The White House

I'm typing in the airport, waiting for the return flight from the very last event -- the National Book Festival in Washington, DC. Key highlight (besides the author breakfast at the White House, where all the famous authors try to play it cool as they fill their pockets with White House napkins (The fools! The best stuff is the White House toilet paper!) was all the incredible folks who waited in the sun for an hour to say hi. Love to them.

And then, while I'm standing there in the White House and eyeing the napkin thievery, I finally get to meet Neil Gaiman, who then introduces me to...just, please, wait...Salman Rushdie.

Me, Neil Gaiman, Salman Rushdie. In the White House.

Did the world end and no one told me?

Pics shortly -- and don't forget, Monday is the last day of the auction: and the prices are cheap for that Ivan Reis Superman and Lois drawing (think wedding or anniversary present for someone). Also, the Heroes walk-on and the Siegel shirt are still out there until tomorrow.

Waiting to go home...

So close, I smell it.

Volunteer This Weekend In The Cleveland Area

Many people have said that they want to be a part of the “rebirth” of the Siegel House. Here is your chance.

Tracey Kirksey of Glenville Development Corp. has organized a day for volunteers to help the neighborhood where Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster grew up and created our favorite hero.

The invitation is below, the day is tomorrow, Saturday, September 27 at starting at 9:00am.

No skill required. Be a part of history and give back to the neighborhood.

Sorry for the late notice. I just heard myself. :)

YOU’RE INVITED TO
Join Northeast Ohio’s ServiceNation Day of Action

September 27, 2008
10622 Kimberly Avenue

9:00 – 9:30am Registration
9:30- 10:00am Welcome
10am Volunteers deployed and engaged in service

As a part of ServiceNation Day of Action, Glenville Development Corporation, the Siegel & Shuster Society and Hands On Northeast Ohio have planned a day of service centered around the restoration of the former home of Jerry Siegel, one of two Glenville High School teens who created Superman.

Projects for the day included painting seniors homes, painting Charles Lake Elementary, landscape projects, and minor exterior repairs on Kimberly Avenue.

ServiceNation is a campaign for an America in which, by 2020, 100 million citizens will volunteer time in schools, workplaces, and faith-based and community institutions each and every year (up from 61 million today), and that increasing numbers of Americans annually will voluntarily commit a year of their lives to national service.

Please join over 100 volunteers as we represent Cleveland’s commitment to others.

LA

LA is sunny and beautiful and filled with handsome people that make me feel extra bald and pasty. But very excited to be on Attack of the Show (AOTS) on G4 today (one of my favorite shows), and extra excited because we're about to grab some In-and-Out Burger. Also, had Scott Brick (our voice on the audio books) there last night, so he made me sound super-baritone (that is a super power).

Three days to go.

Westside

On a plane right now headed to Pasadena and LA, home of Kaysu Ya, my favorite sushi place (which I have the publisher pay for, which is good since I eat it twice a day).

The third week of the Superman auction was amazing, and baseball caps off to Frank Cho, whose Supergirl pin up proved just how much the world loves, in his words, those big corn fed Kansas girls. We raised over $7,000 alone just from that, with a week 3 total of $17,766
.

But this week is the big final one: the walk-on part on Heroes...the Jerry Siegel t-shirt...and have you seen the dozen new items, including George Perez's Batman vs. Captain America donated by Doug Welch.

I know we've put the word out in week 1, but in this final week, I would love if you could help us push the auction and site and video one last time on facebook, myspace or even just via antiquated email.

The site is: www.OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com

Donations can be made here.

T-shirts can be bought here.

Hello West Coast...

Boston!

In a car, speeding toward Boston right now. I love this stop. Not because I lived there. Or because my first job was there. Or because my agent is there. But because that was the city where my job fell apart and I first started writing. It's where I first had the dream. Where I failed so bad when I got 24 rejection letters. But where I was always so damn stubborn to give up.

Plus I get to see my pal Henry Santoro on WFNX. Sweetest man alive.

Also, don't forget that monday night is when week 3 of the
Superman house action ends. There's a steal on the 6 new items that were added to that auction: Buscema art going for 100 bucks? A Bizarro painting for 250? People, think birthdays and holiday gifts. Tis the season coming.

See you on the T.