Three Graces and a Gargoyle

But first, a brief comment about strange synchronicities:

During a break in the ABA action, I went back to my room to engage in some profound writerly-type activities. Actually, I watched my Netflix movie Dodgeball on my laptop.

In the movie, the Dodgeball finals were held at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas. I've heard of the Monte Carlo, of course, but have never been to Vegas. There's a shot of the Monte Carlo in the movie where the hotel is seen from the front at a height that one assumes was shot from a helicopter. When the film was over, I turned on the television, and there on CNN there was a shot of the Monte Carlo, from the front, during the day, as though shot from a helicopter, except this time an ugly black smoke is billowing off the building. In addition, obviously, to being concerned for the people inside fleeing and fighting the fire, I felt the Twilight Zone music turning on in my head.

I don't know what moments of bizarre synchronicity mean, if they mean anything. I have them quite often, and I assume others do as well. It's fun to speculate--are they evidence of a purposeful cosmos, or merely the end results of a mind imposing patterns on a random world? Are they signposts along the way that remind us everything happens for a reason, or just wacky coincidences that mostly go unrecorded and unobserved.

I've got my own conclusions about the moments; suffice to say I'm happy when they occur and look forward to the next one.

Back to the ABA. The three graces are my traveling companions, the aforementioned E. Lockhart and Jenn from Hyperion. We're joined this time out by my editor Alessandra. The three graces are super-elegant and super-accomplished women, and they all Know the Drill when it comes to publishing/bookselling events. Even if I wasn't a rookie I think I'd still feel like a lumbering oaf, constantly smashing into furniture and smiling when he has spinach in his teeth. Luckily they are also super-gracious and just super-good company. I was feeling very special and fortune to be with them.

Especially we went out and I got a Hot Brown. Alessandra got one too, thus upping her own already high cool factor in my eyes. A Louisville Hot Brown, whatever horrible image your mind conjured up at the term, is a sort of open-faced sandwich, except it comes in a crock. It has chunks of turkey and bread and is covered with a heavy Mornay sauce, and then topped with cheese they then bake and brown. Our came with a garnish of a tomato slice and strip of bacon. Yes, the Hot Brown has a bacon garnish. I believe it is very important to sample native cuisines when in foreign lands like Minnesota and Kentucky, hence the cheese curds and Hot Brown. My world is expanded.

Oh, yeah. Booksellers are awesome! Awesome, awesome people. Even if I hadn't once been one I'd say that. On my next post, I'll tell you about the Zombie Book of my zombie book.