"So this nerd fest starts at 7?"

OMG I hope we got enough copies of my chapbook in!

The title of this blog post is a direct quote from my friend Ashley in reference to when the staff reading started last night. Felt apropos. Yes, the nerd fest started at 7 pm, promptly. Last night was effin' magical, bros. I sincerely hope you made it to see the varied array of beautiful, unnerving, gross (you're welcome) and inspiring work that was read last night. The thing about working with creative people is that you don't know them primarily through their creative means. To me, Natasha is not Natasha the writer, even though I know she writes. Because I'm so deeply in love with her, I assume she's good at it, but before last night, in my brain, Natasha is foremost just Natasha, goofy and darkly beautiful High Priestess of the Used Book Cellar. She still is that, that and a silver moonwolf that ripples through midnight like a dragonfly alighting on water, but now I have to add that she can also write characters really well. That's how I felt about everyone last night. I got a couple glasses of wine in me and kept going up to my co-workers and saying things like, "I didn't know you could REALLY write!" and "You didn't tell me you were actually TALENTED, you jerk!" and they would get that look on their faces that says, am I offended? Am I complimented? Am I both? I'm so sorry. I have a BA in English, so to me, writing is one of those things that everybody THINKS they can do, but most people can't really do. Last night, however, at the staff reading, I got to hear all these people that have seen me at probably my best and worst, (mostly my worst, I'm kind of a terrible co-worker) prove that they actually have the skills to pay the bills. Blown away.

After the reading was over, some of us went to the bar, and then I went home and got like 5 hours of sleep and now I'm back at the store eating leftover chips and dip from last night and acting like coffee has an exponentially increasing awakening power by volume, which, I don't know if you know this, it does not. I'm doing that tired thing where not a lot makes sense and I can't really taste food. We're also having our sidewalk half-off sale today and tomorrow, so there's a new added level of out-of-body experience where we have books on tables outside and one of my duties this morning was going to Magic Bean and "Getting the Balloons", which is not a euphemism for anything, I literally got balloons. We have half priced books of all varieties, art books, novels, self help, you name it, we got it. Games and card and gift also has items on sale, everything from scarves to journals to...decorative bird shaped wine bottle stoppers/tea light holder. Come check it out!

That's all for now. I'm gonna go eat a bunch of chips for breakfast like an adult. I'd like to thank everybody that participated in last nights event, especially Kate Robinson for being so amazing and writing such a beautiful and moving chapbook that was the catalyst for this amazing event. I would also like to thank Dana Brigham and the Brookline Booksmith in general; there are many ways to show appreciation for your employees, but I'm pretty sure letting them buy a bunch of wine and get behind a mic and read their poem about flu-related bodily functions is both the best and least common way of doing it. Booksmith for King. Long live Booksmith.

Also! Keep an eye out in Bmail and here and on the website. We recorded this event and others that we expect to be making available in podcast form as soon as possible. Thanks pals. Keep it real.

On Readings

Tonight I read from my novel at The Writers' Room of Boston's annual reading. I started the day feeling prepared but as the afternoon came around, the air thicker with the heat and humidity, I felt less confident. I've never enjoyed the attention you get when standing in front of a crowd, so many pairs of eyes watching you at once. Since I started working at the Booksmith last fall and helping host events, I've gotten a bit more used to that. But when I introduce the author, it's about the author and their work and not about me. Reading a part of my unpublished, unfinished novel, which only two other people have read, is terrifying.

Having to read from my own work last night had me thinking about readings in general. I've always loved going to readings, partly for the same reason I like going to the movies. I enjoy the communal aspect, the idea that the people gathered in a room are there to see one person, and are each taking away something different from the experience. Readings are just as fun to attend alone as they are when attended with a friend, and I always end up scribbling the name of new authors I want to look into or words of wisdom about the writing process. But there's also something about hearing a writer read their work in their own voice. It makes the reading experience seem more intimate, as if the writer, by adding a voice and adding inflection to the words on the page, is letting you in on a private process.

At the Booksmith we host two different kinds of readings: traditional readings, by authors of newly published books. I love these readings, and the the mix of authors we bring in is part of the reason I wanted to work here and help with events. I spent most of last year living on Cape Cod and during that time I drove up twice to the Booksmith just to hear specific authors. I sat halfway up the stairs to listen to Nicole Krauss read from Great House. And then I came up to hear my friend Alexi Zentner read from his debut novel Touch.

The other kind of readings we host are like what I read at tonight: a mix of unpublished and published authors. There is something less formal about these readings. I remember walking into The Last Bookstore when I was in Los Angeles this past January, and stopping my browsing to lean against a pole and listen to their open-mic poetry reading. At the Booksmith, we regularly host The Breakwater Reading Series, where graduate students from MFA programs in the area read their work. In fact, the first time I read from my novel was at this series, three years ago. These readings usually consist of many writers reading for short chunks of times.  More often than not, the writers have yet to published, and because the audience is often filled with supportive friends and families there's an overall positive energy to the whole experience. For me, that's how tonight felt.

In a month we're hosting a very special reading, similar to the one I read at tonight. Our assistant manager, Kate Robinson, who just published Darling Angel Meat, her first collection of poems, will be reading her poetry. If you didn't know, our staff includes quite a few writers and poets, among visual artists and musicians, and some of us will be the warm-up act for Kate. I've always loved that our staff is full of so many talented and interesting people. I see my co-workers a lot in a professional setting and hear about their work, and I'm really excited to finally hear the work itself. So on Friday, July 27th, I hope you'll join us in the Writers & Readers Room to come hear what your neighborhood booksellers are up to. Trickle in and out, lean against a pole, enjoy some snacks. It'll be a laid back, but special night.