I HAVE AN INTERNSHIP!

GUYS!

GUYS, I have news! Big, exciting news!

So unless you’ve talked to me about this (or read my bio), you may not know that I’ve been wanting to work in the publishing industry for years. Seriously, though. It’s true. I’ve been studying this business on my own time for nearly a decade, and thanks to a cascade of fortunate events in the past two weeks, I think it’s finally safe for me to say:

I AM GOING TO BE AN INTERN AT A LITERARY AGENCY THIS SUMMER

A LITERARY AGENCY

THIS SUMMER

I WILL BE THERE

WOOOOO!!!

If things all work out according to plan (which they ought to), I’m going to be reading slush (that’s industry slang for unsolicited manuscripts and query letters) and requested materials and client manuscripts and ARCs. I’ll be learning about publishing contracts and attending industry events (AAR! BEA!). I’ll be meeting lots of other people who love books.

Guys. I’m psyched. If you couldn’t tell.

In the meantime, though, there’s this thing called school. So I have to go finish this essay.

Just figured I’d share the good news first.

New York, New Books, and Navigational Misadventures!

I feel like this post calls for a clever title…but I don’t have one. However, I do want to say: LOOK, I’M BACK!

This is what I do when I'm borg---sorry, bored.

Did you miss me?

Yes?

No?

No? Well, I missed you. And Fred. I’ve been so good about blogging regularly this semester (in spite of the insanity of it all) that this academic hiatus has been most peculiar. But since my last final is on Thursday, I’m going to ease my way back into blogging by doing a post tonight, another sometime later this week, and then returning you to your regularly-scheduled program starting this coming Sunday.

Wooo, exciting!

Anyhow, if you’re wondering what’s up with my visit to the Big Apple, I’m going to give you a brief summary. ‘Twas a journey of epic proportions, but I needs must pare it down. Just imagine you’re reading the Sparknotes for The Odyssey or something.

Last week, my friend Casey, who runs the ever-popular and awesome book review blog The Bookish Type, invited me to go on an adventure with her. As it turns out, her friend—author Michelle Hodkin—was having a book event/signing on Long Island with none other than Cassandra Clare (she’s a big, big name in YA fiction, if you’re unfamiliar with the genre) to promote their new books.

Casey on the train...

To be honest, at the time that Casey asked me if I wanted to go, I hadn’t read anything by Michelle or by Cassie. I really wanted to attend, but at the same time, I was determined not to go to an author event without knowing the work of either author. So Casey lent me a copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, and I used it as an excuse to not study the night before the event (note: there’s something delicious about putting everything on hold to read a work of fiction because you’ve convinced yourself that you “have to”). I finally finished it on the train to NYC.

The actual getting to NYC was fairly straightforward (apart from the fact that I lost my wallet shortly before leaving, but that’s another story). Getting from Grand Central to the event itself was another matter entirely, and it was only after two missed train/bus stops, some doubling back, and asking lots of people for help/directions that Casey and I FINALLY made it to the Carle Place Barnes and Noble! We’d missed the opening discussion, but we still got to slip ahead to say hi to Michelle anyways before heading back to the end of the signing line. Waiting in line was actually great; we ended up getting some down time to catch our breath, get centered, and have a nice chat with some of the store employees running the event. And before we knew it, we were at the signing tables.

Casey meets Cassie

Casey and I chatted with Michelle for a while, which was great—in addition to being lovely and cheery and friendly, Michelle was also quite willing to talk shop, and I got to ask a couple of questions about her book (which, by the way, has an awesome WHAM MOMENT of an ending—keep your eyes peeled for a forthcoming post on WMs). She also asked me about my own writing, which led to a hilariously roundabout discussion in which I kept trying to come up with the names of authors who write stories similar to mine and which ended with Michelle kindly pointing out that I could have just said that I wrote YA fantasy (she speaks the truth). *facepalm*
Then, when Casey went to get her copy of Clockwork Prince signed by Cassie, we also got to take some pictures:

From left to right: me, Cassie, Casey, Michelle, and some of Michelle's many relatives!

And another with all the girls together...Ari, y u no keep ur eyez open?

And then Casey and I went out for dinner and made the epic trip home again. Exhausting, but glorious. (Well, the fact that we got home at 3:30 AM and that I had to get up at 7:00 AM was less than glorious, but once I’d caught up on sleep, I was once more in a fit state to fully appreciate the experience.)

So there you have it! Keep an eye out for a new blog post in the next day or so (*fingers crossed*), and in the meantime, I salute those of you who, like me, are venturing forth into the bloody battlefield of finals. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!

And if all else fails, the internet will never fail to supply you with doses of random cute in times of stress:

BorgTribble courtesy of: http://d.facdn.net/art/noben/1275883618.noben_borgtribble001.jpg

P.S. If you’re on Twitter, you can follow Casey, Cassie, and Michelle! Respectively, they are:

@The_BookishType
@cassieclare
@MichelleHodkin

Before I was published, I was interviewed…

Remember that awesome blogger I was telling you about yesterday? The one who gave me an award? Well that same awesome blogger—Jessica Byam—has now interviewed me as a part of her “Before They Were Published” blog series! I met Jess through the Writer’s Platform-Building Campaign this fall, and I was so excited when she asked if I’d be interested in doing an interview! BTWP is one of my favorite parts of her blog, and the other people she’s interviewed are way cool—seriously, go read their interviews and you’ll see what I mean. (And just a note: Jess’s blog sometimes take a while to load on my computer, so don’t worry if you find that it takes a bit longer than the average webpage.)

At any rate, you can go read the interview here (or click on the icon on the left). While you’re there, you should also definitely follow her blog (or her Twitter where she tweets under @JessWritesBooks).

Aaand I’m off to get the rest of my NaNo wordcount. Farewell, dear raptorlings!

 

Dear World: Meet Frederick Regency Raptor (or, 7 Random Facts About My Favorite Monocled Dromaeosaur)

Greetings!

The time for anxious anticipation is over, for today, I bring you the long-awaited interview with none other than Mr. Frederick Regency Raptor! Since Fred and I have been nominated for the Versatile Blogger by both Jennifer Groepl and Mel Corbett (thanks guys!), we’ve decided to include these questions as part of our interview.

Fred: Correction–you’ve included them in your interview questions. I was not consulted on this matter.

Ari: Does it bother you or something?

Fred: No.

Ari: Uhh…okay. Fine, whatever. Anyhow, I figured we would start by going back to the very beginning, taking a look at some of your earliest recollections, move forward chronologically, and then end with the seven random facts from the Versatile Blogger award. So without further ado–oh, wait. Would you like some tea, Fred?

Fred: *extending one claw with a teacup perfectly balanced on it* Must you ask?

Ari: Well, it’s polite. And I didn’t exactly expect you to refuse. *pours tea, then sits back in her chair with her own cup* So, we’re about to embark on a strange and fantastical journey into the mind of one of the great raptors of this age.

Fred: That is hardly a compliment, Miss Mango. It isn’t as though there are a great many of us IN this age.

Ari: Um. But it’s not an insult either. *sotto voce* FredwillyoupleasestopinterruptingorsohelpmeIwillputleavesinyourmeat.

Fred: Oh, the horror. You do realize I regularly consume an infusion of camelia sinensis, don’t you? *raises teacup*

Ari: OKAY. Okayokayokay, let’s just get on with the interview (before I do something I’ll regret). SO, Fred. Tell us about your early years.

Fred: Wouldn’t they be the same as your early years? I mean, I did come from your imagination.

Ari: *narrows eyes*

Fred: *swirls the tea in his teacup and smiles smugly*

Ari: You’re allowed to have a backstory in my imagination.

Fred: Well I don’t want to talk about it.

Ari: I…well, fine.

Fred: Fine.

Ari: Well then. *mumbles in irritation and flips through her notes* Umm.

Fred: Perhaps we could begin with the random facts instead?

Ari: Right. Whatever. Go for it.

Fred: Fact #1: When I was but a wee raptorling, my greatest goal in life was to be an anthropologist and to go dig up human bones.

Ari: *stares* All right, now I know you’re just making fun of me.

Fred: I am not. It is only natural to be curious about buried bones–you of all people should know. Yes, I daresay I was rather enamoured of the idea of discovering the “missing link” you humans are always so desperate to find. Possibly the accompanying fame and glory would be some of the appeal, although pure scientific curiosity was also a factor. I’ve actually become an amateur collector in recent years. I’ve got some lovely Homo neanderthalensis teeth tucked away in my study; I could show you later.

Ari: Wow. I had no idea. Sure, I’d be curious to see those. So, Fact #2?

Fred: Fact #2–I cannot eat caramel.

Ari: Nooo! Why?

Fred: It disagrees with my stomach. Sad, but true. A most unfortunate fluke of body chemistry.

Ari: Oh man. I am so sorry if I’ve ever eaten caramel in your presence. I just mean, I didn’t mean to taunt you or anything–

Fred: No, it’s quite all right. *shifts awkwardly in chair* Erm, so anyhow. Fact #3–I have no nerve endings in my left eye ridge.

Ari: …can I poke it?

Fred: No. Fact #4–I love cats.

Ari: *bursts out laughing*

Fred: *peevishly* What? There is nothing wrong with–

Ari: *still giggling* No! I’m not–I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Plus, we all know about your little lolcat penchant already. It just made me think of the cat lady song, that’s all. Wait, Fred, are you blushing?

Fred: What‽ No! No, I am not. No blushing whatsoever. You are mistaken; I do not possess the proper complexion for…I mean, moving on. Speaking of incredulous exclamations, my favorite punctuation mark is the interrobang.

Ari: Interro-what‽

Fred: Precisely. I’m glad you caught on so quickly. Normally it takes people a little while to grasp the concept. The interrobang (‽) is a most useful piece of punctuation. I’m surprised it’s not more commonly used; I should think teenagers would find interrobangs particularly serviceable.

Ari: I’m sorry, that just sounds wrong.

Fred: In what sense?

Ari: Never mind.

Fred: All right. Fact #5–I plan to learn four new languages in the next 10 years.

Ari: Wow, that’s a pretty ambitious goal. Are you sure you don’t want to make it something a little more manageable? Say, two languages?

Fred: I cannot delay. I have a schedule to follow. Having mastered German, Italian, Norwegian, and Turkish in the next decade, I shall then move on to Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese, and Dutch.

Ari: No Spanish, I see?

Fred: No. I currently have no interest in learning Spanish.

Ari: Glad I’m not the only one. And Fact #6?

Fred: Fact #6–Crème brûlée is a food fit for gods.

Ari: Well, I agree…but that’s not a fact about–

Fred: And Fact #7–my favorite scent is the smell of my study. It is a lovely mélange of wood paneling, yellowing pages, smoke from the fire, and hot tea on a cold day. Mmm.

Ari: Awesome. Well, we’ve come to the end of our seven questions, and it is way past my bedtime. I’m afraid I’ll have to end things here and come back to add the list of people we’re tagging for the award in the morning. In the meantime, thank you for chatting, Fred!

Fred: A pleasure, as always, Miss Mango.

Ari: And thank you to all of you for reading! *aside* Fred, we really need a name for them.

Fred: Hannah Moskowitz calls her followers “magic gay fish”.

Ari: Hmm. Must ponder. In the meantime, goodnight!

Ari Susu-Mago and the Case of the Mysterious Sound Bite

Look at Nemo. Isn't he adorable?

Speaking as a writer who is forever fighting a losing battle with her brain to remember cool ideas, one of the best things about my cell phone is its voice memo capability. Nemo (yes, my roommate and I named our phones after Pixar characters) is my go-to if it’s late at night and I need to record an idea that just popped into my head. Usually the entries just pile up in Nemo’s memory bank until I go back and listen to them.

Which is what I did today. And that’s where our story begins. This evening, as I was walking to a friend’s house, I suddenly realized that it had been forever since I’d listened to all of those random ramblings. So I pulled out my phone, put it to my ear, and pressed the play button.

Now, 90% of the voice memos I’ve recorded are related to my writing in some way or another, and even if I don’t specifically remember where I was and what I was doing when I recorded them, they usually make sense. Yes, even the sleepy ones with lots of pauses in them (hey, it’s hard to collect your thoughts into a coherent sentence at 5:30 AM). But halfway through the most recent batch of memos, I stumbled across one that I have no recollection of recording and do not understand in the slightest.

The message is as follows:

 

Me : *snickering slightly* I’m thinking of caterpillars right now; I don’t know why. In particular this big green one. I can still see it!

Someone else : *laughing in the background*

 

I was standing in the middle of the street when I heard this for the first time. To the casual passerby, I probably looked like Robin Williams had just called me out of the blue or something, because I was standing there holding the phone to my ear and laughing in total bewilderment.

I just…what?

What the hell is that even supposed to mean?

Once I’d stopped cracking up, I began to try to figure out how this recording came to be. After all, it is undeniably my voice doing the talking, and I don’t drink or do drugs (unless I have somehow repressed the memory of doing so). However, the laughter in the background struck me as quite familiar, and though it wasn’t a perfect match, I thought the second part of the laugh sounded a bit like my dear friend Azalea. I resolved to ask her about it, since it was in fact her house that I was bound for at that very moment.

But then Azalea was at work when I arrived. Poop.

I eventually went home and played the clip for my mother, and though she was just as amused/bemused as I was, she asked me when the clip was recorded. It hadn’t occurred to me that I could check this, but indeed, after poking around in a little sub-menu, I was able to find the recording date: May 2nd, 2011.

Well, I was still at school on May 2nd. So Azalea is ruled out.

Listening to it again, though, I realized that the laugh in the background could be a dead ringer for my roommate’s laugh. So as of this moment, I am waiting to hear back from her to find out whether she has any insight into how and why this recording came into existence. If she is as clueless as I am, then this case may go unsolved. If she has any further information, however, I shall update this post.

For now, this is Detective Ari, signing out.