And I know that right now some of my friends would be saying "what do you mean it went okay - you were great" - but if I say that lightening will strike or something - right? And it's strange, I feel quite uncomfortable talking about myself, but once you get me started I can't seem to shut up. Hence last night, in the question and answer period after the reading, I blathered on saying "anyway" and "you know" way too much. Ack! I so admire people who can be eloquent on the spot - because I am anything but. (And I'm already feeling quite unsure about posting that photo - but I will anyway)
So, anyway, hehe, the crowd was small - about a dozen folks (sometimes this reading has upwards of forty) - hey, it's summer. But if I am to believe the comments, my reading was well-received. I only stumbled on a few lines, I forced myself to look up at the audience and even braved the dreaded eye-contact-monster. I sold two chapbooks.
The place is a "private" library - members only - but the poetry reading is a member. The room is like walking back into time. I've had a serious "thing" for the card catalog, and so I took a couple of gratuitous images.
This is the lamp over the entrance door with it's anti-pigeon defenses. I took a picture as we were leaving.
Afterwards some of us went to a nearby eatery and had some very good eats - and I had a "Flirtini" on the recommendation of a friend who knows my tastes. It was good. The seafood salad was excellent - shrimp, scallops, calamari and mussels with crisp red onion and peppers in a light vinaigrette. It was late when we got there - past 9:30pm and I don't normally eat that late. But I wanted something because I didn't eat much before. Oh, and I had a piece of the flourless chocolate raspberry cake. Yum.
Then there was a horrendous thunderstorm - the street outside the restaurant was a river. So we bided our time till it passed. Traffic lights were out and it looked like whole blocks were without power. But we got home just fine.
All in all, it was a good evening. And yeah Donna, I'm glad I did it.
16 comments:
It takes real guts to put yourself out there like that. "Ya dun good, kid!" I love the old library pictures, especially the card catalog. I LOVE old libraries.
Glad you had a good evening, thunderstorm and all!
Hey Robin, I'm glad you're glad! Thanks so much for the pictures. I can't think of a more perfect backdrop for a reading (I sort of wonder what that guy whose shoes we see was thinking?). I love card catalogs, too, and just gazing at that old-fashioned penmanship is giving me naughty twinges of pleasure. I'm not joking either, lol. And thank you even more for the descriptions of the food and drink. Seafood salad, chocolate raspberry torte. Yum.
I'm certain you did a fabulous job, but you're right. If YOU say that, the literary reading gods will be annoyed and there will be a next time and many more to come when you need their blessing, so let your audience speak the superlatives for you. It's part of their job. Yours is just to feel glad you did it and keep writing!
Thanks Tarin & Donna - yeah, that card catalog, sigh, what can I say? A thing of the past. It just ain't the same pointing and clicking and scrolling.
hey robin..thanks for the cute picture and the discribtion..wish we would have been there...:-)
Thanks Danielle - actually, ya know, it would have been cool if all you blogland friends coulda been there.
Oh, and I forgot to say - I did talk about - at the urging of one of my poet friends who asked - my erotica writing/blogging. Brave me. (Ducks)
Congratulations, Robin! Sounds like an awesome night!
And, ooh, that card catalog! So sexy!
Thanks Sophia.
ha...the fact that you spoke about your smuty little secret makes it even better!
Robin,
Yeah!!! All of our good thoughts made it through. I'm glad things went well and mmmm what a great reward (good food and drink) after it was all over.
And really, how dramatic were the literary gods? Thunder and lightening, floods and...well, no famine, but I'd say they approved. If nothing else, they certainly made it memorable.
What was the reaction when you mentioned writing erotica? Was it what you expected or not as bad as you feared? Another step to where you're going. Good for you.
--Linda
There really was no noticeable reaction (at least that I could see) to the talk about erotica. And nobody asked for the address to my blog. So, it was kind of ... interesting. More of the silence. I honestly don't think people know what to think.
and hey, L, can I say that it's good to see you around again? :-)
Just checking up on you. I really wanted to go to the reading if I was able to drive. I'm glad the reaction to the "big secret" wasn't the horror show we all seem to think it's going to be.
--Linda
This is fantastic, Robin! You did so well! And look at the wonderful pictures and memories you took away from it. I'm very happy for you! :)
It sounds lovely, Robin! And thanks for the pictures — it looks like a lovely place.
"actually, ya know, it would have been cool if all you blogland friends coulda been there"
Next time maybe you can set up a live webcam broadcast. ;)
Congrats, Robin!
Thanks Cora & Emerald!
Good job! I'm also ridiculously bad at public speaking and getting through that is something to be tremendously proud of! YAY!
Robin, yay pictures! Thank you. :-)
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