[events] Went down to the library, fell down on my knees
Actually, I went down to the library and sat in a big comfy chair. But all writers feel a bit like Robert Johnson, somewhere in our stained and tattered little souls.
Yesterday evening was the monthly book group at Milwaukie Ledding Library. We discussed my multiple award nominated novella, "The Stars Do Not Lie", as well as my novel Green and some of my other work. It wasn't a group of SF/F fans (with one or two exceptions), but it was absolutely a group of literature fans. Also, some of my family came: Lisa Costello, (step)Mom, Dad, lillypond (a/k/a my sister), and the_child her own self.
It was a lot of fun. I'm normally talking either to writers, fans or educational audiences. General readers have a different take than those demographics. This was very q/a driven - I wasn't lecturing or instructing - and reflected the opinions and experience of this long-established book club. I fielded questions about the creative process, publishing, and steampunk, as well as getting into specifics about "The Stars Do Not Lie", Green and Mainspring. Not to mention a bit of autobiographical discussion. the_child offered some commentary, and at one point Dad got drawn into the discussion as well.
We ran about 30 minutes overtime, which seemed just fine with everybody there. It was fun for me, a very on-the-ground form of immediacy in interacting with my ultimate audience: the reader.
Yesterday evening was the monthly book group at Milwaukie Ledding Library. We discussed my multiple award nominated novella, "The Stars Do Not Lie", as well as my novel Green and some of my other work. It wasn't a group of SF/F fans (with one or two exceptions), but it was absolutely a group of literature fans. Also, some of my family came: Lisa Costello, (step)Mom, Dad, lillypond (a/k/a my sister), and the_child her own self.
It was a lot of fun. I'm normally talking either to writers, fans or educational audiences. General readers have a different take than those demographics. This was very q/a driven - I wasn't lecturing or instructing - and reflected the opinions and experience of this long-established book club. I fielded questions about the creative process, publishing, and steampunk, as well as getting into specifics about "The Stars Do Not Lie", Green and Mainspring. Not to mention a bit of autobiographical discussion. the_child offered some commentary, and at one point Dad got drawn into the discussion as well.
We ran about 30 minutes overtime, which seemed just fine with everybody there. It was fun for me, a very on-the-ground form of immediacy in interacting with my ultimate audience: the reader.