Robin Benway

Forget all about the pressure of days...

Wow, are you people in luck.

Today is, so far, a WAY better day than yesterday. Huzzah! Thanks to everyone who sent notes and basically made sure I wasn't lying on my apartment floor and listening to Elliott Smith on repeat or something like that. 

Which reminds me, "Either/Or" is on sale at Amazon for $2.99. If you haven't already, it would behoove you to purchase it immediately.

(Ha. "Behoove." What a great word.)

So to make up for yesterday's doom & gloom, I bring you some fun things today. Namely, "Audrey" Around the World.

So far, "Audrey, Wait!" has sold in 11 other countries, including Israel, Sweden, France, and Germany. I recently got to see some artwork from some foreign book jackets and I thought you might enjoy. Let's hop to it.

The UK

Italy

The Netherlands

Korea (this one is now the wallpaper on my phone)

I'll keep you posted on any others that make their way to me.

And finally, apropos of nothing else, I bring you my favorite IM conversation of the past 24 hours.

Me: (during a particularly melodramatic moment) Can we go to NYC so I can be trampled by some horses in Central Park?

Aaron: I'm sure we can get you trampled by horses without having to sit in coach for 5 hours.

I seriously and without irony adore my friends.

Let fall the flowers from your hair...

Why hello hello.

So. Event Saturday went off without a hitch! If you were there, you already knew that, but if you weren't, my friend Paula Yoo, author of the YA book "Good Enough", recapped it, complete with my sartorial decisions. Behold.

For those of you who couldn't make it, Robin wore a lovely sleeveless patterned summer dress with an embroidered hem and matching sandals and had a nice red manicure. She wore her hair down loose and she looked very pretty. She read two excerpts from her book Audrey, Wait! The first was in the middle of the book during a concert where the main character meets an interesting British guy (Robin refused to do the British accent tho, haha!). Then she read the opening chapter which is a fantastic opening that sets up the fun tone and voice of the main character's dilemma.

Then the band My Name Is Guy performed - they were a great band with male/female harmonies and bongos and they sounded like your early '90s shoegazer college alt mellow rock band. Very cool vibe. People also got to ask Robin questions about her book and about the song "Audrey Wait!". She mentioned there was a youtube songwriting contest for the book. And here's one youtube example.

How cute is that? Very neat promo! Anyway, it was very well attended and a lot of fun and Robin did a great job and her book is awesome.

Awww, she's sweet! (And while we're talking about books and clothes, I have to say that Paula ended up wearing a dress that perfectly matched the "Audrey" cover, so that was lovely.) Anyway, the event was wonderful, people were cool, and I got to eat tamales with some friends afterwards, so win-win-win.

But as fabulous as Saturday was, I've been in a blah mood ever since. I thought I had a case of the Sundays, but here's Monday morning and the blah is still around.

Blah.

The crazy thing about being in a Mood is that I can't write because either a) all my characters end up in bad moods, too, and then they start doing things they're not supposed to do, which really screws me up, or b) the Mood gives me Writer's Block, which only creates more problems.

So if I'm not writing, I need a back-up cheer-up plan, and for reasons even I don't understand, that plan is "Go to Anthropologie and Buy a Teacup". Something like this.

Again, I don't why this works, but most of the times, it does. (And if you ever come over for coffee, this will be the reason why none of my coffee cups match.)

But sometimes, I just want to wallow, and this morning, I am in Wallow Central.

And you know that Wallow Central has a soundtrack. (Don't worry, it's only the following five songs. I'm not trying to depress everyone for days.)

AA Bondy, "Black Rain, Black Rain"

"Like a ghost upon a breeze in a land of elegies..."

Coldplay, "The Scientist"

"Come up to meet you / Tell you I'm sorry / You don't know how lovely you are..."

Evan Dando, "Frying Pan" (Victoria Williams cover)

"One laugh in the middle of a struggle / Eight diamonds at the bottom of a puddle / Did you ever stare at the moon 'til you saw double?"

Ray LaMontagne, "Empty"

"And of these cut-throat busted sunsets and cold and damp white mornings, I have grown weary..."

Teddy Thompson, "Tonight Will Be Fine" (Leonard Cohen cover)

"There is only one bed and there is only one prayer..."

Whew. That was...fun? Would that be an inappropriate way to describe sad music? Hmm.

Anyway, me and the iPod are going to the beach to eat tacos and guacamole and do something about this Mood. But let's end things on a good note, okay?

Ella Fitzgerald, "Get Happy"

"The sun is shining / C'mon get happy!"

EDIT: My aunt just emailed me to give me some of her own "cheer up" tips. I heart my fam. 

Turning your orbit around...

Alooooooha. Let's begin, shall we?

So tomorrow promises to be very exciting. I have my event at Vroman's! I'm super-happy because I know some friends and other lovely sorts are coming to see me, which warms my little heart. On the other hand, I'm nervous! I don't know why I'm nervous, but I suspect it's the caffeine, which is also warming my little heart.

(Just so you know, by 7am this morning, I suspected I was already overcaffeinated. Oh, today promises to be fun.)

Anyway, if you can make it tomorrow, I would love to see your adorable face. Bring friends and some questions for the Q&A. All the details you need are in the above link & just to your right and don't forget, Google Maps is your friend. Especially in Pasadena.

This entry was going to be longer, but I'm having an Omelette Crisis in the kitchen. Gotta run, but before I do, I woke up with this song in my head this morning and it reminded me that I haven't listened to it in a while. Here's to a mellow (and now omelette-less) Friday.

Wilco, "Jesus, Etc."

"You were right about the stars / Each one is a setting sun..."

I can't stop listening to the sound...

Hi kittens! Did you miss me? (Hint: there's only one right answer to that question, haha!)

Oh, what can I say? I'm finally home from Italy, but I wish I could go back! It's like this perfect magical land of food and culture and music and ruins and canals and pretty much surpassed my expectations. Coming back was kind of like waking up from a perfect dream. Do you ever do that thing where you're dreaming about [insert amazing & fabulous thing here] and you wake up and think, "No, I have to go back to sleep because I need to keep having that dream!"

That's what it was like to come home from Italy.

So if any of you are planning on visiting soon, please let me know and I'll double up on the yoga classes so I can be limber enough to fit in your suitcase.

But I am home, and I'm de-jet-lagged, I've done all my laundry, visited the dry cleaners twice, dragged my suitcase back into the closet, returned phone calls, celebrated my belated birthday, downloaded all the new fancy-schmancy iPhone 2.0 stuff, and finally dusted off the old computer.

Here's a list of things that are happening with me that I think you might find newsworthy. All of this is "Audrey"-related, of course, since I doubt you want to know about all the banal things in my life. That would be an entirely different (and incredibly mortifying, oh my god) blog.

So, first things first. I'm doing another signing in Los Angeles! (Well, actually, Pasadena, but really, once you're on the freeway, it's ALL Los Angeles.) I'm signing at Vroman's Bookstore on July 26 at 4pm, as part of their "Summer Author & Music Series". Local band Mynameisguy is also performing, so it should be a hootenanny. And really, who doesn't like a hootenanny? If you do make it to the signing, please make sure to introduce yourself and say hello!

Next, my friend Anna-Lynne, who I've known since I was five years old and who's in the bands Trespassers William and Lotte Kestner, recently did an interview with me for the online magazine Identity Theory. We talked about fun things like music and record players and why Leonard Cohen is a lyrical genius.

Here's a little "Behind the Book" info: you know how in "Audrey, Wait!", Audrey is always putting pictures of her favorite bands on her wall? Anna-Lynne did that all the time when we were in high school, so I stole that idea and put it in the book.

So to conclude: Me? Signing at Vroman's on the 26th. Anna-Lynne? Does awesome interviews. Laundry? Clean and shoved into a drawer somewhere. Italy? Gorgeous. I put some pictures on Facebook, but here's some highlights to send us off. (Click for the biggie versions.)

I loooooved Venice. I am googly-eyed with affection for Venice.

Dinner in Florence. We were surrounded by some of the most amazing statues and artwork, and what do I take a picture of? The food.

Lavender fields in Tuscany.

Beach umbrellas along the Amalfi Coast.

Eating just outside of Rome. Lunch took about 3 bliss-filled hours, and the owner of the restaurant kept playing Kings of Convenience on the stereo. I suspect that heaven looks a lot like that day.

Kings of Convenience, "Homesick"

"A song for someone who needs somewhere to long for..."

And finally, here's a chat conversation I had with my brother upon returning home.

Aaah, famiglia.

You broke your fingers in the climb...

Oh my God, blame the lateness of this entry on the stupid neenerheads (I'm trying to swear less) at Time Warner Cable. I won't give you details, but after an hour, I wanted to use my cable modem to bludgeon myself in the head.

Time Warner Cable gave me rage issues. Thanks, guys.

Anyway, a few of you (hi Mom!) might already know this, but I'm leaving for Italy tomorrow! I've never been to Europe, so this'll be quite the experience. I might be a little unreachable and this blog might be a smidge empty for the next two weeks, but I promise to update once I return. Promise. Cross my heart and all that stuff&nonsense.

The exciting part is that I get to go to Italy and talk about "Audrey!" Or, as they call it in Italy, "Aspetta!" There's even a contest with TRL Italy! (And I can't figure out a word of my author bio on that site, so if anyone speaks Italian, help a girl out.)

Unfortunately, though, I'm the worst packer in the world, especially when it comes to my carry-on bag. Which books to take? Which magazines? Do I want a newspaper? Do I need my computer? Where the hell are my comfy socks? It goes on and on and on, so I won't bore you with details, but I need some help. Ergo...

What books should I take with me? Leave me comments if you want and tell me your favorite traveling book because I'm stymied. Keep in mind that I don't want to lug around "War & Peace" (not that it's a bad book, just sizeable), so if you've got short-story collection recommendations, excellent.

Music, however, is super-easy, thanks to my iPod. I know I blogged last week about Coldplay's new CD, so that's a slam-dunk. However, I'm also listening to a ton of Tilly & the Wall lately. And wouldn't you know it, but their new CD "o" came out yesterday, so we're going to have to pretend that New Music Tuesday is New Music Wednesday. (Again, thanks, Time Warner Cable.)

Tilly & the Wall, "Pot Kettle Black" (from "o")

"I bet you think we didn't know / Didn't even see the tides change!"

But you know the best thing about Tilly & the Wall? They don't have a drummer.

They have a tap dancer.

Tilly & the Wall, "Bad Education" (from "Bottoms of Barrels")

"I'm a believer, I'm solid matter..."

Other music I'm planning on listening to while flying high in the sky: Kings of Leon, NIN, and my all-time favorite traveling song, Yo-Yo Ma performing Ennio Morricone's "Gabriel's Oboe" & "The Falls" from "The Mission" soundtrack. If you listen to any song, listen to this last one, because it is perfect.

Ciao, kittens! I promise to return with metaphorical souvenirs and a couple of snazzy photos.

(And of course, I miss you already.)

They are turning my head out to see what I'm all about...

Oooh, Tuesday. We all made it through yet another Monday. I have to say, even though I don't have a "normal" job and don't have to be in an office at 9am, Mondays are still hard. Why, Universe, why?

Anyway, it is Tuesday, June 10, which means that the "Audrey, Wait!" contest is almost over! The deadline is midnight tonight (or technically, tomorrow? How does that work anyway? I can never figure it out) so if you still have a song in your head for "Audrey", then be brave and post it! And for those of you who don't have a musical bone in your body, you can vote on your favorite video. There's something for everyone!

And because it's also Tuesday, that means it's New Music Tuesday. However, the only thing I'm really excited about is the new Coldplay album, which doesn't even come out until next week. I'm surprised that I'm so excited about it, since I've never been a huge Coldplay fan, but "Viva la Vida" has songs that make you want to fly. And maybe only three of you will understand what I mean by that, but that's okay.

And PS, you can stream "Viva La Vida" right over here, so it's your lucky day. (My two favorites are "42" and "Lovers in Japan / Reign of Love", in case you were curious.)

More later this week, including tidbits on "Audrey, Wait" in Italy!

Ciao, kittens.

I'm not scared, I'm out of here...

Is this interview thing getting old? Are you tired of reading about me?

Well, I certainly hope not, because I have not one, but TWO for you this morning! Oh, grab your coffee and hunker down.

First, Powells.com is running a Q&A with me about my favorite books, my ideal day, and the best "Simpsons" episode ever. (One word: Homerpalooza).

And then Miss LK Madigan has included me in her series "Authorial Intrusion", where she asks authors questions that have nothing to do with writing. Instead, you'll hear about, among other things, why I hate snorkeling. So go! Read! After you finish reading this entry, of course.

This is going to be my attempt to meld current-life experiences with life experiences from 4 years ago. I hope this works. As some of you may recall, I saw Modest Mouse and R.E.M. last week at the Hollywood Bowl, and there were two moments during the show that really struck a nerve with me. Don't you just love when that happens?

Anyhoo, 4 years ago, I was broke. I was getting over a terrible illness, had no money, no job, and my bank account laughed at me every time I dared to look at my balance. I swear, it really laughed. I was exhausted and stressed and sort of at the breaking point. I sent out dozens of emails for job ads on Craigslist and other places, but the only response I got was for a temp agency in Century City. I figured, "Hey, I can type a bazillion words a minute, I'm friendly enough, and if pressed, I can look presentable. What's to lose?" So I trooped over to Century City in a very business-y outfit, feeling hopeful, feeling good, ready to kick ass and take names in the temping world.

And then I met the most miserable woman alive who worked in the most miserable office imaginable.

You know how some people are unhappy, so they do all they can to bring down everyone else? That was this woman, and it was all the women around her, too. You could tell that everyone in the room hated everyone else for reasons that I can't even begin to imagine, but which I'm sure centered around such things as who had the better purse & shoes.

Yeah.

(I should probably point out here that I'm sure there are wonderful temp services staffed by lovely people. This just happened to not be one of them.)

So we sat in a tiny office and this woman glared at me--I am not even joking--for almost 10 minutes while she looked at my resume and listed all the jobs that I could have had if I had come in for an interview sooner. There was lots of disappointed sighing on her part. Meanwhile, I sat under fluorescent lights and felt very small and squirmy and wondered if it would be bad manners to ask to use the restroom and then just slip out the door.

But I stayed.

So after listing all the jobs that would have been perfect for me, this woman looked up and said, "I want to send you out on a job," and then proceeds to describe a job that I had absolutely no qualifications for whatsoever. So I smiled and nodded and nodded and smiled (by the way, here's a tip: any time you find yourself nodding and smiling for more than 5 minutes straight, something is not right) and then said, "Hey, that sounds great, but just so you know, I have no idea how to do any of that."

And just as I was about to launch into my spiel about how I'm a fast learner and how I really really wanted to work again, this woman looks at me and says, "You know, I used to be like that, too, and then I learned to--how should I put this?--get over myself."

Cut to 10 minutes later, and I'm sitting outside crying in some cement garden in Century City. I was convinced that this was going to be my fate, that I was going to end up becoming some pinched, bitter woman who was mean to everyone around me. Everything felt terrible, like it would never be okay again, and I was scared.

I climbed into my car, still sniffling, and turned the radio on. Halfway home, Modest Mouse's "Float On" started to play. "Well, we'll float on, good news is on the way," it sang to me, and I believed it. "Don't worry, even if things end up a bit too heavy, we'll all float on." I turned it up and sang louder all the way back home. "We'll all float on okay!"

And lo, 4 years later, here I was sitting at the Hollywood Bowl last Thursday night, listening to "Float On" being played live while all around me, people danced and sang along. The song was right, it was all okay, and I sang with everyone else and remembered that horrible afternoon when nothing felt good.

It's good to look back sometimes, don't you think?

Modest Mouse, "Float On"

"Don't you worry / Even if things end up a bit too heavy we'll all float on alright..."

After Modest Mouse played, R.E.M. took the stage and proceeded to be freaking amazing. But what really got me was Michael Stipe's introduction to "Electrolite", which is one of my favorite R.E.M. songs. Just in case you can't see the YouTube clip, here's a transcription of his speech:

"It's actually one of my favorite songs, and the reason I'm telling this story here is because this song, for me, kind of embodies the time I lived in Santa Monica for a couple of years with my best friends. Every now and then, they would go on one of those late-night drives where there's no traffic and we'd climb up into the hills and go up to Mulholland and think about all the people that have come through this beautiful city, all the people that are here right now. And so with that, I dedicate this song to the city of Los Angeles, the city of dreams. This is called 'Electrolite'."

R.E.M., "Electrolite"

"If you ever want to fly / Mulholland Drive / Up in the sky / Stand on a cliff and look down there / Don't be scared / You are alive..."

Well, between the "Float On" memories and then this introduction, I just about lost it in the middle of the Hollywood Bowl. I've done that same Mulholland late-night drive more times than I can count, especially during those lean days when I was sick and unemployed and felt about as worthy as pocket lint. And I don't care how cheesy this sounds, but these songs put me back together when I was broken and I will never forget it.

Wow, okay. I hope this didn't sound like the After-School Special of blog posts, but I just wanted to write this down somewhere so I didn't forget it. And I hope that if you're having a bad time right now, you find something that makes you smile, even if it's something as silly as a pop song.

Oh, and P.S. Tomorrow I'm going to shake it up and actually post about books for a change. Get ready, kittens! Haha!

You can't buy what you can't find...

Okay, so you know what I learned last weekend?

Lean in close, this is important. Are you ready?

Make sure your self-tanner doesn't contain body glitter.

It was a nightmare. I glowed like a freaking disco ball. Embrace the paleness, people. Embrace the paleness. Sheesh. And why--WHY--is there chocolate on my computer keyboard, I ask you? Can you tell the kind of week I've had? Good Lord, get me to the weekend, that's all I ask.

This week wasn't all glitter drama, though, thank goodness. I joined Facebook! So if you're not my Facebook friend, you should be. It'll be fun! We can bond over our iLike pages and compare status messages. You know you want to.

Oh! I also had an "American Idol" mini-party the other night for the big grande finale. And wouldn't you know it, this totally happened to us. I shake my fist at you, TiVo!

I'm also going through this crazy White Stripes & Raconteurs phase, which is definitely not a problem for me. Wanna share? Yay, I thought so!

The White Stripes on NPR's "Fresh Air" in 2005.

Such a good interview, especially when you're stuck in traffic on the 10.

The White Stripes, "Jolene" live at Reading 2002

Just ridiculous how good this song is. Reeeee-diculous.

The Raconteurs, "Store Bought Bones" live at Lollapalooza 2006

"You can't buy what you can't find what you can't...!"

I've been singing this everywhere for the past week. Sorry if you've had to listen to my shenanigans.

The White Stripes, "We Are Going To Be Friends" live in Manaus, Brazil 2005

A lot of people have asked me how I researched the celebrity factor in "Audrey, Wait!" Answer: watching clips like this. Awesome insanity.

I hope you're all happy and healthy and body glitter-free (unless you're into that sort of thing, in which case, go you!) and ready for whatever's coming your way this holiday weekend. Be safe! Wear sunscreen! Embrace the paleness! Haha!

Let's talk, let's talk...

My best friend Adri once said to a Boston cabdriver, "This trip is going to be short in distance [she was going two blocks], but long in tip." Now I'd like to steal that line and make it work for myself.

Ahem.

This post will be short in length, but long in information. At least from this point on.

I did another interview! Hurray! It's right here, so feel free to read & ask me follow-up questions.

Also, I'm doing my very first chat this evening! It's with Enchanting Reviews and all you have to do is click the link below, think up a clever chat name, et fin! (In case it's not obvious, I took spanish in high school, so sometimes I use french phrases that don't make sense. I suspect this is one of those times.)

Chat with Robin Benway, May 14, 2008 at 5p/8e

And finally, don't forget about the "Audrey, Wait!" contest. I know a lot of you (yes, you, I'm looking at you) have told me that you have your own version of "Audrey, Wait!" in your head, so why not share it with the world and win money while you're at it? If I could enter this thing, I'd be all over it. But alas.

Anyway, chat! Come chat with me tonight! And I promise that there will be a cool update tomorrow, complete with music and maybe--just maybe--a playlist for you! Oooh, cliffhanger!

Get your runway stride home and keep it goin'...

Okay, so really, how can I compete with a not-quite hotel fire? It's a hard act to follow, but I will now try to do my best to recap my book tour experience for you crazy kids. Behold!

ROBIN'S FIRST EVER BOOK TOUR EXPERIENCE, POST-SAN FRANCISCO!
(With photos and musical accompaniment. This should not surprise you.)

So I have to say that Seattle was not nearly as action-packed as San Francisco, but only because I was there for 11 hours. I know, right?! That's just enough time to go to my hotel, get coffee at Starbucks (hey, when in Seattle...) and listen to Kanye.

Here's the thing: sometimes I get a little nervous before talking to groups of people, so I need some musican encouragement. Kanye works well for this. Sometimes I even think, "What Would Kanye Do?" but then I realize he would probably just complain about not winning any literary awards, so I let that drop. Anyway, here's what shakes me out of my nerves.

Kanye West, "Champion"
"For me, givin' up's way harder than tryin'..."

So then it was time to go to the signing at Third Place Books with Polly & Jody.

There was a band at our event! They went by the name Shotty and they did a 9-minute Santana cover that sort of shook the roof. Was I expecting to hear a Santana cover that night? Absolutely not, but it was a pleasant surprise!

Another pleasant surprise was that my friend Anna-Lynne came to see me. She and I grew up together and she made me my first mix tape. (I don't have enough room to explain how life-changing that tape was, but trust me, it was epic.) Anyway, she's in the band Trespassers William and now has her own solo deal, Lotte Kestner. It's very shoegazey and I think you will dig it.

Anyway, this is me & Polly & Jody looking all author-ly at Third Place. Don't be fooled, we really are professionals.

After that, I ate dinner at a place that I cannot remember, slept for a few hours, and made it out of the hotel the next morning in time to sit at the Seattle airport at 6:11am. Here's what that looked like:

(I swear to God, some of the loudest people in the world are in airports before 7am. WTF?)

I landed in LA, safe and sound and very tired, only to discover that my baby-friend Luke had sent me good luck wishes for my LA event that night! How cute is he!

(If you don't have a baby-friend, I recommend getting one as awesome as Luke.)

Anyway, so after that, pretty much everyone I have ever met in my life--like, at least 30 people--showed up to see me & Polly & Jody. I know some pretty amazing people. Here are the backs of their heads:

Not the most flattering shot, I'm sure, but that's all of them. Not a bad-looking crowd, huh? I read the dedication in my book and made my mom & brother cry (sorry, guys!) and then read a little bit of "Audrey" and people clapped and my knees finally stopped knocking together.

This is my littlest fan, Claire. She was eight days old when this picture was taken. You can't tell from the photo, but I'm holding my breath because I didn't want to breathe my adult germs all over her and ruin her babyhood. She is very tiny and is obviously going to be a prolific reader.

By then, Jody & Polly & I & everyone else in the room was ready for a party, so we trooped across the street and talked and danced a little. You know how sometimes, you can hear a song a million times and not really think about it, but then you hear it in a certain environment and all of a sudden, it's like, "Holy cow, this is the best song EVER!"

Yes. Enter Beck.

Beck, "New Pollution"
"She's got a carburetor tied to the moon / Pink eyes looking to the fruit of the ages..."

(I'm dancing to this song even while writing this entry. That's how good I am.)

But then it was time to say goodbye to Polly & Jody. A word of advice: if you ever become a writer and do a book tour, I highly recommend doing one with authors as cool as these two people. They were my favorite traveling buddies. I miss you guys!

So after traveling and dancing and reading and talking, where do you think I went? Where else?

Vegas.

Now, I'm not exactly a "shake your booty at the club" type of person, so some parts of Vegas and I don't get along. However, I definitely got along with the Bellagio, which is where we stayed. Any hotel that has a gelato store built into it gets two thumbs up in my book!

They also have a botanical garden, which is way prettier than most places in Los Angeles. Now, I don't know what the world is coming to when you have to go to freaking Vegas to see beautiful pieces of nature, but there you go.

Another interesting thing about Vegas is that towards the end of the Strip, there are 4 HUGE screens that constantly blast the 30-second Mary J. Blige iPod commercial. It is relentless. RELENTLESS. So if I have to have that song stuck in my head, so do you. It's only fair.

Mary J. Blige, "Work That"
"You can look at my palm and see the storm coming / Read the book of my life and see I've overcome it..."

So after Vegas and gardens and Mary J., it was time to come home and realize that I have a lot of laundry to do. But it was totally worth it! I had the best time meeting all of you--you might not realize it, but one of the best compliments I could ever get is someone coming up to me and saying, "I liked your book!" It will never, ever get old.

I hope you are all having lovely days and weeks and months, and I can't wait to see you again!

In conclusion, my favorite song that I heard while I was in Vegas. Turn it up, kittens.

Ella Fitzgerald, "The Lady Is a Tramp"
"I like the theater, but never come late / I never bother with people I hate..."