Unmasking Maya Blog Tour (Guest Post)

Good Day everyone! :)

Today I'm a stop on Libby Mercer's Book tour for her new novel Unmasking Maya!! I'm super excited to get the chance to read this one! It looks super cute!

Anyway, today I'd like all of you please welcome Libby! :)

TOTO, I DON’T THINK WE’RE IN SAN FRANCISCO ANYMORE


My muse is a stubborn old hag. Earlier this year, when I got the idea for Unmasking Maya, I had some serious doubts about whether I’d be able to pull it off. As a technologically-challenged artsy type, was I really up for writing a love story set in Silicon Valley and creating a hero who’s an IT genius? I wasn’t so sure, but my muse would not shut up about it. And so I surrendered. A few months later, I had completed the story. The only problem was the manuscript was littered with things like “insert tech speak here” and “doing something computery”. I knew I needed to talk to an expert.

Fortunately, I know someone at Google. Well, sort of. I hadn’t actually seen him in over fifteen years. My dad and his dad are old friends, and the last time I’d seen Jeffrey, he was a hyperactive little genius child. Thanks to Facebook (which, of course, was created by Jeffrey’s contemporaries) I got in touch and told him about the situation, offered to buy him lunch if he’d help fill in the techie blanks in my story. He kindly agreed to meet up and we arranged for me to join him at the Google HQ in Mountain View one afternoon.

Google HQ from Above

Google Cafe

I was psyched. The concept of Google has always kind of fascinated me. Like millions of others, I’m hopelessly dependent on it. I use it on a daily basis, but I don’t understand the first thing about it. The all-powerful search engine. Not entirely different from the all-powerful Oz, I thought. And so I was feeling a bit like Dorothy when I hopped on the Caltrain and headed south from San Francisco.

My first observation upon arriving at the Googleplex was that reminded me of a cross between a theme park and a university campus. Strange, I know – about the theme park, anyway. I don’t remember seeing any children or anything, but it just was so crowded. Course I did arrive when everyone was probably breaking for lunch.

The funky metal structures were so shiny and modern, which I think must have contributed to the theme park impression I got. Also, everyone seemed young(ish). The majority of people seemed to be in their 20s or 30s, but I do recall seeing some young ‘uns who looked like they were barely out of high school. And then of course, everyone was dressed very casually. There was one particular fashion ensemble trending at the Googleplex – jeans, sneakers, tee shirts and backpacks were the unifying look.

Ever the singular character, Jeffrey (who actually goes by Jeff now) bucked the trend in a tie-dyed tee, sandals, John Lennon glasses (if I recall correctly) and long hair, which also brought to mind John Lennon. And he had his dog with him – not the only canine companion I came across during the visit. It turns out Google is a very pet-friendly company.

We had lunch at one of the Googleplex’s thirty cafés, and I got a nice, unexpected surprise. I’d heard before that Google feeds its employees for free, but I didn’t realize they extended the courtesy to include guests as well. My gourmet sandwich was absolutely delish, and I regretted not bringing my big backpack to load up on free food. Only kidding. Well… mostly.

Regretfully, I didn’t see the giant slide, pool tables or vintage arcades. For most of my visit, we sat outside at one of the tables, catching up and also chatting about tech speak. Jeff was a fantastic help with the IT terminology, and I’m so grateful for his expertise. And I was glad I got to check out Google’s HQ. All’s well that ends well, and in the future, I will try not to get snippy with my muse when she leads me down an unfamiliar path.

I've heard some awesome "rumors" about the Google Headquarters! I heard they first off, are really awesome towards their employees, which is always nice to hear!  And then the Giant Slide!! AWESOME!!! Awesome post Libby! Thank you!

Libby Mercer's Bio:

Born and raised in the Midwest, Libby Mercer’s adventurous spirit kicked in after graduating from high school, and she’s since lived in Boston, NYC and London. San Francisco is the city she currently calls home. For several years, Libby worked in fashion – first as a journalist and then as a shopkeeper. She also dabbled in design for a while. Even through the crazy fashion years, Libby never let go of her dream of being a published author, and has since developed her signature writing style, crafting quirky chick lit/romance hybrids. Fashioning a Romance was her first published novel, and Unmasking Maya will be her second. Libby has a third novel, The Karmic Connection, scheduled for release in 2013.

You can visit Libby on her Blog, Goodreads, or chat with her on Twitter!

To purchase her novel Unmasking Maya, you can visit her Amazon Author Page and there you will find out more about Libby and have the opportunity to purchase her novels! :)

Thanks everyone!

The Romance Bookie :)