February 26, 2010

Late night conversations at Crack in the Box

Last night, after our event at Books Inc, in Palo Alto, I hit Jack in the Box with Caster Girl Yvette and Nancy, the Ravenous Reader. This is the conversation that ensued in the drive thru.  I am not embellishing. 

Before the speaker…

YVette:  I am going to get two tacos.

Kami:  What's in the tacos?

Yvette:  Some soy meat.

Kami: Can you be more specific?  What kind of soy meat?

Yvette: I don't know.  

Kami: Then how do I know if I want them.

Yvette: I don't know, Kami!  Just order something else!

Kami:  Fine.  Stop being such a brat!

At the speaker box…

Nancy: Two tacos, egg rolls, a chocolate shake, and…

Kami:  Can I get a grilled sandwich with just turkey and provolone?

Drive Thru Guy:  We don't have any turkey or provolone.

(I look at the menu)

Kami: Okay.  How about grilled ham and cheddar?

Drive Thru Guy:  We are out of ham and cheddar.

Yvette:  OMG!  (laughing)

Drive Thru Guy: Would you like the Grilled Deli Sandwich?

Nancy: What's on that?

Drive Thru: Turkey, ham, provolone, cheddar, salami, and pickles.

Nancy: Okay….. we would like to have that with just turkey and provolone.  

Yvette:  OMG! Can't you just order something else?

Drive Thru Guy:  I don't think i have the buttons for that.  

Yvette: Kami order something else!

Drive Thru Guy: Wait a minute, let me talk to the cook. 

Kami: That's okay. 

(Too late he is gone)

Drive thru guy returns.

Drive Thru Guy: Okay we can do that.  

(We pull up to the drive thru.)

Yvette: Make sure you check that crap.

Kami:  No forget it, we are not checking it.

Nancy: Yeah, we've been holding up the line too long.

Drive Thru Guy: I'm really sorry about that, we just don't have the buttons.

* Disclaimer: This is the exact conversation that transpired.  Nothing has been changed for dramatic effect.  

February 3, 2010

Publishing Our Book in Other Countries

I got a box in the mail today from Penguin, our UK publisher. Ten books. Ten beautiful copies of the book I co-wrote, which will be on shelves tomorrow. I never imagined publishing a book. And I definitely didn't think I would write a book that would be published in other countries.

When BC first started selling in the foreign market, it was sort of surreal. We received e-mails confirming that the UK, or France, or Greece wanted to publish BC – in a country I usually hadn't been to, in a bookstore I might never see. It wasn't REAL.

Then something changed. I bet you're thinking that it has something to do with this box – that when actual books started showing up from other countries, it hit me.

But that wasn't it.

A few months ago, I started receiving e-mails and tweets, reading facebook messages and noticing fansites, from readers in other countries. Suddenly, teens and adults oceans away were sharing their thoughts and feelings about everything from our book to my choice of boots. Beautiful Creatures wasn't just a book on the shelf in another country – it was a book in the hands of a reader.

When I see pictures of French fans carrying the book or see drawing of Ethan and Lena created by Spanish fans, all I can think about is how much the books I read mean to me. That our book means that much to someone else. Now I can imagine it in other countries – countries I hope to visit, even if I can't speak the language or read a word of our book on their shelves.

I want to meet the people reading the book. I want to thank them.