Friday, July 23, 2010

Thriller Tour-Final Leg of the Tour

After a spell of getting to go home and spend time with our families, we headed to NJ and NYC. Our escorts, Haverly and Karen, were "wunnerful" to us. :) Some highlights of this leg of the journey:

1)NEVER book a flight where the connection window is only 30 minutes. Sitting in Detroit airport is NOT fun. Arguing with Delta counters until I got booked on the next flight to NY can relieve stress. For me.

2) Friends don't let friend eat Chinese in a mall food court. Trust us on this one.

3) We had the distinct pleasure of having a cabbie who...um...well...how do I say this? Hmmm.... nevermind, I'll just leave that one alone. But gee, thanks to Tosca and Brandilyn for just sitting in the backseat and laughing at me. With friends like that...

4) Traffic. NYC. Need I say more?

5) Learned a lot about our own personalities...and each others'. Yeah, try making me sit and do nothing and see how that works out for you. Just sayin'....

6) Karen saying..."Tosca, tell your sisters a story." (Note...did anyone else realize both Brandilyn and myself are clausto and were in a cab? Going to NJ. Through a tunnel. Where walls can close in?)

Here are some interesting photos to share from this part of the tour. Stay tuned for a final post wrap-up coming soon!

With Haverly @ mall food court
NJ Signing
THE TUNNEL--Don't look, Brandilyn!
In cab with Haverly...not the cab where the driver, uh, yeah...
NYC

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Thriller Tour-Part 3--Getting On the Plane

Be afraid...be very afraid. Four authors, on a plane to Philly, without an escort!


Ah, so we said farewell to fair St. Louis and headed to Philadelphia. Now, we had an escort waiting in Philly--B&H assistant, Haverly Robbe, but we four had to make it on the plane together...through the airport...picking up the rental vehicle...and driving all the way to York, PA for our first stop. Highlights of this leg of the journey are:

1) Jim STILL with his sign. In the airport. Waiting for the rental. On the drive. In the hotels. Sigh. Jim and his sign--a match made in heaven.

2) Tosca can NOT drive when she's tired. Or hungry. Or distracted. Or...um...you get the idea. Do NOT ask me about the median. I'll tell on Tos, I really will.

3) We're hating on Brandilyn Collins...why? Because we showed up for one of the signings and she had FANS WAITING ON HER! And she autographed a Kindle. I've never been asked to autograph a kindle. Tosca and Jim both said they'd never either. Yep, gotta hate on Brandilyn. :)

4) Staying up WAY TOO LATE so that Jim could finish his edits...Tosca could finish her edits...and Robin could write a scene. Even though Tosca did have to help Jim push the SEND button. Just sayin'

5) Haverly is entirely too cute. Seriously. I think Tosca and I decided to hate on her, too. Cuz she's cute. And sweet. Yep, gotta hate on Haverly. :)

6) NUMEROUS times my fellow authors (bless their hearts) tried to feed me seafood. Hmmm..they all know I'm highly allergic. You know, maybe they were tryin' to take me out and just play innocent about it. Now that I think about it...

7) Thriller dance in the car while following Haverly who wondered what we were doing that was slowing us down. And finishing said thriller dance outside of PF Chang's. LOL There is a video. Some things you just take to your grave.

8) Brainstorming on the drive from Baltimore back to Philly to get into the hotel because SOME of us had to leave the hotel at FIVE in the morning to get to the airport for our departing flight.

Here are some photos to share. That I can. Ones that won't cause "The Great Ones" to take me out. These people know how to hide bodies, folks.

Jim's sign-we all finally gave in to the sign
Out to eat @ PF Chang's-and Haverly is too cute.
Tosca driving--RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
Hatin' on 'em both...just sayin' :)
Exhausted after a long day of signing our names..over and over and over again
Tosca NOT driving. See why we let her drive?
Eating
At a restaurant again. Yes, it IS always about the food
Too cute for words. Gotta luv these ladies.


Stay tuned for the next part-NJ and NY--then the final wrap-up coming over the weekend.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Thriller Tour Part 2--ICRS

I LOVED ICRS. Here's some of my highlight reel:
1) My "handler" dumped me TWICE for Ted Dekker....(she STILL owes me a DP for that)...thank you RONIE for stepping in! :)

2) Karen Ball is awesome during a signing. (could be that whole she's-also-a-best-selling-author thing)

3) Ed Barber ROCKS!

4) Brandilyn knows nothing about baseball

5) Tosca can eat two meals (whole meals, folks, not just snacking) within an hour of each time

6) Brad Waggoner and his wife Patti are awesome!

7) Karen Ball: "What was that white thing?" Julie Gwinn: "The baseball." LOL--don't even try to figure it out

8) Jim Rubart's so good, he skipped the game to work on edits. (I secretly think he was just doing his hair, but whatever)

9) Julie Gwinn never got us lost

10) The Christys and Tyson & Jeane Wynn....awesome...need I say more?

11) Me, Tosca & Susie Mae Warren with our agent, the amazing Steve Laube. But, uh, what WAS he thinking? **Note to all: not to worry...I took the knife away from Tosca

12) Steve: Thanks for the memories...hp!

13) Jim busting Steve on his rejection! LOL

14) Jim and his sign...that he took everywhere!

Here are some pics of this part of the tour. Stay tuned for part 3!

Our Christy table
See, Ted in our booth!
Ed Barber
Me & Julie @ the Cards game
Jim & his sign
With agent Steve Laube
WOOHOO-my bud, Ronie, signing
Jim signing
No explanation. At all.
Baseball game

Jim "confronting" Steve on his rejection of Jim's ROOMS

Until next post...keep smiling!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Thriller tour. Part One

First stop on the thriller tour was St Louis and surrounding areas. Things I learned on this part of the tour:

1). Tyson and Jeane Wynn are very special. And they own the box. I am in awe of the box.

2). Karen Ball is awesome. Fun. And does beautiful calligraphy. Enough said.

3). Ted Drewes makes the BEST custard (ice cream).

4). Booksignings are great fun when with 3 other amazing authors.

5). Julie Gwinn is nothing short of amazing. Period

6). Jim's hair must be perfect before he will leave the hotel. Tosca...not so much.

7). Robin and Tosca are all about the food. All the time.

8). What does Brandilyn's sig look like? Stretched out slinky. Don't ask.

9). Cab drivers have GPS systems in their cabs in this city. Not so much in NYC (more about this in another part)

10). Brandilyn is the social one of the group-not texting or face booking like the rest of us

11). We couldn't figure out how to use the elevator to get to another floor. Lol that one's for Tosca...don't ask. Lol

Here are some photos from the first leg of the tour. Stay tuned for part two...icrs

YUMMY custard!
THE BOX
Tosca food
Tosca food--AGAIN...told you it was all about the food with me & Tosca!

Julie Gwinn & Tyson Wynn
Tosca and food again! What'd I tell ya?
Jim & Brandilyn @ signing
Amazing Jeane Wynn