A great story and great pictures, Ari!
John
A great story and great pictures, Ari!
John
Wow Ari, very cool couple days for you.
I got to go to the Atlanta signing and even I am jealous.
Awesome pictures, Ari !
Thanks for posting !
The Man In Black Fled Across The Desert...
...And The Gunslinger Followed.
“I’m always on the Batman rule, sir.” - Kate Kane / Detective Comics 857
"It is the story, not he who tells it." Except to us collectors who have to put limits somewhere. - jhanic
Remember, Remember, The Fifth of November, The Gunpowder, Treason, and Plot.
Thanks for sharing your story Ari! I too wish we could've taken a photo, but as you know, the line was pretty tight and the rain was pretty bad!
I didn't know that your friend Oscar was the official SK spanish translator!! That is so cool! I wish I would've known...I could've done some serious chatting about that.
In the photo of you guys above, if you would've moved the camera a little to the left, you could have squeezed the poop plant into the shot!
A NEW GAME BEGINS
Ari, great photos!
I had so much fun meeting all of you.
-Craig
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Red Leather Everything's Eventual
Shoot me a PM if you have any of the above!
My Collection
If you are considering a DropBox account, please also consider using me as a reference...
http://db.tt/Msd4eKO
Under the Dome Atlanta
I was scheduled to work in Atlanta the week Stephen King was to appear at the B&N. I entered the email lottery as did my wife and daughter. Still in shock that all three of us were selected to receive a blue wrist band, thereby insuring us a place in the signing line. During the week I stopped by the B&N and had a long conversation with the manager Miss Karen. She was kind enough to explain how this was all supposed to work, lining up at 3pm to purchase a book and receive a wrist band, then lining up again at 6pm to meet Mr. King. She also let me know they were only able to procure 60 of the collector’s edition and it would be first come first served.
My wife and daughter, along with my 12 year old granddaughter, arrived in Atlanta Thursday afternoon. My daughter has inherited a love of reading from me and King is one of her favorite writers, exposure from me no doubt. My granddaughter had accompanied my wife and I to Harry, Carrie and Garp several years before, so she was exited also to meet Mr. King in person.
We arrived at the B&N at 2pm greeted by a line that was already down one side of the building, not as early as we thought. After entering the line we were informed that we had to purchase our books ahead of time so we took turns doing just that. I purchased the collector’s edition, my wife and granddaughter purchased the white letter book, my daughter the gray lettered.
B&N had their act together, the line for the wrist bands moved very quickly when they stared handing them out at 3pm. Everyone walked out the front door and proceeded to line up for the signing. We were maybe 20 or so people from the front of the line. Time seemed to move pretty fast, though much to my bride’s dismay, I was on the phone working most of the time. They let a portion of the line into the store around 6pm (50 or so?) and led us to the back of the store where the line snaked around and through the aisles of books.
We lucked out again in placement; we were standing at the end of an aisle right next to the stage where SK would be signing.
When he entered Mr. King asked if anyone had swine flu to raise their hands and step out of line. He first signed a few books for some elderly and disabled customers then took his place on stage.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNsoFtDMtVI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNsoFtDMtVI[/ame]
The line moved VERY quickly once he started signing, my only complaint is I was being led offstage by the arm even as Mr. King was answering my question about his motorcycle riding. He had something nice to say to everyone, even told my wife he liked her shirt, a rhinestone outlined lion.
Way cool and something my whole family will remember for a lifetime.
Wish we would have hung around longer, would have liked to have met Bev and others who have posted here, but 6 hours in line, without food, is more than long enough for a 12 year old.
Next up…
Sarasota!!
Cool Video Willie, so great you all got blue armbands. Glad you had a good time.
Sorry I missed meeting you too. But I can understand needing to eat, I could have been 4th in line but decided I needed something to eat more.
A great story and pics, willie! (Your granddaughter is a doll!)
John
Originally Posted by willie3
Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)
bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great pics ! Thanks for sharing.
The Man In Black Fled Across The Desert...
...And The Gunslinger Followed.
“I’m always on the Batman rule, sir.” - Kate Kane / Detective Comics 857
"It is the story, not he who tells it." Except to us collectors who have to put limits somewhere. - jhanic
Actually, I agree with you, but for a totally different reason.I'll be shaking hands with Sarah Palin in a couple of weeks, and, if I get a good picture of it, you can be damn sure it's going on my wall, but I promise I'm not going to start murdering people when I get home.
But how can we be sure... Maybe you'll go rogue.I'll be shaking hands with Sarah Palin in a couple of weeks, and, if I get a good picture of it, you can be damn sure it's going on my wall, but I promise I'm not going to start murdering people when I get home.
Enjoyed the book immensely but could have done without the republican caricature. A little to easy and unnecessary.Actually, I agree with you, but for a totally different reason.
Sarasota
Others have posted about the Sarasota event, I won’t repeat what others have stated more eloquently than I could.
My wife did give me a hard time, she accused me of being more excited to meet Ralph and Miss Gretchen than I was about seeing Stephen King. I couldn’t argue with her on that point.
We arrived at the Van Wezel a couple of hours early. After walking around the site for a while I saw a lady I was fairly certain was Miss Gretchen, but honestly was too shy to approach her. After a while I finally had enough adult beverages to ask if she was Miss Gretchen and we started talking. As Miss Gretchen stated before Ka placed our seats right next to each other.
Shortly thereafter we met Ralph outside coming in from the parking lot.
It truly was the highlight of the evening meeting two of the nicest members of this board.
We introduced our family members that accompanied us, and talked like old friends.
My only regret was being unable to spend more time with the two of them, so much to talk about and so little time. And I should have had them both sign my UTD !!
Again, Thank You My Friends for a memorable evening, looking forward to seeing you again.
Karl
In another (now closed?) thread I mentioned how John Goodman would have been how I pictured Big Jim. I've changed my mind after finishing the book. I think he's more like Ned Beatty.
Except that Julia was referred to as "republican" many times and she was most certainly good.
Funny, I thought much the same thing, seeing him as Ned Beatty I mean. I was watching the film Shooter and saw Beatty as a senator and that's when it hit me that Ned Beatty could be Big Jim easily.
Margaret Emmie Mackey Catoe, you are, have been, and always will be my soulmate, and I love you.
Con todo mi corazon, por todo de mis dias. And I always will, in this life and into the next.
August 2, 1947 - September 24, 2010
Mrs Mod posted today at sk.com that there will be one more book signing held in Maine. Details to come
Wanted list:
Ubris
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.
Just found this 5 minute clip of the TimesTalk event online.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=190220390810
I really want to see the rest of it but can't seem to find it anywhere.
Also, has any "official" video been released from any of the other stage events like Sarasota, Toronto, etc?
If not, I hope it's available soon!
Well,the NH event was two days ago and I finally have time to sit and report!
I met up with my Ka-tet at the Friendly Toast and had supper before it started. Was way cool to hang with the girls and gang again! Always a trip!
We got inside and got our signed books (I checked them when I got home and the sigs were different from each other and cool) and then went to our seats. While listening to the house band (which was good, we grabbed a CD on the way out,free) we were checking out the crowd and spotted Joe and his oldest kid 5 rows back and dead center. Kinda cool to see his kid with him.
Then Steve was introduced and read about 20 - 25 minutes from UTD. The grocery store section for those who have read the book already.
Then he left the stage and came back out after they cleared the podium. He and the interviewer sat down to chat. They had taken questions from the audience when we were being seated and she asked some questions of her own and questions from the audience.
My favorite things that King said all night...the were talking about Steve as a kid and such and he said that his mother once said to him that he was so easy as a kid that if he were a girl he would be pregnant all the time! It was soo funny.
He talked about Mid-world and writing and the Sox. I think so much was covered in such a short span of time. It was great.
He is always a pleasure to listen to.
I am hoping against hope that the Maine event with be in the south so i can go again!
Hope with me!
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.
The NH event is supposed to air on NHPR radio at noon eastern today (about 30 minutes from now) according to Rick Hautala.
Stephen King ~ Toronto
Hey all....
I was at the toronto event and was sitting in front row center.
It was basically a live chat with David Cronenberg.
I was stoked and very excited to attend.
Although the short chat had much in the way of comic relief and was very amusing, I must say that overall I left with a really bad taste in my mouth for many reasons both from king and the event planners as a whole.
This is a hard pill to swallow for me....
I did video some of the conversation and will post it sometime soon.
Here is streaming audio of the NH appearance.
Last edited by Bev Vincent; 12-03-2009 at 11:26 AM. Reason: Updated link
Can't find the link to the audio
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Ubris
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