh, yeah, I was the one who had just gotten an agent. How weird was that? Very weird I tell you. So I told a little about that lunch and staring at the cubby mail boxes while visiting the agency and other somewhat embarrassing ramblings.
The best story of the day came from S. who it turns out also just got an agent this week. (I was pleased as punch to have some of the focus off of me). The youngest member of our group described her phone conversations with an agent who wanted to sign her based on her first chapter. She called him and told him, "No. I'll only sign with you if you read the whole book, love it, and think you can sell it." Well, she told him. And she signed the contract a few days ago.
AFter lunch we walked to Bank Street Bookstore and enjoyed browsing around. The NF section is upstairs where a lot of people never even bother to go. I could hang out there all day. There are books you will never find in the average B&N. A seperate section for history, biography, science, etc. Shelves upon shelves, almost too delightful to contemplate.
Everyone else seemed ready to go so we tried to find somewhere for coffee and dessert. This is when we found out that everyone around Columbia University enjoys going out for coffee and dessert on a Saturday afternoon. Two bakeries, a Starbucks and a juice bar or two later--no luck. Did I mention we were ten people?
We walked and walked and finally found a different French restaurant that could accomodate us. This gave us a chance to sit and talk with some of the people who had been on the other side of the table at lunch. I learned a lot from B. about the double difficulties of finding both an art director and editor who likes your stuff when you are an author/illustrator.
I admit I went for the chocolate crepe although I was still stuffed from lunch. How do the French stay so thin?
The four hours really did fly by. I'm still looking for a writers group, still hoping to make some more writer friends close to home. This lunch certainly made it feel possible.
I sat next to volleypop who had brought "show and tell." Her picture book had just come out as a board book and she also had an article in Baby Bug. Everything was passed around the table and everyone shared in the excitement. She also talked a little about the pb she just sold. And she mentioned the series of books she is working on with bluemalibu. Della said to me, "Oh, you know Meg" and I said, "Oh, sure" because of course any self respecting LJ user does!
The best part was how excited everyone seemed to be to meet each other. When D. walked in we all recognized her from her avatar. "Oh, look, it's D! Oh, she's even prettier in person." Just like you would upon seeing any celebrity.
Everyone talked a little about what they write, how long they've been writing, etc. People wanted to hear a little about my getting an agent. Oh, yeah, I was the one who had just gotten an agent. How weird was that? Very weird I tell you. So I told a little about that lunch and staring at the cubby mail boxes while visiting the agency and other somewhat embarrassing ramblings.
The best story of the day came from S. who it turns out also just got an agent this week. (I was pleased as punch to have some of the focus off of me). The youngest member of our group described her phone conversations with an agent who wanted to sign her based on her first chapter. She called him and told him, "No. I'll only sign with you if you read the whole book, love it, and think you can sell it." Well, she told him. And she signed the contract a few days ago.
AFter lunch we walked to Bank Street Bookstore and enjoyed browsing around. The NF section is upstairs where a lot of people never even bother to go. I could hang out there all day. There are books you will never find in the average B&N. A seperate section for history, biography, science, etc. Shelves upon shelves, almost too delightful to contemplate.
Everyone else seemed ready to go so we tried to find somewhere for coffee and dessert. This is when we found out that everyone around Columbia University enjoys going out for coffee and dessert on a Saturday afternoon. Two bakeries, a Starbucks and a juice bar or two later--no luck. Did I mention we were ten people?
We walked and walked and finally found a different French restaurant that could accomodate us. This gave us a chance to sit and talk with some of the people who had been on the other side of the table at lunch. I learned a lot from B. about the double difficulties of finding both an art director and editor who likes your stuff when you are an author/illustrator.
I admit I went for the chocolate crepe although I was still stuffed from lunch. How do the French stay so thin?
The four hours really did fly by. I'm still looking for a writers group, still hoping to make some more writer friends close to home. This lunch certainly made it feel possible.