Approximately two out of every three guys around here look more or less exactly like Chuck Klosterman.
The cable is out at the Brooklyn apartment where I'm staying - this is officially the longest I've gone without watching TV since I was around five, and boy does it ever feel weird.
I'm wifi-ing from a tiny "cyber" cafe with the wonkiest, most laptop-endangering tables on the east coast. A full cup of coffee, an iBook, and the catapult action of these special tables is a recipe for an expensive disaster. I'm safe so far, but I've witnessed some carnage. And the loud Lilith-y music isn't helping, I can tell you that.
Anyway, thanks to everyone who came to my "reading" at the Kettle of Fish in New York last night. I had good time. For those who couldn't make it, here's what happened:
I read a part of a chapter called "The Lord Rocks in Mysterious Ways." It was cool, and a relief, that people laughed at what were intended to be the funny bits - I'm so familiar with it by now that I can no longer tell the punch lines from the set-ups. It was the first time I had ever read out loud in public, and I was a little nervous, but in the end it was a lot of fun.
I played "King Dork," "I'm Still Not Done Loving You, Mama," "Gooey Glasses," and "I Wanna Ramone You." Then I had to stop because the baseball was starting.
Maybe I'll see you in New Haven on Saturday, yeah?
So here I am wifi-ing from a cafe in soggy Brooklyn, and I thought I might as well let another show update dribble out:
Wed., October 26, at The Kettle of Fish, 59 Christopher St., Greenwich Village, NYC. 7 pm to 8 pm.with Lise Johnson and Eisa Ulen I'm going to read something from the book, and play some of the "book songs," plus maybe a few more, if there's interest and if time permits.Sat., October 29, at Rudy's, 372 Elm St., New Haven, CT (203) 865-1242. 9 pm.
HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA FEATURING:The Hymens (Ramones Tribute Band) + The Breakup (NYC) + Dr. Frank (From Mr. T Experience) + Lucid Mike + The Whores
SHOW STARTS AT 8:00; $50 PRIZE FOR BEST COSTUME; $4 cover.
Wed., November 9, at The Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St. at Missouri, San Francisco, CA. (415) 621-4455. w/The Specs and Kevin Army. 8:30 pm.
Anyway, the main character of King Dork is trying to start a band, and writes a bunch of songs through the course of the story, and I thought it would be fun to make up some of the songs in addition to just alluding to them in the text. Now it's looking like the Listening Library audio book will include acoustic versions of at least some of these songs, and possibly an interview of some kind, presented as "bonus tracks." I'll record them next month, most likely. At some point, I'll probably record some of them with a band, as well. No word yet on who is going to read it.
Besides meeting with the Listening Library folks, I had a fun lunch with my Delacorte editor and publicist, though I'm afraid I may have been just slightly more spaced-out, sleep-deprived, and hung over than I meant to be. My editor Krista, correctly noting that much of King Dork had been written in the course laptop barhopping in Oakland and the Mission District, said my notes and corrections would always start out meticulous and neat, degenerating as they continued till they deteriorated completely and trailed off, at which point they would snap back into meticulousness and neatness and the process would begin again. Which I thought was pretty funny. Sorry, though!
Actually that progressively sloppy journey towards an inevitable state of total slovenliness and unintelligibility is a familiar touchstone of my day to day life, even when bar hopping is not involved, though I admit it often is. Involved I mean. You know.
See you on Wednesday 10/26, those who can come.
Transatlantic journalist and blogger Clive Davis (one of my favorites since he started blogging a year ago) was in California on account of a media fellowship from the Hoover Institution and we had some drinks in San Francisco the other night. It was a great conversation about books, writing, music, art, politics and the Brit/US cultural divide, though I must admit it may have been slightly sloppy on my part toward the end there.
As they say in his native land: what a diamond geezer...
Paradise Lost, I mean. Seriously.
Frankly, I'm finding it a little hard to imagine. All the same I am praying with my whole strength that Oliver Stone will direct.
(via Bookslut.)
So, the word on the street is that the Kettle of Fish appearance will happen on 10/26 as originally schemed. (59 Christopher St., Greenwich Village, NYC.)
It's going to start at 7 and end at 8. Also appearing: Lise Johnson, who will read from her manuscript The Bauble that Bought Manhattan; and Eisa Ulen, who will read from her forthcoming novel Redemption's Daughter. I'm going to read from King Dork, and preview some of the songs from the book, plus other songs, perhaps, as time permits. I did a similar type of thing a ways back in LA and it was a lot of fun.
So here's the recap:
Wed., October 26, at The Kettle of Fish, 59 Christopher St., Greenwich Village, NYC. 7 pm to 8 pm.with Lise Johnson and Eisa UlenSat., October 29, at Rudy's, 372 Elm St., New Haven, CT (203) 865-1242. 9 pm.
This is a being billed as a Hallowe'en Party and there are several other acts. My bit is going to be an acoustic set.Wed., November 9, at The Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St. at Missouri, San Francisco, CA. (415) 621-4455. w/The Specs and Kevin Army. 8:30 pm.
Just a quick note to let you know: I've just learned that the date of that NY "show" is in a state of flux. It is currently slated for Wed. 10/26, but it may change to either the 24th or the 28th. I'll let you know as soon as I find out, so watch this space.
Maud Newton says "you probably had to grow up in a whacked-out fundamentalist household" to appreciate this Cthulhoid parody of a Chick Tract. Well, I didn't but I do. I think my having had a largely Cthulhu-focused childhood might have helped though.
Brilliant.