You just might want to go to the M Bar to see the premiere Lit Thing, hosted by the inimitable Cecil Castellucci. You’ll be treated to readings and comedy (I think) and at least one short film. The theme is betrayal and assassination, in honor of the upcoming Ides of March. Cecil is one helluva hostess; I’d be there if I wasn’t way out here in my Pennsylvania winter wonderland.
Aug 062007
I went to the Swink reading at Tangeirs to see Mark Sarvas (that’s him there in the pic, blurrily) and hear more from his new novel. I agree with everything Callie already said.
I thought I didn’t need anything but Word to write a novel. But today Andrew told me about Journler, which seems more bloggy but possibly helpful, and look, Gwenda is using Scrivener. Are these truly organizational tools, or are they just software-based stalling tactics?
Dammit, I just missed Aimee Bender. Again.
Which reminds me: I’m writing the LA book updates for a new company called 80108. Sign up for and get pithy book events news texted to your phone. In advance of readings happening.
Which reminds me, v.2: if you have a readings series, book launch, poetry slam, magazine party,or any other special event involving the written word, email me the deets at paperhaus (at) gmail.com.
Jul 172007
Over the weekend I got to see Jim Ruland read from his collection Big Lonesome. A year or so ago this would not be such a big deal, but now that Jim has shuffled off to San Diego and I’ve departed for Pittsburgh, us both being in the same place at the same time is rare. When I found out he was reading at Vroman’s, I couldn’t miss it. He’s a great, funny reader, and this time he even played a sea shanty on a recorder. Really.
Later on chatting I said I was reading a book by Raymond Chandler. “I hate that guy!” Jim shouted. I was confused. He berated me for liking Pynchon AND Chandler, saying it’s like liking James Joyce and DH Lawrence – you’re in one camp or the other. I was still confused. OH, it turned out, he thought I said Raymond Carver. “Raymond Carver!” I shouted back. “No way, I hate that guy!” High fives all around.
(Before you slap me around, throw me out of graduate school and malign me to professors and their wives who I like very much, let me say that I hate the precious place Raymond Carver’s work has in the minds of many who revere him. Personally he was probably pretty cool.)
So, back to Raymond Chandler, who passed muster. I had just re-read The Little Sister so I could attend the No One Reads in LA book club Thursday night. They focus on LA-based authors/stories, and talk about the true-life connections to the books on their list. I missed Fante (fine with me) and thought Chandler was just the ticket. But mob bosses and ambitious Hollywood starlets notwithstanding, I fear I won’t make it to the Barclay Hotel at 4th and Main at 7pm Thursday. Hope to hear about its success.
Welcome to the LitBlog Session at the LA Times Festival of Books. Oops – I began this post while we were doing the Q&A, but they had to shoo us out. So here’s one Q and 4 As.
David Kipen asked which of our posts brought us the most traffic — and why?
Me: at LAist, a picture of a car. bafflingly, a huge hit.
Tod Goldberg: The sad tale of Mister Teriyaki, documenting a Big Famous Author’s unselfconscious, ugly prejudice.
Andrew Keen: An article about sex ads on craigslist. Sex. Duh.
Galleycat: James Frey, other big news items. But the biggest: a very early Judith Reagan post.
It was very cool that litblogs found a place at the Festival of Books this year. I only wish we hadn’t focused so much on “litblogs — good or bad?” — I think litblogs are good for books and readers and authors. I don’t want to waste space arguing about it — heck, even the NNBC is coming around.
Instead I would have loved to have a topic like: “litblogs — what’s good, what’s bad, what’s next?” I know what I’d like to do more of (I think it’s a congenital blogger condition to be cursing oneself for not fill-in-the-blank), but I want the bigger picture. What does it take for a litblog to be successful – voice? genre? regular posting? Have we made any big mistakes (like engaging n+1 in an argument over an article critical of litblogs — an article they never put online)? What exciting, fun things are happening in the litblog world? I would have loved to hear what Tod and Ron and the audience thought.
Most everyone in the audience raised their hands when asked “who blogs?” Including LA litbloggers John Fox and Callie Miller. I hope they’ll blog their takes soon.
Panel in action photo! From the left: the back of Tod Goldberg’s head, Andrew Keen, and Ron Hogan.
Apr 282007
Yes I made it form PA to the awards ceremony last night. (winners here) Jim Lehrer was the host; he asked us to think of him as a novelist first, TV guy second. “I have been a writer since I was 17 years old,” he said. “That’s a long time — a lot longer than I’ve been a pretty face on television.” He was great.
All the presenters were wonderful, and all seemed to have read and enjoyed the books they were presenting — with one exception. Steve Lopez, who is the most overrated local columnist in the city, sounded like he was reading off their back covers, repeatedly quoting New York Times book reviews. Uh, at least have the deceny to quote from the reviews of your own paper.
If you’re heading to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this weekend, I hope you swing by the panel on books and blogging on Sunday, moderated by the very goddamn funny Tod Goldberg. It’ll feature Ron Hogan (Beatrice, Galleycat) and Andrew Keen (who is not a fan of blogs; nevertheless, he’s got one). And me. On good days, I look something like this photo. Not today. Today I got up at 4:30am.
Details:
Sunday, 1:30pm
Young Hall CS24
Panel #2083
This panel is also recommended for those who are particularly anxious to claim a seat to see Percival Everett, Janet Fitch and Kem Nunn panelizing about lives on the edge (same room, right after us).
Mar 082007
I’ll be panelizing about books and blogging at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books April 29-30, alongside the eminent Ron Hogan and British author Andrew Keen whose book, The Cult of the Amateur, comes out here in June.
Author Tod Goldberg will be our overlord moderator, and I have to say Tod Goldberg is really the most amazing panel moderator ever. I mean literally, I have to say that, according to the 27-page overlord moderator pre-panel rules and guidelines he so kindly distributed.
Aug 202006
Ahoy, mateys! The extraordinarily talented Chris Abani headlines the Vermin on the Mount reading series, punnily calling itself Pyrats of Chinatown in LA tonight. Also on the bill are Teka-Lark Lo, a snappy poet who’s got something, plus novelist Karen Palmer and poet Carol Novack. If I were within 2000 miles of Los Angeles I’d show up; in my book, 132 miles is definitely within striking distance (this means you, Tod Goldberg.)
The LitBlog Coop pick for summer is Michael Martone’s Michael Martone, and this week two more Martoney posts went live: the Michael Martone podcast interview and a separate e-mail conversation for those who are MP3-averse. Martone! Martone! Martone!
This Tuesday the 22nd Joe Meno will be in Pittsburgh to read from his new book is The Boy Detective Fails. Also reading are fellow Chicagoan Todd Dills (Sons of the Rapture) and Mickey Hess, who I am failing to provide a link for. It’s happening
Artists Image Resources, 518 Foreland St. Hopefully my car will be out of the shop so I can do what I always do in Pittsburgh and drive around lost for a while before arriving at my destination. Which in this case is a place called AIR.
Jun 232006
The fantastic Vermin on the Mount reading series returns this weekend. Trinie Dalton, Jami Attenberg, Ben Weissman and Chad Tsuyuki are on the bill. That’s this Sunday at the Mountain Bar in Chinatown in far off Los Angeles. Highly recommended, if you’re within a few hundred miles.
May 122006
Some people have right brain / left brain communication issues. Me, I have LAist brain and Paperhaus brain, and they just had an oh-duh moment. Tonight several of the ladies who contributed to The May Queen will be reading and panel-ing in Brentwood, including onetime Pinky guest Meghan Daum, as I posted on LAist earlier today. The May Queen is by/about chicks in their 30s, which is a sorely underrepresented group (kidding, I kid). I have no personal knowledge of the book, but that Meghan Daum sure can crack wise.
