Susan Rich's Blog, page 79

Enjoy the Journey - Thoughts on My Book Tour

I survived! And even better than that, I had fun. When The Alchemist's Kitchen was still in production, I challenged myself to take my baby on the road. If I wanted to let people know about my book, the best possible way was to meet some new people face to face. And so I travelled from Seattle to San Diego, to Boston, to Miami all in one week. Ironically, the previous week I had put on three events in Seattle at the Frye Art Museum, a travel book store and a coffeehouse. I'm just now calculating how many different events I did in two weeks. The magic number: 10.

So what did I learn from this whirlwind that might be of some use to other writers? A few things perhaps.

1. Pack light. I'm not kidding. This is the number one rule. I did three cities and a few major weather patterns with just a carry-on bag. This meant I had no worries of the airline losing my bags and I also didn't have to waste time waiting in long lines at the airport. Carrying my own (mostly black) belongings alleviated much of the stress of travel. I also felt proud that I could pack only essentials - which included three pairs of shoes.

2. Attachment is exhausting. Don't worry about book sales. Of course you are worried about book sales but it won't do anyone any good. Besides, you've done your part -- here you are on the road reading and teaching in the best way you know how. (Thanks to Kelli for putting this so succinctly.)

3. Food is really important. The pumpkin pie cookies at the San Diego farmer's market; the cook your own delicious meal restaurant in Brighton, cocktails and coconut shrimp in Miami. The communal nature of sharing food with good friends -- that's what I will remember.

4. Travel makes me confront my discomfort level. In San Diego I did five events in three days. That's a record. I taught a course on translation, gave a three hour workshop, and other assorted programs. And amazingly, I had fun. I met some superb people and felt that what I did was well received. However, before I left Seattle it seemed impossible that I would be able to do it all. Now with the luxury of hindsight, I feel stronger and more able to face the challenges ahead.

5. You have to have friends. Honestly, that's what this trip was about. Ilya and Katie in San Diego, Hilary in Boston, then Cliff and Deb in Miami. In each place I landed I had very dear friends to take me in. I remember the lentil soup on the stove, the morning walk for coffee, and the party under the trees. I continually felt grateful for knowing such amazing people; for the immense pleasure of friendship. At the end of the class, the reading, the workshop, I had people who loved me waiting to talk and laugh. In many ways, a book tour is more about relationships with others (new friends were also made on this trip) than anything else.

6. What a great problem to have. A book tour! Travel the country and have people listen to your images, visions, ideas -- what a privilege to live this life as a writer. I am honored. And if you are someone who reads this blog and also came out to see me last week, I am doubly honored. Thank you.

Croatian Doors and Croatian Windows - It's That Kind of Day

Thanks to the Black Sheep Dances for the Windows

Entering the Picture: Myra Albert Wiggins and Me

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Finally. My article in the Oregon Quarterly is here! I love that these are the best produced images of Wiggins' photographs that I have ever seen. Guy Maynard, Editor-in-Chief of Oregon Quarterly and the author of the novel, The Risk of Being Ridiculous, was a complete joy to work with. The article tries to examine the nature of art and poetry - which is no small task. In addition, Guy asked me to look at three of my own poems and offer insight into the process of writing ekphrastic poems. This was a challenge for me. And I like challenges.

Writing prose is so different than writing poetry. Instead of soaring through sound and disjuncture, I'm stumbling around lost, looking for a narrative line.  Instead of singing in a new key, I'm slipping into quick sand. Yes, this is an exaggeration. The more I write, the more I see that these dichotomies only really exist in my head. My newest example of poet disguised as a fiction writer is Nicole Krauss author of History of Love and The Great House. More on this later.

For now, I hope you'll take a look at Entering the Picture and tell me what you think. I would like that.

It Began Innocently Enough ~ The Best Book(s) Trailer Ever

This dual purpose book trailer is a joy to watch whether you are interested in book trailers or not. My good friend Midge Raymond is here with her author husband lamenting the meaning(s) of Amazon rankings. It plays to me like a short story by Saki. Since Midge is an excellent short story author, it seems a fair comparison. I hope you enjoy it.

I have yet to enter the world of book trailers, but this one makes me curious about what works and what doesn't. My sense is: this is just plain funny and entertaining no matter whether you decide to buy Forgetting English or  The Tourist Trail or not. It resembles a good comedy sketch -- I can imagine it on the old SNL and that it's worth aside from book promotion is what makes it successful.

If it's Thursday ... it must be Boston

Susan and January last night after our reading at Porter Square Books; photograph thanks to AvivahIt was a fabulous reading!
Coming attractions: January and I read at the Miami Book Festival Sunday at 2:30 pm @ Miami Dade College

Porter Square Books in Porter Square @ 7 PM Wednesday night with January O'Neil

Yes, I know this is Harvard Square, not Porter Square -- I haven't been gone that long! It's true when the taxi driver asked me if he should take exit 19 or exit 28 -- I had no idea what he was talking about. I think he knew that, too. In any case, I am happy to be back "home" even if home is now Seattle and not Boston. I'm looking forward to seeing old friends, some from elementary school tomorrow night and meeting new folks. It's been five years since my last visit and so reading tomorrow night at 7 pm with January O'Neil is just one of the pleasures these next three days hold.

I'm sill mentally back in San Diego where I had a superb time. Maybe I should travel more often ...

There is much more to say about notions of home and travel, but not tonight. For now, glad to be satiated with lentil soup, red wine, and tea. I am thankful for the most wonderful of friends.

Saturday afternoon "Speaking Pictures Workshop" and Saturday night reading with Ilya Kaminsky at the Ink Spot

I've never been to San Diego, but I'm on the road there today! If you are in driving or walking distance of San Diego's center for writers, the Ink Spot, I would love to see you on Saturday (tomorrow) for an afternoon workshop on poetry and the visual arts @ 1:00 pm or at a reading with Ilya Kaminsky @ 7:00 pm. I will also be reading at San Diego State University on Monday night. Since I am brand new to Southern California, it would be great to meet you. And if not in San Diego, perhaps in Boston at the Porter Square Books in Cambridge with January O'Neil this Wednesday, November 17th or at the Miami Book Festival, Sunday the 21st. I am on my first ever "couch tour" for a book. I am both extremely excited and very nervous. Yes, at the same time.

Ilya Kaminsky reads at The Ink Spot with me, this Saturday @ 7 pm
January O'Neil reads at Porter Square Books with me this Wednesday @ 7 pm

Literary Fires at C & P Coffee: Tonight's the Night @ 7:00pm

Literary fires of poetry and prose are igniting tonight. I cringe to use fire as a metaphor after being in a real fire last summer in Spain. While at an artist's retreat, Fundacion Valparaiso, the town of Mojacar and surrounding towns caught fire. It was the hottest summer in Southern Europe for 100 years and the fires outside of Barcelona had used up much needed resources. It was one of the scariest experiences of my life - and that's coming from a woman who worked in Gaza and in Sarajevo in 1996.

The illustrious West Seattle Blog has covered our reading and we are a starred event in The Stranger so I'm hoping for a good crowd at C & P. Along with the fabulously talented Elizabeth Austen and Harold Taw, we have also been in touch with the Seattle Fire Marshall who has sent some interesting tips along.

The night is co-sponsored by the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture in the form of a CityArtist grant.

I hope you can make it !

Deep Travel - Contemporary American Poets Abroad

I love re-reading books that only get better with more reflection. Deep Travel fits the bill. The premise of this anthology is to bring together the best writing by American poets who have lived abroad. The poets range from luminaries such as Charles Wright, Garrett Hongo, Marilyn Hacker, Afaa Michael Weaver,  to the rising stars of Brain Turner, Derick Burleson, Diane Thiel. The collection includes four poems and an essay by each poet. Lived experience from Antarctica to Vietnam, Estonia to Rwanda is included. I know of no other collection like it.

Here's a poem from Brian Turner, originally published in Here, Bullet about his year serving in the military in Iraq.

In the Leupald Scope

With a 40x60mm spotting scope
I traverse the Halabjah skyline,
scanning rooftops two thousand meters out
to find a woman in sparkling green, standing
among antennas and satellite dishes,
hanging laundry on an invisible line.

She is dressing the dead, clothing them
as they wait in silence, the pigeons circling
as fumestacks billow a noxious black smoke.
She is welcoming them back to the dry earth,
giving them dresses in tangerine and teal,
woven cotton shirts dyed blue.

She waits for them to lean forward
into the breeze, for the wind's breath
to return the bodies they once had,
women with breasts swollen by milk,
men with shepherd-thin bodies, children
running hard into the horizon's curving lens.

And Now for Something New: A Free Workshop @ Wide World of Books and Travel

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Here is where I will be tomorrow night @ 7:00 pm in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle. This travel bookstore, Wide World of Books and Travel, is in my top ten list of favorite bookstores ever. The evening is part writing workshop and part reading.

The Poetry of Travel: A Workshop on How to Write Poems of the Faraway and the Foreign
4411 Wallingford Ave North
Seattle, WA

7:00 - 8:00 PM


This hour-long workshop will look at several approaches to transforming lived experience into poetry. Learn how to write of travel, not tourism. Bring paper and pen and be ready to write