Today is my birthday.
Woke up and it was sunny and about 55 degrees and I said, “Oh yeah, baby.” The universe, she is good.
The husband, boy, and I went to have brunch in the city. We tried to go to The Clinton Baking Shop on the Lower East Side, but it was slammed with an hour wait, and I can wait for a lot of things, but food isn’t one of them. So we went to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in the West Village, and I was made enormously happy by cheese grits and biscuits on steroids (size of a toddler’s head!) and lots and lots of coffee. Comfort food. Food you can caulk your insides with. Food that hours later, you’ll still be going, “No, man, I’m good. Please don’t say the word ‘food’ to me anymore, please?”
I used to go to Cowgirl all the time when I first moved to NYC and worked at Penguin publishing down the street. It was that little touch of Texas in the big city. Lots of nice memories. After brunch, we did what I love to do probably more than just about anything else outside of daydreaming–we wandered. No agenda. No destination in mind. Just walking the streets of New York, stopping in little places that looked interesting (a crafts store, Li-Lac Chocolates for fudge in case I change my mind about never being hungry ever again, Books of Wonder, Forbidden Planet for comics and some graphic novels. And then we splurged and took a cab ride home over the Brooklyn Bridge, and I was reminded of how much I love this city and spring and birthdays and wandering and being alive and having a past and being able to look behind me and see some of it through dirty cab windows.
And then I remembered how incredibly car sick I get in moving vehicles.
So I spent the rest of the cab ride with my head resting on the open window, begging the universe, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, the pavement, and any diety who might actually exist and want to help out, not to let me barf. And then my kid said, “Hey, Mommy, want some fudge?”
Moan.
I’m so jealous of people who don’t get motion sick. And people who can read in moving vehicles? Do not speak to me of them. (It bears mentioning that if someone said to me, “You can lose a limb forever or vomit once,” I’d answer, “Hold on, let me think about it…”)
I didn’t lose my bday breakfast, fortunately. We came home, and I read, “You born today” which seemed to be pretty hopeful, though I stopped placing stock in horoscopes after I found out I share a birthday with Rupert Murdoch and Antonin Scalia. AAAHHHHHHH!!!! Scary. Although, apparently, it’s also Douglas Adams’ bday today, and I will wholeheartedly claim him for my team. Well, he’s dead now, sadly, but I don’t care–he’s still on my bday team! We must fight the forces of bday evil, mwahahahahaha!!!!
On Thursday, I turned in the first 779 pages of THE SWEET FAR THING. I turned in another 140 pages on Friday. And I should turn in the last 100 pages tomorrow. So, basically, I’ve written the page equivalent of Bill Clinton’s MY LIFE. Ay yi yi. I see many cuts in my future. Many, many cuts. Also, I’m not sure that any of it makes sense, but hey, there’s atmosphere! Lots and lots of…atmosphere!
Oh, I won’t think about that today. Spring is in the air. I’m a whole year older. And there’s fudge in my kitchen.
I said I couldn’t eat it? I lied.
Happy spring.
Libba Bray 
Oh my god, she replied! Hahah, sorry…overwhelmed.
No, I’m not a music major (god, no. I played clarinet in junior high and that was it.) I’m hoping to major in Fashion Design there since their art school is great. Yup! I’m a Texan. Raised in Austin (represent!)although I’m Canadian as well and born in Montreal. And if I do end up going there, I want Denton tips definitely!!!
A friend of mine said you grew up in Denton with her mom as well. (I find connections really thrilling. :D)
It just means i enjoy the simple things in life, like zippers, and the slightly dirtier aspect of the name.
“Hmm, so now I need to take a left and BLEAAAHAHHHHAAAEEAAUUUGUHHH! Uhg… I uh.. I need to pull over…”
xD
I’m feeling much better now.
So on the off chance that you’ll read this, I’ll reply.
When I reminded my one friend about my birthday, she went out and bought me a box of Purdy’s chocolates. And we both know the effect chocolate has on us. Instead of a pedicure I made myself feel better by taking a bite out of every chocolate then putting it back in the tray, telling myself all the while that my mom would eat them. She has no problem eating half-eaten food of any kind. She hasn’t eaten them yet, but oh, she will. I used to have to hide my Easter candy from her. I’d leave it in the living room, go out to play, then come back in and it would be gone! I kid you not. Ahh, I love my mom.
I think it’s absolutely hilarious and ironic that you said you would take me out to tea, because I live in Victoria, which is supposedly the real New England of North America. Tea houses are very common here, so are double decker buses, and that British politeness that is courteous, but not what you would quite call friendly. I live down the street from two tea houses actually, and now that you mention it, I could go for a good scone and some homemade strawberry preserves. Just wondering, do you pronounce it scone or scawn? I’m personally a scawn kind of gal.
Just on a side note, I’m going to London in three weeks and I have you to thank for my obsession with the British. So thank you, as I think it as nice as an obsession can be, considering the British gave us clotted cream. Mmm, fattening.
Thanks for the virtual balloons! Even though the one popped right in my face…rubber flying at high velocities straight for your eyes is not pleasant Libba.
– Char
P.S. And yeah, I’m still the tubster. Proud of it baby! Mmm, brownies.
Poopy Pants
My mom calls me Poopy Pants. In public. In front of my friends…and hot boys.
She said to me the other day, “I should probably stop calling you that, shouldn’t I?” I told her I didn’t care. I did have extremely poopy pants as a youngster.
And my good friend calls his mother ‘Lady’. He sure loves her.
Green, for the luck of the Irish.
Re: Happy Birthday From A Devoted Reader
Hahahaha!!
I LOVE IT!
Oh god, they are like crack. I can see myself, lying there in the gutter, kicking and thrashing. “One more page!! Dear God, one more!”
Re: We share the same Birthday, I just wish mine was as good as yours
P.P.S. I have an ear infection. It huuuurts!! Oh Dear God, the pain! I just forgot that little tidbit. I got it from performing in Guys & Dolls all last week until 11 o’clock at night, every night. As a resident of New York, I’m sure you’ve seen Guys & Dolls, if not, you must. Marlon Brando was a gorgeous man. And his voice…it has a strange power over us womenfolk, you can’t resist the Brando!
Re: A Great and Terrible Beauty in Swedish
Thanks again! I did e-mail Barry Goldblatt and so you’ll get my addresses!
Lena
Well that is a must of course!
How would I sing Jailhouse rock around my cake otherwise?!
My name is Sarah F.
hello. this doesn’t have much to do with your last entry. but I’m a fan of your books 🙂 and i just wanted to let you know that pretty much all of my friends have read “a great and terrible beauty” and “rebel angel” and have loved it!! you should so come to Virginia beach on tour or w/e because i would love it if you signed my book and so would every other Virginian!!!! anyways i cant until Autumn for your next book!!!
reading in the car
Omg, I can’t believed you replied! You’re one of my favourite authors…of all time! I can’t wait for the next book…I’ve often read your books on long car journeys. but I’m afraid after an hour of it…I share the motion sickness feeling and tend to get a bit whoozy. But that’s only soemtimes…P.S- you’re the coolest!
Yes, it’s true. We are birthday twins. One last birthday hurrah tonight, and I’m done for the year (though unless I order cake tonight, I will not have had cake and might need to extend :o))
Re: =D
Yeah, it’s really hard to turn off my “inner critic,” especially because if being a full-time writer doesn’t work out for me, I want to be an editor.
Thanks for your help, and good luck with your book!
You’re very welcome =)
I’m in library school now, studying to be a teen librarian. I figured it would be a good way to work with teens and keep up with YA lit, and besides, it seems like it’d be a great job. I also work part time for gURL.com, and sometimes I write quizzes and things for them, which is good fun.
Oh, and I’ve realized that story I was writing doesn’t want to be set in the Elizabethan period after all. Right now I’m working with sometime in the 20th century, after the Victorian period but before personal computers, so we’ll see where that goes. In the meantime, I’ve been writing lots of backstory for some supporting characters who are currently my favorite people ever to write about. So that’s pretty much what’s up with me.
It shall, it shall. :]
Well, now I can feel completely and utterly AWESOME!
Points for Me:
– Calling you Libbs.
– Being named Lee.
Point for You:
-Being yourself.
-Cool Socks.
Dude. Scones served on comic book napkins sounds almost too unreal for words and it must be done! Union Sq. Park is not hard to get to at all for me at any time. So, this adventure might actually happen one day! Oh the glorification in obscene adventures is all too thrilling to put into words.
Aha! So continuing the fantasy sequence.
So as we arrive in Union Square Park. Now laughing raucously about how Bazooka Joe got lost somewhere, and I have re-read my napkin a total of 87 times since we got on the train. A random group of teenagers dressed up in a very Victorian style, similar to Gemma and the entourage, saunters past us. We automatically become entranced and dash over to 9th st quickly to the thrift shop to find clothes to wear. Once we spend a massively cheap amount of money to be somewhat Vintage Victorian we strut back to the Sq. Where in fact people have now stopped us to take pictures and ask if we are filming a movie. When meeting back up with that group we find out the most astounding thing….
mwahaha. Cliff hangers are good for the soul… ♥
Re: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
ok..i understand :]
was wondering if you would be intersted in seeing something i have written [not done yet] writing tips?
i absolutely positively adore douglas adams!!! you know, dr. seuss died on the exact day i was born. now that’s sad
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday, Libba. I really know how you feel about motion sickness…it’s the pits. But, it seems the book isn’t giving you to much trouble…hopefully. Praying for you that you don’t lose your quorkiness or craziness, whatever you call it… that we all have come to love with your journal entries.
And just and after thought, my mom’s birthday is on the same day as yours…
Happy Birthday:)
Oh Horror of Horrors!
I just finished a marathon reading session of Rebel Angels. Forgive me for having just read this, but I am an elementary school teacher and it is finally spring break. Anyhow, I’m halfway through it, not a clue who Circe truly is, when I find a small piece of paper slipped in between the pages I am currently reading, where the girls are with Miss Moore discussing anagrams. And on this piece of paper are scribbled “Hester Asa Moore” and each letter had been meticulously scribbled over and arranged over and over again, finally revealing, on this scribbled note, that the reader had discovered the true identity of Miss Moore! Oh, what a dreadful let down, to have the cat out of the bag before I’d discovered it myself! Oh, screams of horror!!!
Now, my true puzzle to solve, is shall I leave the paper slipped between the pages, or be a good little Girl Scout and remove it so as not to destroy the anticipation of the next reader? Felicity would leave the paper in place. Ann, of course, would destroy it.
What would you do?
A disgruntled fan who enjoyed the book tremendously
Re: Happy bday libba
Thanks, last thursday was the 3 week, the only problem is that we don’t live in the same state, but thank god he lives in new york (I live in vermont)-Jasmine
Just Wondering
Have you read Twilight and New Moon? I just finished both of them and I loved them and I think you should read them. But you’re my favorite author, no doubt in that. But just stopping by seeing how you were. Latterrrr.
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday!!! I love that you like to eat and love chocolate. If we were friends and lived close I know who I would call to go to lunch with. 🙂 I went to New York a year ago next month for the first time. I LOVED it. I loved wandering too. It was an amazing trip. I hope to go back soon. And I too get car sick and it sucks!! My kids love to go on the tea cups at Disneyland and when they get me on they aren’t allowed to spin the cups. Poor kids. :(Congrats on turning in so many pages!! Glad you had a great birthday!
Re: Just Wondering
I read Twilight and New Moon! You should check out my I Love Edward party blog!
Re: Just Wondering
Sorry that was my post about the blog. I didn’t realize I wasn’t signed in!
hello
Sorry this is late but happy velated birthday. My birthday was march 9. I think its cool that your birthday was near mine.
Excitement!
Hi, Libba! I just wanted to tell you that my theatre school, for our end of year perf. is doing The Seven Deadly Sins, and for Greed, I brought in the scene where Fee, Pip, and Ann kill the deer. My teacher and fellow classmates really liked it, and the casting went up today- I’m Gemma! Gemma is my dream role, and I am so happy to play her. Hopefully I can get some videos up.
I adapted the scene to script form and I actually left out the part where they kill the deer (as we obviously can’t actually kill a deer). But my teacher had the awesome idea that we all run offstage and come back with blood spatter all over us and a bloody rock in our hands. I’m so excited!
Re: whoops. sorry
it should totally be. i mean come on. have you ever tried it? its sooo much fun……..great way to procrastinate
Yuck, I agree
I have really bad motion sickness, so I feel for you and I know where you are coming from. Just reading billboards and whatnot tends to send me over the edge to the point where I have my head sticking out of the car window, taking gulps and gulps of that sweet fresh air. Or I have the a/c on, blowing in my face. And I am way envious of people who can read as well. Sometimes, being in a car is so boring, that all I want to do it read, but I can’t! Unless of course, I would like to puke all over my sweet little book….no thanks, I can wait until I get home. 😛