The reading at Tattered Cover in Denver (Aug 9) went surprisingly well. I say surprisingly because I was seated next to Nathaniel Popkin, y'see, who is a poet and author of not one novel, but two. Naturally, I was a little intimidated. This was only my third ever book-launch type event, and possibly only my second public reading. I have of course been speaking publicly since as far back as 2008, but that’s different because it doesn’t involve reading from a piece of paper. It’s just talking from your head really (at least for me it is), and that’s easy because it’s what we do all the time. Public reading, however, is different. Because although it is reading, it shouldn’t feel like reading. It needs to be a little performative, with sentences flowing rhythmically with pauses at just the right parts. Sometimes certain sentences need a second or two to sink in. You may want to change your voice just a tad per each character, sound agitated when the character is agitated, or jolly when it’s a festive scene, that sort of thing. You also need to maintain a degree of eye contact with audience members. You can’t have your face stuffed in the book the entire time, but you also need to not lose your place on the page.

It ain’t easy, folks.

The audience laughed at the funny bits, and was dead quiet for the tense bits. All in all, things went well. Nathaniel and I –having only met in person for the first time– had astonishingly good chemistry, and were adequately challenged by Angela Evans’ questions (journalism before friendship, y'all), and the audience had many things to ask and chat about as well. Resulting in a book event that lasted a good two hours.

Tattered Cover were nice enough to reward us for our bravery with engraved copper bookmarks. Whatever your bookmarks are made of, I want them all, because they always come in handy (death to the dogearers).

I read the book over the weekend just prior to the event, and was so struck by the stories and essays that I really began to question Nathaniel and Stephanie’s sanity for including me at all. It is an incredibly powerful book,and I feel greatly humbled to be a part of it.

No time to relish in “accomplishments” though, for there is yet much to be done.

Ganzeer
August 18, 2018
Denver, CO