Sunday, February 22, 2009

It's On the Way

I've been sitting here thinking of some way to artfully describe my feelings, but have come to the conclusion that it's simply not possible. I thought about comparing my sense of anticipation to a current of electricity coursing through my body, but that seemed a tad cliche. (What, no automatic accent mark? What gives, Blogger?) I considered writing about how I've been unable to sleep at night, but that's technically untrue. I thought about comparing the coming event to the birth of my only child, but that felt a little this (and The Wife wouldn't have liked it).

The thing is, some things truly are indescribable, even for unpubbed writers and award winning bloggers. (I really wanted to use the word 'ineffable' up there where I wrote 'indescribable', but I didn't because 1. even though I'm pretty sure the two words are synonymous, sometimes words have shades of meaning and I didn't want to use it incorrectly and look stupid and 2. If I'm right about the two words being interchangeable in the above context, I would have come across as something of a show-off, and I like my arrogance to be a little more tongue-in-cheek.)

What is this ineffable thing of which I speak (like how I did that?)? I give you people's exhibit 1:

The following items have been shipped to you by Amazon.com:
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Qty Item Price Shipped Subtotal

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Amazon.com items (Sold by Amazon.com, LLC):

1 Sophomore Undercover $10.87 1 $10.87

Shipped via USPS
And here's people's exhibit number 2:

http://www.amazon.com/Sophomore-Undercover-Ben-Esch/dp/1423113039


God, I can scarcely type.

Tuesdy is te dy I finaly get my copy of Ben's bok. As all rabid devotees know, it's a day we here at Murphblog have had marked on our calendars since the beginning of--well, since about December of last year.

I'm very excited, and as previously stated, I plan on making the arrival of Sophomore Undercover and my subsequent reading of it the subject of my first vlog. (On my Post-It: Figure out how to do a vlog.)

However, there is a problem which may delay this much-anticipated (by me) event.

PROBLEM:

I still have 200 pages to go in Bartimaeus and there's no way I finish by Tuesday with work going all Joey Chestnut on my time.

Options: abandon Bart and read Sophomore (you know you've hit it big when people refer to your book using only one word from the title) or place Sophomore in the TBR pile where it will surely mimic some of my more irrespessible students by being all, "Mr. Murphy! Mr. Murphy! What about me? Pay attention to me!" (And then when it doesn't get the attention it wants, it'll leave the TBR pile and cause mayhem in my room.)

What's ironic* is that if it weren't for Ben recommending Bartimaeus, I would have chosen something shorter and would therefore be able to start his book immediately. That irony-- something else, isn't she?

And I have questions too. Questions Ben could have already addressed were he not waxing rhapsodic about Nicolas Cage.

QUESTIONS:

1. Where is the launch party and where's my invite?

2. Will there be hors d'oeuvres at the launch party and if so, what will they be? (I recommend these things, these things, and of course, cheese sticks.)

3. If someone (say, someone not invited to the launch party) was inclined to throw their own party in their basement/bar (which might or might not have a poster of Cheryl Tiegs on the wall), what would Ben recommend for 1. food 2. games and 3. music?

4. How does one go about getting their copy of Sophomore Undercover autographed if they are not invited to the launch party? Will the author be performing at a Barnes & Noble near me?

I think that covers it for now. Question for the rabid devotees: What will you do to celebrate the release of Ben's book?

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I will read Sophomore Undercover while plucking tissues from a purple and white Kleenex box and wiping tears away before they fall on Ben Esch's virgin cream-colored pages.

Okay, that didn't come out as I had planned... sorry, Ben (and Paul)...

Kelly Polark said...

Murph- I think you are Ben's number one fan! (I hope he hasn't read Misery...)
I'm looking forward to his book, too! Send some hors doevres my way! I never decline free food!

chris said...

i will celebrate by staring at my own beard in the mirror for three hours while pretending it's ben esch's. then i might read some pages of his book, after which i will celebrate by running through my house screaming.

Anita said...

I'm waiting to hear your review before I order the book.

Anonymous said...

Wow...

Paul, I actually blushed the first time that I read this. Granted, I'm a blusher, but I still really appreciate all of your help with the build up on the book release and I'm really excited to hear the vlog about Sophomore Undercover.

Now, on to your dilemma: should you read my book or finish Bartimaeus...

Well, to be perfectly honest, I think you should finish Bartimaeus first (there's some cool crap about to happen in that book) but I'm mainly just happy that you're going to read Sophomore Undercover at some point.

Thanks again, man.

Now, I really liked your questions about the release. How much did I like the questions? I'm going to make them the topic of a blog post. Thanks for making my life easy. I was totally just going to write about Nic Cage again.

Ben

P.S

Ineffable would be an awesome title for a book.