This will probably be the last entry from the Big Apple. We were lucky enough to get tickets to Shrek — yes, Laura and Kevin, that’s three Broadway musicals we’ve been to on this trip! — so I’ll be pretty exhausted when I get home. Plus the Internet access here is pathetic, and I refuse to pay for it one more day. I might hit a Starbucks tomorrow, but… Can’t guarantee it.

First let me say that I ADORE my agent. It was so nice to meet Maureen face-to-face. She’s so bubbly and full of wonderful stories. She went out of her way to make me feel appreciated. Katie, Maureen’s right hand lady, came with her. I ADORE her, too. We had a nice, leisurely lunch and talked about anything from September 11th to my books. Then they walked us over to the Curtis Brown office, and I got to see what a real New York literary agent’s office looks like. Exactly as I expected. Full of books.

After Maureen gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Susan and I headed to do a little more sightseeing. We ended up at 30 Rock and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. I was so moved by the beauty of that church, I couldn’t stop tearing up. I’ve never seen anyplace as emotionally intense as St. Patrick’s. Unfortunately, none of the pictures came out well. But here’s a nice one of Susan at 30 Rock.

Here are some of the highlights of my day for the people I love.

For Laura — Jimmy Choo’s and Coach:

For Kevin — Nintendo World:

And just to prove to my loving husband there is even something for him in a big city like New York:

Lots of love to all and I’ll see you back in Indianapolis tomorrow!

We got our tickets to The Phantom of the Opera! As I sat in the fourth row orchestra (for half price!), I had to call my kids to sort of rub it in. Wow! I got to see Phantom on Broadway!

The show was fantastic. The only drawback was that by the time it was over, we were exhausted. We’d spent the day at Ellis Island and Ground Zero, and Susan and I must have walked a thousand miles. Okay, I’m exaggerating. But we walked a lot. We also froze our fannies off. After watching the weather, we figured hoodies would work. We were wrong. That wind was whipping, and the sun didn’t come out until AFTER we’d waited in line for the ferry for an hour. Here’s the pier with the Statue of Liberty behind me:

Ellis Island was nice. And at least it was inside, so we could get warm again.

Actually, the history teacher in me loved it. They had exhibits that walked you through the immigration process, and I couldn’t help but think about my grandparents and what it would have been like for them coming through that immigration station. The big hall where everyone was herded surely would have been intimidating.

After the Ellis Island tour, we walked (still freezing our fannies off) to see Ground Zero. Actually, we got our first taste of it by passing a memorial in Battery Park that is a distorted piece of art that used to be at the World Trade Centers. It sends chills up your spine just to look at it and know the damage that happened that day.

We finally found a nice spot at the Winter’s Garden at the World Financial Center to watch the construction. There was a former NYFD man who evidently is paid to talk about September 11th. I could only listen to a little of it before I got teary-eyed. Shoot, I can’t even watch the documentary I show my students without crying like a baby. Being where it happened was a bit overhwhelming.

This afternoon, we’re heading to the Bowery Bar to meet my fantastic agent, Ms. Maureen Walters, and her wonderful assistant, Ms. Katie Arathoon, for lunch. Then we might try to score Shrek half-price tickets. I’ll keep you posted.

I have to say that Madame Tussaud’s wax museum is one of the coolest places I’ve ever been. Lots of pictures coming your way, but I thought you might like to sympathize with my poor sister first. She not only put up with me screaming through the “Torture Chamber,” which didn’t end to be all that scary except for whoever grabbed my ankle, but she sat through the “4-D” movie while I screamed some more. This little theater is rigged for you not only to see the movie in 3-D, but you experience everything from the water a whale blows that showers over you to the bubbles that float around the room when you’re watching underwater shots to the vibrations of an electric eel. The movie itself wasn’t much, some Discovery Channel sort of show about the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean. I was too busy getting wet, screaming at the shocks, and swatting at bubbles to pay too much attention to the narration.

I also got to use the museum to “touch” some of my favorite guys. I got to lean on George Clooney’s shoulder.

And on Patrick Stewart’s.

I even got to blow in Johnny Depp’s ear.

Susan, on the other hand, got attacked by Dracula…

…and scooped up by the Incredible Hulk.

I do believer, however, the highlight of the museum was getting to yell at the Clintons.

The comedy club was the first place we’ve gone where we had to take the subway. Yeah, we suck. We ended up on the wrong side of the tracks and had to go one stop farther south (the direction we had just come from) to get to a station where we could switch directions. (Jeff, I can seriously hear you laughing all the way here!)

The club was having a fundraising show for a village in Israel that had been heavily bombed. Some of the comics were “names,” but the rest were amateurs. One little girl was a hoot. She held her own against the guys, and we found out later she was only fifteen. Susan and I also heard more Jewish jokes in one night than I imagine we’ll ever hear again.

We’re hoping to hit Ellis Island tomorrow and then go to Ground Zero because I promised my history students I’d take some pictures at both those places. We’re also going to try to snag some of the discounted same day tickets for The Phantom of the Opera.

Now I know the difference between a “play” and a “Broadway show.” The Little Mermaid was wonderful! I’ve never seen such a beautiful set. The actors were superb. Tired or not, I enjoyed every minute of it.

We went souvenir shopping this morning. Started with an enormous farmer’s omelet at The Galaxy. I tell you, I don’t think I can stay here long enough to eat at every restaurant I’d like to sample. We’re only a block off Restaruant Row. Italian. Thai. Steakhouses. Mexican. Sushi. Vegetarian. Indian. You name it, they’ve got a restaurant that serves it. We were starving when we got to the hotel yesterday, so Susan and I just walked around until we found something that sounded good. We stumbled into Hurley’s Pub and Restaurant. What beautiful old wooden bar! It ran the length of the front part of the restaurant. Pigged out on caesar salad and lobster bisque. Susan had a plate of the yummy smelling beef stroganoff. I’m going to gain ten pounds on this trip!

My typical headache-because-I’m-doing-too-much headache is kicking in, so I’m going to kick my feet up and rest for a little bit. We’re planning to go the wax museum later today and maybe Ripley’s Believe It or Not. We bought some cheap tickets to a comedy club for later tonight, so we’re going to eat dinner there. Two drink minimum. Don’t think I’ll have a problem with that. I love Diet Coke.

Yes, I know we’re doing everything wrong… We let a guy solicit us for a ride from the airport right after we heard an announcement to not do that over the airport loud speakers. Hey, he had a really nice car and sure didn’t look like a serial killer. He was actually from Equador and very sweet. We bought those comedy club tickets from a very tenacious guy selling them in Times Square. We stopped at a souvenir shop because some really nice guy who barely spoke English asked us to go into his shop. Spent almost $100 on things for my family. KJ, wait until you see the shirt I got you.

Speaking of KJ, you have no idea how many things around here push Scientology. Here’s the main “church” and a display fo L. Ron Hubbard’s really crappy books in something like ten different languages.

We also hit the site for the Letterman show. And it took me forever to drag Susan out of the Hershey store.

I’ll update later tonight. Need to get some rest first.

A huge hello from New York City! Yep, that picture is me in Times Square!

Susan and I had a great flight. A little bumpy, but I didn’t have to resort to Hail Marys or anything. I’m sure my endless chatter drove my sister crazy, but, hey… That’s just what I do when I’m nervous.

We flew in over Manhattan. Amazing how small the Statue of Liberty looks from that far up. The buildings in Manhattan look like they’re piled one on top of the other. They seriously don’t waste an inch of space here.

Here’s a picture of Susan in front of our hotel, the Belvedere. It’s an old hotel that has been beautifully restored. We’re only a few blocks from Times Square, and right across the street is a school of performing arts. Not sure if it’s the one from Fame, but cool nonetheless.

We went on a nice walking tour. I think we found almost every theater on Broadway. We snagged tickets to see the Little Mermaid tonight. We might try to get to see The Phantom of the Opera while were here as well. A crowd was waiting in Shubert Alley behind the Shubert Theater for Angela Landsbury. She’s starring in a revival of Blithe Spirit. My GHS kids will remember that play since we put it on last year.

I’m sure we looked like stereotypical tourists. I have a feeling this is how I’ll see Susan most of the trip:

Two special pictures for my daughter. Jim Gaffigan in the middle of Times Square.

And a man selling “Obama Condoms” for when times are “really, really hard.”

For my son — I figured he’d be glad to know we’re staying just a block away from the Church of Scientology.

New York, New York,
It’s a hell of a town.
The Bronx is up and the Battery’s down.
The people ride in a hole in the ground…

Any of you who recognize those lyrics from On the Town, you’re showing your age. I can still picture Gene Kelly and Frank Sintra in that movie. The song has been playing in my head today as I’m getting ready to head to New York with my sister Susan. I’ll check in to let you know how much trouble we get ourselves into.

We didn’t make any major plans because we decided to make this a “wingin’ it” vacation. The only really big thing I have on my calendar is having a nice lunch with my fantastic agent Maureen Walters and her lovely assistant Katie Arathoon. I’m really looking forward to finally meeting them face-to-face.

So stop by this week to see what the Big Apple holds in store for Susan and me.

Another great review for Murphy’s Law!
From Diana Coyle at Night Owl Romance:

Murphy’s Law
Damaged Heroes- Book One

Author: Sandy James

Genre: Contemporary

Review Date: 3/24/2009
E-Book Price: $5.99

SCORE: 5 / 5 ~ Reviewer Top Pick!

Twenty-nine year old Seth Remington has the world at his feet thanks to the success and wealth of his father, Sterling. Remington Computers is owned and operated by his father’s own blood, sweat and tears and because of this wealth, Seth is a playboy in every sense of the word. He never held a job or even supported himself in anyway because dear old dad always took care of his son. Things are going to change though.

Since Sterling is now ill and dying, Seth needs to be taught a lesson once and for all on what it’s like to stand on his own two feet, with no financial assistance whatsoever, since he didn’t want to take over the reins of Remington Computers. So his father has his attorney rewrite the will and in it states that the inheritance will be completely tied up until Seth meets all the criteria his father has set out for him. One guideline is that Seth must labor as a groom for horse trainer, Katie Murphy, for one whole season and not break any of the criteria his father has set forth in the will. This includes no romantic relations with Katie at all. While working so closely together, Seth and Katie are forced to struggle with their growing attraction to one another.

Can Seth keep his end of the bargain and meet all the criteria his father has set forth in the will? Does Seth actually learn to work and stand on his own two feet? What becomes of Seth and Katie’s attraction they have for each other?

Ms. James wrote a thoroughly entertaining story within these pages. I have to admit that it took me quite some time to warm up to Seth. Even though he was extremely sexy and good looking, his flippant playboy attitude turned me completely off to him. I instantly fell in love with pretty, hard working Katie though. She clearly was no match for carefree, irresponsible Seth. I had every doubt in the world that Seth wasn’t going to make it to the end of one racing season as stipulated by his father’s will. I noticed this to be the first book in a series and I look forward to seeing what else can come about in other Damaged Heroes stories. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers and I’d love to read more work done by Ms. James in the near future.

My thanks goes out to Ms. Coyle, not only for her kind words, but for giving Seth a chance to show there was more to him than a playboy.

Murphy’s Law received its first review today. I’m pleased to say Coffee Time Romance gave me four cups! That rating translates as “an outstanding great read… should be at the top of your list.” Of course, with my usual critical eye, I focus on the comment about it starting slow.

A huge thank you to Danielle at Coffee Time. I’m glad you liked the story!

Here’s the write-up:

MURPHY’S LAW: DAMAGED HEROES BOOK 1
SANDY JAMES
ISBN#: 978-1-60601-270-3
February 2009
Siren Publishing
www.sirenpublishing.com
E-Book
$5.99
325 Pages
Contemporary, Mainstream romance, Women’s Fiction
Rating: 4 Cups

Seth Remington is one of the most eligible bachelors; rich, handsome, and a playboy through and through. His father, Sterling Remington owns a very lucrative computer business and Seth knows that his life is set in gold. However, Sterling is tired of his son’s wild ways and threatens to take drastic measures if he does not begin to act like the twenty-nine-year-old grown-up he is.

Kathleen Murphy, known as Katie to friends and business associates, is the most stable and reliable person most people have met. Considered one of the best horse trainers in the equestrian racing world, the horses she takes care of come out smelling like roses in the racing world.

When Sterling dies, he leaves Seth with an ultimatum; he must prove that he can become a working class citizen like most people in this world. If he cannot leave the lap of luxury behind for nine months, all of his father’s possessions will be given to other people. Leaving behind the mansion, the cars, the women, and the money, Seth goes to Katie for direction, which is training as a horse groomer. Neither expects to fall in love, especially since love means giving up the money and the goods forever, but the attraction is overwhelming and Katie and Seth fall under the spell, only to have their lives ripped wide open by a jealous and vindictive woman.

Murphy’s Law started out pretty slowly and did not get interesting until about midway through. However, once Ms. James grabbed my interest, the intense drama that played out between Seth and Katie was beautiful to watch. I especially liked how Katie guides Seth throughout the story, showing him that a true person cannot get away with using his looks or his money to live his life. Watching the blooming romance grow between them was great, and seeing how Katie came to trust Seth helped make the story all the better. Overall, this reverse Cinderella story is a nice way to make a modern-day fairy tale; it shows that sometimes that little extra push is all Prince Charming needs to find his true love.

Danielle
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Guess what?

Turning Thirty-Twelve is a finalist in the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence contest for 2008 romance novels.

I’m speechless!

What do people see when they look at me?

Do people see a teacher? That is, after all, my main job. It’s what puts bread on the table and keeps a roof over our heads. I used to think teaching was so much a part of me, it might as well be tattooed across my forehead. I still find joy in teaching, but with all the ridiculous changes being proposed, I’m afraid that joy will quickly vanish. For example, our governor declared just this week that students learn nothing from lectures. If that’s the case, I have no idea how so many of my students – in fact, almost all of them – have managed to consistently pass the Advance Placement exam with 4s and 5s. I mean, they can’t possibly be learning psychology from me. I lecture. Our governor believes they’d learn much better through computer programs. So one day soon, I’ll probably be replaced by a Sigmund Freud video game.

Do people see a writer? Even though I’ve only been writing a few years, I can’t imagine life without it. But is that who I am, who I’m becoming? At conference last weekend, I saw writers everywhere – women and men in business attire who had hungry eyes and listened intently to the speakers. I saw people anxiously waiting to pitch their ideas to an editor and an agent. Do I have that same gleam in my eye when I talk about my stories?

Do they see a success? While I’m pleased to be published through BookStrand, I have to admit I want more. I want to see my Amazons in every bookstore. I want to be that author who everyone says they’re dying to read more from, the one whose latest sequel they’re anticipating. I’ll even admit that I want to be on the New York Times bestsellers list. I know I’ve already achieved what some writers only dream about, but I want more. What good is it to dream if you don’t dream big? I want it all. The New York Dream. I want it so much, it keeps me up nights.

I guess what I hope people see when they look at me is someone who does her best. No matter what.