Emma Straub's Blog, page 7

I'm a Rookie!

I've been a fan of Tavi Gevinson since she was, well, even younger than she is now. For those of you who don't know about Tavi, she's a teenage whiz, a dynamo, a fashion sprite, and the force behind the Style Rookie blog.

Tavi has just started a brand-new, drop dead gorgeous website for teenage girls called ROOKIE, and I am delighted to say that I'm writing for it. New posts will go up three times a day–after school, after dinner, and before you go to bed. Because it's for teenage girls. I couldn't love it more.

Today my piece on the site is about my first day of high school. Other posts I wrote for this month are about losing your virginity and having crushes on teachers. Party time! Click, read, and then have a flashback. You're welcome!

Wheeeeeeeee Rookie!

love

Emma

Author Photos Are Hard, A Visual Diary

I am a horrible ham, and have a nearly impossible time keeping a straight face while someone is taking my photograph. This is fine most of the time, but it just doesn't do for an author photo. One needs to look attractive, smart, inviting and serious all at once. Talk about a tall order. My friend Allison took my first author photo, which I am very fond of, but I knew I wanted a new one for the novel.

My friend Zack Zook came over a couple of months ago to take some shots. Zack is the Events Manager at BookCourt, and the editor of Cousin Corinne's Reminder, in addition to being a fabulous photographer. I'm totally, totally thrilled with the author photo I chose from our shoot, but I won't share that until much closer to the novel's publication, which will be fall 2012. Until then, though, here are some outtakes, which prove what a terrible subject I am.

My hair was acting weird, which resulted in a lot of photos like this.

Ana was there to help out. I think I look very much like a camel in this photo. In a nice way.

Again, my hair is weird and I look like a camel, but goddamn if I don't have a handsome husband.

Bob the electrician was fixing our wires that day. I think this one should be on the book jacket, don't you?

I promise the photo I chose is less goofy than these. It's Serious, even. You'll see.

love

Emma

Back to School

Forget January–for me, the new year always starts in September, with a new batch of pens and notebooks and sweaters in autumnal shades. Even though I'm no longer in school, I still get excited when September arrives.

This year, September means two things: finishing my novel revision and sending it off to my editor, and lots of super, super cool events. Like what, you ask?

September 12th: Franklin Park Reading Series, with Michael Showalter, who I know likes cats and BookCourt and is therefore already my best friend.

September 18th: The Brooklyn Book Festival, which I have been dying to be a part of since its inception.

September 22nd: Reading with Jennifer Egan at Pete's Candy Store. Order an issue of Girl Crush and see how excited I really am.

See what I mean? It's time for some major back-to-school shopping. See you at the mall.

With love and anticipation,

Emma

Best Book of the Year

Last year, I couldn't shut up about Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad. Not only did the book sell hundreds of copies at my fair BookCourt, but it also won the Pulitzer Prize. Which is to say, I have good taste, and so you should listen to me when I tell you this: Alan Hollinghurst's The Stranger's Child is the best book of 2011. It will be published by Knopf in October, but I'm not going to wait until then to tell you why it's so flipping good.

Like the Goon Squad, it takes a few chapters of The Stranger's Child to see what's happening–one needs a bit of perspective in order to understand the pattern at work. Time is the goon here as well, but instead of simply finding our characters at a point further down the road, we are also asked to think about what we know about them, about how they are seen in each new context, about memory, about poetry, about legacy, about desire.

I don't want to say too much, because I don't want to spoil your pleasure. Just mark my words, will you? Best book of the year.

Yours, prophetically,

Emma

I Wish Everyone Who Interviewed Me Was 16

This is how Robby leads into our interview:

"I posted my review of Emma Straub's Other People We Married a few days ago, and because I am one of the luckiest people on this Earth we call home, I got the chance to interview her. It was a quick exchange, and I would've kept it going forever if I could, but Ms. Straub has better things to do than converse with overemotional teenage boys who hide in their bedrooms and write angsty poetry. Emma, thank you. Readers, thank you. This is her website. This is her Twitter. Read her book. She is a gift."

Click here to read the interview.

Yours,

Emma

28 Weeks

It is with pride and an-only-very-minorly heavy heart that I announce that after 28 consecutive weeks, I have fallen off the BookCourt Bestseller list. 28 weeks. That is more than six months. Also known as more than half a year. It's got to be some kind of record, right?

I'm going back to work on Thursday. You can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be back on that list next week. Also, please know that if you happen to be reading this from Timbuktu, or South Dakota, or Westchester County, you can always call the store to order a copy, and I will sign it for you. Just FYI.

Yours,

Emma

Remember When I read at Skylights Books?

Me too! It was so much fun. And now you can listen to the whole thing! Click here to join the party. And you don't even have to get dressed/drive across town/fly across the country! I like to make things easy for you.

love

Emma

Love + Chocolate at the Booksmith

It was hard to leave Los Angeles, but the promise of more delicious food and more gorgeous faces made it a teensy bit easier.

The theme of the trip so far has been this: it's okay to spend more money on a car/hotel if it means the experience will be more pleasant. We are still learning this lesson. The highlight of the car rental experience was picking up a copy of the SF Chronicle, which had this giant picture of my face.

The Booksmith is a fabulous bookstore, with a giant back room where I got to pretend that I was famous. It was kind of like going to the bathroom in a restaurant, which magically makes your food appear. When I came out of the back room, the audience was full. Amazing!

I like to talk with my hands.

My cousins, who now fall into the 'sisters or mother/daughter?' mystery category.

Jessi is getting married tomorrow, AND it's her birthday tomorrow, AND she still came to my reading. Everybody else, your excuses suck.

Nobody tell them there's a story in the book about sisters who hate each other.

This is about as punk rock as I'm ever going to get.

Kate is cute, part one. (Booksmith Edition.)

Caitlin Roper, Dream Date.

I imported Mike and Jenny from New York, and then forced them to sit in the front row.

Joey is the best, and here's why: he brought me a giant box of fancy chocolate AND a DVD cover of Strange Powers for both of us to sign, in addition to my book. What a sweetie. I should mention that another friend brought salted caramels, and a total stranger made lemon bars! Whatever I'm doing, it's working. When I'm 400 pounds, it'll be your fault, people, but I love you for it.

All my friends have cute glasses. This is a truth.

Kevin was my middle school French and Latin teacher. Here's how much French and Latin I know: rien. But isn't he adorable?

Did I mention that the fancy chocolates were golden and shining and beautiful? They were.

Kate is cute, part two. (Tartine Edition.)

Now we're in Marin County for the weekend, where I plan to stroll around and look at beautiful vistas, drink wine, and watch a friend get married. A lovely end to a month away. California, thank you for having me. It's been hella good.

love,

Emma

My Reading at Skylight Books, aka I May Never Leave Los Angeles

Oh, Los Angeles. You know I love you! Why do you have to treat me so nicely! It makes it hard to leave. Even though this trip was short on the tacos (a massive oversight) and somehow did not include a trip to the Museum of Jurassic Technology, it did include lots of time in the pool and actual work on my novel. So there's that. And then, to cap it all off, I had a fabulous time at Skylight last night. Allow me to show you, won't you?

Skylight has some top-notch artists on staff.

Also, chalk. This is some advanced stuff, people. BookCourt, we need to get some chalk.

My high school is very good at making beautiful girls. I'm not talking about me, I'm talking about them.

Edan and Dixon, two well-read people.

Noel passed around the brownies I made, the dear man, so that I didn't have to eat them all myself.

How can you not love a bookstore with a tree growing inside it?

Brad Listi, smiling more than I have ever seen him smile before!

This is a scary face, but Robey isn't scary. He's going to open a bookstore in Highland Park, which is the neighborhood that everyone who's anyone is moving to.

Jennifer Bastian is one of Milwaukee's finest, which is really saying something, because Milwaukee has made a lot of very fine people. (See: Straub, Peter; Straub, Susan)

My brother, the Angeleno.

A shy Carolyn Kellogg.

I imported Chelsey and Kara all the way from Ohio.

A summery Jennifer Pooley.

Emily is so awesome that she came to my reading even though she had the day off from Skylight. Now that's love.

Noel was sad that all the brownies were gone.

Cecil has many amazing tricks up her sleeve.

Antoine Wilson, novelist and book model.

Jen gave me the thumbs up. Skylight has such a friendly, awesome staff.

Christine was mad because she got caught in traffic for two hours. There was a raver riot (yes, you read that correctly) somewhere on Hollywood Blvd.

But her husband Vinnie was just happy to be at the Dresden, and remained serene.

Shrimp cocktail.

When he's having a good time, Mike's hair gets even bigger.

This is how I feel about leaving LA.

All is not lost, though–we're heading to the airport to go to San Francisco, where I have a reading at the Booksmith tonight. 7:30. I can't promise brownies, but I do promise love.

I'll be back soon, LA.

Yours, dripping in sunshine and happiness,

Emma

See Me Live, in Person and on the Interwebs

The upcoming week is chockablock with live appearances, both live and transmitted via ethernet (what is that, anyway) tubes or whatever.

TUESDAY: Edan Lepucki and I are having a Live Chat on Goodreads at 5pm EST/2pm PST. We will talk about books and writers and Timmy Riggins and California produce, maybe. Tune in to find out!

WEDNESDAY: I'll be reading at Skylight Books, the finest book emporium this side of the 405 freeway. (Note: I have no idea where the freeway is, and apologize for anyone I might be insulting. I take surface roads exclusively.) There will be brownies! You should come! 7pm!

THURSDAY: After a brief romance with JetBlue, I'll be reading at the Booksmith, in San Francisco! Come and tell me which burritos to eat, I beg you. If I can find delicious cookies in between the airport and the bookstore, I will bring them with me. 7pm!

Hooray for California and the internet!

love

Emma