November 2009

Pen Parentis, TheAwl, and Foreign

On Tuesday, December 8 I’ll be doing my last reading from Prospect Park West at Pen Parentis Literary Salon. This is a new series devoted to parents who are writers. It’s in a very cool hotel you must visit and of course all are welcome (not just parents). I’m reading with AMERICAN BABY author Sam Apple.
Upstairs Library of Libertine Restaurant
Gild Hall Hotel
15 Gold Street
Any train to Fulton Street
Tues., 12/8, 6-8 PM
Suggested donation: $20

There’s a new video up of me on TheAwl of a cooking show, “Cooking the Books” in which famed ex-Gawker writer Emily Gould and I cook Al Di La chef Anna Klinger’s malfatti. Emily was the subject and author of a NYTimes mag piece about the effect of living publicly and has a memoir coming out called And the Heart Says Whatever. I know what her advance was.
We had a great time cooking and it came out delicious (though she put in too much ricotta and felt the dumplings did not hold). Too bad we didn’t go out and buy wine till the end, it would have been more fun. Emily is charming and bright but I wish I had insisted on wearing my boots during the interview so she wouldn’t have towered over me – hard enough appearing, stylist-less, side by side to a dewy, yoga-teaching and childless 28-year-old! During our interview, I tried to terrify young Emily about the incredible responsibility of child-rearing by making it seem dark and terrible but I think she’s going to do it anyway. The malfatti connection to my novel Prospect Park West is that Al Di La is mentioned in it a few times, and of course is one of the Slope’s most famous and popular date-night spots.

Finally, a few words about foreign rights. So far Prospect Park West will be published in
Portugal
The Netherlands
Brazil
Serbia
Japan
Germany
I’ll post the covers when I get them!

Upcoming Readings – Saturday, Monday and Thursday

Next week is a busy week for PPW readings and my last week of promotion for the novel for some time – wanted to tell you about them here.

Saturday, 11/14/09 @ 2-3 PM
Signing at Barnes & Noble Park Slope
267 7th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Since I could not read at BN PS due to my reading at BN Tribeca instead, this will be my only appearance at my local superstore, unless I do something for the paperback in the late spring.
Come by and say hi even if you already have a book. Great way to break the Saturday afternoon doldrums.

Monday, 11/16/09 @ 8 PM
Franklin Park Reading Series
curated by Penina Roth
with Said Sayrafiezadeh (When Skateboards Will Be Free), Lianne Stokes, and Jobie Hughes (I Am Number Four, Agony at Dawn)
Franklin Park, 618 St. Johns Place, Crown Heights, Brooklyn
This is a really cool bar in Crown Heights known for its mix of Hasidic hipsters, hipsters, and West Indians. Penina Roth, who hosts it, is a brilliant curator and I am very flattered to be participating in her series. Anyway, Penina wrote an article for the Times about the bar. It’s here. Also very excited to be reading with my buddy Said, who read at the Authors for Obama benefit I coordinated a year ago, and with Jobie Hughes, who is some sort of Young Adult fiction superstar, and Lianne Stokes.

Thursday, 11/19/09, 7:30 PM-9 PM
Reading and signing plus special shopping discounts and giveaways at
Diana Kane
229b Fifth Avenue, between President and Carroll in Brooklyn, NY
OK, so Diana Kane is the most awesome boutique in the Slope, with a mix of jewelry and party dresses, handbags and some shoes. One of my first mom friends in the neighborhood, Erika, used to shop there when her daughter was a few months old to help her mood. Later she realized the better way to help her mood was to leave the baby’s daddy, which she eventually did. Anyway, Erika inspired the dialogue in the book where Lizzie and Rebecca are talking about buying clothing while taking care of kids and I imagine Rebecca being a frequent Diana Kane shopper. I got my fave bikini there in the spring half off and then spotted it in the movie Couples Retreat. I’ve gotten Petit Bateau tops, undies and lingerie there too, and they have a great collection of Steven Alan shirts. I love his shirts and am wearing one in my book jacket photo.
There will be free wine donated by Picada y Vino, best liquor store in the Slope. Bring your buddies and have fun. Guys welcome too!

Brooklyn Writers Space Series Sunday 11/8

I am looking forward to the Brooklyn Writers Space reading series tomorrow, at 5 PM. I’ve been a member since 2002 or 2003, which makes me one of the senior people there. The reading is at the Brooklyn Artists Gym, with Joshua Henkin, Sue Scarlett Montgomery, and Nancy Jacobs.
Sunday Nov 8th @ 5pm
168 7th Street, 3rd Floor (btw 2nd Ave and 3rd Ave)
Refreshments and a crunchy snack
Today was a great reading at boing, the satellite space of maternity store Boing Boing. I had a great time reading for the moms, dads, and kids. The store has a bunch of books if you want to buy it there while you pick up your alcohol-in-breast-milk detector. Seventh Ave south of 16th Street.
Next Saturday at 2 PM I’m signing (not reading) at B & N Park Slope. Should be fun!