Post-conference, Pre-Autumn

Well, I'm feeling very thankful. It's a gorgeous nearly-fall day, I have a beautiful latte in front of me (foam with well-crafted little bubbles and cinnamon); I have a very smart intern, a lot of fabulous work in the office to read, and I met some wonderful authors and agents at the conference this weekend. (One agent was wearing jeans and red Converse sneakers--I knew immediately that I'd like her.)

Every author was well-intentioned and, for the most part, well-behaved. There was just one teachable moment (ie, not advisable at your next conference): I was standing with a writer friend, and just after my panel, a man came up to me and, smirking, said, "Did you see your picture?" His face, bewhiskered and bemused, said everything: this was not going to be good. I flashed immediately to a moment in middle school, when the yearbooks were released with an awful candid picture of me and a girl kept yelling, HEY EVERYBODY! Turn to page 43!!!

Idon'twanttoseeit! I blurted. Nope! Not interested! So, how bout this conference? You like coffee? Good coffee, right? I love coffee. How bout them Yankees? Ooh, look at that, a book. A whole TABLE of books! Let's--

"It's both the worst and the most interesting picture," he continued. "See? See? It's off-center, all weird-like." He waved the program inches from my scrunched nose, close enough that I worried about paper cuts on my eye. "But it's like you know something, too," he said, and chuckled. Mona Lisa smile, er, that's me.

"Uh...thanks," I said.

Lesson for the day: do not make fun of an agent's picture. I think he was probably trying to be funny, to gently joke and set himself apart. Well...he did. But ideally your work will do that for you. Incidentally, I hate any and all pictures of myself--I'm one of those people who's always moving; I don't think stills are accurate--and have been known to dive behind couches, hide behind newspapers, and to threaten cameras with beverages/violence/sporting equipment. (None have actually been harmed, of course.) That in mind, I didn't think this picture was so bad.

He left and I flashed a, What! What was that?! look at my friend, who mirrored it with big eyes and amazed gestures. We then heartily agreed that we should blow that popsicle stand (er, 40-story hotel Mariott Marquis, complete with awesome elevators and chanting kabbalists sharing the floor) and trade conference food for grilled cheese. (Carbs + cheese = lurve).

But I am very happy for having had the overall experience. I love meeting editors and agents, with whom I often have a great deal in common. The fact that it's part of my job to hang out with people I like and tell them about my work, which I very much enjoy--it's amazing.

The new pie charts will be posted in the next few days, with explanations. New charts to come, too, requiring new-old (remembered) math skills. May even dust off the old (really old) graphing calculator. Some will be line, bar, scattered dot charts with intriguing X and Y axes.

The winner of the Pie contest will, also, be notified this week.

Hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather, and that all is well with you and yours.