"IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO TRY"

As promised, I have an announcement. (Ahem)

I think that wonderful things happen when you bring people together that have common interests. Or, slightly compatible interests. Since my first novel came out, I've traveled a lot and gone to many places and met a lot of people. I have gone to Atlanta and enjoyed meeting and talking and brainstorming with writers and publishers at Darren Wang's Decatur Book Festival. Then, I went to Omaha and enjoyed meeting and talking and brainstorming with writers and publishers at Timothy Schaffert's (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest (Something is going on with that usually-beautiful site, but I'm sure it'll be back up shortly). Then, I went to New Orleans, and did the same at Paul J. Willis' Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. Then, I went back to Omaha and did it all again.

Somewhere, during all of that, I realized that these three festivals were more than something I enjoyed attending. There was something about the execution of these three festivals that I wanted to bring to Chicago. And, as I had this stuff all in my head in New Orleans last spring, I was standing outside watching a "Stellaaaa!"-shouting contest with Paul Willis and he turned to me suddenly and said, "Do you have any interest in curating a festival? You should. You'd be great." Two months later, I was sitting having fancy cocktails with Timothy Schaffert and I started to pick his brain, and, well...

Introducing Pilcrow Lit Fest. Brought to you by me.

There is a whole sea of things to say about it all coming together, filled with really helpful people that I brought in to help like Mommas Boy Design (to make things look beautiful as they come into being), like online/social/media shaker Leah Jones (to do all that stuff I just said), like Adam Deutsch of Ninth Letter (to organize his head off) and A Moveable Bit (to document the crap out of everything and then some). Just for starters.

It's going to be held May 22nd-25th all around the intersection of Belmont and Sheffield here in Chicago. You know, near where The Fixx is, where I host those readings every month. It all starts with the regularly scheduled Fixx reading on May 22nd, with very special guests Jami Attenberg and Katie Schwartz. And possibly another special guest, too. The rest of the weekend is a series of panel discussions, readings, lots of authors (local and from far away), a cocktail party or three, workshops, and ends on Sunday morning with an author brunch.

And, it's going to be really fun.

There is a blog, too.

You can be friends with us on Facebook.

So, that is the first of the big seven announcements of 2008. The Big Seven. Six to go.

"FIVE SECONDS"

Home from that Omaha and it's a regular love-fest with Chairman Meow. What a sweet kitten. I had a wonderful weekend in Nebraska. The drive out on Friday was forch, the wedding on Saturday was lovely and festive, the reception was fun and social, brunch this morning with the Omaha Lit Fest crew at my very beloved French Cafe was perfect and the drive back was painless. It's good to be home, though. I might be fighting a bit of a cold, so I am vitamin-loading, water-guzzling and about to go to bed. Tomorrow, I am taking care of that Baby Neptune (Mermaidhead's baby), which I am so excited to be doing. He's such a funny little guy.

"I WAS DETAINED"

Hidey ho. Looks like I'm doing a little article about Peru for a travel publication, got a bite on another idea I had for a small series of pieces, so I'm putting that proposal together, yadda yadda.

Ohh, before I forget, see some adventures in Omaha here, here, here and especially here, ha ha, courtesy Jami Attenberg.

Anyway. Now, I'm going to hop a train and go to Chinatown and buy a tiny block of tamarind paste and enjoy the lovely weather. (Snow will be here before we know it.) Sure, I can probably get tamarind at the supermarket around the corner, but it's a nice day for a train ride, and I kind of like buying little bits of things from ethnic grocers. Plus, I'm up for a little adventure.

I have this and this on Craigslist if any of youse are interested. More to follow. I'm doing a major toss-out campaign and it is lovely.

"ASK ME, UH-HO-HO, ASK ME"

• New Jewcy post is up, this time an open letter to Madonna.

• This pic (proof that I actually do some work at these festivals) is linked off of Galleycat today from the litfest set.

• Tomorrow night, Wednesday, September 19th, 8pm, I'm doing The Nod at The Uptown Writer's Space at 4802 North Broadway in Chicago. $5 donation requested.

"SECONDS TO SPARE"

Blogging via Blackberry again. From my cozy bed in the art studio in Omaha. Yawn.

Yesterday was bizz-ay. Remember how last year I blogged all weekend during the lit fest? Not a moment to spare this year! But, tomorrow, I will write a long post with all the goods. In a nutshell, though, Omaha is lovely as ever, my hosts are charming and generous, the panels were a hill of fun yesterday, the Dollar Store Show went well, I met a lot of great people, I talked with a few people I already know and/or met last year, the weather is chilly and I couldn't be hapier about that, Jami Attenberg and I are driving back to Chicago today just after the author brunch this morning, I now own a t-shirt with Timothy Schafert on it, and... I think that's it. For now.

"HOW I LOVE ALL OF THE VERY SIMPLE THINGS OF LIFE"

Hi.

Rosh HaShanah services were great; I enjoy how cool and socially-responsible/eco-minded/"kindness-really-matters" my rabbi is. The shofar, well, group of them actually, sounded great; I welled-up. Tashlich was great; I took off my shoes and wiggled my toes on the beach sand. The social at Leah's after was great; I drank a lot of coffee and laughed very hard and talked to very nice people. Mermaidhead and hubby had the bris for wee Neptune tonight; I welled up. Going to Omaha in the morning, it'll be great.

"THE STORY OF MY LIFE"

Oh my, I have a lot to tell all of youse.

So, I fainted yesterday, twice. I think the unforch sniffley-sinusey thing reached my ears or something. It happens. I'm a fainter. I've fainted before and always when I have a good head cold. Anyway. It wasn't a big deal-- I was awake about a second after hitting the ground both times, but still. Fainting. How Victorian! The first episode was on the sidewalk in front of a bunch of construction workers. I felt it coming and started to bend and reach for a stoop, so my head wasn't far from the ground, at least, and I opened my eyes right as I heard, Damn, that hot bitch just fell the fuck out. Uh, thank you...?

The second faintyroo was leaving the Mac store. What was I doing int the Mac store? Well getting a new laptop, of course. Long story, but my harddrive was dead as a overdosing coke whore yesterday. One minute in full action, the next kaput. Luckily, I back up my work and had my ass covered for the most part, so I left with a new MacBook, only slightly awesomer than the MacBook I watched die moments before.

Anyway, I got that taken care of and bonk. And, again, I came to a second after I hit the ground. I felt kind of brain-freezey for a few minutes after, but fine the rest of the night. Today, on the mend. Just sniffley today. No throatey hurty or nothin'.

Anyway. What else? Yesterday I got a sweet invite to do The Nod-- a cool show men-about-town Joe Janes and Done Hall put up where bloggers read some of their favorite-est, fun-est posts before an audience. That'll be Wednesday the 19th at the Uptown Writer's Space and it's a kickass deal for only a $5 suggested donation. (Fear not, I'll remind you.) But, that's not until I get back from the (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest. Which will be awesome. Just as it was last year. In fact, I think this year will be way bettah.

Speaking of good, we're over halfway to my fundraising goal for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event. And guess what? Because of all of youse and your support, I'm in the top ten fundraisers for this event in Chicago. How cool is that? Got a buck or two burning a hole in your pocket you want to fork over to the cause? Click here!

"ACCEPT YOURSELF"

Shalom, I cut bangs. I like them. They sort of force me to not be so fussy about my hair. And, they look a little bit rockabilly, which, doy, I like very much. Not baby bangs, just bangs, long, floppy bangs, but they're awesome.

Speaking of awesome, the black and chrome Mini I lust after is parked across the street. Who are you and may I please have your car? What? You can have my car. That would totally be fair. Ohh, speaking of cars, not next weekend but next, when I head to Omaha for the (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest, (gosh,ilovethatwebsite) I'll have company this time. Jami Attenberg is flying to Chicago then driving out with me. Won't that be a fun time? If our Omaha mojo continues, it's bound to be an adventure-- remember the semi-barfight she and I got into last year the night before the lit fest? (Her take on it--- I always forget about the sweet couple that helped dispose of the ne'er-do-well.) Yeah. Oh, and the night we arrive, I'm doing the Omaha edition of Jonathan Messinger's delightful Dollar Store Show. Same piece I did in June, complete with drill sgt. and fratboy impersonations by yours truly.

Going to see Mermaidhead after I do a cuppla things. She's counting the days. If all goes as planned (and g-d forbid it should not, kaynahorah, puh puh puh) we'll all get welcome little Neptune into the world next week.

"I WAS HAPPY TO STAY"

Tonight, I went to Timothy's second reading in the area, at a Borders. I function poorly in suburban settings, and was a few minutes late, but it was a marvelous reading, of course. While there, I crossed paths with the wonderful and dear Melanie Lynne Hauser, who I'd met for a nanosecond last year at the (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest but didn't get the pleasure of sitting down and really talking with until tonight. So great. So energetic. Love her. (Uh, you know what I'm going to say. Books don't buy themselves. Ahem.)

Anyway. I got all of my plants in order today. Green onions and dill planted, basil, Roma tomato, and lavender seedlings moved to respectable terra cotta pots.

I got some good writing done today that I was glad to have written at the end of the day. I don't know where it'll find a home, but it's a sweet, shy little short story. I'm happy with it.

Anyway, I have a bi of work to get finished this evening before I retire. I don't know that I've yet caught up on sleep from the past few weeks of state-hopping and friend-seeing. Worth every minute, though.