Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Shenanigans Ensued at the Book Bloggers Social

Random Thingee: Hubby keeps calling me Martha. Over and over. He's been getting mad when I don't respond. Anyone care to offer diagnosis? Martha, Brodi. Brodi, Martha. They're practically interchangeable.

Book Bloggers Social
Saturday night, I went to the Utah Book Bloggers social, where I met all sorts of cool bloggers.

Aforementioned "Cool Bloggers"

I knew everyone would have business cards to hand out, so about an hour before I was supposed to leave, I decided to quickly design some and print them up.

Designing the little suckers was a feat, because all I had was my name and my website. And I didn't want to be all "Men in Black" about it:


Like, "I'm Brodi. I blog. I'd have more on my card, but I'm CIA, and it would cost someone a life. Do you want that on your head, just so you can have more information?"

Thankfully, I remembered Marie's artwork for my book:

so I slapped it on there.

This all took up the first hour. Hey, typing is hard.

Then I had to search for cardstock. Came up with 8 pieces of white.

So, I set it to print 8, figuring that would give me at least 40 or 50 cards. More than enough. When I went downstairs to the printer, all 8 pages had printed. With one card per page. Smack dab in the middle.

Crap.

Now I'm 15 minutes late, and I can't find the kitchen scissors, or my paper cutter. (Yes, I'm really that disorganized.) I'm about to tear them, when Kid C hands me his "scissors" from kindergarten.

Together, we cut out all 8 cards, in under 30 minutes. Did I mention Kid C got 2 out of 5 stars in kindergarten for "Cutting in a Straight Line"?

No problem. I shove the cards in my pocket and head out the door. When we get to the park, we wander around for about half an hour, looking for the group.

The cards get nice and sweaty.

When it's finally time to hand them out, they're curled, warped, wrinkled and moist.

To add insult to injury, I have to say, "I only have the eight, so if you think you're gonna throw it away, please don't take one."

Great impression, right?

Here are the authors at the event. I promise the picture taker said, "Okay, Brodi please look like a dork. The rest of you smile like normal people."
Other random happenings at the social:
  • Bree Despain debuted her Dark Divine nail polish
  • Suey's son declared J. Scott Savage's book to be "better than Harry Potter"
  • James Dashner threw a cup at me
  • Organizer Natasha Maw treated me like an author. (Shhh, don't tell her the truth).
  • J. Scott Savage, or "Jeff" as his friends call him, cleared up the confusion about his name. Sorta.
  • Emily Wing Smith made interesting, and slightly gross, hand gestures at Coldstone
  • Bree Despain gave in to her lactose intolerance, and ate ice cream
  • James Dashner bet me 5 bucks I couldn't finish my extra large Coldstone Ice Cream, with Raspberries and Graham Crackers
  • Upon observing me chow down the first five bites, James Dashner rescinded the offer. And asked if I'd need another one.
  • None of us could remember what movie made Doris Day famous
  • I learned a new word. "Habitue". When I asked what it meant, I was told, "It's like 'denizen'." When I asked what that meant, I was told, "Home." By then, I had forgotten what the original word was.
  • I learned that Bermuda Shorts don't necessarily need to have flowers printed on them.
  • We decided Emily Wing Smith's new contacts were haunted, and turning her eyes black.
  • James Dashner admitted to chasing down Mike Tyson in an airport based solely on the fact that it would make a good blog post.
  • Natasha's hubby Taylor is writing a book about aliens too. They really are the next big thing! Pass it on!
Here are some links to the bloggers I met. There would be more, but I totally suck at hyper-linking. (Is that even the correct terminology?) The link at the bottom will take you to the entire group.

mawbooks.com
http://bookhabitue.blogspot.com/
http://bookscoops.com/
http://haikuamy.blogspot.com/
http://sueysbooks.blogspot.com/
http://mjmbecky.blogspot.com/
http://emilysreadingroom.blogspot.com/
http://angieville.blogspot.com/

Entire List of Utah Book Blooggers

How's everyone's week going? Any happenings? Hope you all are doing well, and thank you for your comments and your donations from Monday's blog.

29 comments:

  1. All I know is, I was so excited to go to this blogger social. I had my hair done and I looked good only to be told by my lovely wife that she was going to go alone. I would have totally killed at that party. I had the whoopee cushion, hand buzzer and a bowling ball all packed up and ready to party...but Brodi went alone.

    Next year Utah writer bloggers, I will be there!

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  2. Didn't you mean to type, "I would have totally killed that party"?

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  3. Ah, go on, James.

    Oh wait. You weren't being sarcastic were you?

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  4. Good times. Good times. DID you ever finish that ice cream concoction? I was completely salivating over it the whole time. My sorbet (non-dairy, thank you very much) just wasn't the same.

    And sorry, Sam. It was my fault you couldn't come. But did Brodi mention that we were wandering around for over an hour in 101 degree heat? Your hair would have gone totally flat. Good thing you avoided that embarrassment.

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  5. It looks like you had so much fun! What a great way to spend time with people.

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  6. Bree- Okay, so I never really finished it. But it was scrumptious. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure we were wandering in 104 degree heat, for 2 hours. So, Sam, you really really didn't miss out. And I hate it when Sam's hair goes flat. :)

    Jenni- It was a good time. You need to join the Utah Book Bloggers!

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  7. What is it about - treat someone how they could be and they'll aspire to it. Or something like that. You know what I mean. I'm only playing that mind trick on you! Is it working?

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  8. Natasha- Yes- treat someone like they could be and they'll aspire to it. It's totally working. But what does it mean, then, that James treated my like a Hungry Hippo?

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  9. this was one of the funniest posts I've read in a long time. Wish I could've been there.

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  10. Thanks, Tamara. Welcome to the blog!

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  11. I'll have to love into joining the group. I'm a member of so many things that I'm not sure I'd be able to give it my full attention. But, any excuse to meet new authors and brag about awesome books sounds good to me!

    And, how cool is it that James Dashner comments on your blog!

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  12. Jenni- I know, it's so so cool to have James comment. I feel like he's an elk who happened to wander over to the blog, and I have to tell everyone, "Look at the cool author. Shhh... Don't scare him away."

    He's really very nice. Unless he's angry, and he has a cup in his hand, ready to throw.

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  13. I think it was actually 3 hours in 105 degree heat, if I remember correctly. That's why I look so dehydrated and haunted-eyed in the photo. You, however, are the only one actually looking at the camera, so good on ya!

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  14. I think you all looked wonderful. Seems like a good time to be had for all..provided they have heat proof hair-dos!

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  15. Em- I concur. It was 109 degrees in the shade.

    Una- I used 23 cans of Aqua-net.

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  16. I wasn't being sarcastic. You really ARE hilarious! And kind of strange and demented, but in a good way.

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  17. Strange and demented? Well now you've got me blushing. Thanks, dude. And thanks for the link too.

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  18. can i just say that i'm totally and utterly jealous right now and i'm not even remotely kidding.

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  19. Shellie- move to SLC. I am officially declaring it the new writing hub.

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  20. My goodness. I need to get hooked up with that. I. Love. Authors. I love that Utah has an amazing lot of them.

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  21. Debbie- are you going to the writing for charity thingee in Ogden this Saturday? Another great place to meet authors!

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  22. I am so so proud to be the owner of one of those 8 cards... and I plan to hang on to it for life because seriously, one day, it's going to be worth A LOT of money!

    Oh, and by the way, my son's other comment as we were leaving the shindig? "I want to read that alien book!" So, when will it be out again? :)

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  23. Martha...Sassenach...Martha...Sassenach. Nope, doesn't work.

    LOL! Sounds like a great time...you lost me at Coldstone ice cream though...mmmmmm, Coldstone...sweet cream...

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  24. Suey- Thanks for the comment. My book should be out any minute now... any minute...

    Sass- I know. The sweet cream. Oh, heaven.

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  25. Careful Brodi, too much Aqua-Net on a high degree temperature day...if the suns rays hit it...*BOOM* - I think that is what causes most spontaneous combustions! Plus without you, there would be no blog pick-me-ups on Mondays, Wed, and Fridays...not to mention witty banter in between! Life would have no meaning...

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  26. Too bad I wasn't there so I could pretend to be an author, too. But your business card looked legit to me. Pretty good fake, even if it was wrinkled.

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  27. You know, when I named by blog it never once occured to me that I'd be causing such problems!
    Natasha started making me introduce myself.

    For those that are interested-- Habitue: (A- Bee- Twey) French 1-Devotee; 2- a frequent visitor to a place; 3- denizen (which is where the "home" idea came from, I think).

    :D Glad you came, Brodi. And I want your book. :D

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  28. Una- right back atcha.

    Elena- Wow. You must not have seen many business cards in your lifetime. :) Next time, you should be there too!

    Britt- think of it this way: you are educating the masses! Although it might help if you spelled it phonetically.

    aabbeehhttwwaayy.

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