New York, Part 3

Right, we'd got as far as Friday. So, I arrive at it's the size of Earl's Court and then some. Seriously overwhelming. There's Neil Gaiman! There's China Meiville! Meg Cabot! Julie Andrews! Holly Black! and so on and so forth. There are thousands of authors signing, including Ollie North apparently.
People are gathering trolley-loads of free books and I do my bit too. Ari's on a panel talking about the 'buzz' YA books for this Fall and she does a fantastic job bigging me up intime for my afternoon signing session. I'm terribly concerned I'll be sitting there for a very lonely hour....but no!
There's a person in the queue. Then another, they bring their friends and soon enough I an signing. Lots said they'd come because of the editor's talk and frankly, it's another free book so what the hell. But to all of you who came, for whatever reason, I THANK YOU!
Leave the desk on a total high.
Totally crash a few hours later and a dinner and silent auction. Start wondering around in a bit of a haze and doing the usual party bit, looking for people I know.
Saturday is me up on stage and I don't fumble my lines too much. I'm on a YA panel and there's an unseemly scrabble for the one working mike. Slightly shoot myself in the foot when I talk about why the YA genre shouldn't exist. I blame delayed jet-lag.
Sunday I fly home, no problems with immigration this time. Sleep for hours and hours and hours.

Russia, Rewrites and Research

I've started the rewrites on THE DARK GODDESS. The book's going to be different, that's for sure.
DK was set in London, my hometown. I had the luxury to visit all the sites, hang out and soak up the atmosphere. Chapter 1 opens with the aerial mast of Crystal Palace because I see it every day. It paid off and London seems real and works well in the book.
TDG is set in Russia. I've read up on it, worked through a few guide books but what's coming back is the story doesn't live the way DK does. Moscow must be a real as London and right now it isn't. I've grabbed a few more books and will studiously work through them. But it's not enough.
So, come July I'm heading out there. Haven't booked the tickets yet but have more or less fixed the dates. All for the sake of research. It could be there are those of you who can make a fantasy world live totally from your imagination and with no map or trips involved. Not me. That's probably why I could never right 'straight' fantasy. If you're in that field, you have my total respect!
The picture above are three Bogatyrs, Russian knights shown to protect the Motherland. I've a few of them in my book. I've added Baba Yaga, her werewolf followers, a big battle in Moscow and a lot of trauma in St. Petersburg and a blood-soaked climax in Chernobyl. If you thought the end of DK was desperate you've not read anything yet.
Writing is about going all out. You can't be half-hearted about it. I suppose I could manage to write the story without going out there, but then it wouldn't be the best story I could write. I'd have sold myself short and sold the reader a half-hearted tale. It's a waste of my time and certainly a betrayal of yours. It all falls under the 'Contract with the Reader' clause.
Still, a trip to Russia, that doesn't sound like a hardship! Just need to make sure I pack my lead-lined underwear before I go to Chernobyl...

New York, Part 2 and COMPETITION!

Okay, where were we? Yes, Homeland Security. So, eventually dropped off at Essex House. C'est magnifique! Chandeliers, marble lobby, porters and, OMG, a view over Central Park!
I'm so overcome with excitement I fall asleep.
Thursday morning it all kicks off with a video interview. I fumble my lines, sweat profusely under the glaring lamps and forget everything I know about my book. The camera man is momentarily blinded by the light off my bald patch. With much patience something is cobbled together. Apparently it'll be appearing at the Disney Parks. Be afraid, very afraid. Lunch is with my editor of awesomeness, Ari. I meet the gang and Disney Hyperion and start embellishing my tale of detainment. There may be a book in this at some point. Everyone is apologetic on behalf of their government so I decide not to blame all of America. The view is suicidally high (but truly amazing) from their offices and their windows a health and safety nightmare. We go for a legendary publsiher lunch and the steak keeps me full for the rest of the week.
Dinner is a BBQ and I'm stuffed after the starters, and with trousers straining I'm forced up onto the stage amongst Times bestsellers (hiya Cinda!) and wards winners (hiya Mo!) and basically surrounded by extraordinary talent. I manage my five minutes without tears, swearing (much) and a great big thank you to Immigration for inspiring my next project: 100 Days in Gauntanamo.
So bloated now I need a bellywheel I'm taken back to the hotel and stay up all night due to overexcitement. I watch 'Blades of Glory'.
Right, Friday is the BEA and that'll be part of my next blog. One of the key things about the BEA is the freebies, namely books and books and more books. I have City, the new one by China Meiville. Fire, the prequel to Graceling. Maze Runner, Airhead, Ink Exchange, Demon King, etc. THEY ARE YOURS! Some are signed, some aren't. Some are out, others you won't see on the shelves for quite some time yet, so this is your chance to get in way early. Some I will read first then post (I'm make sure I don't bend the spine too much).
Just email me at info(at)sarwatchadda(dot)com with your address and I will randomly pick one out of the crate and send it to you. Can't say fairer than that, can I? I will post to foreign lands, within reason. Once posted I'll delete your address, obviously.
For those who've had advanced warning via the newsletter, I'm sorry but I gave Catching Fire away already! I know it was the one EVERYONE wanted, but it went to a worthy cause, if that's any comfort. Also, don't enter twice. One book per person the judge's decision is final, blah blah.

New York, Part 1

Just back from my first trip to New York, courtesy of Disney-Hyperion, my US publishers.
So much has happened at the Book Expo America that I'll be dividing it up over a few blogs, with a competition at the end, depending on when my crate arrives, so bear with me for that.
However, this blog is not directly concerned with with the BEA, but with my encounter with Homeland Security...
Anyway, after a grueling eight hour flight where I passed the time watching the last two Harry Potter movies I was quite looking forward to going to my hotel and having a sleep, then maybe explore Manhattan a bit and maybe find a cinema showing Terminator: Salvation. Picture this scene...
Lady at Passport Control: Passport please.
Me: Here you go.
LaPC: What's the purpose of your visit? Business or pleasure?
Me: Business. I'm a children's author and my publisher, DISNEY, has invited me here.
LaPC: Not good enough. You look highly suspect and I think are a danger to the security of the free world. Escort! (okay, she didn't really say that but what followed next led me to believe she was thinking it REALLY hard).
Enter man with a gun.
MwaG: Follow me and don't make any sudden moves.
Me:Errr...
What follows next is me waiting anxiously in a large empty hall surrounded with many more Men with Guns. I decide to act calm and natural. I get out a book to read. It has an exploding airplane on the front cover (see above). With horror I realise I have underlined paragraphs (I always do that with Cussler books since he's been a big influence on my style). I slowly slip the book back in my bag.
Eventually a Woman with a Gun turns up.
WwaG: Purpose of visit?
Me: My publisher, DISNEY, you know DISNEY? Like, the most patriotic employer in America? They'll vouch for me, honestly! Please don't imprison me! (Okay, I didn't actually say that, but was thinking it REALLY hard).
WwaG: Have you traveled to any of the following countries? Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, Sudan?
Me: Er...yes?
WmaG looks at me like she's sizing me up for a jump suit. I try and explain I look really awful in orange. MwaG starts checking the latest weather at Gauntanamo. I'm starting to feel quite flustered.
WwaG: Do you have any relatives in the US?
Me: Er...yes?
WwaG: Now this relative wouldn't be the one who recently had dinner with the President of Iran?
Me: Er...yes?
WwaG concludes I'm probably a Large in jump suits. They're now checking for the next flight to Cuba. Seriously, orange isn't good for me. Doesn't that count for something?
Eventually I name-drop the entire Disney Hyperion staff list in my increasingly desperate attempt to persuade WwaG I am legit. So, if at some point in the future their offices should be raided by a SEAL team, I apologise now in advance. The WwaG takes down a lot of details, then smiles and bids me "Have a nice day". I am ridiculously grateful. I'm only stopped once more before finally leaving the airport to discover the chauffeur has called the publishers telling them I was a 'no show' so they think I've missed my flight. Phonecalls are flying back and forth across the Atlantic to find out where the hell I am.
I have been in the US two hours.
There's more on the following:
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/87052-british-author-detained-on-way-to-bea.html