I am going on tour this winter, for the last, no-kidding, very last, edition of The Best American Erotica, 2008.
Why is this the very last BAE? You can read all the details here.
But for the moment, here are my farewell party plans!
I would like to visit, and give a great hug, to:
* everyone who ever read a story in BAE, anytime since 1993, and never forgot it
* every BAE author I published and adored
* everyone I ever sent a (hopefully polite) rejection letter to
* every editor, agent, and permissions manager who helped me connect with an author
The dates so far:
Thursday, January 24, 7:00 PM
Brookline BooksmithFriday, January 25, 7:00 PM
Longfellow Books
Portland, ME (my first visit to Maine!)Saturday, February 9, 7:30 PM
Book Shop Santa CruzWednesday, February 13, 7:30 PM
Modern Times BookstoreMonday, February 18, 7:30 PM
Powell's BookstoreTuesday, February 19, 7:00 PM
Bailey/Coy BooksThursday, February 21, 7:00 PM
Diesel, A Bookstore
Malibu, CAFriday, February 22, 7:00 PM
Skylight Books
Los Angeles, CA
If you would like me to come to your town for an appearance, please click here! This tour is in progress; I expect to add more dates.
That "click" will send a request to both myself and the book's publicist. Use the comment boxt o suggest WHERE I should plan an event (bookstore, theater, your living room, etc.) and whether you have any clever funding ideas for the travel expenses.
Although this appearance-request system is not a fairy-godmother device, it will help me figure out where I need to go— where the welcome wagon is! Having friendship, homecooked meals, and support on a book tour is the difference between life and death, believe me.
If you want to keep up with my tour updates, sign up on my page at BookTour.com— they'll let you know you by email/RSS/whatever as to when I'm coming to your town.
(If you're an author who hasn't signed up with BookTour, I recommend it. It's such a relief to have a user-friendly place where you can organize all your reader events. Your fans can request an email or any kind of alert they like, every time you show up in public to make a fool genius of yourself!)
And yay . . . I'll see you in Portland. I'm sure Shanna and I will arrive together and hope to take you out for drinks, talk you into drinks.
Peace,
A
Posted by: Alana | 01/07/2008 at 06:15 PM
Please come to New York City!
Posted by: EllaRegina | 01/07/2008 at 08:12 PM
Oh gosh--how about Madison, WI?
Though struggling, we still have a few independent bookstores and two long-standing institutions of things bookish and erotic: A Room of One's Own Feminist Bookstore and A Woman's Touch. Ooo, and Cherry Pop Burlesque, a performance group that does good home-grown burlesque (tho' I'm not sure when they last performed). Perhaps something could be coordinated between all those entities?
No good ideas about funding, though I sort of remember that when Alison Bechdel was promoting her book she came through Madison on a trip whose expenses were paid for collectively by feminist bookstores in Minneapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago.
Good luck and good work!
Posted by: jesse m | 01/08/2008 at 12:13 PM
Regarding BAE readings in NYC:
Two possibilities, both of which encompass CLEVER FUNDING IDEAS *and* the WHERE question...
I tried posting before but was blocked as spam, maybe because I had included URLs; now I've omitted them. Mr. Google will take you right there:
1) The Museum of Sex. 233 Fifth Avenue @ 27th Street. Seems like a natural match to me...
Of course I cannot speak for them but I'd bet they'd be thrilled to have you.
2) "LIVE FROM THE NYPL"
This is a great series -- maybe the coolest show in town -- hosted by Paul Holdengraeber at the main New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.
If you peruse their past programs you'll get an idea of the spectrum of presentations -- very eclectic offerings -- from Aline Kominsky-Crumb and Robert Crumb to Edmund White to Jan Morris to the Hungry Marching Band and beyond.
You could surely fill their Celeste Bartos Forum. And, I get the impression that they have a budget.
Besides LIVE FROM THE NYPL being a reading venue for BAE 2008, I could envision the host doing an interview with you on stage where you could speak your mind openly as to the current state of erotica and publishing, et cetera, should you be so inclined.
Perhaps worth a look...
Good luck!
Posted by: EllaRegina | 01/13/2008 at 09:41 PM
If you're probing the heart of the land The Kinsey Institute (Bloomington, Indiana) might be worth exploring. Their upcoming events (of both academic and cultural interest) include a film screening, an exhibition and a lecture. Perhaps a funding source as well? A search of their online library (connected with Indiana University) returns 22 of your offerings. That's a start, I would think...
Posted by: EllaRegina | 01/31/2008 at 06:59 PM