Blog & Tour Update
August 28, 2009 Hi Guys!
Sorry to interrupt the flow of Wreckage, but I figured it was high time to update you on the coming book tour and also some of what's going on here with the blog.
First, the blog: Over the next month or so you'll see a few more guest posts from both John and my "Wrecksistant" Anne-Marie , since I'm up to my elbows in book promotion and tour stuff. (Yes, really. I promise I'm not just vegging on the couch playing dot Hack. As far as you know, anyway.) Still, I haven't missed a day's posting here in nearly a year, and I have no intention of breaking that record! So y'all be nice to my guest posters, hear? And if you're ever curious as to who wrote what, just look at the footer bar of each post.
The biggest and best news, though, is that Cake Wrecks is getting a makeover. Yes! We're finally getting a professionally designed look! I've grown rather attached to this Minima Blue, though, so that will still feature in the background. The new design will streamline our sidebars (we're even cutting ads - woot!), widen the posting area slightly, and look a whole lot nicer. Look for that to debut sometime in the next three weeks.
Next, book tour stuff:
First, let me tell ya: this tour is going to be *awesome*. We have some of the best bakers and bakeries signed up to provide amazing cakes at each stop, and so far between two and four hundred of you have RSVP'd for each location already. These are going to be some cuh-razy parties! You'll have lots of opportunity to meet and mingle with your fellow Wreckies, hang with me and John, ask us questions, show off your cupcakes, stuff your faces... you get the idea.
(Oh, and re: the cupcake contest: be sure to bring your cupcake on a small paper plate with your name written on it, k? Thaaanks.)
Also, good news for those of you in the San Francisco area: since we had an extra day there anyway, and since so many of you pointed out that our existing stop in Petaluma is a bit of a trek from the bay, we've added another stop in the city itself. To help us plan who will be attending which event, though, we've had to delete the old Petaluma RSVP page and put up two new ones. So, if you're planning to attend either (or both!), please RSVP again here: for San Francisco click here, and for Petaluma click here.
I wish I had similar good news for those of you in Atlanta and Boston, but I think Andrews McMeel is trying to NOT kill me on this, my very first book tour. We now have 12 stops in 16 days, and as someone who dislikes travel and public scrutiny, I can tell you that I may be thoroughly zombified by the end of it. (John and I will be in Atlanta for Dragon*Con next weekend, though, so stay tuned to my Twitter if you want to hunt us down and say hello!)
Also coming up is a "virtual" book tour, during which I will be "visiting" five of my favorite blogs and/or websites. I'll be introducing each of them to you a little closer to the "virtual tour," which will coincide with the "real" tour, and will hopefully introduce you to some neat new sites and "people." Heh. (Excessive quotation marks ftw!)
Well, I think that's it! Thank you so much, my loyal Wrecktators, for making all of these great things possible. I'm pretty overwhelmed right now, but your amazing e-mails, comments, and continued readership have made all the craziness and stress worthwhile. John and I can't wait to meet so many of you on the tour!
- Jen
Reader Comments (54)
I love this blog site it is my morning coffe! I am hoping to get to come to the Seattle tour if I have someone to watch my daughter!
Also coming up is a "virtual" book tour, during which I will be "visiting" five of my favorite blogs and/or websites. I'll be introducing each of them to you a little closer to the "virtual tour," which will coincide with the "real" tour, and will hopefully introduce you to some neat new sites and "people." Heh. (Excessive quotation marks ftw!)
No doubt the "blog" of unnecessary quotation marks is on the list.
I sure do wish you guys were coming closer to me! One of the many flaws of living in small town Iowa, I suppose. Good luck on the tour!
I'm so bummed that I have to work they day you will be in Portland
:-(
wv: minticke
What do you call a mint that you find at the bottom of your purse that is covered with god knows what?? minticke
Jen, when are you coming to San Diego?
cant wait!
I'd be happy just rubbing elbows with you guys at DragonCon! I've heard it's a lot of fun over there, bwhahaha!
I will just have to enjoy the view from the Great White North instead, alas. :/
WV: fourachi
They're coming at us fourachi time! Nothing a good fireball can't fix, but I prefer chain lightning myself *GRIN*
I'm so there for the Portland, OR stop :D. Hooray for cake!
Showin' no love to the ATL?!?
that's just wrong. Hmph
Why no stop in SoCal? We love you too!
Ooo, ooh! In the refurbish, how's about larger images when clicked upon? If possible, you know, just because some of them do Deserve to be seen (to be believed.)
Thanks for your consideration.
I love you site.... but BOOOOO to not stopping in New England :(
Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes YESSSSSS! You're coming to Atlanta YES!
You know I check this blog everyday. And though you aren't stopping anywhere near to where I am, I am sending you good wishes and a lack of roaming crazy people...wait a second...you seem to LIKE crazy...even relish it...ah well. The good wishes still count right?
And I like the idea of new digs for the blog. All the good stuff coming your way is well-deserved!
Shelley in So. Illinois
you are an inspiration to us all!
Can you add a stop in BOSTON? Please?
Please come to Boston for the Cake Tour (set to John Denver tune)
Why isn't there a musical note in the buttons above the numbers anyway? Like, who needs the triange with no base over the 6?
Deb from MA
WHAT?! You have an extra day in CA and you're not leaving the Bay Area? POOP!
Wait, Wait when are you coming to Atlanta?
Gasp!! How could you boycott Boston??!!??
and what are the funny wv: comments? They're funny!! yet mysterious ...what does wv mean?
I'm looking forward to seeing you in NYC!
Long time reader, first time poster... I will be at Dragon*Con and I would love to wave to you at some point. Just look for Gabrielle, I'll be with Xena
Oh, yes, I agree on larger images on the clicky. Definitely "needed."
San Francisco! Woo and Hoo!
wv: flarqui
Can't wait to see all those flarqui cakes in your book!
I will try to make the Dallas event. I have to work (~sob~poor me) but I'm really enjoying your posts! Thanks for sharing and making me laugh.
Holy cow, they're jumping you all over the U.S. without any rhyme or geographical reason, aren't they? Florida to S.F.? Have a good nap on the plane, at least. :)
Can't wait to see you next month in the Mile High City!!!
be sure to bring your cupcake on a small paper plate with your name written on it, k?
Okay, how many of you read this and imagined a cupcake with the words "your name" impeccably piped on top?
Besides me, that is.
Arensb,
Laugh out loud funny. Seriously. Whew.
john
Wooohoo Dragon*Con!
Aw, so sad you're still not coming to Atlanta, but congrats on all the big news!
I like it when John posts. It reminds me of when my Dad used to make food when my Mum was out. IT never quite tasted the same but somehow... Wait, this isn't therapy...
Congrats Jen! Hope the tour goes well. Ad-free sounds great, and who doesn't love a makeover!
Awhile ago you chastised people for not checking CW first thing in the morning. They missed an entry that you had then pulled. Well here I am - and no new entry! This happens every morning! And by the time I check it again, it's much later in the day because not all of us surf the web at work! So get crackin'.
(I'm not really upset)
*sniff* Dragon*Con ... have a great time ... haven't been in years ... need to go back
i dont understand why you can't stop in every state in all the major cities for at least an hour during your 2 week trip? senseless... ;-P
I am so sad...I just realized that you are stopping at Copperfields in Petaluma...I USED to live right in the area! Now, I live on the other side of the country and you aren't stopping here.
I'm hoping to convince a few of my friends back in CA to stop by in my place, though.
Aw man, and of of course this is the first time in six years that I *won't* be at Dragon*Con. Have some extra fun for me!
I already have your Chicago(ish) date on my calendar + you'll be happy to know, I stopped in the middle of booking vacation hotels to cheer that CAKE will be served at the events!!!! Whee!
I'm thinking all book readings need to serve cake. Cake, glorious cake! God I need lunch.
Have "fun" on your "tour." I hope you have "time" to "enjoy" the sights, and take time to "taste the cake."
Sorry I must have missed it where do I RSVP for Portland Oregon?
what the ? is Dragon Con? some new movie premier? a fair?
Will your D*C badgename be Wreck-themed? *g*
I'm trying really hard not to be bitter but...I have to say, the multiple stops in the same state thing really grates when you're ignoring an entire REGION of the country. You could have chopped one of the Texas stops and gone to Atlanta. Or Birmingham. Or Nashville. Or Charlotte. Something. It's not like we're asking you to come to Podunk Junction. These are pretty major cities in a fairly heavily populated chunk of the country. And no, Florida doesn't count as the Southeast. I know Texas is a very, very large state, but still. I'm inclined to refrain from purchasing the book, since clearly the money in my area, and a less than 400 mile radius of my area, doesn't seem to register on your publisher's radar.
Woo, SF! That's actually made things much easier, so I'll be there!
.hack is so addictive. Gah. XD You instantly win +10000000 cool points for that mention with me! The only other way to get that is to namedrop MegaTen.
Anonymous @ 3:22,
First off, it's not our fault. We just go where they tell us.
Second, we want to add Atlanta and Boston, we really do. After getting 850 comments on the first tour post, all asking for Atlanta and Boston, we figured it would probably happen. The publisher is probably right though that we have 12 shows and 13 flights in 16 days which is apparently going to be pretty physically draining.
All this to say who knows? If it makes you feel any better, the Australians and Canadians are pretty tweaked too.
Yours,
john
Hello! ^__^
I have a question about purchasing the book. I was at a signing at a B&N for another author, and they made me purchase two books from them before they'd wristband my friend and me and allow us on the line. I'd love to preorder the books, but I'm worried the location we'll be attending will enforce the same restriction. Luckily I kept the reciept from the copies I had brought with me and was able to return them later.
Is there any way for you to figure this out on your end, or is this a case of "call the location and find out?"
Thank you! ^__^
just wanted to say congrats -- i've been following for a long time and am so happy for you!
♬
Deb from MA... the ^ is for "high five" Otherwise, I have no idea what it's for. Maybe it's "math-y."
Oh, and since it didn't work, ♬ is HTML for musical notes...
Like Zhoen says, bigger pics when we click on the link.
But also and most important, for those of us on dial up(...yes, STILL!!! Don't get me started!!AAAGGH!), loading your page here takes long enough to run a load of laundry! I open cakewrecks, go do some chores, then come back for my daily laugh. Losing the advertisements might help, but if you could POSSIBLY have pity on those of us out in the sticks, all alone out in farm coutry with too few customers to be worth running high-speed cable, isolated and without enough human contact to keep us sane!!!! Make the New and Improved Cakewrecks load as quickly as possible!
-Desperate In Pa. ;^)
Thanks! Loveya!
My hubby will be at Dragoncon with his friends and they'll be recording their next scotchcast. If you want to be guest tasters (or even just sample some) look for the scotchcast guys! You could maybe pair scotches with different cake flavors?
Cadbun