erin's emporium of discount dreams & well-worn wonders

Today is my half birthday. I am 33 and a half. I usually say I should have half a cake, which we would sometimes have when I was growing up as my sister and I have nearly exactly six month apart birthdays (her proper, not-half birthday is on Tuesday) and that way there was less cake-based birthday jealousy.

I thought about just getting myself a cupcake but instead I made gluten-free brownies, added an extra egg to make them more cake-y and crumbled caramel-filled chocolates both mixed in and on top and then sprinkled the whole thing with sea salt for good measure.

So I have half-birthday chocolate salted caramel brownies and new Downton Abbey later and I am a fairly happy pumpkin, as 33-and-a-half year-old pumpkins go.

I am taking a pseudo internet hiatus this week so I can catch up on things and read noir novels and regroup and hopefully get some actual writing done. I’ll also be working on two long involved posts that will likely end up being a combined FAQ-esque thing. I’ll be checking personal email but little to no Twitter and no blogging save for Friday’s flax-golden (though I’ll be doing some blog-related housecleaning, still not sure where all the comments from the beginning of December went) and no wasting away my time in the wilds of the internet.

So I’ll be around but not as around as usual, I guess is the point. This is mostly to keep myself from wasting time watching cute cat videos and online shopping. (I will be making an exception for BPAL‘s impending Lupercalia update, though, of course.) I probably didn’t even need to tell you this as it won’t be all that obvious a hiatus but I wanted to share about the brownies and figured I’d mention it.

And now I’m babbling so I am going to go nibble on brownies and try not to feel old.

I still have so much tour stuff to catch up on and dozens of photos to share but at this point I suspect it will be easier to do a recap when I’m home for a decent amount of time.

I went on the shortest trip to London ever on Friday (got in Friday morning, left Saturday morning) to go to the Galaxy Book Awards and wear a sparkly dress and lose the International Author of the Year award to Jennifer Egan (I was rooting for Murakami, myself) and I am still rather baffled and honored that I was included in such esteemed company.

I had an all too brief stay at the St. Pancras Rennaissance Hotel, where the UK launch party I have not yet had time to blog about was held in October. (It’s also the former Midland Grand Hotel, which is featured in The Night Circus.) My room overlooked the adjoining train station. I took the rubber duck from my bathroom home with me. Apologies if I was not supposed to steal him, but how could I not?

He has stars! I love him. And for some reason I did not have a rubber duck, which seems like something everyone should have.

In other news, I hear tell my NaNoWriMo pep talk went out to all you daring NaNo-ers, hurrah! I hope you are properly pepped and inspired and not hitting that week-in “why am I doing this again?” stage now that the initial rush is starting to wear off. I am waving little black & white striped flags of encouragement for you! (The full pep talk is over here if anyone who didn’t get the email or simply isn’t NaNo-ing would like to read it.)

Tomorrow I am off to D.C. for an event at Politics & Prose! Also, I am behind on replying to pretty much anything that requires replying to, but relatively soon I will be off the touring carousel and hopefully I’ll be able to catch back up with my life.

I don’t really know what to say about Borders.

The Borders in Downtown Crossing has been one of my favorite places in Boston for years.

Almost a decade ago I spent all my lunch breaks there, while working temporary office jobs.

I used to wonder then–fleeting, not-particularly-serious wonderings–if someday I might have a book on those shelves, in that space.

I am missing that opportunity by a matter of months. Weeks, really.

It’s sad.

I visited for what will likely be the last time today. It’s still busy. The checkout line was huge. People are buying books, and I don’t think it’s just because they’re 20% off.

I will miss this store. The windows and the light and the old bank vault doors in the back. The almost-always out-of-order escalator.

I fell in unexpected booklove in this store, many times, finding the perfect story waiting for me on its shelves.

It’s sad. I knew it was coming, but it’s still sad.

I hope someone opens an independent bookstore in Boston. I think it could do very well.