Top Ten Best Things About My Trip to NYC

I went to NYC on Tuesday with the plan to travel to Madison, CT that night with my publicist to attend a book event at RJ Julia’s. But alas, Mother Nature had other plans and threw a huge snow storm at us. The event has been moved to February 2, 7 pm. So, no book event in CT or NYC, but I had a great time! Here are the top ten highlights:

10. The FOOD. Oh my, the FOOD. Especially memorable–the lobster sandwich at Oceans.

9. NYC Firemen. On my first night, when I should’ve been at RJ Julia’s, there was an electrical fire and people were trapped in an elevator in my hotel. I was “trapped” in the lobby for about two hours, watching the firemen. They were all in full gear, looking larger than life, wielding hatchets and long metal poles (I assume for extracting the people from the elevator; I was so grateful to be trapped only in the lobby!). It was quite an exciting, if inconvenient, scene. My 3 year old son would’ve loved it.

8. Hearing my name and Snooky mentioned in the same sentence. It turns out Snooky has a book out now, too, and we’re both published by Gallery at Simon & Schuster. So my publicist kept talking about us, in the same breath. I’m still cracking up thinking about it. Who knew we had anything in common? (Although, my hair in the 80’s was something to see…)

7. Seeing this display in the lobby of 1230 Avenue of the Americas:

(sorry, can’t get photo to download onto my ipad–need tech support, aka husband. Check back on Monday)

6. The Champagne Toast. The many people at Gallery who helped bring LEFT NEGLECTED into the world gathered together yesterday with me and toasted to the book! I’m so lucky to have such a talented and devoted team behind this novel.

5. Watching the emotional response to my description of the next book, LOVE ANTHONY, after the toast. I’m on the right track!

4. Hearing that LEFT NEGLECTED debuted at #23 on the New York Times Bestseller list for hardcover fiction!

3. Hearing that LEFT NEGLECTED debuted at #5 in Canada!

2. A lovely dinner with my even lovelier agent.

1. No diapers.