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May 31, 2007
A Tale of Two Readings
Lost among the many posts about the Bookplate mural was the fact that we had a reading on Saturday afternoon. It was our first reading with the projector. Since it the reading was to take place at 4:00 in the afternoon, we were worried that the projected images would not be crisp enough if the reading were to be held at the front of the store, where there was ample room to accommodate the horde of doting fans we were expecting. Nevertheless, our desire for a crisp, vivid, colorful image won out and we set up the projector at the back of the store, where there was not as much room for the swarming fanbase. We asked ourselves if we were selfishly prioritizing aesthetics over the comfort of our swooning readership.
We needn't have worried.
Including Robbi, Tom (Bookplate proprietor) and me, there were nine people at the reading. Not only were all interested parties amply accomodated by the limited space at the back of the store, but everyone was comfortably seated.
Tom, dutiful bookshop proprietor that he is, had procured a large plate of salami to feed the hordes. The nine of us did our best on the salami, but a lot of salami remained. There was a lot of salami.
We stalled for nearly 10 minutes, assuming that the tourbusses of fans had merely been delayed by Memorial Day Traffic. Eventually a grim realization settled in. The wildly enthusiastic throngs were not going to appear. Accepting this fact, we settled in and began. And we had a fine time.
The picture is terrible, but here we are in our nook in the back of Bookplate.
We started with Facial Features of French Explorers and then moved on to My Henderson Robot. We then performed the Chestertown debut of St. Michaels: The Town that Somehow Fooled the British. We were prepared to call it a day when someone in the crowd started chanting, "HENRY, HENRY, HENRY." Moved by his enthusiasm, we agreed to read Death of Henry, easily our most misunderstood book, but perhaps my favorite.
The enthusiastic fan was Bob, Robbi's dad. He loves Henry. He hates Facial Features. And tells us whenever he can. For Bob, the reading was the best and worst of times.
After the reading we went to a barbeque where I met this enchanting young lady.
It took a little doing, but I somehow managed to convince her that the princess tiara would look better on my head. I'm sure you agree.
The weekend is approaching, and with it, our second reading, this one at H&F Fine Arts in Mt. Rainier. Though I'm sure that all of you have already made all the necessary plans to arrive just before 5:00pm on Saturday, I will repeat the essential information below, so that you may double-check your itineraries.
I don't often talk about my feelings on this blog because only sissies talk about their feelings. And even though I am pretty much a sissy (see princess tiara above), I don't like to act like one. But still, I must admit a bit of a nervous stomach thinking forward to this weekend's reading. There's something very private about making books. We make them in the privacy of our own barn. Often in nothing but our undergarments. There's something very performative about reading from one's books in front of others. Last weekend's poorly-attended reading was a good warm up for this weekend at H&F, when the teeming hordes will come, chanting in anticipation. Or perhaps there will be only six kind, understanding people in attendance. With low expectations and benevolent smiles. Which would be just fine with me.
Posted by bogenamp at May 31, 2007 08:12 PM