radfrac_archive | reading, writing, scheduling

You are lovely. You came all that way and you paid money to sit in that stifling hot room. It was amazing to have you there. I was really, really, one-more-really-for-each-of-you touched. You are Just Super.

It was only after I'd read that I realized I'd done a slightly audacious thing elbowing my way into the lineup last night. Well, in fact Captain had done the audacious thing by offering me the space -- easily, without fuss, and in style; but that's Captain.

These were really clever and interesting people, and I would have been glad just to have seen them read. It was a remarkably strong lineup. I found I recognized more of the work than I expected to.

They were friendly at the break, too. I was a bit dazed myself what with the sunburn and the performing rush and I didn't say anything very clever, but it was nice to look at them all and feel Pleased. And I got to be in the group photo at the end. I'm the one grinning like a loon.

Also a sheepish thank you to the kind dyke next to me who didn't mind that I accidentally drank out of her water bottle in my nervousness.

There were quite a few of the fellows there from Gay Men Read Books Exclamation Mark. My prof was there, in a muscle shirt. John Barton, of course, was in the lineup, and he and Billeh Nickerson were also doing the BC launch of Seminal: The Anthology of Canada's Gay Male Poets. Which I would have bought had I brought any cash. Amber Dawn's book, sadly, was not available.

I would just like to say: Billeh Nicker son is a doll. He was entirely gracious about including me. He read my bio like it made just as much sense as anyone else's. And at the intermission he took us aside and explained that he doesn't work gigs where the authors aren't paid. And then he gave us honoraria. So: I have been paid to read. How about that?

I didn't want to overrun my time, since they'd been kind enough to give it to me in the first place, so I kept to two poems. At first I was just going to read "Beltaine" and one of the short new pieces, but the first few people read long enough work that I thought I could get away with the two longest poems I'd brought, which were "Beltaine" and "That new one I haven't named that used to be called 'Riddle' only now there's no riddle in it".

I'm glad I read them. Captain asked me beforehand what they were about. "Well, they're sort of... I try to... thematically... they're about this guy." I admitted. And he laughed and said they always were.

There was something about taking that emotion and performing it. It was validating, not of the emotion itself, but of the ability to transform experience into a... into a transmission. Something made of ideas and energy.

Afterwards we went, a great gaggle of queers, to the upstairs bit of Ferris' and ate appies. I meant to Socialize with New People or something, but really I just hung out with

lemonpickle and Captain and Captain's coworker M. And it was good. And Michael V. Smith* said goodbye to me.

And you are good. Thank you again.

*All this looks rather like namedropping, but I'm trying to Give Credit Where Credit is Due, point people at their books, and offer a little awe here and there.

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reading, writing, scheduling

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