Fiction author Robin Brande talks about writing, reading, and other vital matters

I don’t even know if I can stay awake long enough to type this, but I’ll see what I can do. I am so exhausted, but thoroughly happy with this fantasy writer day. It was so way better than I even expected.

It’s about 10:30, and I just got back to the room from dinner. I’ve been going since 8:30 this morning, which was breakfast, which was oatmeal brulee–oatmeal that was so creamy and rich it was already a treat, but then a creme brulee crust on top–is that even legal? Breakfast was with two of the women from the publicity department–Elizabeth and Noreen (not really sure if some people want to see their full names on this, so we’ll keep it casual). Spent the time talking about some of my upcoming events, then got on to the real meat of any discussion I like to have with people up here, which is what is life like when you live in New York City? I always feel like an anthropologist, asking people what they eat at night–do you cook? Order take out? Go out?–and what they wear to walk to work–sneakers? Dress shoes?–and whether they have pets and how they met their boyfriends or husbands and how big their apartments are and whether they ever get out to Broadway shows–generally building that file in my head of what life would have been like if I’d ever moved to a big city instead of living the same life I always have since I was a little girl.

Then straight from breakfast to Random House, where I caught up with some of the people I’ve been working with these past several months, meeting many I’ve only dealt with by e-mail or phone. I especially like hanging out in the publicity department, because they have lots of photos all around from the annual Halloween costume competition and the other frequent theme parties (the children’s division actually has a “Fun Committee” which is in charge of coming up with the themes and organizing events and generally keeping everyone in a creative, happy mood all year long. I don’t think I’ve ever worked anywhere where a boss would have even considered having a Fun Committee, but Chip Gibson, head of the RH children’s division, is not your regular boss).

So I made the rounds for a bit, snagged some free copies of books (because if I’m about anything, I’m about the swag), then headed down to the meeting room where about fifty New York City public librarians were gathered to listen to Random House editors fill them in on all the books coming out this summer.

And there are some great books, which I’m sorry I’m too tired to go into right now, but one thing that made an impression was the description of one of the authors finishing her book while she was in traction after having been hit by a truck. Sorry, but I can’t compete with that. Man.

When it was my turn to talk to the group (such fine people, the New York City public librarians), I gave a little background on how I came to write my book, and then afterward I got to meet a few of our favorite bloggers, Betsy Bird of Fuse #8 and Lady T from Living Read Girl. Nice, nice women. Could have hung out and talked to them longer, but–

No time for that, because it was time to go straight from there to lunch with the audio book people–publisher Tim Ditlow (SO nice, need to be neighbors with him), executive producer Jacob Bronstein (funny, smart, creative, Grammy winner, was the executive producer for BILL CLINTON’s audio book and got to say things like, “Mr. President, could you back it up and reread page 2,195?”–I mean, did I luck out?), Rebecca the acquisitions editor, Kelly in publicity, Adrienne and Tracy from the schools and libraries division (didn’t get to talk to any of them nearly enough), my editor Michelle Frey, and my cohort for today’s audio recording, Professor Ken Miller.

And because it’s all about the food, I’ll say that lunch was at a French restaurant, and if I hadn’t still been digesting the oatmeal brulee and saving myself for dinner at yet another fancy restaurant, I would have totally pigged out.

So lunch was talk, talk, talk, lots to cover about the upcoming recording, lots of questions from me (”Where do you go on vacation? Where did you go to school? How did you end up in NY? Do you love your job?”) (because I must know).

Then it was into the recording studio. SO COOL. So like you see in movies where the recording engineer sits in the control booth and the performer is in the glass-walled cage, and I’m sorry to admit it, but I asked the engineer to give me the movie moment of saying, “And we’re going in five, four, three–” because if you’re in that situation, why wouldn’t you go for the whole fantasy?

I was a little nervous at first, pretty stilted, but Professor Miller is such a pro at teaching and being interviewed and talking on the radio, he made even my most awkward questions sound good because his answers were so detailed and elegant. I could have listened to him for hours. As it was, I think we went over our alotted studio time because I just had to keep asking him one more question, and then another one after that.

Because how often do you get a private audience with a scientist who will not only explain complex scientific principles in a way even an English major can understand, but will also discuss theology and philosophy and whether when his father went to a dance instead of going out with his buddies, and he met his future wife there, resulting in the creation of the man I was sitting across from in the recording booth–whether that was a matter of divine guidance or chance and free will?

So I could have talked for far longer than the hour and a half we were in there, but no matter how much material we provided, it still has to been cut and synthesized down to twelve minutes, so good luck to you, Jacob, because I have no idea how you’re going to do that.

Back to the hotel to change out of the panty hose and into something a little more excessive-restaurant-dining-friendly, then out for my final meal meeting of the day with my editor Michelle Frey and her boss, Nancy Hinkel.

Which was more like hanging out with friends I’ve known forever than with two women I only met for the first time this summer. Love it when you can work with people you click with so completely. All three of us talked so much, by the end we were all pasty and drained and hoarse, but if I had the energy, I would have loved to have talked another five hours. I need to come up here more often.

It’s almost midnight, gang, and I am one tired puppy. But very, very happy. This has been one of my favorite days EVER. Got to meet and talk to so many new people, and that’s like medicine and food to me. Usually I love my quiet, isolated life, but it’s good for me, and fun, and enriching to bust out and spend a few days in a foreign land like New York and be an anthropologist and quiz my fellow human beings about what their lives are like without cars and with street vendors selling food and cheap purses.

Maybe I’ve told you more than you want to know, maybe less, but I’m really, really tired now and have to put myself to bed. I head back to the airport tomorrow morning at 8:30. Today has been the most incredibly jam-packed day I’ve ever had, and I loved every minute. Even though right now I wouldn’t mind not talking for a week.

Thanks for reading this far. I know it’s a long post. If you have any questions, feel free.

‘Night.

Technorati Tags: Writing, Publishing, Random House, Random House Children’s Divisions, Knopf Publishing Group

Posted on Thursday, February 22nd, 2007 at 9:39 pm under Religion, Science, Writing . Subscribe to responses: RSS 2.0 Comment Feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.