Izzy Lives! Blogging Around with Rommy Week 20

I dulled my true spark
until I found the right flames
to dance my truth in.




Liner Notes for this Groove:
I am finally back at home after visiting Ms. Wicked herself, Magaly Guerrero in NYC for a long weekend of general shenanigans, including a visit to BookCon.



There shall be cackling! And tostones! 


It is perhaps fitting that the author who pretty much lit the fuse to my life-long love of reading, Mr. C.S. Lewis, once said, “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” My love for tea is only exceeded by my lust for books. Magaly, her Piano man, and I roved through the con like pirates eager to drag home their weight in books and other assorted booty.

One of the best things about BookCon is bumping into kindred spirits.


No, not these guys, but I couldn't pass up this fun photo op at the Nos4a2 display.

It happened over by The Strand’s booth (the biggest book shop in NYC). I was running over to the pins to help Magaly in her quest for awesome shirt décor when I bumped into a young lady who had come to the con on her own. She was a huge Leigh Bardugo fan, and when she found out there would be copies of her newest book available here before it’d be available anywhere else, she knew she had to get to BookCon. She told Magaly and I about how she saved her money, pleaded with her mom not just to let her come, but to drop her off at Staten Island (which is still a fair distance away from the Javits Center), so she could make her way here to get her treasure.

This isn’t all that unusual for a lot of self-described geeks. (I drew on a pretty similar sentiment when I created the character of Izzy, the hard core book nerd from the short story “Just Perfect” in my collection, The Trouble with Wanting, and Other Not-Quite Faerie Tales). We get pumped when we can talk about our favorite fandoms and authors who we follow the way other people follow rock-stars. At a con, you are literally surrounded with a small mob of like-minded folk, all giddy at the chance to be as nerdy as they want to be.

The geekiness is strong in this one.

So talk to me Groovers—did you get a chance to indulge in something that delights your spirit recently? Was it something mainstream or a little off the beaten track? Tell me about it in the comments and if you have a cyberspace you call home, pop it into your comments so we can talk a little there too.

Song Choice: I’m the One That’s Cool – The Guild

26 comments:

  1. So glad you had an awesome time with your sister cackler!

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    1. You haven't lived until you've cackled in two-part harmony. :D

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  2. Grrr! I miss going to book shows and launches.

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    1. Aw! I'm sorry. I'll bet you've been to some pretty cool ones before.

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  3. Such an important discovery... and I'm jealous you got to spend the day with Magaly!

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    1. We had a blast! If you're ever in NYC for BookCon we ought to all catch up together! :)

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  4. When we find our element we really shine. I too am an avid book lover.

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  5. AH! This is so wonderful, Rommy! All these pictures are delightful. So cool that you and Magaly spent the day together.
    And I agree with you about finding those "right flames". They are often found at the most unexpected places. :-)

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    1. Thanks Anmol. LOL, normally I'm a little camera shy, but I let my goofy self go that weekend.

      BookCon is becoming something of a tradition for us. It's not a very long train ride from Philadelphia to NYC.

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  6. I have GOT to go to book con!! I need to see when they come to Dallas. Or better yet, come next year to NYC :)

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    1. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas! The more the merrier!

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  7. I looks like you and Magaly had a blast in New York, Rommy, and you got the chance to blow on your true spark and let it flare! I'm glad you didn't set any books alight!

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    1. Books are far to precious for that. LOL, my haul wasn't as big as it was in previous years, so I have to protect it.

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  8. What a wonderful thing to be able to spend time together with Magaly... nothing like that happening in Stockholm at the moment... when are you coming?

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    1. I would love to visit Stockholm someday! The pictures I've seen look so beautiful.

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  9. ...the Strand. I spend hours there and have never left empty handed! I have a tote bag that says "The Strand" on it and it keeps getting stollen by my kids. We all love that place. How fun - you and Magaly - love the photo!

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    1. On one of my previous visits to Magaly we got to make a pilgrimage to the actual Strand itself. It was so cool!

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  10. How lovely to see you both so full of smiles and wonderment :D XXX

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  11. I just love that photo; too cute for words! And what could be better for book lovers than to be surrounded by books and like-minded folks! Oh, of course, the vibrant atmosphere of the whole thing warrants a wave of giddy pleasure. This is brilliant! Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience.

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    1. It was so much fun! LOL, and yes I was quite giddy.

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  12. I in love with your senryu, with what it says about identity and finding one's tribe. So much soul-feeding truth in such few words.

    And about your visit, well... awesome! It was so good being able to do things together, to meet wonderful people (I'm still in awe of how much that girl resembles your Izzy)... and, of course, it was also great just delight in bookishness. I can't wait to do it again!

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    1. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas! BookCon 2020 here we come!

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