London devMeet 2012 + Other News

Yesterday was the London 2012 deviantArt devMeet in Hyde Park! It was absolutely fantastic! I got to meet a bunch of staff members and members that I never knew about before, as well as a few of my UK friends/watchers. We all got to sign a giant poster for the staff while there and basically hung around in the park all afternoon writing/drawing/taking pictures. I spent most of my day with dropkiick, AutumnDaybreakluver, and DaddyDino. I also got to finally meet Baringa-of-the-Wind as well as a member of the literature staff BeccaJS! There was lots of running around, playing ninja, eating delicious staff and deviant-made cupcakes and cookies, art, and hailing of the llama king... or.. "For the Führer!" as dropkiick says. After the meet, the group I was hanging out with went out to dinner before parting our separate ways. It was great meeting such awesome new friends! I hope that we'll all be able to meet up again someday... London deviants sure know how to throw a party!



Anyway, now that the excitement from yesterday is finally settling down, I've come to realise that this is my last Sunday in London. No, I'm not leaving the UK, it's just that I'm doing traveling out of the country every weekend after this... which I can't complain about! Next Sunday I'm spending the day in Dublin, Ireland to hopefully meet up with some family there after I visit Oscar Wilde's grave and do some exploring. The Sunday after that is Bastille Day, and I'm headed to Paris, France for the celebrations. I'm hoping to at least see Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower (the fireworks are being shot off over it, so I won't miss that!), and the new Holocaust Remembrance Museum/Shop there. Also hoping to try some traditional French food... not sure what yet, though! Then, the week after that I'm headed to Berlin, Germany with a friend who is flying out to visit me mid-week. We're going to Unter den Linden (Diedrich and Annemarie! ) and the Reichstag Building  and wandering around seeing things I missed the last time I was in Germany. I'm also hoping to meet up with my friend from Germany while there to maybe get drinks or something. I haven't seen him in 5 years! Then, after that, we're flying out to Krakow, Poland (where I'll be that Sunday) to get a connecting bus/train to Auschwitz-Birkenau. It's going to be a lot of traveling, but it definitely will be worth it!

Today, we're going to the Change of the Guard in Westminster and possibly the London Zoo afterward. I need to make the most of this weekend

And, closing news! I've got another interview coming up sometime next month on Redeeming Grace. Stan Fischler (a highly recognized author) and his wife apparently had purchased a copy of the book and shot me an e-mail telling me how much they loved it and how they are mailing a copy to their son in Israel to read. They want to interview me for their online blog and the local newspaper where they live next month to feature the book. I still have another interview coming up with Jeff Hartz, as well, for his online journal, so... I'm going to be rather busy next month! But, hey, it's good marketing!

I hope you all have a fantastic week


July 2012 Schedule

July 2nd: Buckingham Palace opened to the public
July 4th: Happy Independence Day
July 5th: Mitre Sports marketing pitch #2
July 7th: London Pride
July 8th: Dublin, Ireland
July 15th: Bastille Day; Paris, France; Annemarie's birthday
July 19th: Final marketing pitch; friend coming to visit
July 20th: Berlin, Germany
July 21st: Krakow, Poland/Auschwitz-Birkenau
July 22nd: Back to London
July 28th: Home to the USA