wanna always feel like part of this was mine

When I got back from vacation, I had one day to catch my breath before I headed down to Borders in Hollywood for stop #2 on Geek Tour 2K4. I was nervous and hell, since I didn’t know if anyone would show up . . . but they filled every seat! I saw several familiar faces there, including some soapboxers, people I’d worked with on Star Trek and Teen Titans, and this guy who I grew up with in Sunland. We were the best of friends, and lost contact (like so many kids do) when he moved away right before my family moved away. Even though I hadn’t seen him in over 20 years, I thought about him all the time, and wondered what happened to him. See, we used to spend hours sitting on his porch, making up video games together. We’d both write them, he’d draw them, and we had grand dreams of developing for ColecoVision . . . I truly believed that he was going to do something great with himself someday.
I nearly fainted when he came up to me, and asked me if I remembered him. Of course, we’ve both aged over the years, and I was drawing a blank when this tall dude said, “Wil, don’t you remember me?” (Yeah, because nobody ever says that to me. 😉 But as soon as he said his name, I could see the 11 year old kid I remembered — his eyes haven’t changed a bit. So the coolest thing? He’s a writer now, and has just had his first book published by Tokyopop! The book is called “@Large,” and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen Manga and Hip-Hop culture fused together. I think it’s really cool. See, I got to read it, because we traded books. How cool is that? Talk about closing a circle that started in 1984!
The reading went well, despite my nerves. I’m still figuring out what material I should perform at these events, and I tried out something new this time. I ended up reading part of Chapter 1, and part of Chapter 9, and I felt like I never lost the audience. Julie and Peggy from Borders told me that it was a hugely successful event, and Borders is going to have me appear at some other stores as part of The Geek Tour. I feel like Borders is supporting me (they even have my book in the New Releases section, right in the front of the store!) and I can’t wait to do more events with them.
Finally, TrekWeb’s review of Just A Geek is up today, and it’s just . . . awesome. I’m truly at a loss for words to describe how happy I am about it.

Discover more from WIL WHEATON dot NET

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

51 thoughts on “wanna always feel like part of this was mine”

  1. Way to go. You should do well at these things, you’re working from awesome materials. Just read your book, enjoyed the whole thing. I’d intended to take my time since I’ve read all of the parts from the website before, but that just didn’t happen. I finished it the same evening I started.
    So, what’cha writing next?

  2. Hmph. Why couldn’t your tour have coincided with my trip to LA for E3? Boo.
    Come to Michigan; I’ll make you some pancakes.

  3. Here! Here!
    I got both books from Amazon a couple weeks ago and finished them in two days. I have passed them along for my parents to read, of course warning my Mom to “Take good care of them, Wil is going to autograph them for me someday!”
    Great job Wil, can’t wait for the next one.
    Welcome back from vacation – we missed ya!
    Michelle

  4. Hehe, can’t believe you’re still surprised when tons of people show up to see you. 😉
    Very cool story. *starts singing “It’s a Small World”, off-key and loud*

  5. I would love to hear you read. I’m so excited about your book. I know you don’t have time to reply to these, but if you could possibly post a link to your tour dates that would be awesome. (ahem, specifically New York City if there will be one here, ahem)
    Unless you are worried about hundreds of dorky bloggers mobbing you at bookstores across the country. In that case, I totally understand your discretion.
    Thanks for being an inspiration. I love all the links and banners you include on your site. Humor and activism all rolled into one. 🙂

  6. Bad ass! I’ve been pushing your books like nuts here in Texas, and everyone that I’ve introduced to JAG loves it.
    Ever thought about fiction?

  10. and if you WERE going to see kris, it only makes sense that you could come to NYC for cryin out loud! Don’t limit yourself to the Left Coast. …we’d love to have ya!

  11. “Talk about closing a circle that started in 1984!”
    Not to be a cliche, but to be a cliche. This sounds like something straight from Stand By Me. That’s so cool!
    It’s great to see that Borders is so behind you. Congrats!

  12. I appreciate all the requests for trips to the East Coast. Keep in mind that I have to pay for all this travel myself, and it’s totally out of my budget right now.
    If I get sent out there by a TV show, like . . . oh, say . . THE DAILY SHOW (hint, hint) I could probably do at least one event in NYC. If I was brought to a city by a college, say . . . to do a speaking engagement or something, I could also do some events near that city.
    I figured that once I had a big publisher, I’d just get sent all over the place, but that’s not how it works in the book industry. It’s SUPER expensive to travel authors all over the place, and it makes much more sense for that money to go into advertising and whatnot.

  13. Come to the Midwest! Pretty-pretty please?
    Cool story about your old friend, too. There are a lot of “kids” from my past that I wonder about, and feel like I’ll never see. Neat to hear that it happens. 🙂

  14. thanks again! i got some serious recognition for bringing you in for “the best event we’ve had”, we had a great time and would love for you to come back anytime you’d like!

  15. On a semi-related note, I live in a small town in the Texas Panhandle, and our local Hastings (music/book/video store) has Just a Geek on the new release wall. On sale. I saw it after I paid full price + shipping to get it from Powells. Oh well. I’d rather support Powells anyway. The point: When you have a book on the new release wall in a bookstore in a small Texas town with a dwinding population, you know you’ve arrived. Or something.

  16. A big thanks for the signing. I sent my Brother-in-law to get a copy signed for me. Looking forward to reading it.

  17. I had a similar thing happen, my best friend from the 6th grade went to a different school and I didn’t see her for about 10 years… we ran into each other at an art show, it turns out we both got into photography.
    It’s ironic that @Large was described as “edgy”.

  18. Doh, I should’ve known you’d catch up and post about the L.A. in-store. I already posted previously about how cool you were when I came up to you on the patio afterwards [with Julie and Peggy from Borders, I assume. ‘hi’], ’cause I had MISSED the entire event, but still wanted to say hi to you.
    Took a couple minutes, but got the “Praise Chorus” by Jimmy Eat World song reference. Yeesh, I’m getting slow with my music trivia!
    Hope they do schedule an O.C. Borders in-store for you, like you mentioned they might. [crossin’ fingers]

  19. Couldn’t tell you were nervous because you got right into it and were terrific! A few notes about your Hollywood Borders reading, how it connected me to David Sedaris and an addendum to that reading about you experiencing another “Hooters” moment right there in front of us. That was painful for us/me. I hope to God you’re as used to it — well, as used to it as one can be. You handled it like a champ: quick, sharp, and with complete honesty… thanks for that moment.
    You’re inspiration to this ole gal, Wil — thanks for that too.Madley

  20. Maybe all us East Coasters could band together and get something going, kind of a Coalition of the Wil-ing…sell some magazines, couple carwashes, whatever it’d take to raise some travel fundage…
    *knock*knock*
    (door opens)
    Good Afternoon ma’am, I’m (state your name) and I’m in your neighborhood today selling candy bars for a great cause – to bring TV’s Wil Wheaton to the East Coast! Would you consider helping us reach our goal by purchasing 1, or maybe 100 of these delicious candy bars? They’ve got almonds!

  22. I just had your book delivered yesterday and have only read Chapter 1 so far, but may I just say, thank you. This is so raw and honest and a delight to read – it is no wonder the book has been so well supported and popular so far. If it weren’t for the Olympics, I would never have put it down, hehehe.
    Please keep writing, I love reading your work, and good luck with all future projects!

  23. Congrats on the great book review on TrekWeb. I like this part the best, “Wheaton is first rate and first class all the way, and his honest, humorous words are ones we can all relate to.” That is so true!
    Maybe we East Coast folks can find some kindly convention organizer to sponsor a trip east for Wil? We have to get him further east than Las Vegas!

  24. All the east coasters could get together and organize a “House Wil” “Feed Wil” and “Drive Wil” schedule and then even though I live on the West Coast I know I’d chip in for a “Fly Wil To the East Coast and then back again” ticket.
    Heck, when you’re up for another trip up here to the Northwest I’ll head the committee!
    Kick ass about seeing your friend again. I’m so glad you had such a great reunion.

  25. Wow isn’t just wonderful to run into someone from when you were a kid? reconnect and find out that you still have that connection? I’m so glad everything is going great with you. You deserve it all. (the goodness in your life)
    Morgan

  26. Remember the monkey? There was this stuffed monkey that wwdn people passed around the globe.
    You could be that monkey. Maximum rock n roll puts out “book your own life” about how to do a tour diy style.
    Today I’m trying to drag my ass out bed to go downtown to gencon. 40,000 gamer geeks who would love your book. The con organizers would have been thrilled to pay your way. Last years guest was Sean Astin, who i went to see because he’s your friend. He rocked. Next to luke ski, he was the highlight.
    I think you, with some help from the monkeys,
    could plan a mini-tour to hit the ten majors media markets, by appearing as the writer guest of honor at cons. A comedy club appearance, a local tv talk show, and a cameo on some independent film would round out the day. Maybe a punk show. One word: corporate sponsorship. Borders, EFF, Rock against Bush, ToykoPop, Sega, there are some obvious possibilities. I think Eric S. Raymond knows some people. Think what the naming rights to the tour would go for on ebay.
    I’d be wil-ling to set this up for $1 yr plus 15%. I would subcontract most of it to the monkeys. Have your people talk to my people.
    I’m also in the middle of setting up a thinkgeek affiliate for my web page so i can sell your book. 7% of 18.95 = x. This is what I was saying last year about “franchise your monkeys.”
    One more thing. You and your toykopop friend could do a joint project, about being kids with dreams of making videogames. Y’know, wwdn -is- that videogame. It would bring you both new fans. It’d be ‘edgy.’ It’d let you break into manga, which in turn would help set up the 2006 Japan mini-tour. It would be a grown-up excuse to go play with your old friend. Ok, now I need to drag my ass out bed and go downtown to gencon. Always a pleasure to stop by here.
    cordially, the arbitrary aardvark.

  28. I can tell you first hand that the reading was phenomenal. I looked around periodically and everyone was fixed on what Wil was reading. I myself was very impressed with it. The stories came to life the minute Wil started reading. I kind of wished that Wil could have peformed the entire book it was so good. 🙂
    I don’t know how many people visited the reading out of curiosity to see Wil but I can tell you that he created more than a few converts to the World of Wil.
    I’m going to have to look for your friend’s book. I was standing in front of him in line and he was talking to a couple of people about his book. I’m a big anime/manga fan. He pulled his book out and I was transfixed with it. It looked SO cool from afar! I almost wanted to interrupt him and ask him what that was but it was my turn to have my books signed. Wil, if you find out the title, please let us know.
    Anyway, the event was great, Wil. It was a great way to spend the day!
    Scott

  29. I can tell you first hand that the reading was phenomenal. I looked around periodically and everyone was fixed on what Wil was reading. I myself was very impressed with it. The stories came to life the minute Wil started reading. I kind of wished that Wil could have peformed the entire book it was so good. 🙂
    I don’t know how many people visited the reading out of curiosity to see Wil but I can tell you that he created more than a few converts to the World of Wil.
    I’m going to have to look for your friend’s book. I was standing in front of him in line and he was talking to a couple of people about his book. I’m a big anime/manga fan. He pulled his book out and I was transfixed with it. It looked SO cool from afar! I almost wanted to interrupt him and ask him what that was but it was my turn to have my books signed. Wil, if you find out the title, please let us know.
    Anyway, the event was great, Wil. It was a great way to spend the day!
    Scott

  32. Wil, thanks for the reminder; you reminded me that, now that I’ve read JAG myself, I needed to put up my impressions of the book for the Electric Minds community. That post is now up here, in our “Whatcha Readin’?” topic.
    Still hoping you’ll make it to Denver one of these days…you know, LoDo has a Hooters, too. 🙂

  33. You know, that review on TrekWeb made me order JAG instantly. I wish you only the best, Wil. Dancing Barefoot was great and I’m sure JAG is even better.

  34. Wil,
    It looks like your book tour is going great. Don’t worry about those seats. People love good books and the crowd was the proof. Rock on.
    FG

  35. I can tell you first hand that the reading was phenomenal. I looked around periodically and everyone was fixed on what Wil was reading. I myself was very impressed with it. The stories came to life the minute Wil started reading. I kind of wished that Wil could have peformed the entire book it was so good. 🙂
    I don’t know how many people visited the reading out of curiosity to see Wil but I can tell you that he created more than a few converts to the World of Wil.
    I’m going to have to look for your friend’s book. I was standing in front of him in line and he was talking to a couple of people about his book. I’m a big anime/manga fan. He pulled his book out and I was transfixed with it. It looked SO cool from afar! I almost wanted to interrupt him and ask him what that was but it was my turn to have my books signed. Wil, if you find out the title, please let us know.
    Anyway, the event was great, Wil. It was a great way to spend the day!
    Scott

  36. I can tell you first hand that the reading was phenomenal. I looked around periodically and everyone was fixed on what Wil was reading. I myself was very impressed with it. The stories came to life the minute Wil started reading. I kind of wished that Wil could have peformed the entire book it was so good. 🙂
    I don’t know how many people visited the reading out of curiosity to see Wil but I can tell you that he created more than a few converts to the World of Wil.
    I’m going to have to look for your friend’s book. I was standing in front of him in line and he was talking to a couple of people about his book. I’m a big anime/manga fan. He pulled his book out and I was transfixed with it. It looked SO cool from afar! I almost wanted to interrupt him and ask him what that was but it was my turn to have my books signed. Wil, if you find out the title, please let us know.
    Anyway, the event was great, Wil. It was a great way to spend the day!
    Scott

  37. I can tell you first hand that the reading was phenomenal. I looked around periodically and everyone was fixed on what Wil was reading. I myself was very impressed with it. The stories came to life the minute Wil started reading. I kind of wished that Wil could have peformed the entire book it was so good. 🙂
    I don’t know how many people visited the reading out of curiosity to see Wil but I can tell you that he created more than a few converts to the World of Wil.
    I’m going to have to look for your friend’s book. I was standing in front of him in line and he was talking to a couple of people about his book. I’m a big anime/manga fan. He pulled his book out and I was transfixed with it. It looked SO cool from afar! I almost wanted to interrupt him and ask him what that was but it was my turn to have my books signed. Wil, if you find out the title, please let us know.
    Anyway, the event was great, Wil. It was a great way to spend the day!
    Scott

  41. Please come to the East Coast (specifically CT or anywhere within reasonable distace of CT)! I’ll make you cookies!
    No, really, I will make you cookies. What kind do you like?

  42. Hi Wil,
    I thought your reading was awesome. The Hooters story made me laugh a lot. You have a true gift for words. It was the first time I ever attended a book signing. I was in LA for the week on vacation and prior to coming out there I discovered your website and thought it would be cool to go. I’m glad that I did. I didn’t think I’d get anywhere near you, but made it to the front row. Woo-hoo for me!That was cool also. I am enjoying reading your book and find it to be honest and funny much as life is.
    It was awesome meeting you and having you sign my book and shake my hand. I am glad to know that Hollywood doesn’t turn everyone into drugged out zombies. It sounds like you have a great family life and really at the end of the day, that’s the most important thing. I really appreciated your approachability, honesty, and sense of humor. When I found out you also have been doing improv (something I am doing in Atlanta) I liked you even more.I will have to see you at Acme the next time I can visit LA. I am sure those shows rock.
    You’re awesome and I wish you continued success and happiness! Keep up the good work!!

  44. Not for nothing, but that TrekWeb review shows up as a full size Amazon link (full size: your book) and eclipses the review in Mozilla.
    and why on Earth is c n d at k n o w p r o s e . c o m blacklisted?!

  45. How cool that you got to hook up with an old friend through the book signing – yet another fringe benefit of this new line of work of yours. =)

  46. Wil,
    The image of this lanky white kid hanging with Ahmed Hoke on a porch in South Cal. makes me laugh, and the two of you are writing video games?
    Welcome back. Now pick up your stick and use the monkey blood to start writing again.
    lp

  48. More Borders stops? Mega cool…you gotta do some here in the Silly Con Valley. Missed the Classic Gaming Expo (so did I, dammit), but hell, there’s still the Intel Museum and the Tech to feed any Inner Geek.
    Borders Palo Alto (across the street from the Apple Store, sweeeet) is where I found your book; finally finished it this weekend (Real Life kept interrupting) and it was truly freakin’ awesome (if that phrase doesn’t sound weird coming from a 45-year old chick). Can’t wait for the follow-up; now I’ve got to decide if I’m going to read it again or pass it on to the spouse.

Comments are closed.

Related Posts

Recent Posts

Discover more from WIL WHEATON dot NET

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading