Well, when I arrived yesterday, I thought I would be sharing a table with a few other Authors, hocking my wares, but the folks at Fearsmag.com forgot I was coming, so there was no room at the table, which disappointed me, but I did check out two neat panels: 85 Years of Weird Tales and The History of Animation. I won a copy of Weird Tales; The 21st Century, an anthology featuring a bunch of Authors I know—that was a nice surprise.

The Exhibitors didn’t really interest me, cuz comics aren’t my thing…Today the Javits Center was mobbed. I spent two hours at the table selling Apple of My Eye and various assorted magazines that showcase my work. I sold a lot of what I brought, so I left happy! I did manage to meet up with joshuagee  and a few creative types he knew for a late lunch at Burgers & Cupcakes on 35th Street and 9th Avenue. I had a juicy, rare burger and a red velvet cupcake. Both were mighty tasty, but they didn’t put my cupcake on the bill, probably because the server almost didn’t bring it...

The trade show was very stressful...There were many technical glitches, like the database eating my slide shows on two separate occasions...Which resulted in me missing the company party at Bowlmor Lanes, as well as most of my Manger's Awards Ceremony at Top of the Rock, though Mary and I did get to congratulate Marge, who was radiant while we tossed back a Cosmo in the ultra-hop space, complete with two awesome terraces!

My bed at the Crown Plaza was decent; after all it was king size, but one night Mary and I worked so late that I had a bed sandwich for dinner.  We finished at the Javits Center after 10:00PM.  Then we wandered around the building with a clueless security guard.  Only when I suggested he use his walkie-talkie, did someone else point him to the only open door, the employee entrance.  He brought us down through the dimly lit basement, which reeked.  I tried hard not to retch.  When we got back to the hotel, Mary asked if I'd like to join her for dinner, but I declined--I wouldn't have been able to sleep if I ate that late...I had a bed sandwich instead...

One the bright side, I found a pair of really cool, green metal frames I'll be getting at a considerable discount; the lenses will be ultra high tech, cuz I've got connections!

So I'm off to a trade show for work April 9th - April 13th. On Wednesday night after I get settled in the hotel, I plan to be a tourist in my own town and eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company; afterwards, I plan to go to check out Ripley’s Believe It or Not! I have to get up very early on Thursday to have breakfast and catch a cab over to the Javits Center with my boss. The other days there will be a shuttle bus, but it will probably take me longer than my usual 30 minute subway ride from Brooklyn to the office in SoHo...The company is putting me up in the swank Crowne Plaza and I do get an expense account for meals, so it's almost like a working vacation.

I will be online for a bit tomorrow night. I haven't been away from my computer this long since the last trade show I attended in Las Vegas. Six days away from the keyboard is almost unfathomable, between my Web Work and my Writing, but it's something I must do...I'll see you on the other side...