"HOW SOON IS NOW?"

So! Much! Fun!... was had at The Fixx Reading Series again last night! I knew it would be a good night when, as Irish Ho and I were setting things up, a man and a young lady walked in-- the girl, probably about sixteen or so, had awesome magenta hair, and such a funky style with this cool outfit and a bunch of old keys around her neck on ribbons, like an antique Victorian doll who suddenly came to life and put on a pair of Chucks. She had this head full of gorgeous magenta curls and while she seemed quiet, when we dished on haircolor, it turns out she and I both use Manic Panic's deadly nightshade! She sort of had a shy yet rebellious DIY thing to her that reminded me of myself in high school and she so pulled at my big sisterly heartstrings like you wouldn't believe. Well, turns out it was Bubs and his youngest daughter, which made it all even cooler to me. So great of them to come out and say hello!

Um, the reading, yes the reading. I was a little flustered at the beginning because I misplaced my introduction notes for a few damnhellass moments, but I found them (in the loo where I left them like a dumbass) and all was well in the world. Uh, until I had the one little microphone stand iddlyness -- big thank you to Ted and Laura for jumping in and working it out. Anyhoot! I know you kids like photos, and photos I have! We started off with the dishy and hilarious Rick Karlin, and he made us laugh and laugh with his very funny novel, Show Biz Kids.

He read the starlet-on-date-with-gay-man part that I just think is so funny. And, his side commentary is so funny and dirty and I just love this guy to bits.


Next up was Elaine Soloway, who I want to be when I grow up. Her book, The Division Street Princess, which I read some time ago, made me laugh and cry all at once. I bought a copy for Mermaidhead and had Madam Soloway write a little note to her on the title page. I just know Mermaidhead will like the book as much as I did.

She showed up in a "Girls Rock" t-shirt that she scored at a NOW convention, sassy blue patent rockabilly shoes and when I introduced her, I insisted she show her badass tattoo on her upper arm. (Read what she blogged about her tattoo right here. See? I told you she was badass. When I first read this post, I teared up, I'll admit, because I liked it so much.)

She was followed by Charles Blackstone, who read from his The Week You Weren't Here, which I, for one, cannot wait to start reading. He read this section about those freakout-on-the-bathroom-floor days that I really liked, so I'm anxious to read the whole thing.


Rick Karlin's sweet partner was there, Elaine Soloway's darling husband was there, and naturally Charles Blackstone's wife, Alpana Singh was there as well, and being a very big fan of hers, I was over the moon about this because I have a platonic-professional girl-crush on her.

(I have this thing when I'm in the audience for a reading where I like to sneak little glances at significant others in the audience. No, actually, I like to sneak glances at significant others in any situation, watching his/her partner do his/her thing. At readings I like to watch them and imagine they're undoubtedly remembering all the rewrites and drafts and frustration of that very section being read, maybe even remembering the day it was first written. Maybe I'm weird like that, but I love doing this. There's always this look of pride and relief like look at you doing that thing you always said you would and having such a good time doing it. I'm happy because you're so happy. I always wonder if anyone ever knows when they're getting that look. Probably not. Anyway, all three spouses gave that look last night during the readings and I thought it was spectacular. I know, I know, what a sap. Doy.)

After all the readings, we did our little Q&A thing, which I thought went well. Last month's most intriguing question asker was a guy in an orange hoodie, and this month it was a guy in orange shorts. Something about orange....? In any case, fun times, great questions, really great answers.


As for me, after recovering from the microphone stand issue and the misplaced introduction notes, I thought I did my thing well enough.


I think this next one might be my new favorite pic of myself, only because it demands to have Fiddler On The Roof's "Tradition" sung while viewing it.


Anyway, I think that's all she wrote. A big thank you to Rick, Elaine and Charles for coming out and reading their words for us last night, a big thank you, as always, to Gary and Laura at The Fixx, and an even bigger thank you to all the smiling faces in the audience who came out and showed some love.

In other news:

Due to a funny Blackberry typo, my new favorite word for opportunities is "poppyinities". Maybe even "poppies" for "opps". Oh boy oh boy, kids, maybe we've just found the new unforch.