Weird Pennsylvania & the Big Apple

 

Doylestown Bookshop
Doylestown, PA

August 23, 2023

The Mysterious Bookshop
New York, NY

August 24, 2023

Chuck Wendig, Clay McLeod Chapman, and a Trip to the Big Apple

I had one more big push before finally getting a MUCH needed break: back-to-back events in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, with Chuck Wendig, and at The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City with Clay McLeod Chapman. But to be honest, at this point I was running on fumes. 

I'd just done eight events in nine days. Eighteen events total in just over a month. And I was exhausted.

Adding these two it would bring my total to TEN events in eleven days, plus travel and finding hotels and returning rental cars... I was beginning to think I'd made a huge mistake and wasn't going to be able to finish what I'd started (there's a reason I'm updating these entries in October!).

Luckily, a part of me knew I'd be needing a break, so Stephanie worked in a few days off in New York City once we wrapped up Mysterious Bookshop. Knowing that there would be a respite, and genuinely thrilled at the idea of chatting with Chuck and Clay, I tapped into a sunken reservoir of energy and got myself ready to give my all for the gracious, wonderful readers and authors who would be coming out to meet me.

As it turned out, Doylestown was a balm to my exhaustion and anxiety. A gorgeous Pennsylvania town filled with quaint, small-town goodness. Stephanie and I found a local restaurant to have lunch in, then headed to the bookshop where we met the AMAZING bookseller extraordinaire, Marguerite, who coordinated the event for me and Chuck.

Best of all, I finally got to meet Chuck in person, and it was so much fun to sit with him for a while before the event and talk writing, and books, and all things publishing. Chuck, by the way, in addition to kindly supporting my launch of Boys in the Valley, was also promoting the paperback release of his novel, Wayward. In addition, Chuck recently released a fantastic new book on writing, and was already gearing up promotion for his upcoming brand-new novel, Black River Orchard. 

Thanks to the store having a wonderful fanbase, and Chuck's presence, we had a great turnout for the event! We talked all things Boys in the Valley, discussed some of Chuck's new and upcoming releases, got into Star Wars a little bit, and had a great time having a group discussion about just how strange Pennsylvania is! Such lore! 

After staying to sign books and hang out until the store was turning off the lights, we made our way back to the local hotel to pack up and get ready for a trip to New York City.

Arriving in NYC the next morning, timing was everything as I had a busy day and things had to run like clockwork:

• Hotel check-in
• Return Rental Car
• Meet Orbit Editor for lunch
• Meet Nightfire Editor for drinks
• Have event at The Mysterious Bookshop

After a few hours sleep, we drove up from Pennsylvania, into the city, and dumped our bags at the hotel. I braved the streets in order to return the rental car that had been our stalwart companion for the last couple weeks, getting us safely from Tulsa, Oklahoma to New York without a hitch (it was like leaving a new best friend). After braving crosstown city traffic and dropping off the car I walked ten blocks to meet my new editor at Orbit Books for lunch, then had a very cool tour of the Hachette offices, which were amazing! (And my Orbit book has since been announced -- THE THIRD RULE OF TIME TRAVEL arrives January 2025).

After my meeting, I met up with my Nightfire editor at a bar near THE MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP -- one of my very favorite bookstores in the world. We were able to have a couple drinks and talk about my new project for them, which I'm very excited about. We also met up with Clay McLeod Chapman then headed over the bookstore.

This is a good time to say that you never really know what will happen as far as turnout for any event. This was New York City! I was really hoping to have a nice showing, but for whatever reason (hey, it happens) only a few folks showed. But since my editor was there, and my wife, and author Nat Cassidy came by along with a few readers, it wasn't a total disaster. I did feel bad for the bookstore, however, as they'd really gone all out for the event. They had a lot of books for me to sign, refreshments, and a nice sitting area. Still, all in all, a lot of fun, even if I was a smidge disappointed with turnout.

(PS - lots of signed copies still available through the Mysterious Bookshop website!)

After the event, it was back to the bar, of course! Spent some time with Ron, R.J., and my old friend Matthew who all hung out with me and Stephanie for a few well-earned drinks. A great time!

Huge thanks to Clay for coming out for the event and having great questions, and also to my Nightfire editor, Kristin, and fellow Nightfire author, Nat Cassidy, for coming out and supporting. Super grateful.

But now it was time for a few days off in the city, some sleep and food and some good old-fashioned downtime in my favorite place on earth. 

Soon, however, it would be time to push on. Massachusetts was waiting, and I had some VERY cool events primed for the big finale of my US tour. 

Next up:

The Book House - Millburn, NJ - 8/27

Gibson's Bookstore - Concord, NH - 8/28

Barnes & Noble - Hingham, MA - 8/29 - w/ Paul Tremblay