Last Sunday,between intermittent blasts of horizontal snow, I gave a talk at New York's Symphony Space. It was part of their kid's book series. On the Friday before, I arrived in town and went straight to the Scholastic building to start shooting web video interviews for various websites, including one for the Wall Street Journal which should run on their website next Friday. I'll post a link as soon as I get one.

This was the set up for the interview that will go up on the Bone area of Scholastic.com. 

Later I gave a short powerpoint talk to the Scholastic staff that included a reading from the newest book, Bone 7: Ghost Circles. My editor David Saylor, who I didn't get a picture of all weekend, was moderating the discussion. (In the front row is a prototype of the 2 foot tall Bone plush. One my favorite merchandising things we've ever done. He's almost life-sized!)

The reading was followed by lunch and a quick stop at the Scholastic book store to sign stock. 

Saturday afternoon I jumped on the R train and rode out to Queens to meet with Charlito and Mr. Phil to record an episode of the Indie Spinner Rack podcast. 

We were joined mid-way through the recording by Basewood cartoonist (and Ignatz winning guest editor of Papercutter #6 ) Alec Longstreth. From left: Alec, Mr. Phil, and Charlito. This was really a blast, these guys are on fire! We laughed through the whole 90 minute podcast. I will definitely post a link whenever it goes live.

Me and Alec. 

For dinner that night, Paul Pope and I met up at the Russian Vodka Room in Mid-town. He and I are old friends who go back to the early days of the self-publishing movement. Paul and I toast to comics with our second glass of Jewel of Russia vodka. Paul always has something fun in mind so we headed out on the town afterward to hook up with some of his buddies.

Here's Paul with his girlfriend Harvest. Around 5 a.m. we hit an all night pizza place.Nothing like a slice of New York pie for breakfast.

Then finally on Sunday, I headed over to Symphony Space (yes, I stood outside in the blizzard taking pictures of my name going by in lights. Look, Ma!) 

Inside, a sell out crowd of 175 got settled while I chatted backstage with Matthew Cody, the event's moderator, before going on stage.

It went great.  Symphony Space knew exactly what they were doing; and had us move around on stage and vary up the program with pictures and questions (from kids only) so that the kids in the audience never got bored. Charlito and Alec dropped by to lend moral support.

Afterward, everyone stayed to get their Bone books signed.

I'm still amazed when young girls come up to me with the 1,300 page Bone One Volume Edition in their arms, and tell me they've read it three times.

This guy drew Fone Bone and Smiley while he waited in line. Not bad, eh?

I had a great weekend all told, and I want to thank everyone at Symphony Space, Shelia Marie Evertt of Scholastic for taking me around, David Saylor, my editor, and Paul Pope for spending so much time with me, Charlito, Mr. Phil, and Alec Longstreth for everything else.