I’m finished the book.
(Note the empty coffee cup. I swear that the last two days have been so over-caffeinated that I have grown new nerve endings in my hair and teeth.) Instead of emailing it to my editor right now, I’m going to wait a few hours. I’m so thrilled and delighted with this thing that I’m taking just a little time to revel in the thrill of being the only person who has seen it, and knows it, and thinks it’s good. When I am done patting it and looking at it and taking pictures of it, I will turn my attention to the speech I have to give tomorrow night, since impending public humiliation is a powerful motivator. The speech is all I have left to do, having gone to the Gap yesterday to buy pants (I don’t know why it always comes down to pants) and a bra. (I thought that might be a nice touch to my attempts at professionalism.)
Tomorrow morning will dawn bright and early, and with it – the knitters of Toronto (some of them) will take to the streets and take inexplicable knitter pictures all day long. At the suggestion of some very clever knitters in the comments, the equally clever Rachel H has set up a Flickr group so that a) my inbox isn’t flooded with pictures, and b) you guys can see them too and C) that you can write in the descriptions what your pictures are.
You can send your sock pictures there, and if it’s an entry for the “Freestyle” category, please make sure that you say so in the description. (In the interest of silencing public outcry, I have decided that there can be an “international” freestyle category as well. Take your picture tomorrow, make a note in the description title that it wasn’t taken in Toronto, and go right ahead.) *** In the I AM AN IDIOT DEPARTMENT (May I just say? It’s remarkable how often I end up there) It has been pointed out to me that this solution leaves out the rest of Canada. (Again? IDIOT) So, we now have three categories. Toronto, Canada at large and International. Better?
I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to this. I won’t lie, mostly I’m looking forward to tomorrow being the first day in years that I have woken up without any sort of a book deadline hovering over me with its hot sick breath, but it is a close second that I get to spend the day knowing that the city is covered with knitters, all doing what we do best, doing it with good humour and a champion sense of fun, and that the whole rest of the city is going to wonder about it. It is going to be a stupid amount of fun. Just stupid. I hope everyone has a fantastic time.
Remember (for those of you who missed it the first time) The list of pictures to scavenge is here, and the launch is at the Isabel Bader Theatre tomorrow night. The doors open at 6:00 pm, (the U of T bookstore will start selling books at the launch at that time too) Andy and Michael take to the stage about 6:30, Rachel will be declaring winners in the picture hunt around 6:50-7:00 (just bring your camera and your list with your points- we have a system planned) and I take the stage when all that’s done, should I be able to bring myself to do it. Pub afterwards. (I assure you, I will be able to manage that part.)
I’m off. I’ve got to read a speech to the cat.
Congratulations! I can’t wait to read it! And enjoy tomorrow, you deserve every minute.
Awesome! Can’t wait to read it as usual. Maybe this time I will take my time instead of devouring it in one night…. eh – probably not!
Have a wonderful tour Stephanie.
Congratulations! Good luck tomorrow. I’ll see you next week in Annapolis (Hooray!).
Meanwhile, how to convince all concerned that a sock photo in a featureless office bldg in suburban Maryland is an international freestylin’ champ, cuz that’s where I’ll be tomorrow.
Congratulations. Enjoy the good stuff to come.
Congratulations! That is wonderful!
In celebration of the launch, I think we should all make up our own local sock picture scavenger hunts if we can’t get to Toronto. Inexplicable knitters everywhere! I’ve got Huntsville, AL (click on my name if you want to see).
Yay! I can’t wait to read THAT book!
Or the current book, for that matter.
So, whaddaya mean, no more book deadlines? Does that mean no more Harlot books?! Horrors! All you publishers out there – DO something about this!!
Bookmarked it, Cheering from the sidelines (if Boston could be considered the sidelines of Toronto).
Break a leg, baby.
xo
I’ve never been so sorry that my family left Ontario about 1946! It sounds like all the knitting Torontonians will be having a ball this week.
As consolation prize (for missing the launch) I found the book today (last copy at the Barnes & Noble near me in Paramus, NJ) and I’m reading it with great pleasure, trying not to begrudge all the rest of you your fun!
Congrats and have a wonderful day…sorry to have to miss the excitement…
Congratulations on completing the next publication! I wish I could be there for the festivities, but alas, I’ll be working at the LYS in Belmont, Ca. At least I can knit on my sock in solidarity of inexplicable knitting.
Cheers!
Yay for you!! What a great time everyone is going to have tomorrow. Our little knititng group is excited to see all the pics, thanks to Rachel H. for the flickr site.
Congratulations! It’s a terrific feeling, isn’t it? 🙂
Congratulations and have a wonderful day tomorrow. It sounds like a blast! I have a sock picture from last November at the Colliseum in Rome. Would that count?
Looking forward with great anticipation to seeing you in Ann Arbor.
Congrats on the book! I’ll be able to share the feeling of elation as soon as I get through this assignment I’ve been avoiding!
We’d love to see you in Edmonton sometime!
Congratulations!! Love the Flickr group idea something fun to look at instead of the snow coming down outside(I’m in Wisconsin). Cheers to no deadline tomorrow.
Good luck with the speech Steph – I’m sure you’ll be as entertaining as always (and I’ll be you just hate when people say that because it is NOT that easy to put together as you make it sound when you deliver it!).
The last time I practiced a presentation in front of my cats, they all ran downstairs. Away from me. No kidding. The only saving grace was that in my nervousness the next day, I mentioned that early on and got such a big laugh that I relaxed for the rest of the presentation. 🙂
Congratulations on finishing the book. And I am envious of the knitters of Toronto. They are going to have SO much fun tomorrow! Oh – and happy tour. I wish I could get down to Denver to see you there, but I have some other commitments.
Ohh, cats can be the harshest critics, don’t take her reactions to heart. You’re always a wonderful speaker, you know.
Congrats on finishing the book!
Any thought to having a sock picture contest for those NOT in Toronto? How foolish can we be, perhaps?
And congratulations on the pants and bra. Now, if you can keep from spilling coffee/wine/colored beverages on both, you’ll be all set.
And all of the reading knitters rejoice!! Congratulations!
Yay for you on finishing the book. Again. And squeezing in there a sock monkey hat. Very nice, really.
And thanks so much for including us “international” knitters. I was really trying to figure out how I could drop one kid off at kindergarten tomorrow at 8:15 in Kansas, and drive up to Toronto and be back in time to pick him up at 11:30. Oh, and I’d have to take the 4 year old with me in the car, which would mean we’d have to stop approximately every 20 minutes to go potty. Now, I’ll spend the morning looking for someplace inspiring for the “International Freestyle” category.
Thanks again!
I have a kitten who attacked my face yesterday when I tried to read part of a poem to him. Good luck with reading your speech to a feline. They are picky.
question – to be clear here, those of us attending the Toronto launch can buy books at the event? or do we have to find the UofT bookstore first and buy the book there?
Yay, Stephanie!
Congratulations! I hope to be able to say the same thing tomorrow about my thesis draft. And with any luck I might even be able to make the launch in the evening after all – bonus!
I hope the cat likes the speech.
Don’t forget to stand on it to see how much taller it makes you.
Good luck! And thanks for the international category!
Congratulations on the Book — do the Happy Dance! And have a wonderful time tomorrow!!!
Woe is me — In an incredible lack of forsight, I finished my only sock-in-progress (actually, both at once — no more SSS) LAST NIGHT! Now to have an SIP I’ll have to tink one & slap it back onto the needles!!! However, it might be worth it if I can get hold of the “Official Cow Wrangler” in our company. He might let me take a sock pic of Rusty, our company long-horned steer, with a sock hanging from a horn.
Make sure you do not read the speech to our cat. He was really rather mouthy last night, and quite full of himself. I don’t think his opinion, at least last night, would give ANYONE a vote of confidence.
I hope you found some pants you love, or at least can tolerate.
Can’t wait for tomorrow – although I know you’ve been waiting for today! I’ve already reserved my copy of the book at Lettuce Knit – Megan is a dear. Now I’m just wondering if that got signed? Or do I have to hope that I can take a moment of your time tomorrow?
Congrats on finishing – may you breathe easy for long enough to have fun tomorrow with us!
I’m looking forward to that book – I mean, I look forward to all of your books, but for some reason, the snippets of your feelings about this book that you’ve shared make it seem like a book I REALLY want to read. Or maybe I’m just strange. But we both know that I am sort of strange, so whatever. I wish all contestants luck tomorrow, wish I could join in, but alas, I can’t get away from the suburbs. Tragic, really.
Huzzah and congratulations! You deserve an audaciously inexplicable day of celebration.
Just chuckling over a re-peek into “Yarn Harlot”. Hooray for completing the book. Planning on joining you at the pub for afters. I hope you had some kitty treats for bribes while you were practising your speech.
Yeah! It’s always a great feeling to have finished something, especially something that has been eating you heart, mind and soul. (I always feel like the word soul should be in all caps with maybe an extra O or two, but I digress.)
I’ll have to take my current sock in progress and take a nifty keen picture tomorrow morning for the International category. Wish I could be in Toronto!
Man, I wish I lived in Toronto!
Congrats on finishing the book. I can’t wait to read it 🙂
That’s our Stephanie. Always ending with a punchline that makes me burst out laughing. Love it. Can’t wait to see all the pictures!
Hurrah! Congrats on finishing the book, and being ‘free’ for the tour.
I’m glad that you and Rachel decided to set up an International Freestyle category. I was much lamenting how I couldn’t be in TO for such an important event as the book launch (though I will be at the Ann Arbor event) – since we go to Toronto all the time (from Detroit), and are season ticket holders for Toronto FC (the MLS soccer team that plays at BMO Field). We went to the opening game of the season in Columbus Ohio on Saturday (and met up with about 2200 Canadians who made the big road trip – yes, we knew they would be there). I was nearing the end of knitting my second sock (first complete pair) in TFC colours during the tailgate and took my first sock pictures. I’m glad that I can at least share them in the Freestyle category, the sock also got a photo near the CBC wagon that was sent to cover the game. My DH took some pictures of me with sock and was encouraging my photographing the sock whereever I could. Nice when those close to you enable the madness…
Have a great time tomorrow night everyone! I’ll be think of y’all.
Huzzah huzzah huzzah for finished books, met deadlines, avid cats, and mad knitters blanketing Toronto in giddy waves. I’ll send you a picture from Cali, even if it’s just us in the LYS:-0
Congratulations, Stephanie! I can imagine just how great you must feel right now… I’m sure your cat will enjoy the speech… the way most cats do…heh.
Now… let the fun begin! (cool, I just read that Glenna may make it after all!)
You mean you own two bras now? Way to keep them locked and loaded.
Congrats all around!
Congratulations on finishing!
Congratulations! I have never wished I was in Toronto more than I will tomorrow knowing all those knitters will be out with their cameras. I wish I could join in! Have a blast tomorrow!
CONGRATS! 🙂
Can’t wait to see you on tour.
Teach the cat to do the happy dance with you, okay? Cats love it when you try to get them to dance. Really.
Things I Learned In College Whether I Wanted To Or Not …. put that manuscript in a safe place away from any drinks, food, kids, dogs, windows, etc. heck just wrap it in 15 layers of Saran Wrap and double bag it in Ziplocks, then put it into a water proof safe and put that into a giant Tupperware container.
I hope the cat knows what’s good for her and appreciates your speech (we all sure do). Cheers for finishing!
Congrats on finishing the book and have fun tomorrow! Good luck with the cat… 🙂
Yahoo! Have a wonderful time tomorrow.
Woo Hoo! Congratulations and enjoy the euphoria that comes with finishing the book – because reality is lurking!
Can’t wait to see you in Annapolis!
huzzah!
much congratulations!
now, when do WE get to see the book?
oh, and since you are all caffeinated and stuff…
http://www.oneplusyou.com/q/v/caffeine
Congratulations! It must feel SO good be finished. Also, I keep giggling at the image of a “city covered in knitters.” I keep imagining a city literally covered in knitters, like they’re some kind of human blanket dome thing. Perhaps that should be what follows World Wide Knit in Public day.
I think it’s gonna be raining tomorrow, and if it’s anything like what we just had… good luck to all knitters that will be taking pictures around town. I’ll be at work, not being able to skip it for a day, plus I’m not a sock knitter, so there you go.
YEAH! A picture category for us poor souls who can’t be there.
And congrats on the manuscript.
I was feeling left out, not living in Toronto, also being stuck on a glove, not having a sock to photograph, but really, it’s just so much fun knowing this is going on that all I can do is lean forward in my desk chair and be excited. thanks for making life more interesting! I’m sure both books will do that too, the one you are launching and the one you just finished. Happy tour!
Hope everyone has a blast tomorrow and that the cat gives you a standing ovation (or meow or purr or something)! I’m sure you’ll rock tomorrow, especially with the magic of new pants.
Yay! International category!
It’s so nice to be included!
my it is nice to know you will have clothes on
we kntters could knit you a wardrobe to go
to england with just as they did in by gone days
happy new book will look for it in the months
a head-dont for get to look at our spring time-
give them that old razzle dazzle
this is the sound of two hands clapping
Congrats! I’m sure you’ll wow the cat! If the cat even looks in your direction, it means you were a hit. Have fun tomorrow, I wish I could go.
I am just stupidly excited about the stupid amounts of fun. I get on the train in about 2 hours, and i’m all atwitter with excitement.
congrats on finishing the book!
Congratulations!!! now you can really enjoy every moment of free-breathing non-deadline life for a while.
Have a blast at the launch – your fans are certainly ready to share a good time!
I’ll be in Annapolis, MD, when you get here! Congratulations on finishing the book. I can’t wait.
Woohoo! International Freestyle Catagory! Yay! Thanks, Stephanie. Thanks, Rachel H. I’m going Mother-of-the-Groom Dress Shopping (yes, it needs to be capitalized; it’s a big deal) tomorrow and will take the sock. There’s bound to be a photo op in there somewhere.
Congrats on finishing the book. The timing was great because I just received my copy of the Things I Learned today! I will soon be pre-ordering the new one from Amazon!
I am excited to see all the pictures & I’m no where near Toronto! Wish I was so I could send it sock photos.
Hurrah! Congrats on completing your project.
I can’t wait to play tomorrow. Good luck for your speech, it’ll be a fantabulous fun night.
Congrats on finishing the book. Good luck on the speech tommorrow. But really, Toronto versus the rest of the world (intenational) in your photo contest? Unless of course you consider everything north of highway7 and west of the 427 intenational?
In honor of your Toronto Knit Mob tomorrow, a knitting friend an I took our socks to knit at a bar on the promenade at Hermosa Beach, California. I had hoped for a better turn out, but two is better than none. Out of the living rooms, knitters of Southern California!! Have fun tomorrow. Stupid amounts of it. Perhaps I’ll enter the freestyle category…
What a treadmill you are on! Finish book, launch previous book, start new book. Good Lord, woman, when did you find time to have kids!
Will leave early in am from Collingwood . Still looking for fellow knitter who might like to do hunt with me? If anyone out there like to do together please contact me at swatty9@gmail.com
Also, never figured out how to download the pics from my cell phone lol. Hopefully can burrow camera from son or daughter.
Congrats on finishing book must be such a relief, enjoy time off from writing for a bit, though you know we all will be clamouring for more.
As for your speech I am sure it will be great. Just remember we are all people who feel we know you through your blog and you do know many who will be there, so assume it is like chatting with old friends who love you!
My US friend talks about you all the time and through her and your blod feel as though I know you though very new knitter, not know much, but I am keen. Still on scarves, started baby’s blanket, keen to learn how to knit socks and arm warmers!!
Looking forward to Having Way Too Much Fun tomorrow, thanks.
Hugs “The Yodelling Knitter”
Too bad I´m on the other side of the continent, but I´m sure you´ll make a detailed post about it, to entertain the unlucky ones who live far away. 🙂
And huge congrats on finishing the book. Now go plant the tree! (that´s what they say in Portugal: have a child, write a book and plant a tree and your life is fulfilled)
Hugs
Ana
Finished a book and bought a bra all in the same day? Darn, I was using you to justify my not wearing a bra after all of these years….congratulations on your books and enjoy your day tomorrow. I’m sure you deserve it!
Congratulations on finishing the book. And congratulations on finding pants and a bra. Last time I went shopping for pants and a bra, I came home empty-handed and exhausted, with nothing but sheer contempt for all clothing manufacturers, wondering just who they were making these things for because NONE of them fit me. Yeah, thanks for making me feel like a freak, dudes. Like that’s a way to get my money. So if when you see me in Ann Arbor my pants keep falling down and I keep yanking at my bra, uh…don’t laugh at me, ‘k?
I know where I’m taking a picture tomorrow. Hee hee hee…
Hi. I was super excited when your book came in the mail today (I would have bought it at a store, but you weren’t going to be in the area.) I love it.
You are awesome. Enjoy the respite. You know there will be another book around the corner…
YEAH YOU! Great to be finished with the book before this launch – I hope you get to enjoy it! (and I’m very much looking forward to your next one, because this will be the first one I got to follow on your blog – a very cool view into the way books – and you! – work, thanks!)
You’re amazing! Congratulations on finishing yet another book. I’m waiting to buy my copy at the Tattered Cover on Friday.
How do you survive all these events and deadlines? I think the stress of one of them alone would do me in (such as buying pants AND a bra)–and you have them all grouped together. Back to the “you’re amazing comment”, I guess.
Allow me to add yet another congrats to the growing pile! =^) Keep writing books and we’ll keep buying them. (I will owe you much good karma for introducing me to sock knitting through your writing. Thanks again, that is the best gift I ever received!) I’m brainstorming for international freestyle. On a somewhat related note, is it just my perverted lesbian brain or do socks-in-progress look like, uh, for lack of a cleaner metaphor, like a Georgia O’Keefe painting? Just saying…. =^)
CONGRATS AGAIN OH AWESOME HARLOT!! Goddess among knitters!! Have fun tomorrow! The rest of us will be there in spirit!
Have a blast tomorrow!!
Congrats on finishing the book!
congrats on the finished book! I can’t wait to buy it. You could have saved some time and knitted yourself a bra and pants instead of shopping for them!
Harlot, congrats. and enjoy. It is so cool to read the happenings in your words. Although I won’t be anywhere near you – I have it all pictured in my mind. Since I am a non-knitter, I’ll think of something to hold up in place of the sock . ., A Chicagoan, who is visiting VA.
Congratulations! Tell your publisher that you have my vote to leave the Britishims in. See you in Seattle!
Hurrah! Huzzah! Balloons and confetti! Brava! Congratulations on finishing and sweet bonus that no other deadline was lurking to pounce.
My amazon package is at the mailbox so I get to see the book(s), I bought three for gifts too) right after work….yeaaahhh.
Have a delightful launch and enjoy a Toronto-ful of knitterly joy.
Congratulations! May there NOT be a house on the freeways for those in Canada to drive to see you! Have a blast! I’ll be flying towards Atlanta, GA and then driving onto Anniston, AL…there’s got to be a way to get a knit picture tomorrow to the freestyle to you! That is if TSA clears me through the security line fast enough for me to download it and send it before I fly…otherwise I’d be sending it well after the deadline.
Have a blast! can’t wait to read all about it!
For the last month since I discovered you, I’ve been enjoying your blog AND wading through your archives (has taken me over a month to read up to your first “blogiversary”) and I’m savoring every post. And many, many of the comments. Llama, llama, duck. Bet you can tell what I read last night!
I’m so happy for your book launch. And am I the only one who found it ironic that a woman (esp. a lactation consultant) is judged to be a professional not only by how well she does the job, but also by how well she restricts and conceals the natural motion of her mammary glands? Humph!
I wish I had a sock-in-progress to enter in freestyle – I’d also be tempted to photograph it in front of Googled images of all the Toronto locations, since I can’t make it in person, but sadly, I must work instead.
Thanks for inspiring me to pick up knitting again. My sister-in-law will finally get the shawl I started for her in 2002! And then I can finally make one for myself, too. Plus, I started haunting thrift shops after reading about the snowdrop shawl, er, swatch, yarn find in a TO thrift store, and recently scored over 300 balls of assorted novelty yarns for under $0.30 each!!! Can you say “instantaneous stash storage crisis”? I can.
Cats are the best listeners! Good luck and have fun!
Congratulations on finishing the MS! Sounds like a good time will be had by all tomorrow – wish I could be there too. I’m celebrating with you in my own way: I found what must have been the last copy of the book at the local Barnes & Noble and have almost finished it; I’ve also been knitting in public at every opportunity but haven’t generated any questions or odd looks from the muggles as of yet. (Well, almost every opportunity. I did leave my knitting in the car while I attended a memorial service yesterday.) If we have no socks in progress, are baby sweaters in progress an acceptable substitute for pictures?
Any specifications on what we,in the International category, should pose our socks with? Generalities ‘course
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BOOK! Good God woman, you crank out books like I’ve never seen! I can’t imagine the pride and sense of..”thank God I’m done”!!
Now all you have to do is travel for weeks and sign your incredibly long name, make us all happy and reward yourself with chocolate and a beverage that shall be un-named.
Congratulations on finishing your book! I received your “things I learned from Knitting” book today and I read it today!! (It’s not short or really a quick read, reading fast gets me through my exams).
I love love love it! I can’t wait for the new one! Exclamation Point!
Good luck!!! =)
Congrats on finishing the book!
How’re the socks coming along?
Am reading and laughing at the book now—do so wish I were able to attend the event–any of the events! But, I’m trying to get my daughter in Denver to go so I can enjoy you thru her!
Please come to N. California again soon!
Love the sock, and would be totally overwhelmed by the stack of books to be signed–I too have a very long name!
Jude in Sacramento
Congratulations!
I so wish I could be there tomorrow night, but I will be sending my good wishes from BC! ^_^
Way to go on finishing the book! I know that is a big relief for you.
I hope that Millie enjoys the speech half as much as I will enjoy whatever you are saying in Nashville!
I was seriously thinking about how I could manage a trip to Toronto with a 4 year old, a 2.5 year old and a 6.5 month old… see what you make me do?!
Come to Cleveland next time, promise? kthxbai.
Congratulations on finishing the book!
Best of luck tomorrow, but of couse you’re launching your book on the best day of the year – my birthday! 😀
I totally wish I could see you, but the baby wouldn’t appreciate (a) being dragged around Toronto to take pics of socks and (b) 7 pm is his bedtime.
I hope you didn’t get a cramp in your knitting hand with all that signing. I would have happily accepted “Steph” if I could be there.
I know you keep saying Rachel H has a system figured out to judge the entrants tomorrow, but I can’t imagine how she’ll handle it all. I see a huge long line waiting for her. Unless her system is to put all the knitters on the honor system?? And we all know how honorable knitters are. ‘Course, they can also be stubborn, inventive, and very, very, competetive. Luck to you, Rachel.
And where is the picture of the celebratory glass of wine?
Congratulations on finishing yet another book – your output is amazing! I’ve been checking our local bookstore daily for “Things I Learned While Knitting” – it’s still en route! Hope it arrives in Connecticut soon. I’m so glad that you’ve opened up the sock picture gallery to the rest of the world – I have one on the needles that I’m going to take out with me tomorrow.
Break a leg.
Congratulations on the book! Have you considered knitting pants? Your stash of sweaters is likely why you are never in need of tops…
You are not an idiot, just a really busy working mom. Are you finished with the page-a-day calendar? We are waiting patiently for that, too. Remember, cats are the best listeners. They never laugh at you, at least not out loud, and they keep their comments to themselves.
Break a leg, babe! (Sounds like so much fun!!!!) Looking forward to seeing and hearing you on Sunday in Hotlanta!
Love your blog but the first sentence cracked me up…”I’m finished the book.” You must be so tired that you forgot proper grammar. Too funny!
Steph,
May the Yarn Goddess smile on you and yours tomorrow! Can’t wait to see the book! and all the scavenger photos!
Finally a big super fun knitting event is taking place near my homebase……. and i CAN’T participate!!!!! AAAAAARRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!
BOO BOO BOO for work!!!! and driving into the city on a WEEK night just doesn’t do for us “out of towners” who, again , have to WORK the next day!!! sigh……… work takes all the FUN away. :[
but on the upside… i can’t wait to see the pictures!! :]
If you can finish your book, then i can finish my paper by tomorrow morning!
congrats.
Congratulations on the next book too!
Wow. You are brave. Cats are a tough crowd.
Wait. Didn’t you just stop writing a different book, like, two minutes ago?
You’re a madwoman!
Congratulations on finishing another book. I don’t know how you do it! Just received Things I Learned from Knitting in today’s mail and I can’t wait to get in bed and read it cover to cover. Keep the books coming! Okay . . . well, I guess you should take a little break first. You deserve it. Enjoy tomorrow – and your book tour.
Um…congrats on the book, congrats on the new bra and pants and…um … do you remember last year’s Infamous Hosiery Debacle? Why not go all out and buy yourself a new pair of pantyhose while you’re at it.
Just don’t want you to think I’m not watching your back. Remember? You asked us to.
Congratulations!!! Am so happy for you! Now, remember to drink lots of water to wash away some of the effects of all that caffeine. 🙂 (And after the visit to the pub on Tuesday night.)
I was going to take a picture in Yonkers and send it to you as a gesture of solidarity (by the way–I love April Fool’s Day) but instead, I have decided to spend the day visiting the flicker site and enjoying some major Toronto energy tomorrow.
Have a wonderful time!
What did the cat say? My family members and I pride ourselves in fluent catspeak. raoow =)
Congrats in the break in deadlines! I hate those things. Can’t wait to see you new book(s) Have fun tomorrow.
Very much looking forward to seeing you (again!) in NYC on Wednesday! I was able to wrangle the whole day off, not just get the early shift. Am I excited? You betcha! And I’m going to think up some cool things to do with my wee baby sock tomorrow for the International Freestyle Competition.
Pre-ordered that 2009 calendar of yours last night, Steph. You just snuck (sneaked? snickered?) that one by us, didn’t you? Can’t wait, as usual. 365 days of Harlot gems!! And got “Things I Learned….” today – hey, lady, you’re writing them faster than the bookstores can keep up! In fact bought two of them, because CtG and I are showing up next week at O’Shaunnessy in St. Paul. Cannot wait to see what a real Canadian knitter looks like in the flesh!!
Nancy in N MN
Congratulations! Now go have a beer and take a nap.
Done! Congrats! No deadlines? Amazing! *And* new pants & bra–geesh, forget the new nerves, it’s surprising you aren’t flaming out on re-entry. I hope Millie at least glanced in your direction when you read your speech. 😉 (Lucky cat.) Thank you, RachelH, for the Flickr pool. (Yes, already visited and bookmarked.) I’m sitting here giggling about all the muggles who’ll be confused by people taking sock photos…and those confused-to-be when they stumble over the pool. Should make for some interesting photo comments, neh?
Hope all of you have an absolute blast tomorrow!
(22 days, and Portland…LOL, just realized that’s Earth Day!)
I so wish I could be there tomorrow, but alas, I will have to do my own inexplicable knitting in Colorado tomorrow. I am trying to figure out a way to sneak out to see you on Fri at the Tattered Cover, but my kids will be here for the weekend, and they are muggles!
I am planning my own inexplicable knitting activity and will try to get it posted to the Flicker website late in the day!
Have a great launch and drink a beer for me. You deserve it.
That is the best picture. Congratulations!!
Congrats on finishing the book.
Have a blast tomorrow night, I am working Tuesday night so won’t be able to make it to the book launch but I want to wish you all the best for a smashing evening!!!
Congratulations on finishing the book! Good luck tomorrow – not that you’ll need it. You’ll be great! Can’t wait to see the sock pix!
It’s officially April 1 here. Let the fun begin! Please thoroughly enjoy yourself. This is a busy work week for me (no NYC event or crawl I’m sad to say). Now… where did I put that sock I was working on?
Congratulations on finishing the book! I cannot wait to see you at Third Place Books. I didn’t make it last time because I was sick and pregnant, but this time I WILL BE THERE, well and holding baby Olivia. Enjoy not having a deadline!
I know the feeling. I finished a book around a fortnight ago and it was soooo relieving. The only issue is that it’s one of a series of five textbooks and due to some general crisis at the editor I’m now trying to create a workbook for the geography textbook. Next time I might be asked to write a handbook on heart surgery, I suppose.
But still, my history stuff is gone for reviews, I can go from work (I work at the publisher’s as an art director, directing mainly myself and doing graphics most of the time, did I mention that?) and I can get out of the office early and knit and blog. Feels good.
Just shove the manuscript away and enjoy. It’s one of the best feelings I know.
Congratulations on the newly finished book and the published one. I’ll be searching it out the next time I hit the yarn shops. And it won’t even harm the wool budget because the book budget is a whole seperate thing!
If, like me, you would like to read a blog that is more about crafts and not just about being an author and selling books, please enjoy http://lisaboyer.blogspot.com/ she is great and not at all big headed. She is also funny and not precious.
Enjoy.
Hi Stephanie! The link to your photos from last year’s scavenger hunt is not working! Thx!
Woooohoooo!! Have a great time befuddling the muggles. Oh, and I found the most recent book in the wild a couple days ago – wonderful!! I laughed so hard that my husband started laughing just listening to me. You’re a prize!
Cats love speeches and class lectures. They translate it into “your the most handsome/beautiful cat in the world” as everything we say translates to them.
Peaceful journey on your tour. Hoping to catch you at the WEBS show.
Today will be a blast. Enjoy every single minute. Can’t wait to see the photos.
Congratulations, you must feel so exhilarated. I know I would. I am so jealous of your photo scavanger hunt today. I so wish I could be there. You know what else I thought, this is one heck of an april fool’s joke to play on the city of Toronto and the world at large. They won’t even know what hit them… Knitters!!! Laughs evily and maniacly…. Have fun and break a leg (not literally, just some theatre talk for yah)…
Whoohoo! Congratulations! Enjoy the feeling of accomplishment – NO ONE deserves it more!
(((hugs)))
I’m guessing that that first line of today’s post is evidence of how hard you’ve been working (I’m finished the book?)…sorry, I’m an editor by trade, so had to tease you on that one. Congrats!
As I find bra shopping in stores a royal pain, I’ve taken to buying mine online from One Hanes Place. I can measure myself, make my selections and try them on all in the privacy of my own home rather than having to try on a bunch of bras in a tiny little dressing room with a curtain that doesn’t close all the way, curse violently when none of them fit right, have to get dressed again to go look for more, and repeat.
A good bra makes everything you wear look better.
I can contribute nothing to the sock photo competition, as a sweater sleeve is not a sock. The second sleeve of the perpetual Manos is, however, going faster than the first.
Can we bring hats to donate to the Annapolis signing?
Congrats on finishing the new book.
Considering the post of your cat joining (yes I know, not in the tub) you while you took a bath, the cat will give you an honest opinion about your speech. However, don’t take it too hard if the cat dosen’t like it, after all I doubt that even your cat is a knitter.
Oooooh! To be in Toronto on April 1st. However, since I can’t be, I started a sock and am taking it on my daily treadmill (figuratively). Can’t wait to see you in Annapolis. Good luck today and enjoy the launch!
I’m really looking forward to this next book–your non-Storey book of essays is my absolute favorite. It’s such an amazing combination of humor and lightness and terrible sadness. The essay is one of your real strengths, and I am so glad that there will be another book of them!
And hooray for your day of no book deadlines! Enjoy it while it lasts!
Cats make a great audience, except for when they yawn and fall asleep during the speech. Enjoy the bit of rest that you can get after completing a large task. Revel in it – I’m sure you deserve it.
First things first: CONGRATS!! YAY YOU!!!
You do realize that if the cat really likes it she will lie down on it, and if she really, really likes it she will use the standard feline method to claim it as hers.
And now on to my petty concerns…
**Yikes** I didn’t read this until now, I’m at work, and I didn’t bring my camera. I trust and hope international freestylers have until midnight Thursday too? Cuz I have a few ideas.
Also, I gather each freestyler is allowed to enter one and only one picture? (Although I can and will blog as many as I wish.)
Congrats on the book’s finish!
The last time I practiced what I was going to say on the cat…..well,to quote Nan Porter…”If cats could talk, they wouldn’t”.
btw, don’t sweat a new bra for Oregon. You leave yours at home & so will I, lol. Can’t wait to see you at the Forestry Center in April. Wayyyy more room & chairs than Powell’s.
OMG, am I the only one who gets a sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach when you say you’re “going to wait a few hours before you email the manuscript”??? Is that not taunting the fates? If that were me I’d probably be hit by a bus, lose my memory and have my computer wiped out all in the same day just for doing something so rash! I’m sure your luck is much better than mine, though 🙂
I’m so looking forward to tonight!
Can we keep this photo gallery up and running after today? It’s fun to look at. I’d like to take pics of my socks on my travels and add them to a gallery to share with all my internet knitting cronies!
Congratulations on your book and Good Luck tonight!
I’m so tempted to ask the nurse to take a picture of my sock at my annual GYN exam. But even I am not quite that bold…
Congrats on finishing the new book and Break A Leg for your book lauch. I look forward to reading both of them. It sounds lika a hell of a party, wish I could be there. We can expect lots of pictures?
I forgot to congratulate you on finishing your book – Mazel tov! I’m waiting for your current book from Amazon …
Letter carrier brought my copy of the “book” today…coincidence…I think not…soo, I will be reading the book tonight…thinking of everyone, and wishing I was there too!! Have a blast all!! Don’t forget to share details!! bets
I guess that makes you a product writer then? As opposed to a process writer? The knitting philosophy can be applied to anything really! Good luck today!
WooHOOOOO! A finished book and inexplicable knitter behavior all on the same day. I envy you just a teensy bit. Enjoy! (Oh, and congratulations on the pants! I can totally relate. What is it about pants anyway?)
This newest manuscript is on Amazon already! They know you come through. As for me, last week I was standing in front of Border’s at Columbus Circle, gazing at the poster for your appearance, and realized that this is the closest I’ll come to a book-signing (now I’m back in Hawaii). So I’ll be enjoying the book and following the tour and parties. Thank you for inviting us in to the process, too. Congratulations and have a ball.
You have to feel proud. A book release today and yesterday the completion of another. I anxiously await both. I’ve sent my daughter Jennifer to pick up your book and see you at Columbus Circle. Hopefully you will inspire her to rejuvenate her knitting!
No contracts right now? You’re a rogue author? Katy bar the door!
And Rachel, I want to write a grant to pay you to amuse me full time. Here I sit in the basement of a 14 story library able, thanks to your Flikr-foo, to click through all the photos everyone else is working so hard to collect. My feet are warm, I’m in a comfy chair, and dozens of women are scurrying around, enabling me to feel part of the fun. Bless your l’il socks (never was that a more appropriate endearment.)
Perhaps you can borrow a well-behaved dog to read your speech to. Cats are very judgemental, although they do appreciate fine art. Mine stares at my Van Gogh poster (Cherry Blossoms). I think he likes the composition.
Now off I go to look like a complete idiot with a butterfly net, a sock, and a camera.
Have a wonderful time!! Wish I could be there, but Antwerp was fun today too. I’ll be raising a Belgian Beer with you in spirit.
Cheers!
just to add something different to the mix, take a look here
http://www.mindhacks.com/blog/2008/03/twisted_thoughts.html
A knitted brain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doh, I really wanted to do this today, but I have been hit with a case of the too stupid special to get anything useful done (like bring a camera or a phone with a camera).
Stephanie,
I would love to have you come to my store in Newark De in May. I saw you’re gonna be in Phila on May 18 which is when we’re celebrating the 1 year anniversary of my owning the store Stitches With Style. Any chance of that happening? (Please, please!!)
Thanks, and love your books and your blog
Linda
Congratulations on finishing such a huge undertaking!!! Slogging all the way to the end and by deadline too. Way to go! I know you will have fun at your launch. Happy Day. Wish I was there.
namaste
Congratulations and good luck!!! How I wish I could be there myself! How I wish even more that you were coming to Fort Lauderdale, Florida!! Remember, it’s WARM and SUNNY down here in the winter!! NO SNOW and LOTS OF BRIGHT COLORS!!!
Congratulations on completing a task we all now get to enjoy! And I hope that all of you in Toronto have a wonderful time and know that you are representing all of us who wish we could be there today, but can’t!
Congratulations! I can’t wait to read your book!
I love your scavenger hunt idea, and wish I could participate in it! I’m on a business trip at the moment, and not only do I not have a sock to work on (and photograph) but I do not have a personal computer to download a photo onto. Any chance we can do another scavenger hunt in the future?? (maybe a more international one??)
it’s *always* good to have a nice clean pair of undies and a nice bra with you. Never know when you might get locked in the hallway of your hotel. Not that THAT would ever happen to our Harlot, no siree-bob.
Its a little late to comment on this – but I feel like sharing that Hanks birthday (and the dragon mittens) marks the anniversary of my having started reading your blog – and then the slow subtle start of my knitting career – your excellent humor writing has made a knitter of me, keep writing, its working.
Just a thought. Cats tend to be very underwhelmed by anything that does not involve catnip, the sound of a can being opened, food hitting their dish, or ear scratches (at least mine react that way)
If the cat does not respond with appropriate enthusiasm, I promise your public will, and we don’t even need catnip. Other enticements might be appreciated, but are mostly unnecessary.
Sigh. Right now you’re all up there in Toronto having knitterly giggles. Hope you all confuzzled the muggles today.
Hurray for you, finishing your book! I can’t wait to read it.
I’m SO excited – I just got a box from Amazon containing the new book!! Must go now…can’t hold a book, laugh, and read at the same time 🙂
How inspirational and uplifting. The bra part especially. No really, way to go on the book. I look forward to tracking it down somewhere. I am working on a book and wish my editor would find some more time to wrap up my book. What kind of vitamins are you feeding your editor?
Have a great launch, safe in the knowledge you are well supported (bra again). This from a gal flirting with the idea of ditching those things entirely…………..
Can’t wait for the book! But, pants, bra and Tights! I can vaguely remember something of you digging through your daughters drawers for last minute tights — and then something about wrong color and a big run. . . . .
One more congratulations to the 168 you all ready have. 🙂
I know you are at the pub as I type, but I just had to say that I am sooo happy for you that you are done and you get to have that euphoric feeling of finishing something huge. And you got to spend the day celebrating by doing something fun! Well, it was probably more than fun, and I can’t wait to hear all about it.
yay!!! Congrats. And I hope tonight was a blast for you – I couldn’t make the trek this time. However, I played along in the online version of Inexplicable (blogged and flickr’d), and totally weirded out more than a few people and at least one goat.
The launch was a lot of fun this evening!
I was wowed by the scavenger hunt participants, and also that the musicians knew the lights had to be on to allow for knitting.
A very lively talk as expected, and the pub did not seem too afraid of our group … and there were a LOT of us.
Good choice of locations all around.
THANKS and CONGRATULATIONS!
I just wanted to thank you for the lovely talk tonight, wish you well on the tour, and say that I have a clip up with the 2 Skydigger dudes up on my blog here: http://crazyknittinglady.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/inexpicable-part-1/
…but I don’t know how they feel about being YouTubed so if they are against it I will totally yank the clip down at the word go. But they were so lovely I thought other knitters needed to see them.
May you have lots of Theta waves in the next 5 weeks.
Congratulations!
Um, you have LOTS of backup copies, right?
Congratulations!
Ha, astabeth’s comment made me laugh–remember the world according to garp when his story goes flying everywhere? Ooh, painful to watch.
Thank goodness there’s no more typing on sandwiched carbons anymore, or worrying about all that and portable hard drives are so cheap.
Bon chance!
Hurrah! I am so looking forward to this. Have a fabulous time at the launch, and chill out. You so deserve it.
I’ve got the book; I’ve got the book; I’ve got the book! It finally came to Florida and I picked up my copy last night so I got to pretend I was taking part in the launch.
I woke up this morning to a message from Amazon:
The following items have been shipped to you by Amazon.com:
Amazon.com items (Sold by Amazon.com, LLC):
1 Things I Learned From Knit… $8.76 1 $8.76
How happy am I?????
Congrats on finishing another book! We appreciate your work!
Happy Trails, YH! Enjoy your travels and return home in safety.
Didn’t I tell you like 2 weeks ago to order pants and a bra? Sheesh— see— you never listen….;) Actually I’m just glad to know I’m not the only one who has to buy them everytime I have an event…
I love, love love your new book!
Betsy in Claremont, CA; a lurker
Wow, I was so excited when I got home from seeing you and “the sock”, for first the time, last night at the Tattered Cover, I was wound up tighter than a cheap skein! I can’t wait to enjoy the book. I hope you find “Cheery-os” stitch markers as easy on your fingers as Ruth’s hand massage. Thanks for a wonderful evening and have safe travels! Pat in Centennial, CO