Emma Straub's Blog, page 9

Chocolate + Love at the Brookline Booksmith

After baking a particularly delicious batch of brownies, Mike and I set out for Brookline. We left at noon, which meant that by the time we passed Mamaroneck, Mike's boyhood home, it was time to stop for a slice of Sal's Pizza.

I think Mike looks more Italian when he's in Westchester County.

By the time we got to Boston, it was dinnertime. Listen, we like to eat. If you're not into pictures of food, I really can't help you. Some loyal readers might recall that the last time we were in Boston, our friend John Woo from The Magnetic Fields made a short film about us that included mentions of the above meal.

The Brookline Booksmith. I made a joke about how reading so close to Joey McIntyre's birthplace was like reading in Mecca or Jerusalem and everyone was like, girl, you crazy, and then laughed politely.

They called me phenomenal! In public! I swoon.

Evan is the Events Czar at the Brookline Booksmith. Here, he is telling a story about a llama. Evan likes llamas. We like Evan.

The adorable Delia!

The adorable Jon, one of Newton's finest.

The lovely and talented Chris Ewen. Have you listened to the Future Bible Heroes lately? Also, because awesome people travel in packs, it was at a FBH show at the Mercury Lounge about one thousand years ago that I first heard Kelly Link (pictured above, in plaid) read her backwards cheerleader story which made my brain melt with happiness.

Lots of people loved the brownies, but only Ursula carried one around, licking with affection. Thank you, Ursula.

Sam gets points for coming to TWO of my readings, and extra extra points for bringing the whole family. I paid the children in chocolate, as one does.

Thank you thank you to all my tweeps who came, and to all my new friends, too. Two people at the reading told me that they "internet-stalk" me, which I call "being friends." Kisses to all!

See you tonight, Portsmouth, NH!

love

Emma

Literary Upstart + Just Working on My Novel

This week, I'm participating in two fairly wild events. Thursday evening is the final round of The L Magazine's Literary Upstart Fiction Contest, with a live judging at Galapagos. Oh, am I a judge, you ask? Of course not! I'm a sucker who has been suckered into incorrectly answering trivia questions after the contest is through! Please join us and help me by calling the answers out from the audience. (And you really should help me, because whoever wins the trivia contest gets a heap of money for the organization of their choice, and I've picked Girls Write Now. If you don't know why GWN is awesome, please scroll down and watch the video of me and my mentee at our reading.)

On Friday, I'm hosting this month's installment of Just Working on My Novel at WORD, during which I will read from my unpublished novel, and other people will read from their unpublished novels, too. There will be wine and goofiness, both free of charge.

Yours,

Emma

Probably the Best Reading I've Ever Done

A couple of months ago, my mentee Joy and I read our piece 'Tips for Tourists' at the Girls Write Now Chapters Reading Series. I've done about two dozen readings this year, but this was by far and away the best. I invite you to observe.

I told you it was good.

Speaking of readings, I have lots coming up!

June 14–Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA

June 15– RiverRun Bookstore, (with Jami Attenberg and Kate Christensen) Portsmouth, NH

June 16–Longfellow Books, Portland, ME

July 27–Skylight Books, Los Angeles, CA

July 28–Booksmith, San Francisco, CA

Hope to see you there! I can't promise that they'll be as good as my GWN reading, but I promise to try.

Yours,

Emma

Things I Did at BEA

Things I did at BEA (An Incomplete, Very Random List)

-Stood on line for Colson Whitehead's new book (who declined my offer of gross free popcorn but then very sweetly signed another copy of his book for my dad)

-Stood on line for Susan Orlean's new book (who then started pimping out my story collection to her S + S publicist)

-Stood on line for Tom Perrotta's new book (who recognized me from Twitter, called me by name, and then hugged me)

-Jumped up and down when I met internet friends for the first time (I'm looking at you, Book Lady's Blog, Algonquin Books, Graywolf Press)

-Handed out chocolate chip cookies (made sure my new publisher got one)

-Got lost in the Javits Center (repeatedly)

-Saw my first boss for the first time in eight years. When I quit, she gave me a kimono and a ketchup dispenser, calling me a 'hot tomato.' Love forever, right there. (Big ups to Artisan Books)

BEA 4 Ever.

love,

Emma

Me + Bianca Jagger

This weekend, Mike and I went to Houston for our dear friends' wedding. At their request, I won't post any of their wedding photos (trust me, they both looked GORGEOUS), but I will share some of the other highlights of the trip.

A prom took place in our hotel the night before the wedding. A policeman yelled at me for taking pictures of the teenaged girls, but it was worth it.

Breakfast at Ninfa's on Navigation. Heavenly.

Bianca Jagger went to the Rothko Chapel the same day we did.

Before the wedding, I went to the Nars counter at Neiman Marcus and got Tex-ified. This was after I went to Sephora and removed about half the make-up.

Us, at wedding.

Tacos for lunch.

I told Mike to "look like Timmy Riggins."

Here, pretend-Timmy seems to be thinking about prison, and how mad he is at his stupid brother.

We stopped at Brazos Bookstore and I bought a copy of Furious Love for the plane ride home. Yee haw, y'all!

Emma

Jezebel Short Fiction Contest

The lovely Anna North and the ladies of Jezebel have asked me to help them judge their Short Fiction Contest, and I am stoked. The only drawback is that I suppose it means I am ineligible to enter. Alas! Alas. But you can. So, do.

Yours, with a gavel and a powdered wig,

Emma

Bookclubbing, Part Two

At this week's second book club visit, the very lively and smart group went straight for my heart.

This is an 'after' photo of the cheese plate. You should have seen it before.

This is a very dark photo of about half the empty bottles of wine.

Thank you hugely to Amanda and Luca and their amazing posse. I had such a wonderful time that I might start to lurk outside your doors with wine and cheese, hoping to be invited back.

Yours,

Emma

Bookclubbing

At this week's bookclub, my hosts made OPWM-themed food. Love it!

You're looking at a casserole (Fly-Over State) and a Vietnamese salad (Some People Must Really Fall in Love). A for effort!

There were also Girl Scout cookies (better than fiction).

Pablo the cat was a very active part of the discussion.

Then I took a taxi home. 9 hours at the bookstore, an hour on the train, two hours at the bookclub. Goodnight.

Love

Emma

Largehearted Lit at WORD

Last night, I had the profound pleasure of reading at May's installment of Largehearted Lit. If you don't read David Gutkowski's blog, you're being silly, and should start. Also, he brought two boxes of Peter Pan donuts to the reading, so that tells you pretty much everything you need to know.

First, Austin and Lev Grossman read. Both were funny and engaging and wonderful. Lev read from a chapter of his forthcoming book, The Magician King, and I got so excited that I emailed his editor today to get an ARC. Score.

Then my dad and I hit the stage, where we performed our well-honed comedy routine.

Then the rest of us got out of the way and let Big Pete do his thing.

After the reading, my mother smoked pot in the bathroom AND tried to make out with Christine, WORD's proprietress.

This is what happens when Stephanie hand-sells too many books in one day.

I'll be back at WORD on June 10th for 'Just Working on My Novel.' It's always fun. Why would you be somewhere else?

Yours,

Emma

HTMLGIANT

I woke up to a lovely review by Roxane Gay on HTMLGIANT today. These are my two favorite parts:

"I loved Other People We Married by Emma Straub. I'll put that out there immediately. Don't worry, I will get more nuanced than that but first I need to talk about French flaps on books. There Is No Year has French flaps too and that thrilled me. I love paperback books with those flaps on them. It feels sophisticated. The French flap is, by far, the best book innovation I've seen in a long time. I want to put French flaps on everything. Other People We Married has French flaps so I was very optimistic when I began reading. I just had to get that off my chest."

and

"The best part of 'Puttanesca' is the ending, where Laura and Stephen are studying a sculpture, 'Apollo and Daphne,'talking about what they see in the art. 'Laura felt a hand around her waist, and for a moment imagined it was Apollo, reaching for her, begging her to stay, already knowing in his marble heart that she was gone.' I read that line and, full disclosure, felt a sharp pang of jealousy before I was able to fully appreciate its excellence. The entire story is a marvel."

Cheers to you, Ms. Gay. That's one of the best endings I've ever written, and I'm so glad you liked it.

Click here to read the rest of the review.

love

Emma