Enchiladas, Fresh Air, and Luggage Envy
Deep in the heart of Texas!
Good morning! I am on Fresh Air today, eeeeeeeeep, the fancy thing I alluded to in my last newsletter. Public speaking doesn’t scare me, being on live television doesn't scare me, but recording Fresh Air was the most terrifying experience of my life. Give a listen! Or not! I will be holding a pillow over my head all day long.
I’m writing this from Los Angeles, but let’s back up a few days! Let’s talk about book festivals. Book festivals are fun because it’s a little bit like writer summer camp, with a gaggle of writers just loose in a hotel with very little to do other than feed themselves and maybe drink too much. I was on a mission to eat as much Tex Mex as possible and honestly? I did a pretty respectable job. Above, witness my friend Mary Laura Philpott eating a gigantic breakfast taco.
Important also to take in the local problematic sites! Like the Alamo! This one is for Pee Wee. (If you have a kid who likes history, though, the Nathan Hale Alamo graphic novel is quite good.)
You know what’s 1000x better than the Alamo? Woman of Light, by this brilliant, gorgeous woman! I adore Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s work, and we’ve been Zoomin’ it up recently, but this was our first time meeting in person. This book is SO GOOD. Epic. Exciting. Important! You can give it to literally anyone. History buffs, circus freaks, herpetologists. Anyone! Out in June, preorder here.
How many times do you think I can eat mole enchiladas in 24 hours? If you vote once, think again, friend.
Baby ducks, the river running through San Antonio, a “grotto.” Did I mention that it is 101 degrees? It’s sweaty, it’s humid, it’s rough. But it’s worth it, because I had a dinner date with two of NASA’s finest!
Okay fine they’re not really astronauts, but they DID send a cat into space, and so I think they qualify. Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris, #1 indie bestsellers, #1 funny friends.
But not my only funny friends in town! Did you know that there is a supergroup of festival magicians who travel from town to town to support each other, to don one another’s volunteer t-shirts, to moderate panels on zero notice, and to order extra French fries with? It’s true—pictured above, left to right: Amanda Bullock, the boss at Literary Arts, PDX’s book festival, who invited me to come to her bookclub in 2011, when my story collection came out; Sara Ortiz, who just put together the beautiful San Antonio Book Festival, and who invited me to read at McNally Jackson, also in 2011, for one of the readings that truly changed my whole life; and Conor Moran, who runs the Wisconsin Book Festival, who hosted me and baby River in 2013. These are good people, and they can eat and drink with the same gusto that they can talk about books and writers, and I was so glad to spend time with them this weekend.
Oh right! I was there to do a thing, not just eat with my friends. Kathy Blackwell, the executive editor of Texas Monthy, got the memo to wear a printed dress, and we chatted and laughed and had a wonderful time, despite the 101 degree heat.
Sweaty, with Coca Cola. Photo credit: Mary Laura Philpott, sweat credit: me.
There were so many wonderful people at this festival: Natalie Diaz, Raul the Third, Mat Johnson, Amanda Eyre Ward, Roger Reeves, Julia Glass, the list goes on! It was a great time and oh, wait, it’s time to show you more enchiladas!
There is no such thing as too much mole.
Oh also! Burgin Streetman, whose gig at the festival was to chat up Mac and Shawn, was one of my bosses at Workman Publishing, my very first job after college, and the place I met my husband. Is it possible to have old home week in a state very, very far away from home? I guess it is.
But one can’t stay in Texas forever, not unless you’re Timmy Riggins.
Listen, I looked for one that said ‘Texas Forever,’ but I think we all know that this is how Timmy makes us feel, and I’m just going to be honest about it, okay?
This first cat and I both had to fly Southwest, no one’s first choice, apologies to Southwest.
You know how proud I am of my packing cubes, and my carry-on suitcase? This braggart packed 2 weeks of clothing into this duffel bag. What on earth. I would like to blame this on, hmm, how about the patriarchy? Not Mac, who is clutching some Angela Carter. Mac is flawless. I have three pairs of shoes. Do you think Mac packed three pairs of shoes? No fucking way. Anyway, he’s the best, hooray for Mac, and friendship!
Hope to see you at the coming events!
What I’m reading:
David Sedaris, Happy Go Lucky, deeply hilarious, of course.
Andrew Sean Greer, Less is Lost, a perfect tour book!
Conor is the greatest and the Wisconsin Book Festival is my favorite place to take a book. Hurrah for yours, tacos, and time with friends. Just finished TTT and it is sensational.