I spent this weekend feeling superfluous and mostly rather out of place in Los Angeles at this conference/convention for an organization with the least memorable acronym I've ever come across: the SCBWI. It stands for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. ("SCBWI" rolls surprisingly easily off the tongues all the regulars over there, but I found it impossible to remember, and eventually I just started saying random letters whenever I had to refer to it. As long as there's an S and a W in there, it seems to work. They should really assign it a pronunciation like SCSI/scuzzy - you know, "scabby we," or "suck-a-buoy.")
Anyway, I met a lot of people involved in the publishing racket, my film rights agent, my literary agent and his assistant, and various other writers, agents, and publishers, and I got to hang out with my editor from Delacorte whom I had only met in person a couple of times before. I was mistaken for some famous guy I never heard of who was in prison in the 70s. It was actually pretty fun, despite the air of surreality.
On Sunday, I did a brief set of King Dork-related songs at this private party at a bookstore in Beverly Hills. I played "King Dork," plus three songs from the book itself: "I'm Still Not Done Loving You, Mama," "Thinking of Suicide?" and "I Wanna Ramone You." Plus "Even Hitler Had a Girlfriend" for good measure. They gave away copies of the galley, and I tried to schmooze with people as best I could, which may not have been all that good, but people seemed to think the songs were funny at least. I've never done anything like it before.
Random bizarre moment: my tete-a-tete with Rhea Perlman, who also has a book coming out. We talked about our books and she was very friendly and sweet, but I don't think I held up my end of the conversation all that well because I kept thinking "I'm standing here talking to Carla..." which was distracting. When they left, Danny DeVito waved to me with a copy of the galley saying "hey, good luck with it, buddy." Crazy.
Posted by Dr. Frank at August 10, 2005 07:08 PM | TrackBackFilm rights agent? Devito an Perlman? Damn, Frank you're getting big! One day soon we can say we knew ye when ye were but a young lad playing for us at our local college campus pub. Congrats, my friend! You've waited long enough and it appears that soon your day will have come.
Posted by: Zaphod at August 10, 2005 07:34 PMIt probably would have been weirder if Cliff and Norm were sitting nearby, kibitzing.
Posted by: Gary Farber at August 10, 2005 07:48 PMDude. That is rad.
Posted by: Megan at August 10, 2005 07:53 PMkool
Posted by: lucky409 at August 11, 2005 01:12 AMFrank, I'd bet that you're the only person to have ever done events with Rhea Perlman, Danny DeVito, and TV Smith.
Posted by: Nick at August 11, 2005 04:22 AMWow, Carla Tortelli!
Posted by: josh at August 11, 2005 01:07 PMI've always favored "skib-wee" as a pronunciation.
Posted by: tem2 at August 11, 2005 02:20 PMwow, i can't imagine you playing a show without nursing a beer between each song. weird, what did you substitute the hopps with?
Posted by: luke b. at August 12, 2005 02:56 AMDid you ever think "Wow, that was Louie from Taxi wishing me luck with something!"
Fantastic news, Dr. F. Good luck with the whole shebang.
Posted by: sheckie at August 12, 2005 06:42 AMhey, its not hard to be "big" next to danny devito! badump ching
Posted by: barke clarkwood MCMVI at August 12, 2005 06:52 AM