Hello and yes I am indeed still in Boston, though I am leaving for the train station in an hour and will then be on my way to Providence, which is not where my next event is, but is near where my event is, which is in Plainville, MA. I don’t know. I just go where I am told, which lately has been like Alyssa Liu spinning in circles. She is much better at it than I am.
Yesterday I had most of the day to myself, and after writing a few things for the UK (American Fantasy is out there in May, and all my UK dates coming soon!), I set out to check out some other bookstores.
The Beacon Hill Books and Cafe was a cute little house, with a proper staircase and lots of little rooms. Extremely well-decorated! Paintings on walls! A fancy-looking cafe! I was impressed. I did not find any booksellers, though, and it was jammed with tourists, so I left these books unsigned, alas. I did breathe on them.
The kiddos at Lovestruck were ready for me. Look at these absolute cutie pies. They told me all kinds of idiotic things say to them, a romance bookstore, such as, “Is this women’s chapstick?” and “Do you just have girl books?” LORDT those men were not ready for these booksellers.
When I meet other booksellers who dress like me, I fall in love with them on the spot, it’s really that simple. I mean, we are clearly sisters!! I am the older sister and that’s fine. Kirsten, you are the cutest.
Oh, I forgot to do my oatmeal review this morning! I didn’t even photograph it because it was too depressing. Way high on the gruel scale. Not a raisin, not a nut, not a speck of brown sugar in sight. This was Oliver Twist all the way, so I needed a good lunch. My friend Jon told me to try this new-ish place in Cambridge, and so I did. It’s called Oyster House something something yadda yadda, but it was 11am and I wasn’t ready for all that. I had a beet salad and some fried Brussels sprouts and they were both beyond delicious.
Ok time to get in the car and drive 2 hours to New Hampshire. Jumpsuit: Rachel Comey on The Real Real. Emotional support phone cord: Ina Seifart. Perfect new shoes: Loeffler Randall. Face: sad about the 2 hour drive.
Someone sent me an angel, though, because my driver played the Jonas Brothers the whole way. My man. (I read a book.)
Wowweeee! Okay! Concord is adorable and the theater that was holding the event was FANCY. Thank you, sweet Michael and Ryan from Gibson’s for hosting me in this amazing space.
Julia Barrett from NHPR did an amazing job—they were recording for an hour-long episode, so we really had time to wander. I definitely have fully crossed over into unhinged territory, and said many things that I have not said on tour, nor ever said outloud. I hope Julia found me entertaining and not only insane. The people in the crowd were so nice—shoutout to my Blockheads ALWAYS—and I had great conversations with people in the signing line. Want to see the best thing hanging in the green room?
Oh NBD just Matthew and Gunnar!!
Thank you to everyone from Gibson’s, esp. Ryan and Michael, who heard my plea for dinner before the event and helped me get some delicious food to wolf down five minutes before going on stage, and then who took pity on me when I said I was sad that I wasn’t going to see the store itself, and said, oh, come on! And walked me over and let me explore in the dark. The best way to see any bookstore, IMHO.
Breaking and entering, with bag of dumplings.
Goodnight, New Hampshire!!!! Sorry to this lady and her dog who definitely did not want to be in my picture. The ride back to Boston was only an hour, and we had more Jo Bros. Not too bad.
See you in Providence/Plainville tonight! I’ll be with Alison Espach who wrote The Wedding People, which you loved!!! (I know that because everyone loved it.)
It’s almost Mother’s Day! You definitely know at least one mother who needs a copy of my book. If you order one from Books Are Magic, I can personalize it. Think about it—the person you know who just had their first baby, your cousin who has two kids under five and hasn’t read a book for pleasure in half a decade, your best friend from middle school, the people you went to see BSB at the Sphere with……it’s a great idea.
