I wasn’t sure I was going to blog AWP this year, but hell, I have free wireless in my room, so why not make use of it.
Alice Quinn was on my flight this morning in the row in front of me. I noticed her when we were queuing up to board; she was chatting with four other writers (I assume since they all seemed to know each other). I’ve introduced myself to her a couple times in the past, but didn’t have the courage to go through that potentially awkward “Hi, you probably don’t remember me…” conversation. She was in the row in front of me on the plane, and was in the shuttle in front of me when we left the airport. Near misses.
So far all I’ve done is check-in to my hotel, grab a bite to eat, get my name badge at the convention center, and do a quick walk-through of the book fair. I’ve already seen lots of friends: Jeremy Chamberlin and Natalie Bakapolous at the Fiction Writers Review table (where I also got to meet Anne Stameshkin); Moriah Purdy (fellow Muhlenberg alum who is finishing up her MFA at George Mason U.) at the Phoebe table; Alex Dimitrov and Billy Merrill at the Academy of American Poets table (Marika! I delivered your note to Billy!); Shelly Reed at the Spire Press table (go buy their new titles! and Pear Slip if you haven’t already! I’ll sign it for you!); Stephen Motika at the Nightboat Books table; and the wonderful Patricia Smith, who gave me a big hug and started to say something and then stopped herself, then started again, and stopped again until I said “what? say it!” and she laughed and blushed and said “you’re just so handsome!” which in turn made me blush. An awwww moment for me. =) She’s such a sweetheart!
I’m heading back to the book fair to pick up my copy of Barn Own Review 3 and to buy Neil de la Flor’s new book Almost Dorothy (and have him sign it!) and then at 4:30 I’m going to listen to the panel “Queering Desire: Queer Poets’ Aesthetic Libidos” with Jim Elledge, Jericho Brown, David Groff, Ely Shipley, Maureen Seaton, and Stacey Waite. More updates to come!
And pictures Eduardo! I promise!
UPDATED: with photos:
Fiction Writers Review table:
The pic I took of Alex and Billy at the Academy table didn’t come out the best, so I will spare them the way I know I would want to be spared from a potentially less than flattering pic… 😉
Here’s Shelly at the Spire Press table:
And me posing with the lovely cut-out next to our table (it’s not our press, but I couldn’t resist!):
