The second chapter of my book is excerpted at The Nervous Breakdown. Read it. There is also a “self-interview” I wrote, which you can check out here.
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I got back last night from DC, where I had a reading, and also a little cocktail party thrown in my honor by the gracious and talented Maud Casey. It was a little bit of an aspirational weekend. First, there was Maud, who, along with her boyfriend, owns the most gorgeous home I have seen in a very long time. It looks like a mini-castle from the outside, and all of the rooms have weird angles, and there are books and art everywhere. It was so cozy. I feel like I will never get to that cozy place, even though I like my apartment just fine. Also Maud is a respected writer and critic as well as the author of three books. It’s a grown-up existence. I could take a few lessons from her.
Meanwhile at the cocktail party I met many lovely people, including a lively Baltimore contingency, and surprise guest Joe McGinniss, Jr., who wrote The Delivery Man, and his wife, who are kind of a hot couple, super smart and attractive and charismatic. I also met my comrades on page 140 of the Feb 2010 issue of O, Sarah Blake and Dolen Perkins-Valdez. Sarah wrote The Postmistress, which is going to be HUGE, and Dolen wrote Wench, which is already HUGE. They held the first two slots on the O list. And of course I was like, “Someday I’m going to make my way up from just being the cute little ‘Great First Line’ at the bottom of the page to having an actual number in front of my name.” And they were like, “Shut up, you’re being an idiot,” and I was like, “I know, excuse me while I go get another glass of wine.”
I am NOT complaining, don’t get me wrong. (I love you O editors, and I thank you. Feel free to quote from me whenever you like.)
It is just really easy in this life, as an artist, in this industry, etc., to always want something more. And I will not begrudge myself having goals.
I could see how both of these women were poised for lift-off in a very different way than I am. (They have plenty of great things happening for them and their books besides that one magazine mention, mind you.) They seemed much freer than I did. Whether I was right or not I cannot be sure. And I suppose, in a way, it does not matter. If it’s about inspiring yourself to work harder to create the kind of life and career you want, then I think I should be able to believe whatever I want.
I talked and talked so much that night, and into the next day too. (I wish I could have recorded the next morning’s slightly-hungover conversation with Maud. That lady is gold.) It was my first on-the-road tour date, and I forgot how much fun those could be. I loved exchanging ideas with everyone. It is just so energizing it is to meet writers in different cities. Everyone was so smart and funny! I loved it. I am not going to lie, it is has not been super fun for the last month or so, but I am finally starting to enjoy myself. This is what it is all about. Putting your work out there, sharing it with strangers, and meeting bright people who have something to teach you.
This morning, this gloomy, grey, rainy morning in Brooklyn, I am inspired and full of love.
